How many .243's are Deer legal ?

[splash]

How many of you have checked if your .243 is Deer legal ?

I have checked mine today and with a 87grn Hornady SP it is putting out 1401 Ft lb.
Fine for muntjack which is what my .243 is for BUT illigal for bigger deer !

How many .243 shooters are breaking the law through ignorance or blind faith ?

 

[223]

loads i reakon

 

[woodmaster]

Perhaps they too soft for a proper gun.

 

[Timney]

BUT illigal for bigger deer !

How many .243 shooters are breaking the law through ignorance or blind faith ?

I assume you are referring to England & Wales?

 

[palmer_mike]

It was my understanding (and i'm willing to be corrected), that although possible, it is unlikely that you will reach the legal ft/lbs limit with ammunition much less than 100grn in weight. Therefore although there isn't a minimum legal weight of ammo in england, in reality it's not possible to go too light and stay legal. Subject to individual loads etc etc etc.

 

[biker1]

Perhaps they too soft for a proper gun.

how many guys need a bigger calibre because they cant hit the right spot

 

[salukiwhippet]

none of em, deer act wants a .240" rifle and bore dia on a .243 is .236". And yes , I've got one. Tin hat firmly on!

 

[User00047]

none of em, deer act wants a .240" rifle and bore dia on a .243 is .236". And yes , I've got one. Tin hat firmly on!

might just as well get the old .22lr out then

 

[garyb]

Has anyone ever been successfully prosecuted for not meeting the muzzle energy regs ?

 

[Thar]

Mine is totally legal, I checked it, although it is a WSSM

ATB

Tahr

 

[Paul at Fechan]

none of em, deer act wants a .240" rifle and bore dia on a .243 is .236". And yes , I've got one. Tin hat firmly on!

oh god..... 243 rant time. The .243 is not anything more than a foxing calibre that's good for roe. Comparably a 17hmr shooting roe deer is more powerful than a 243 shooting a red stag, here's you maths and no I'm not saying it is legal or acceptable to shoot a deer with 17hmr:

17hmr v's 40lb roe deer (assume for the story it's a 'hunting' style bullet not v-max)

Bullet energy at muzzle 240 ft/lb
Deer live body weight 40lb
Energy delivery = 6ft/lb per live weight pound

243 v's 300lb red deer (assume the bullet actually meets legal energy in England for the large deer 1,700ft/lb)

Bullet Energy at muzzle 1,700ft/lb
Deer live body weight 300lb
Energy delivery = 5.7ft/lb per live weight pound

Er hello, your .243 kung foo is not strong..... it is weak like baby mouse!

If you don't believe me about the energy to live weight correlation then consider the reaction of the example deer shot with the energy discussed assuming a 'good' chest shot. Both deer will jump and run before collapsing shortly after, but hit them badly and you're looking at a wounded and suffering deer if a lethal follow up is not made.

 

[woodmaster]

I see your point Biker. But just think how happy one can be with a big gun and a good aim. Luckily for me I think I fall in this category.
Same could be said for cars. Some folks have big one's and some small one but they still miss the f*****g road.

 

[salukiwhippet]

couldn't agree more Paul - which is why my .243 is a fox and occasional roe rifle and I chuck 8mm 195 grainers at fallow!

James

 

[Paul at Fechan]

that's going to be a less damaging bullet that a 243 too!

 

[woodmaster]

Sorry Biker. Couldn't resist that. You certainly made an impression on our first meeting. We ought to meet up again one day see if I can leave a lasting impression with you.
​

 

[biker1]

I see your point Biker. But just think how happy one can be with a big gun and a good aim. Luckily for me I think I fall in this category.
Same could be said for cars. Some folks have big one's and some small one but they still miss the f*****g road.

il get me coat

 

[salukiwhippet]

it is lovely, meat damage is negligible, even on a shoulder shot the shoulder is usually usable for sausages and virtually none of that black haemorrhaged snot you get with the .243. I think I've shot one roe and one fallow with the .243 since I've had the 8mm.

James

 

[biker1]

To be fair I only use my 243 for fox and munty and brought a 6.5 for larger stuff

 

[mark g]

I have shot loads of roe & red with a 243 hit them correctly in the right area and they will go down, heart & lung shots seem to run a short distance,
I hit a 9 kg roe kid last week with my 308/150 grain broke its front shoulders and he still ran 50 yards with not much blood trail found him with the dog, goes to show that you need a dog close by at all times.

 

[simon1979]

i use 100gr with my .243, i brought this mainly for foxs, munty and roe. In the past befor i purchased my .243 i had a .223 i used 55gr sp bullets and i have shoot a few roe with it, never had any problems but i was about 60yards from them.
Does any use a .240?