Is the 243 the best whitetail deer cartridge?

[memtb]

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

There's rocks around here that I remember as dirt! memtb

 

[Fit4pain]

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

They called it a split main beam and apparently it is very rare. I had never seen anything like it before. He was a 10 pointer the way he was. I almost passed on it. I didn't have my binoculars and it was very over cast and late in the day and it was the first buck I saw on my new lease. I new he was big but I had no idea until I walked up on him after he was down. I might never see anything like him again. Very lucky for sure.

 

[Teri Anne]

A little background, my father in law debated me one time, 243 is the best deer cartridge. I said, naw, it's the 30-06. He said no way, the 243 kills them just as dead, sweetest shooting cartridge with no recoil, and very flat and fast.

Shortly after that, I 'd gotten on a lease and bought a 243 as a back up to my trusty 30-06 and for my father in law to use when I took him as my guest. Well guess what? I've come to believe he's right. I've shot deer with calibers up to 375H&H and pistol calibers 45 ACP and 41 magnum and nothing kills deer as quickly as that 243.

Since then I bought a small frame 243 Tikka T3 for my kids to use as their first deer rifle. That gun is a tack driver and kills deer dead right there. It's light, smooth action, relatively inexpensive, sized right for kids and comes with shims to grow with them. My buddy took his youngest of three sons out to hunt his first deer this weekend. Borrowed that 243. One shot, DRT! Loved the gun.

Just more proof in my mind that my father in law was right. The 243 is the best deer cartridge. I don't know what it is, speed? sweet-spot diameter of bullet? Just the right amount of energy? Love to hear others' thoughts and reactions, both pro and con!

I started my son out on a Browning AB3 in 243. He got his first deer with that rifle, a nice 6 point buck that dropped in place and never moved. While at the time I much preferred a .308 I was impressed with the performance of the .243. I wouldn't hesitate to use it on either Whitetail, Mule deer or Antelope. It does the job if the bullet is placed where it is supposed to be, but then again that is with any rifle. Put the bullet where it counts and the animal will drop or not go very far.

 

[Web1350]

BEST deer cartridge??? Absolutely not!!! It can usually get the job done but certainly isn't the BEST.

 

[hesse]

Here is the problem if you are hunting heavy CRP or dense wood lots etc . If you don't break a front shoulder they tend to run a good distance with out much if any blood trail till the body cavity fills up . Both of my kids had this happen with higher double lung shots . So my son went to the 308. My daughter went to 6.5 creedmoor

 

[Chuck_2450]

Here is the problem if you are hunting heavy CRP or dense wood lots etc . If you don't break a front shoulder they tend to run a good distance with out much if any blood trail till the body cavity fills up . Both of my kids had this happen with higher double lung shots . So my son went to the 308. My daughter went to 6.5 creedmoor

This is the exact reason I personally prefer a nice "thumper" round chambered in 450 bushmaster.

 

[Two Six Oh-Letergo]

I shot my first several deer and antelope as well as my first bear and elk with a .243. I used it steady until I discovered the two-six-oh. I have learned to appreciate a little more pop especially at distance but I will always have a soft spot for the .243.

 

[Quintus]

Here is the problem if you are hunting heavy CRP or dense wood lots etc . If you don't break a front shoulder they tend to run a good distance with out much if any blood trail till the body cavity fills up . Both of my kids had this happen with higher double lung shots . So my son went to the 308. My daughter went to 6.5 creedmoor

Doesn't really matter what caliber you hit em with, hi double lung ain't gonna squirt till they hit the full line, and even the 308 isn't gonna break a shoulder on a hi double lung hit. From the .243 on up killing deer is more of a what bullet at what distance is best question than what caliber - IMHO.

 

[Calvin45]

Doesn't really matter what caliber you hit em with, hi double lung ain't gonna squirt till they hit the full line, and even the 308 isn't gonna break a shoulder on a hi double lung hit. From the .243 on up killing deer is more of a what bullet at what distance is best question than what caliber - IMHO.

True up to a point. You can make a small bullet open up but I haven't heard of a big one shrinking.

I have a .243. Also a .358 Norma, among other things. Regardless of the projectile used and the distance I know which one gives me more "wiggle room"

 

[Quintus]

True up to a point. You can make a small bullet open up but I haven't heard of a big one shrinking.

I have a .243. Also a .358 Norma, among other things. Regardless of the projectile used and the distance I know which one gives me more "wiggle room"

That is true on big bullets not a gonna shrink, but...Just from what I have seen alotta bigger calibers have alotta bullet options that just aren't gonna get much bigger (expand well) on deer, even if you hit a rib or scapula. Part of the beauty of the 25s and 6mms is the hunting bullets are generally designed with deer sized critters in mind. Grain of salt here, I don't hunt much anymore with any of the 6mms, but it's not due to lack of confidence, there are just more interesting options.

 

[Calvin45]

That is true on big bullets not a gonna shrink, but...Just from what I have seen alotta bigger calibers have alotta bullet options that just aren't gonna get much bigger (expand well) on deer, even if you hit a rib or scapula. Part of the beauty of the 25s and 6mms is the hunting bullets are generally designed with deer sized critters in mind. Grain of salt here, I don't hunt much anymore with any of the 6mms, but it's not due to lack of confidence, there are just more interesting options.

For sure that makes sense. I'm not gonna use a 280 a frame in that .358 to double lung a deer.

 

[memtb]

We've found that the larger bore cartridges work pretty well on smaller big game! We've taken game from Pronghorn, deer, up through (no pun intended) with a 338 WM (her's) and a 375 AI (mine) with none lost…..while using Barnes bullets.

We did have a Pronghorn, about 8 years ago, give us a bit of concern. The "goat" was about to go behind a ridge, my wife jumped from the truck (yes, I got it stopped first) and took a quick offhand shot on the moving Pronghorn at a measured (after the shot) 204 +/- yards. The shot was quite low, behind the foreleg. The goat (unseen by us because of the ridge) went about 50 or 60 yards, and for a little while was hidden to us by Sage Brush. There was little to no blood trail for 20 to 30 yards, as there was very little animal penetrated by the bullet….probably only about 6 to 8 inches. We suspect that there was little vital organ damage because of the very low shot contributing to the long run and little blood leaked out! memtb

Photo is the "goat"……her 2nd best!

 

[Quintus]

We've found that the larger bore cartridges work pretty well on smaller big game! We've taken game from Pronghorn, deer, up through (no pun intended) with a 338 WM (her's) and a 375 AI (mine) with none lost…..while using Barnes bullets.

We did have a Pronghorn, about 8 years ago, give us a bit of concern. The "goat" was about to go behind a ridge, my wife jumped from the truck (yes, I got it stopped first) and took a quick offhand shot on the moving Pronghorn at a measured (after the shot) 204 +/- yards. The shot was quite low, behind the foreleg. The goat (unseen by us because of the ridge) went about 50 or 60 yards, and for a little while was hidden to us by Sage Brush. There was little to no blood trail for 20 to 30 yards, as there was very little animal penetrated by the bullet….probably only about 6 to 8 inches. We suspect that there was little vital organ damage because of the very low shot contributing to the long run and little blood leaked out! memtb

Photo is the "goat"……her 2nd best!

Don't get me wrong, I am not saying big bullets don't kill light boned thin skinned game, I am just saying I have seen some more impressive wound channels from smaller caliber bullets in soft tissue hits. My point is that on deer if you are within the operating velocity of any decent bullet, there just isn't that much difference in calibers from impact to time of death on similarly placed shots, and the edge may be slightly in favor of the bullet not designed to run an elk from stem to stern. Just my limited experience. Amazing goat by the way!

 

[memtb]

Don't get me wrong, I am not saying big bullets don't kill light boned thin skinned game, I am just saying I have seen some more impressive wound channels from smaller caliber bullets in soft tissue hits. My point is that on deer if you are within the operating velocity of any decent bullet, there just isn't that much difference in calibers from impact to time of death on similarly placed shots, and the edge may be slightly in favor of the bullet not designed to run an elk from stem to stern. Just my limited experience. Amazing goat by the way!

Agreed, smaller caliber bullets at fairly high velocities can make very adequate wound channels In smaller big game. But, same said bullets may not be as impressive on a large bodied Whitetail, if a less than impressive shot were made.

I'm a faithful believer in Murphy's law, so if I were using a smallish caliber on a deer…..I would opt for a premium bullet, though it rarely would be needed! However, if only "needed" once…..it is a worthwhile investment!

Meanwhile…..we'll continue to poke big holes in small game!

Oh, thanks for the compliment on the wife's "sped goat"! If I had been faster getting out of the truck, it might have been my best goat…..or, I might have missed! memtb