.243 Winchester ammunition for fallow deer (best factory choice)

[Hambone]

I don't mind one bit but what is a 6mmBR also who is daft enough to have one

Me Tis a little fat .243

 

[Border]

Me Tis a little fat .243

although I use it mostly for fox

 

[padda72]

Thanks everyone for taking the time to respond. The general consensus here seems to be (I’m generalising here I know) is a 90-100gr projectile works well. I was always a fan of either bonded or a H-mantle or T- mantle construction.
Just a matter of waiting for the barrel to arrive (3 month lead time) and trying a few combinations to find what suits the rifle.
Thanks again,
P.

 

[Drew 3]

No problem killing fallow bucks with .243 100 grain soft points. But do check your rifle likes a certain bullet. Mine shot Hornady whitetail like a shotgun but Norma whitetail into half inch groups!

 

[jon15]

105g Geco T-Mantel SP, found them to be superb round through a Blaser R93 and R8. Wouldn’t use anything else if I as just shooting Fallow, shot north of 200+ with this combo.

 

[Acm]

Okay, I’ll be all woke and reccomend the factory hornady copper.
80grn outfitter it’s called. Only better bullet I’ve shot in .243 is a nosler 85grn partition. Shot about 40 fallow with it in the last two years, about the same roe. Always had good expansion, always exited. Ranges from 30-250 ish metres.

 

[Acm]

Use it for foxes too

 

[Lloyd-holmes]

hornady superformance 75grain v max factory ammo, I mainly head/neck shoot.
Norma 76 grain tip strike are also another good option, these seem to hit abit harder than the Hornady’s and don’t break up as much. I find with the hornadys that if i head shoot then 9 times out of 10 the bullet just blows up in the head dumping all it’s energy and don’t even get an exit

 

[Bowland blades]

Hi,
After using just one rifle (Blaser R8 Professional Success 30-06) for the past 12 years I have decided to purchase another barrel.
By no means an easy decision on my part (hummed & hawed for about a year) I eventually settled on the .243 Winchester, and ordered a 20” barrel threaded for a Freyr & Devik Ultimate Silence 281.
I predominantly stalk fallow deer, and the occasional sika or red. The .243 will almost exclusively be used on fallow (keeping the 30-06 for the sika or reds).
I regularly dip in and out of the site, and find it a great source of information and knowledge with a practical and often humorous edge.
Can I get some suggestions for a factory load (I’m in Ireland, so reloading not an option) for that barrel length/calibre please?
I stalk for meat, and will head/neck shoot when I can, but know my limitations and take chest shots if the conditions dictate.
PS using 165gr Federal Fusion in the 30-06 with no complaints for 12 years.
Thanks in advance.
P.

The 243 will manage your sika and Reds no problem with good bullets . I have shot some very big Sika with my old .243 . 30-06 is not too big for Ireland but its a heavier gun generally speaking , 308 is less heft to carry and less powder so less report ( marginally though)
I am not really up with Irelands laws but know they vary to Scotland , Wales , England are pretty similar with the exception of a Roe can be shot with qualifying .22 CF rifles and i seem to remember .20 has a play somehow in Scotland I think its Bullet weight and energy in Scotland hence .20 is possible for Roe ?

 

[padda72]

Use it for foxes too

Thanks ACM, copper crossed my mind as well. Unfortunately in the ROI choice & availability can be an issue. Not much uptake on copper (according to dealer where I’m purchasing barrel). The higher bc of the longer copper heads appeals to me. I’ll probably end up shooting a few foxes with the setup as well.

 

[Ratel]

Sako 90gr soft point work alright in my rifle. As do 76gr Geco express.

 

[Zstalker]

Federal 100grn Powershok for me

 

[TommyPro555]

Despite my previous posts about my own reasons for moving from .243 to 6.5C factory lead-free cartridges can I suggest you try Fox 80gr non toxic. Very accurate and good results. Hard to source as a cartridge sometimes by there’s a place in Edinburgh that you can try.

 

[padda72]

Despite my previous posts about my own reasons for moving from .243 to 6.5C factory lead-free cartridges can I suggest you try Fox 80gr non toxic. Very accurate and good results. Hard to source as a cartridge sometimes by there’s a place in Edinburgh that you can try.

Tommy, thanks for the reply. Unfortunately I’m in the ROI, my choices are limited to what I can source here. Haven’t seen these here at all.

 

[TringSaint]

I once shot a fallow sorrel h+l with a Sako 105gn soft point from c70m and a few things happened.
1- the deer ran 80m in woodland before crashing to the ground (heart was blown to pieces when we opened it up)
2- there was zero blood trail, only a tiny 6mm hole in the chest and nothing was leaking out
3- I picked the entire bullet out of the inside of the hide on the opposite side to the entry point, ie it didn’t go all the way through.

The bullet did the job but if it had been in low light or dense woodland then finding it would have been tricky.

I have also shot fallow with 95gn ballistic tip Remington accutip ammo and dropped them in the spot (especially when head shot), but if I was on fallow in the future then I would take the swede or the 308 and not the 243 - for me it’s just a bit lacking in umph to drop a large ish buck fallow (unless you head /hilar/neck shoot it).

Personal opinion of course.

 

[Ratel]

If the heart was blown to pieces you wouldn't have got a better result with any other calibre.

 

[TringSaint]

If the heart was blown to pieces you wouldn't have got a better result with any other calibre.

Conversely, I shot a fallow sorrel from twice that distance with my swede and the deer dropped on the spot and had a proper exit wound. I would rather not have deer running 80m in a wood if I can possibly help it.

 

[Ratel]

Conversely, I shot a fallow sorrel from twice that distance with my swede and the deer dropped on the spot and had a proper exit wound. I would rather not have deer running 80m in a wood if I can possibly help it.

None of us like runners, but they even run with "Heart blown to pieces", it's fact. I've had two lads using 6.5 Creeds and identical 150yd runs in the same field. I've seen Fallow shot with 270 and 308 run. I've also seen a few shot with a Hornet run 50 yds, or go down on spot, or stagger a few yards and fall over. A .243 with a reasonable bullet will kill any Fallow hit in the right place just like any other calibre but some will run and some won't.

 

[TringSaint]

None of us like runners, but they even run with "Heart blown to pieces", it's fact. I've had two lads using 6.5 Creeds and identical 150yd runs in the same field. I've seen Fallow shot with 270 and 308 run. I've also seen a few shot with a Hornet run 50 yds, or go down on spot, or stagger a few yards and fall over. A .243 with a reasonable bullet will kill any Fallow hit in the right place just like any other calibre but some will run and some won't.

Indeed - it will kill when the bullet hits the right spot, but I personally would not take my 243 if I was going specifically to shoot fallow, because the chance of a runner is lower, imo, with one of my bigger calibre rifles, and I know that they will create a blood trail whereas the 243 might not.

Having 3 deer rifles means I pick and choose what I use based on what I am going for.

 

[Ratel]

We all have our favourites, I used mainly 7x57 for 30 years. That one wore out, the next 7x57 I bought didn't suit, so sold it. 6.5x55 Was a good tool but I prefer the 243 for Fallow and Roe. "Handsome is, as handsome does".