.243 on lowland and woodland reds?

[Leopoldo]

Hey folks. Bit of advice, if possible please.

I've just secured a good permission with a lot of red, roe and munty in it. However, I haven't filled my .308 slot yet, so I was wondering about people's experiences with a .243 on lowland and woodland reds.

I usually use either a 105g Geco round or a 95g Winchester Silvertip ballistic. I'm wondering if the 95g Silvertip will have enough penetration with engine room shots, or if I should stick to low neck.

TIA

 

[downwind]

95g ballistic tips in the engine room will do the job, although some will disagree.

 

[Leopoldo]

95g ballistic tips in the engine room will do the job, although some will disagree.

You're not far from me, so you're probably shooting the same size reds?

 

[sir-lamp-alot]

im a big beliver in the .243 and what it can do and i own and use one as my stalking rifle that said if i was going to be shooting a lot of reds i would be tempted to go up to somthing bigger but if it was just the odd red then i would just use the .243

 

[deerwarden]

Used my 243 for many years in Scotland on reds and sika as well with no issues at all some years ago, the stalkers loved my Sako 243 when loaded with speer round nose 105gn bullets, sadly no longer made now. They never failed me at all when a heart/lung shot was taken. On woodland reds I would use my 7x57 though, all at reasonable range though.deerwarden

 

[baguio]

I would leave low neck shots alone if I were you when shooting big red stags. The kill zone is only a small part of what is a very thick neck. More reds are lost from low neck shots than from any other! Better shoot engine room, high neck or head. Whilst a .243 will certainly knock them over, I think that you realise that the .308 would be better or you wouldn't have asked for one!

 

[Leopoldo]

I would leave low neck shots alone if I were you when shooting big red stags. The kill zone is only a small part of what is a very thick neck. More reds are lost from low neck shots than from any other! Better shoot engine room, high neck or head. Whilst a .243 will certainly knock them over, I think that you realise that the .308 would be better or you wouldn't have asked for one!

Yep, would definitely prefer the .308 and a much heavier round as a first choice, but not one I have until the cash flow allows...
Some sound advice there, and of course shot placement is key, but until I can get the .308 I'm looking for advice on round capability.
I'll bear the neck shot advice in mind. Cheers.

 

[deeangeo]

Used my 243 for many years in Scotland on reds and sika as well with no issues at all some years ago, the stalkers loved my Sako 243 when loaded with speer round nose 105gn bullets, sadly no longer made now. They never failed me at all when a heart/lung shot was taken. On woodland reds I would use my 7x57 though, all at reasonable range though.deerwarden

Now that Speer RN bullet really did work well. When it went out of production the Hornady option just was not as good. Great shame Speer did that. Maybe it was a fashion thing...no idea, but it is a loss.

 

[Mauser243]

.243 no probs. Nothing else needs said.

M

 

[Heym SR20]

243 with 105gn gecos will do the job well. Don't try and shoot through both shoulders,nor try the 300 yard shots, keep the bullet in the engine room and shots well inside 200 and any deer won't tell the difference between 243, 270 or 308. They might run a wee bit further but they will be just as dead.

i am sure the 243 gets a poor reputation because choice of bullet is wrong. Choose a well constructed bullet designed for deer - Geco's have a good reputation. Avoid varmint bullets - you won't get the penetration you need.

 

[Leopoldo]

243 with 105gn gecos will do the job well. Don't try and shoot through both shoulders,nor try the 300 yard shots, keep the bullet in the engine room and shots well inside 200 and any deer won't tell the difference between 243, 270 or 308. They might run a wee bit further but they will be just as dead.

i am sure the 243 gets a poor reputation because choice of bullet is wrong. Choose a well constructed bullet designed for deer - Geco's have a good reputation. Avoid varmint bullets - you won't get the penetration you need.

That sounds like spot-on advice, cheers

 

[JayBM]

Now I in now way can be considered experienced with regard to deer stalking let alone shooting red deer, having shot my 1st red last weekend but for it's limited worth here's my view.

The shot last weekend was around 80yrds, using my Tikka .243 with 100gr Sako Gameheads. The shot was from a high seat and the red hind was (as I now realise) slightly quartering towards me. The shot was ok, entered just behind the shoulder and exited slightly back due to quartering and the hind was very much dead when we found her.

What that doesn't describe is the sick feeling I had that evening, having tracked the blood trail for 25yrds for it to then end. I and to very much more experienced friends searched for a good 1hr and did not find any more blood. I returned to the cottage that evening gutted that I had wounded my 1st ever deer. We recommenced the search the next morning, and found a bit more blood but this soon disappeared. It was only through persistence and luck of one of the others that we found a very heavy blood trail, about 120yrds from where we had lost the original trail. This trail was easy to follow and we found the hind a further 80ish yards on.

We can only guess that something blocked the relatively small exit wound and stopped the blood from escaping, once unblocked the blood was able to escape. Now we obviously have no way of saying for sure that a larger calibre would have had a different result but given the larger exit wounds I believe it is likely. So did the .243 kill the red hind; absolutely. Would a larger calibre have saved a sleepless night and some tears; probably. That's why I'll be asking for a .308 or .30-06 as part of my renewal this month.

 

[Solwaystalker]

I would leave low neck shots alone if I were you when shooting big red stags. The kill zone is only a small part of what is a very thick neck. More reds are lost from low neck shots than from any other! Better shoot engine room, high neck or head. Whilst a .243 will certainly knock them over, I think that you realise that the .308 would be better or you wouldn't have asked for one!

+1 , we lose one or two per year usually shot with 243 , even with good shot placement in the chest they aren,t always found , id save up quick as poss for 308

 

[Geordiehillbilly]

I use 100gr Sako gameheads and I've never had an issue

 

[patrickt]

I use 100gr Sako gameheads and I've never had an issue

So....GH.... whereabouts on Tynemouth long sands do you stalk, and shoot the Reds!!

 

[JockStalk]

243 just needs more care with bullet choice and placement. Inside 200m no real issues, beyond that I'd be planning to get closer or pinning the beast.

243 was brought within the regs (allegedly) because Her Majesty had a fondness for the caliber on reds and they couldn't find an FLO with the plums to tell her she'd have to gun-up.

 

[Hayduke]

Ditto, Gun up! Go bigger, knock them off their feet.

 

[Monkey Spanker]

I don't think some people realise just how much bigger lowland reds are than those on the hills! Hinds go over 200lbs larder weight and stags well over 300lbs larder weight! .243 will work if you get it spot on but it will not be forgiving of slight error. Best go bigger if you can.
MS

 

[devon deer stalker]

I have a .243 and 30-06, both do the job on our Devon reds.
Cheers
Richard

 

[User00007]

There are many people out there with lots of experience on shooting bigger deer than me and people I know however my 2p worth is that I purchased a ,243 when I got my licence as do many others as it is a great starting calibre, good for foxes ideal for Roe Munties and CWD, I too have shot stags and hinds with my .243 in recent years as well as fallow, but .... I have a friend that acquired a 7mm-08 and I had shot with that and liked it a lot so was looking at other calibres and having a custom rifle built. I went stalking to Scotland with some real nice guys in Nov last year with a friend and my .243 and it was ok it did the Job but I had already decided that I wanted another calibre along side it, a .270, as it happens I used my .243 on the first day reaching out to about 190 -200 yards and used the .270 the day after for around the same distance, and yeas bullet placement is key with all rounds and yes not rushing a shot is key to a good impact point, but foooook me the .270 was like firing a bulldozer at them and the .243 was like flicking them, no difference with my shots, so NOW I have 2 x .270's (long story don't ask lol) and I have decided their is such a varied bullet range I don't need my .243 so I now have a nice .270 with Swarovski 4-12 x 50 scope thumbhole stock and im a happy man