All wonderful posts and opinions on the best "deer" slayer. IMO it comes down to what you use the most because that's what gives you the most confidence which usually yields a well placed shot. I lend out a little Ruger RL 243 each season to a family with 2 small daughters. With a mild load of varget and 85 gr Sierra, they put 2 DRT bucks down every year. Minnesota brush land so shots in close. I had to see for myself how it worked and DRT'd one myself. That being said I love Mod 7 in 7-08 and my good buddy won't part with his Roberts. Cakes in DL
Is the 243 the best whitetail deer cartridge?
- Thread starter bigdogone
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RobMen6MM
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I've been hunting with a Remington 600 (Vent Rib) in 6mm Rem. And I can tell you, there's no better cartridge for white tail, I've even killed a mule deer in Texas some years ago with it, awesome caliber!!!
Your Father in Law isn't exactly correct, but correct enough. The .243 along with similar sized 6mm cartridges are just as deadly on deer as any other providing that you place the round into the deer's boiler room, which it sounds like you are adept at doing. Just like everything else proper shot placement is the most important. From experience I can say that the .243 is pleasant to shoot and the lack of heavy recoil allows the shooter too concentrate on the important things like breath control, aiming and pressing the trigger until the firearm fires the round exactly as it was supposed to resulting in a clean kill.
My dad had a picture of the guys in his deer camp in the late 40's. They looked like a tribe of indians. Every man except one had a lever action 30-30. That one guy had a military surplus Springfield 1906 30-06 bolt gun. That group piled up venison for years years with those 30-30's. Nationwide the numbers show that no other cartridge has accounted for more deer. The reason could be that the 30-30 was the only game in town and the guys really learned how to shoot them and you could walk into any Western Auto store and plop down $35 and walk out with one. There was no such thing as reloading your own ammo, they all used whatever ammo was on the shelf, with whatever bullet the manufacturer happened to stick in it. Amazingly a picture before the war and the one after showed all the guys made it through the conflict due to, according to them, knowing how to shoot. I guess I just made a case for what would be the most successful deer cartridge, not the best deer cartridge. A number of factors go into what is best. Are you in the wide open bean fields of eastern North Carolina or the thick woods of north eastern Pennsylvania. I started shooting with a 30-06 and it killed lots of deer. The .270win came out and I fell in love and have never looked back. I also have a .243 and it certainly has accounted for some deer. If I'm walking I like the 243, if I'm in a stand I like the .270. I'd like to try some of the mono bullets but all of my rifles have slow twist rates because they are old like me, I also have a slower twist rate. The best deer rifle is the one that the shooter is very capable and comfortable with.
Tony Formicola
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When I hunt in wooded areas with some brush I would rather have a heavier bullet. When I want to have more forgiveness as to shot angles I prefer a heavier bullet. I can't argue with the killing ability of the .243 or other fast sub 120 grain cartridges but if I were going to shoot a quartering too whitetail buck at 50 yards I'd rather have a 30 caliber with a stout bullet of 165-180 grain any day. I've had lighter faster bullets explode on a shoulder bone not making it into the lungs. If I were using a .243 I'd be looking for a well constructed bullet for sure. Just food for thought. If you are always going to wait for the perfect broadside shot then the lighter bullets are fine. Remember, this is just my opinion. But it is based based on years of hunting and dozens of whitetails taken.
Tony Formicola
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When I hunt in wooded areas with some brush I would rather have a heavier bullet. When I want to have more forgiveness as to shot angles I prefer a heavier bullet. I can't argue with the killing ability of the .243 or other fast sub 120 grain cartridges but if I were going to shoot a quartering too whitetail buck at 50 yards I'd rather have a 30 caliber with a stout bullet of 165-180 grain any day. I've had lighter faster bullets explode on a shoulder bone not making it into the lungs. If I were using a .243 I'd be looking for a well constructed bullet for sure. Just food for thought. If you are always going to wait for the perfect broadside shot then the lighter bullets are fine. Remember, this is just my opinion. But it is based based on years of hunting and dozens of whitetails taken.
The .243 is a GREAT whitetail cartridge, especially inside 200 yards when broadside shots are possible. Chief advantages of the .243 are the minimal recoil, which allows almost anyone to shoot it well, and limited meat damage.
There are many other great whitetail cartridges. The .260 Rem, 6.5 CM, and .25-06 have a little more recoil than the .243, but each of these cartridges offers effective ranges much greater than the .243, and increased penetration at all ranges.
What isn't needed to hunt whitetails, are magnum cartridges. (Yes, I've used a 7MM Rem and .300 Weatherby in the past to hunt deer, but usually use a .243 or a .25-06.)
My Uncle went the 6mm wildcat route back before the 244REM or 243WIN. My Dad stuck with the tried and true 30-06. In S Arizona chasing Coues Whitetail a cartridge that delivers the WHACK from 200-600 yards is "the best". That at minimum for me would be 6.5-06, 270 or 280. 7-08 any 25 or any short action 6.5 are lesser options because velocity is less at the longer ranges than the long action cartridges. Not bad options just lesser options. For me with my personal limit of not shooting past 4## yards the 6.5C fits the bill just about right. The 6.5-06 would be best all around choice for deer. More mass and diameter than the 243 with better retained velocity at the farther distances. The 243 can do it but a bit more mass, sectional density and retained velocity is always a better option.
Personally, the .243/6mm Rem bullet availability is too light for deer over 125 lbs on the hoof. All the deer my daughters and I have shot with either round, have never had a pass through using several different bullets around 100 gr. The deer have always been dead, but run at least 100 yards with no blood trail. After a couple years of using these cartridges I opted to rebarrell the 243 to a 308 and load 125 gr bullets for my daughters. I went back to 30-06 & 308 with 150+ gr bullets for myself. My pair of 6mm Rem's haven't been out to shoot in over 20 years. There are probably better bullets today; but you can't beat a 30 cal!!
Perhaps not the best, but... until the best comes along'.., it'll do.
Have you ever killed one with a 30-378 Roy with 180gr bullet doin 3450fps.???
Been using the same combo for over 10 yrs. Just walk to the spot he was standing and you can most times see it from there if he is not DRT.
Clem Bronkoski
Well-Known Member
I have no argument about the .243 as a fine whitetail cartridge and I myself have used it on dozens of deer and all but one were DRT. But to say its the best I'm not so sure but its right up there with them without beating the shooter up. In today's world I would include to the list as the best whitetail cartridge the .260, 7-08, 6.5CM, any of the other 6mms and of course the great old 270 win.
Negative.
I compared .243 to .338 Fed to keep them both in the short action family.
300 Win Mag is the fastest 30 bore I've ever hit a whitetail with.
