Is .243 big enough???

[Caberhill]

Just to throw my 2 pence worth in.
.243 is a fantastic calibre and a great all rounder, readily available and loads of second hand rifles makes for a good deal, resale and wide choice. Only down side is that it is the minimum calibre, nearly all the other legal for the big deer are more powerful.

i'm a huge .243 fan and regrettably sold my last one.

 

[Paul at Fechan]

Have to agree with you, arrow damage is all about blood loss, and a 2inch hole straight through you lets out a lot of blood,

arrows cut a wound channel which neat in comparison to a high velocity bullet which opens a wide cavity behind the wound channel as it punches through before it collapses back, addition tearing through this and wound tracts are also cut by bullet fragments. Both shots through the vitals in terms of expiry are very efficient though. I would also suggest that poor bullet choice with say frangible and inappropriate ammo would not be as efficient in some cases as broadhead arrow passing through

 

[Monkey Spanker]

Just wondering how many professional deer managers use a .243, especially for the larger species?
MS

 

[bewsher500]

Just wondering how many professional deer managers use a .243, especially for the larger species?
MS

not as relevant as asking how many people would use it "out of choice" rather than necessity on large reds

We would all assume that a professional is precisely that, and with it comes a degree of marksmanship and knowledge of anatomy that allows the use of smaller calibres for larger species.
.22-250 and .222 were and still are calibres of choice for reds in many areas!

 

[Monkey Spanker]

not as relevant as asking how many people would use it "out of choice" rather than necessity on large reds

We would all assume that a professional is precisely that, and with it comes a degree of marksmanship and knowledge of anatomy that allows the use of smaller calibres for larger species.
.22-250 and .222 were and still are calibres of choice for reds in many areas!

Very true, but no degree of marksmanship and anatomy knowledge can counter when the animal decides to move that part of the anatomy just as the shot is released! That is when a larger calibre can be more forgiving of error. Do the FC ever use .243's?

 

[Paul at Fechan]

personally I'd never have one as an estate rifle where deer bigger than roe were present. After all there is a broad range of guests and you want as much security as you can get. The swede up is all I'd be thinking about because it's a class above really but where there's reds and sika, the 30 cals are an authority but my .375 puts down deer without delay.

 

[Taff]

arrows cut a wound channel which neat in comparison to a high velocity bullet which opens a wide cavity behind the wound channel as it punches through before it collapses back, addition tearing through this and wound tracts are also cut by bullet fragments. Both shots through the vitals in terms of expiry are very efficient though. I would also suggest that poor bullet choice with say frangible and inappropriate ammo would not be as efficient in some cases as broadhead arrow passing through

As a bow hunter, I would agree.

 

[Taff]

Do the FC ever use .243's?

I think I am right in sayin yes

 

[berg]

I love this thread it just keeps going, theres just no right answer

 

[Taff]

this is nothing on another forum we have a thread called squirrel hunters the tree kind which has 914,043 views, 40,530 posts, now that's what you call a thread.

 

[Offroad Gary]

****it, lets all sell our proper rifles and buy .243's

 

[Offroad Gary]

****

 

[Offroad Gary]

******

 

[Offroad Gary]

Bed

 

[Offroad Gary]

Goodnight

 

[stevenedwards]

****it, lets all sell our proper rifles and buy .243's

They would all be 17hmrs then

 

[Goldfinger]

Used a .243 for Red and Fallow on occasion and regularly for Roe and Muntjac, never had any problems with stopping power, put it in the right spot and they'll go down. Only time I've known lads to lose deer is underestimating range and taking shots beyond their or the rifles capability.

 

[Hornet 6]

why not?
we are 60% water
surely if it works 100% in water it works at at least 60% on flesh?

Why should it ?
Water is 100% not compressible, what % can flesh be compressed ?

Neil.

 

[Hornet 6]

don't know where you learned about hydrodynamic reasoning but you're forgetting displacement... just a minor issue there lol...

..

Not forgetting at all, just stating a simple fact.
And maybe prolonging this thread a little, as I'm sure there are more pearls of wisdom to come
Because at the end of the day .243 will kill anything walking the land in this country, and probably every country.
The deer act tells us what we may legally use to kill what deer, but the fact remains that even the humble hornet will cleanly
kill a big deer with a correctly placed shot.

Neil.

 

[Paul at Fechan]

the internal material whether fluids or tissue isn't compressed (lungs could be?) per say but displaced under pressure....

... just more is displaced with calibres that have greater clearance above the minimum legal standards