Is the 243 the best whitetail deer cartridge?

[memtb]

Only 29 pages? So far.

And…..only a little over two years old! Aging like a fine wine! memtb

 

[popeye]

I started my son and grandson on the .243 for hunting whitetail deer and I use it for a lot of my coyote hunting. I have killed many deer with it using rounds in the 80-95 grain range and never lost one. It is one of my all time favorite rounds but then again I love the .260 and its from the ole .308 case too.

 

[gvjm]

If you think a 243 kills deer as well as anything else I might suggest a 25-06. I used to have a 243. after using the old 25, I don't.

 

[Lenny Foffa]

IMHO!!! .243 is a Good Cartridge for Whitetail deer. Lots of deer have been taken with that round. No question!!! But your question was ' Is it the BEST " so in the spirit of being completely objective and transparent, my scientific answer would be "NO" , it's not the very best.....................my .270 Win is!!!!!

 

[jimbo111]

All I know is in my neck of the woods my Rem Model 7 243 with a 85 Sierra and varget puts deer down as well as anything I've ever used.

Good round as long as you have a broad side shot, anything quartering can be a challenge for such a light bullet. My model 7 shooting 90g bullets is only running about 2700 fps, so the speed have nothing to do with it. 20" barrel or 18" barrels do not generate max speeds. Published speeds on ammo boxes are created using a 26" barrel, very deceiving. 30-06 with a 180g bullet is probably 2650 fps, maybe more depending on barrel length.

 

[skipglo]

Agree to disagree . Can you imagine all the things those older folks would never have figured out if they never doubted the older folks when they were young?

More difficult for me when it comes to rifle "wisdom", is that the older folks all seem to say different and often conflicting things…well besides ".30-06, 12 gauge, 22lr…. It's all you'll ever need". I think they're right about that one too, much as I hate to admit it.

I think we said " 338 lap, 10 ga., .223" didn't we?

 

[Calvin45]

I think we said " 338 lap, 10 ga., .223" didn't we?

No that was just you . You calling yourself old?

 

[memtb]

I think we said " 338 lap, 10 ga., .223" didn't we?

Only one of those even existed when I was making those comments! memtb

 

[Fit4pain]

My 243 is a great. My 6.5 Creedmoor is great but since I start shootng the 6mm ARC, it has been so much fun to shoot. I hunt in the Texas Hill County where deer are small and the distances are short. The 6 ARC has dropped ever deer in its tracks for me and it is such a soft shooter. I couldn't be happier. This was the buck I took this year with it.

 

[Calvin45]

My 243 is a great. My 6.5 Creedmoor is great but since I start shootng the 6mm ARC, it has been so much fun to shoot. I hunt in the Texas Hill County where deer are small and the distances are short. The 6 ARC has dropped ever deer in its tracks for me and it is such a soft shooter. I couldn't be happier. This was the buck I took this year with it. View attachment 433716

Holy smokes that's a unique one. Does it count as three antlers!?!? Or is that "anomaly" still only counted as one more point ?

 

[Lenny Foffa]

That Buck is Truley magnificent!!! Buck of a Life time !!!!! It goes to show you, they are not hard to KILL, just hard to find.

 

[skipglo]

Only one of those even existed when I was making those comments! memtb

10 gauge?

 

[skipglo]

No that was just you . You calling yourself old?

As much as I hate to admit it....not sure which came first....myself or dirt!

 

[memtb]

10 gauge?

Yep! memtb