Where does the .243 win fit in?

[6mm Remington]

My son his second year of hunting. 6mm Remington 90 gr. Nosler E-tip at 250 yards. One shot and dropped on the spot.

2010 with my son's first elk. 6mm Remington 90 gr. Nosler E-tip at 350 yards. One shot behind her right shoulder and the bullet exited his cow's left shoulder. She went about 25 yards and dropped. He was laying prone using a bi-pod and there was no wind to contest with.

It can vary from animal to animal. It's truely amazing what they can do. I had a buddy shoot a 100 pound antelope buck with his 45-70 with a 405gr. bullet at 150 yards. He hit the buck right behind the shoulder in the lungs. The buck took off and showed no indication of being hit. He ran 100 yards and then dropped.

The 6mm and 243 are great varmint, coyote, deer, and antelope rounds. They promote accurate shooting as they don't beat the shooter up, and they are very effective using bullets such as the Nosler Partition, Accubond, and E-tip. I've probably taken more than 30 antelope, 25 deer, and one spike bull with my own 6mm using 100 gr. Nosler Partitions. I've never felt that the cartridge didn't do its job and never felt like I needed more. I've taken similar game with larger cartridges as well, but the 6mm has worked every time. Yes it's light for elk, but good placement and good bullet means everything.

 

[midwesthunter]

I hate energy calculations. If 1000ft-lbs is min, then 44mag revolvers can't play. That's BS. Impact velocity needs to be high enough for the bullet design you're shooting, period. If the bullet hits fast enough to open it up or do what it's supposed to, it'll do work.

For all those who say a shot shouldn't have been taken, after reading a success story, about an animal being killed; I lump you in with the guys who look at pictures of bullets pulled from dead animals, and say the bullet failed. Your hindsight needs glasses.

*Disclaimer- I'm just using your post as a starting point for my rant, not calling you out midwesthunter. I think your estimate for the 95s is about right.*

I know you weren't calling me out but this is how I look at it. You still need energy. Even if u have velocity for bullet to properly expand but not enough energy to penetrate then u prob won't get animal. And for those who say it's too small diameter. A .284 bullet that expands 1.5 it's original size is only .06 larger then a .243 that expands the same. I don't think that's going to change how far the deer runs off.

 

[JPaul17]

One thing I go by rather than energy or speed look at the expansion. I've found in my .243 that sometimes when your in close the bullets just dont open up which is ultimately what determines how far or short the animal goes (assuming shot placement is good). I use Hornady 95gr. SST's and I've shot two deer inside of 100yds and both deer ran a good 50 yds. because the bullet just went strait through. But my deer at 225 droped in her hoove prints. I think its more important to see how the bullets expand at different distances and fit the bullet for where you hunt.

 

[SpencerSS]

I know you weren't calling me out but this is how I look at it. You still need energy. Even if u have velocity for bullet to properly expand but not enough energy to penetrate then u prob won't get animal. And for those who say it's too small diameter. A .284 bullet that expands 1.5 it's original size is only .06 larger then a .243 that expands the same. I don't think that's going to change how far the deer runs off.

If it has the "energy" to expand, then it has enough to penetrate. As long as you're not using varmint bullets, you'll penetrate. Good bullet choice is important, almost as much as shot placement. And that holds true no matter the Cartrige.

 

[SpencerSS]

One thing I go by rather than energy or speed look at the expansion. I've found in my .243 that sometimes when your in close the bullets just dont open up which is ultimately what determines how far or short the animal goes (assuming shot placement is good). I use Hornady 95gr. SST's and I've shot two deer inside of 100yds and both deer ran a good 50 yds. because the bullet just went strait through. But my deer at 225 droped in her hoove prints. I think its more important to see how the bullets expand at different distances and fit the bullet for where you hunt.

After shedding some weight. Bullet expansion is a direct corralation of impact velocity. The higher the impact speed, the more expansion/deformation.

How far a deer moves after it is shot has more to do with that individual deer than bullet performance. If you shoot 100 deer with the same load, same shot placement, at the same range; you will get many different results; DRTs, three steppers, death run for 500yds...

 

[nralifer]

Is the .243 a good deer cartridge? Range?

Thanks

The 243Win is most definitely a good Deer cartridge. With tough copper bullets it is deadly. Me and a friend have been hunting Antelope and experimenting with light experimental 70 gr BD2S. No problem with one shot kills out to 500 yds. I was skeptical at first, but no more. Customer killed 3 pigs with the 100 gr BD2 attesting to the penetrating power of those bullets. With StaBall 6.5 powder and SRP brass using CCI SRP magnum primers very easy to push the 80 gr BD2 at 3600+ fps from a 22". 1:10 twist barrel. Recoil is mild even without a brake.

 

[300 Driver]

Revival after a decade!

but I bit and I'd agree, there is nothing lacking with the 243 Win for deer. I have lost 2 animals with a 243, 1 with a 300 WSM, and 4 with a 7 RM. that is out of over 200 deer harvested in 30 years. No experience with anything larger than deer.

 

[nralifer]

Revival after a decade!

but I bit and I'd agree, there is nothing lacking with the 243 Win for deer. I have lost 2 animals with a 243, 1 with a 300 WSM, and 4 with a 7 RM. that is out of over 200 deer harvested in 30 years. No experience with anything larger than deer.

A high BC 100 gr copper bullet with loads using StaBall 6.5, SRP brass and a 24" barrel is a 1000 yd gun. The newer high performance components really elevate the performance of the .243 to another level of performance that far exceeds it original niche.

 

[coop2564]

I have taken deer and hogs to 577yds using 243 win 90gr Accubonds. Taken a LOT of hogs in hay fields in TX with it. Hogs up to 350lbs. NOT any deer species have the toughness in hide or shoulder that hogs do. People that say 243 is only good for deer up to 150lbs are speaking rubbish or using wrong bullet like a gameking that frags, they will kill soft smallish deer. But for anything bigger you use bonded or copper bullets. I have experience, not what a computer or internet says.

 

[Taylorbok]

I've shot 5 deer with my 243 and the farthest I had one go was about 15 yards, it's all about shot placement,