Is the 243 the best whitetail deer cartridge?

[blueprairiedog]

I am sorry but I don't get the 30/30 thing I thought we were talking about 243/6mm and I own a 30/30 great heavy thick woods gun but again let's look at that 243/6mm that does a great job at varmint and deer along with competition. Just my opinion but it is a good do it and if you don't own one Santa will be here soon.

 

[blueprairiedog]

Oh yeah I forgot 200 prone 99 6x now let's see those 30/30 targets with 6mm

 

[jessej]

Summary: It could be considered a good deer cartridge…..but, "NEVER" the best deer cartridge! memtb

Whole heartedly agree
Not only agree, but deem this factual

 

[blueprairiedog]

Oh yeah I forgot 200 prone 99 6x now let's see those 30/30 targets with 6mm

Oh crap now I am telling my age

 

[blueprairiedog]

243/6mm is it the best is like saying buffalo trace is the best bourbon .It may not be the best but it's hard to beat and again I have almost everything in center fire from 204-338 but if I have 1 shot I chance give me my 6 creedmoor and my Berger 105 and I will make you proud.Merry Christmas now get in there and wrap those presents

 

[SkipB]

I am sorry but I don't get the 30/30 thing I thought we were talking about 243/6mm and I own a 30/30 great heavy thick woods gun but again let's look at that 243/6mm that does a great job at varmint and deer along with competition. Just my opinion but it is a good do it and if you don't own one Santa will be here soon.

Exactly right we have some planted pines with brush between the rows and I would have no problem hunting there with a 30-30. I even have an old 444 Marlin I would take there. In some of our smaller fields and coyote hunting I love a 243 but most of the time I`ll just grab the 25-06 or 308 and head out.

 

[VinceMule]

When it comes to the best, there is a big difference in needs from hunting in the jungles of SC vs the open, very windy plains of Montana. IN SC, we need to put deer on the ground ASAP. Guys have their own opinions of what they like here in SC. Limits are liberal here in SC, so a loss of shoulder meat is of no consequence.

 

[TX Badger]

If you want a light recoiling cartridge there are just better options. 25-06, 6.5 cm, 260, 6.5x284… can all be loaded down to 243 recoil levels for young shooters, but give the option to grow into higher performance loads over time.

I would never carry a 243 for large WI whitetails. It would be my luck that the buck of a lifetime would give me a steep quartering shot and I would be hamstrung. I would not hesitate if I knew all shots would be perfectly broadside, but that's not how it works where I hunt. Also, the doe I shot this year dressed 130 lbs. Probably bigger than a lot of mature bucks in the south.

 

[Dot_3]

THIS "subject" has got to be good for at least,.. 20 MORE, Pages !

Dang if Lefty didn't call it on page 7!!!

 

[selmerfan]

.243 Win is the cartridge I shot my first and several other deer with. Dad always loaded it with a 100 gr. Nosler Partition and it would run a big mule deer from brisket to ham and keep on going. It's a dandy, well-balanced cartridge that neatly balances light recoil with good terminal performance and bridges between varmint and big game cartridge beautifully. 55 gr. Nosler Ballistic Tip at 4000 fps or 100 gr. Partition at 3000 fps gets the job done on whatever you want to point it at. I still have the .243 Win I started with, which was mom's Rem 788. I've since fallen in love with .260 Rem for big game.

 

[DogDoc99]

I started out with a .270 Win. I then had to experiment killing deer with every other cartridge I could try- only to realize the .270 really is as good as it gets on deer!

 

[Idaho Lefty]

Dang if Lefty didn't call it on page 7!!!

You just kinda, KNOW these "Things" when, you get,..Older !
LOL ! I have to, UN-Watch, these "Best" Cartridge Posts or, my E-Mail gets,.. Full !
My grandson at, 13 y/o, just killed, a huge, 30" Heavy Horned, 4 x 5, Desert Muley at 234 Yards with, his .243 Win. using a Berger 87 grain, H-VLD.
Yup, the .243 Win is, a "Good" choice but, he already has, his Eye on MY,.. Tikka, 6.5 Creedmoor,.. LOL !

 

[Hard rock]

You just kinda, KNOW these "Things" when, you get,..Older !
LOL ! I have to, UN-Watch, these "Best" Cartridge Posts or, my E-Mail gets,.. Full !
My grandson at, 13 y/o, just killed, a huge, 30" Heavy Horned, 4 x 5, Desert Muley at 234 Yards with, his .243 Win. using a Berger 87 grain, H-VLD.
Yup, the .243 Win is, a "Good" choice but, he already has, his Eye on MY,.. Tikka, 6.5 Creedmoor,.. LOL !

Smart boy

 

[Idaho Lefty]

Smart boy

Yes, he IS and, a good Shot, too. Last year, at 12 y/o, he got, a 4 x 3 at, 268 yards with, same,. gun / Bullet ( Prone over, a Pack ).
We take him out to the rolling Desert hill country, outside of Town to, practice Sitting with Stix and Prone shots to, 300 yards on 10" Steel plates.
A .243 Win with, the "Right" Bullet, is an awesome, Women / Kid's Cart. choice,.. IF, you know it's, "Limitations" and Practice with, it.
He's, a "Lefty" too, due to having, a Left master Eye, so we taught him to shoot, left handed.
Myself, having Shot Deer with everything from, a .22-250 Rem to, a .338 Win Mag ( they ALL "Work" some, just a TAD "better" than, others ! ).
I used to use, a .270 Weatherby Mag. on, Deer / Antelope and IT, killed,. very, "Well" and YUP,.. T'was,.. PRE- Range Finder, Days !
Since, I gave My Tikka, in .243 Win to, my grandson, I replaced it with, a 6.5 Creed ( Tikka of, course ) for, my use,.. on Deer / Antelope.