Is .243 big enough???

[old keeper]

Today there are far too many calibres, far too much discussion. If it's legal for the job in hand it really doesn't matter what it is, just go out and use it. pretty well any bullet put in the right place will kill anything. Us old boys didn't have very many choices but we managed to kill things !

 

[Jason]

Degben77, just picked up a 6.5x55 will be giving it a go on deer this weekend with a bit of luck think it's a good calibre good range of bullet weights available.

 

[AN DU RU FOX]

from what i have gathered its 243 works its cheaper but its a girls gun 270 does a proper job ,bit more expensive, so its you pays your money and takes a chance? i think im in trouble again,

 

[perdix]

Today there are far too many calibres, far too much discussion. If it's legal for the job in hand it really doesn't matter what it is, just go out and use it. pretty well any bullet put in the right place will kill anything. Us old boys didn't have very many choices but we managed to kill things !

Glad it's not just me that thinks like that.
I have used .243 for park(red and fallow) and wild deer to great effect.
All I would say is that the distances I have shot over are below 100m and at times less

 

[Sabian223]

6.5x55

 

[AN DU RU FOX]

you b,ugger

 

[RickoShay]

So could someone please clarify, what's the answer????

The answer is put in for a 6.5x55 and .30-06. One will shoot smoothly all day long if you do your part, the other will 'stamp more authority' if you feel you need it.
Had the Roebuck shot been taken it would have been about as unsafe a shot as you could get; but you knew that of course.

Good luck with the variation. Enjoy your 6.5x55

 

[robert1666]

from what i have gathered its 243 works its cheaper but its a girls gun 270 does a proper job ,bit more expensive, so its you pays your money and takes a chance? i think im in trouble again,

270 is a mans gun!! but maybe he would be better considering a 300 win mag !!
this thread could go on and on lol

 

[deeangeo]

Degben77, just picked up a 6.5x55 will be giving it a go on deer this weekend with a bit of luck think it's a good calibre good range of bullet weights available.

Good decision all day long. Don't shoot one myself, but have friends that do. ATB

 

[berg]

with my 243 shooting like this at 100yrds i have no probs shooting and killing any of the six deer in eng ,we are deer stalkers not snipers at the end of the day if your are only shoot red sika and fallow at long range then yes a lager calibres would be a better ,and i have a 308 for that. But most people's deer stalking a 243 is more than enough ,if you like the rifle you have ,and can use it well why change ,just becouse so and so has a .50cal and shoots bears in the head at a1000yrds while standing on one leg the 243 has been around a long time and probably accounted for more kills than any other rifle so it cant be that bad

 

[bewsher500]

View attachment 40131 with my 243 shooting like this at 100 yds i have no probs shooting and killing any of the six deer

That's a nice target,
It doesn't indicate what the terminal velocity and impact characteristics of your 100gr bullet are when it clips the elbow of a 22 stone stag as it steps just as you pull the trigger though.

Equally it assumes that all shots fired at a 3D target will go exactly as planned and travel the entire, planned wound channel as predicted


Everyone knows the answer to this question and it is down to the person using it and no-one else.

if you have never
lost a deer, ...
had to put in a second shot,..
seen a big stag linger that little bit too long before expiring..
or spent the rest of an otherwise perfect day searching for something that should have "died on the spot" but made it to the tree line and beyond.......

....then you need to shoot a few more before you comment on whether a .243 is "the perfect" round for the bigger deer species.

 

[bogtrotter]

if you have never
lost a deer, ...
had to put in a second shot,..
seen a big stag linger that little bit too long before expiring..
or spent the rest of an otherwise perfect day searching for something that should have "died on the spot" but made it to the tree line and beyond.......

Anyone who has not experienced any of the above, has really not shot very many deer, and that is regardless of the calibre they are using.

 

[berg]

That's a nice target,
It doesn't indicate what the terminal velocity and impact characteristics of your 100gr bullet are when it clips the elbow of a 22 stone stag as it steps just as you pull the trigger though.

Equally it assumes that all shots fired at a 3D target will go exactly as planned and travel the entire, planned wound channel as predicted


Everyone knows the answer to this question and it is down to the person using it and no-one else.

if you have never
lost a deer, ...
had to put in a second shot,..
seen a big stag linger that little bit too long before expiring..
or spent the rest of an otherwise perfect day searching for something that should have "died on the spot" but made it to the tree line and beyond.......

....then you need to shoot a few more before you comment on whether a .243 is "the perfect" round for the bigger deer species.

No but it dose show how accurate my riffle is (thank james jager sa)my count for the year is a 106 from aprill 2013 to aprill 2014 so i have shot a few and i have lost deer and watch them run further than i thought they should with my 308, so to me its where you put it that counts ,and most of those deer where shot within 100yrds or so. There is no perfect round just good judgement and shot placement .as the chap said he dose not shoot biger than fallow and mostly within 100 -200 and a 243 is more than up to that if the RIGHT shot is taken other wise it dose not matter what rifle you have a bad shot is a bad shot .also a well placed heart shot will offten see a deer run some distance before dropping all these things need to be taken into consideration befor taking the shot????roads bounderies .most off my deer are roe and muntjac and deppending on what bit off land iam on smaller fallow and the 243 is fine for this.

 

[Taff]

The 3030 is said to be the calibre that has accounted for more deer and game than any other calibre, due to its popularity in the USA .
but the 303 would be running a close second due to its use in NZ as the main deer culling rifle used by the pro,s.

 

[berg]

The 3030 is said to be the calibre that has accounted for more deer and game than any other calibre, due to its popularity in the USA .
but the 303 would be running a close second due to its use in NZ as the main deer culling rifle used by the pro,s.

and where did the 243 lie out of intrest?

 

[berg]

First are the woods and brush country rifles, most popular in areas where shots are usually within 200 yards or less. I usually prefer short action cartridges for such rifles, as they have plenty of power and reach for the conditions and make for a slightly shorter, handier rifle. A reasonably compact variable power scope in the 1-4x, 1.5-6x, or 2-7x range nicely complements the woods rifles listed below, as will a 2.5x fixed power scope. Second are the long range deer rifles. These are appropriate when shots are likely to run over 200 yards, and may run 300 yards or even farther. The rifles I have selected are not special, ultra-long range "beanfield" or "sendero" rifles intended to be fired from a rest. These are general purpose deer rifles and cartridges suitable for shots well beyond 200 yards. They typically offer a maximum point blank range (MPBR) +/- 3" of around 300 yards. Standard calibers range from .243 Winchester to .280 Remington, and suitable magnum calibers range from .24 to .270. The 7mm and larger bore magnum calibers are excluded from consideration here for, while they will certainly kill deer, they are more appropriate for larger game. A variable power scope in the 3-9x40mm range nicely complements any of the long range deer rifles listed below, and the traditional 4x fixed power scope is still a viable choice. -

 

[Paul at Fechan]

.243 is behind the 30 cals after all .243 is a necked down .308... designed for long range varmint, deer capable true but medium sized predators ideally. It isn't deer legal in a lot if not most of the continental countries.

Accuracy off a bipod on paper isn't the same as moving deer that's body position and internal organs alignment are constantly shifting while your shooting position is often less than benchrest. After all how far can a deer move in say the 17 hundredths (at 100m) of a second between the impulse to squeeze the trigger and the bullet getting there? Then over a quarter of a second at 200m??

Bigger allows security, sure a .243 can kill any deer with moose included but then so can a .22lr. It's about the security of performance not ego and the I shoot perfect mentality to be honest. Once you've spent an hour looking for a sika deer with no blood trail then go get the dog that finds it dead 120m into thick sitka spruce after a good chest shot you'll know the difference between what is and isn't the right calibre for the job.

 

[berg]

.243 is behind the 30 cals after all .243 is a necked down .308... designed for long range varmint, deer capable true but medium sized predators ideally. It isn't deer legal in a lot if not most of the continental countries.

Accuracy off a bipod on paper isn't the same as moving deer that's body position and internal organs alignment are constantly shifting while your shooting position is often less than benchrest. After all how far can a deer move in say the 17 hundredths (at 100m) of a second between the impulse to squeeze the trigger and the bullet getting there? Then over a quarter of a second at 200m??

Bigger allows security, sure a .243 can kill any deer with moose included but then so can a .22lr. It's about the security of performance not ego and the I shoot perfect mentality to be honest. Once you've spent an hour looking for a sika deer with no blood trail then go get the dog that finds it dead 120m into thick sitka spruce after a good chest shot you'll know the difference between what is and isn't the right calibre for the job.

But the chap who started this thread dose not mention sika he is talking about fallow , i have never shot sika but if i was going to i would be taking my 308 witch i hope nobodys going tell me thats not big enough . But still a bad shot is a bad shot but i do agree with the biger caliber there is a bit more room for error but not much room

 

[berg]

First are the woods and brush country rifles, most popular in areas where shots are usually within 200 yards or less. I usually prefer short action cartridges for such rifles, as they have plenty of power and reach for the conditions and make for a slightly shorter, handier rifle. A reasonably compact variable power scope in the 1-4x, 1.5-6x, or 2-7x range nicely complements the woods rifles listed below, as will a 2.5x fixed power scope. Second are the long range deer rifles. These are appropriate when shots are likely to run over 200 yards, and may run 300 yards or even farther. The rifles I have selected are not special, ultra-long range "beanfield" or "sendero" rifles intended to be fired from a rest. These are general purpose deer rifles and cartridges suitable for shots well beyond 200 yards. They typically offer a maximum point blank range (MPBR) +/- 3" of around 300 yards. Standard calibers range from .243 Winchester to .280 Remington, and suitable magnum calibers range from .24 to .270. The 7mm and larger bore magnum calibers are excluded from consideration here for, while they will certainly kill deer, they are more appropriate for larger game. A variable power scope in the 3-9x40mm range nicely complements any of the long range deer rifles listed below, and the traditional 4x fixed power scope is still a viable choice. -

oh by the way this is a pice from chuck hawks best rifle for deer shooting ,i think he has shot a few rifles and deer in his time

 

[Paul at Fechan]

fallow are the same size as sika and run just as freely on chest shots. The calibre is fine is you are working with plenty of run and drop space, but that's not always the case