The 243 may be fine in some localities, but

[6pt-sika]

Wow. I'm getting a lot of hate mail on this one. For you guys who just bought you first 243, and for those who use it expertly all year round, read my initial posting: I don't like it for large deer at long distances. That's it. If you aren't shooting under these conditions, you have a fine deer rifle.~Muir

I wouldn't exactly say "hate mail" unless you're getting a bunch of PM's of which we're unaware .

The 243 WIN is one of my favourite cartridges . Although not so much as a deer cartridge . I dare say I've killed more groundhogs/woodchucks with a 243 WIN then all other cartridges combined .

 

[Simjim33]

Think I shot 12 deer off-hand since September. I practice on pigeons in the sheds with an air rifle.
edi

Was that with the lever action Edi? A 444 wasn't it? Or 30-30? I can't remember which cal you had. I do remember drooling just a bit though!!!!

Heavy jungle woodland stalking is a addictive experience.

 

[Mr Lewis]

I have shot thousands of Fallow plenty of Sika and Red deer with the 243 mostly at ranges exceeding 150m to as far as 350m and to date haven't lost a single deer with the 243 the fallow have been mostly head shots but the reds and sika have been mostly chest shot. Muir I would suggest getting a little experience of shooting deer with a 243 before passing comment.

 

[Muir]

I have shot thousands of Fallow plenty of Sika and Red deer with the 243 mostly at ranges exceeding 150m to as far as 350m and to date haven't lost a single deer with the 243 the fallow have been mostly head shots but the reds and sika have been mostly chest shot. Muir I would suggest getting a little experience of shooting deer with a 243 before passing comment.

Thanks for the advice. I don't really care if YOU use one. I'm glad it suits your shooting. I posted that it was my experience being along side others using the 243 that has made me decide not to be a party to big game hunting with the .243. I would never use a 243 for big game and frankly, I have never even considered using it as it is, in my opinion, too light a cartridge. Kill as many deer as you like with it, with my blessings, but it's still a varmint cartridge where I hunt.~Muir

 

[Hornet 6]

Well I don't hate you Muir, even if I have just bought my first .243
I have always thought of it as a fox round from my readings on this and other forums, that can be pushed to do more if needed.
I bought it for a reason, it is deer legal, should I ever get the chance, and it is the biggest calibre I am going to get
approval for based on fox as my main quarry.

Neil.

 

[finnbear270]

If Mr Winchester said he made it for Varmints,........................ that's good enough for me, anybody wants to stretch this one to 350 then good luck!,..... cos that's all it is! Sorry Andy~! but I just lurve a good thread!

 

[Jagdmatch]

I have one and have shot 1 of several deer this year with it. I have in the past 20 years lost around 5 deer. All were with .243. Most were Manchurian Sika. It's not that .243 does not kill deer, its that in my world it does not reliably stop them as 6.5 x55, 308 or 300 Win Mag do. I am inclined to think that on non adrenalised derr it is not so much of an issue. I do however think that short sighted licensing departments should think again before suggesting it as a good starting calibre. In another world from the past, given the choice between a 9mm and a Colt New Service in .45 cal the Colt would win every time!
Happy New Year

 

[Simjim33]

I have shot thousands of Fallow plenty of Sika and Red deer with the 243 mostly at ranges exceeding 150m to as far as 350m and to date haven't lost a single deer with the 243 the fallow have been mostly head shots but the reds and sika have been mostly chest shot. Muir I would suggest getting a little experience of shooting deer with a 243 before passing comment.

Yeah Muir!!! Get your facts right. How dare you with your limited knowlage make such a foolish comment regarding the mighty .243. Tut tut tut.

Better that! why don't you come over and shoot a few fallow just so you could improve your underwhelming experience of the cartridge.























Only joking, happy new year all.

 

[Taff]

I have shot thousands of Fallow plenty of Sika and Red deer with the 243 mostly at ranges exceeding 150m to as far as 350m and to date haven't lost a single deer with the 243 the fallow have been mostly head shots but the reds and sika have been mostly chest shot. Muir I would suggest getting a little experience of shooting deer with a 243 before passing comment.

Is suppose you have never missed a shot either

 

[enfieldspares]

I stopped using a 243 Winchester after my first use of one! I found that at close range, thirty yards, in woodland stalking with a 100 grain bullet that it was just too destructive.

Not much of a representative sample but I just thought that for real close range it was simply too much velocity for a standard "cup and core" type bullet to take at 3,000fps if shooting game "off the muzzle".

 

[bewsher500]

I stopped using a 243 Winchester after my first use of one! I found that at close range, thirty yards, in woodland stalking with a 100 grain bullet that it was just too destructive.

Not much of a representative sample but I just thought that for real close range it was simply too much velocity for a standard "cup and core" type bullet to take at 3,000fps if shooting game "off the muzzle".

not sure that follows

I shoot 130gr Hornday interlocks (cup and core) .270 at over 3100fps and the last three deer I shot were at 25yds, 27yds and 45yds.
2 red, 1 roe, 2 chest, 1 neck
none had excessive carcase damage

bullet choice is key I think
some cup and core are not like others

 

[enfieldspares]

They were Hornady Light Magnum 100 grain the only factory ammunition that I was able to get.

 

[6pt-sika]

I stopped using a 243 Winchester after my first use of one! I found that at close range, thirty yards, in woodland stalking with a 100 grain bullet that it was just too destructive.

Not much of a representative sample but I just thought that for real close range it was simply too much velocity for a standard "cup and core" type bullet to take at 3,000fps if shooting game "off the muzzle".

I understand exactly what you are making mention of .
But............... I never cared if the bullet took both front shoulders out . Now with that being said I realize you guys sell a good portion of what you kill and divide the profits with the landowners . And thats a definite reason for worrying about the bullet destruction .

But I've always been of the opinion that if I knock the front wheels out and put a hole in the oil pan they can't go far . Besides for a good many of the whitetails I've killed the front shoulders and neck aren't much anyway .

Now I also think a 243 loaded with the Barnes TSX wouldn't be quite as destructive as say a 95 grain Ballistic Tip or Hornady SST .

 

[Brithunter]

Actually the >243 is illegal for deer in England, Scotland and Wales, excepting Roe in Scotland of course and CWD, Muntjac in England and Wales where .22 C/F is now allowed, I thank CD for pointing out the difference in law in NI .

The law says calibre which in English is bore size NOT GROOVE SIZE, there fore the .243 Winchester is illegal as it uses a 0.236" bore and no matter how you twist it it does not make it 0.240" as required by law. Again the laws says calibre which is size/diameter of bore not size of bullet.

Pick the bones outta that one .



Incomming

 

[Claret_Dabbler]

Actually teh >243 is illegal for deer in the UK. The law says calibre which in English is bore size NOT GROOVE SIZE, there fore the .243 Winchester is illegal as it uses a 0.236" bore and no matter how you twist it it does not make it 0.240" as required by law. Again the laws says calibre which is size/diameter of bore not size of bullet.

Pick the bones outta that one .



Incomming

Not in NI old boy, the NI calibre regulations specify 0.236" as the minimum....

 

[Brithunter]

Not in NI old boy, the NI calibre regulations specify 0.236" as the minimum....

Thank you as I am no from NI and having never visited it now having any real desire to do so I have never bothered with what their laws/rules say.

I shall amend my post to be more factually correct .................................... than you.

 

[8x57]

That's the problem with the English they confuse England with the U.K. They forget it's a union of four counties.

 

[Brithunter]

That's the problem with the English they confuse England with the U.K. They forget it's a union of four counties.

I suggest you tell "king" Alec that one .

 

[8x57]

I suggest you tell "king" Alec that one .

You lost me with that one Brit.

You want to try living in a border county where up until recent years you would be living in a different country every other year. At least we can say that we are truely British.

 

[bogtrotter]

Actually the >243 is illegal for deer in England, Scotland and Wales, excepting Roe in Scotland of course and CWD, Muntjac in England and Wales where .22 C/F is now allowed, I thank CD for pointing out the difference in law in NI .

The law says calibre which in English is bore size NOT GROOVE SIZE, there fore the .243 Winchester is illegal as it uses a 0.236" bore and no matter how you twist it it does not make it 0.240" as required by law. Again the laws says calibre which is size/diameter of bore not size of bullet.

Pick the bones outta that one .



Incomming

Brit, Scottish law does not actually specify a calibre, the requirements to be legal for all species of deer are

100 grain bullet weight
2450 ft. per second muzzle velocity [minimum]
1750 ft pounds muzzle energy [minimum]


For Roe deer only
50 grain bullet weight
muzzle energy 2450 ft. per second.
muzzle velocity 1000 ft per second.

No provision for the other small species of deer as they were not present in Scotland though it would appear that we now have Muntjac in the borders,