It broke the exiting shoulder but it wasn’t a real splintered mess. That being said I didn’t skin these animals.
243 for newbie shooting fallow
- Thread starter The Singing Stalker
- Start date
What bullets are you using Tim?Not 240 yds but .240 minimum calibre... .003" bigger .243View attachment 378929
I get the impression that the .243 is often considered like a Fiesta, the first step along the way to the more popular Golf and then ultimately to trying to justify good reason to have a Lambo for a ½ mile trip down a country lane.
Overlay
Well-Known Member
Not 240 yds but .240 minimum calibre... .003" bigger .243
Hope you re instated that tree guard Sir Tim
Thats a beaut of a deer and picture mate, thats what its all about, the smile says it all
Well done Tim, one hell of a memory in one place
In the majority of cases I think it is want rather than need.
I don't have the picture (only video) of a Fallow shot with the 95gn sst's around 260 yds, went clean through the gap in the first set of ribs took out the lungs and clean through the other side gap in the ribs.
It ran abt 50 yds. 2 neat holes, had the same thing with the 150's in the .270 but it was 288 yds just one of the times it happens, that took about 3 steps.
Shot a fallow last week the round went a bit high (me) just chipped the shoulder and turned up into the spine, cut the spine in half, it just collapsed around 160.
Sensible ranges anything over .240 works, get further out and the maths/energy takes over.
Overlay
Well-Known Member
I shot my first red with a 100 grn soft point circa 130 yds, out of an original .243 Remington 700 light weight mountain rifle, on the side of a mountain, it dropped to the shot.
Never had any doubt over .243 as a deer rifle, as said previously, right shot placement and lady luck is all’s required put the round in the right place and lucky it hasnt decided to leg it
Just this last season fallow doe 80 yds H& L shot spot on shot through the scope, it didn't even fall over just ran in the opposite direction and dropped 100 yds further away stone dead, on the gralloch, the round had destroyed half the heart
That would have probably been and has been the same for any calibre its the deer not the calibre .243 very capable caliber
I use 222, 243 6.5 and 308 all do the same job for different species as required my go to is .243 and just in casey 2 teckles for the inevitable odd deer that hasn't read the method statement
I think this pre-supposes that the default position should be the smallest calibre that can do the job. You don't need a 243. You could start with a .270 or .308 in which case "Why go smaller?". Surely a rifle/cartridge combination that the shooter is happy with and can achieve the required level of accuracy is what matters. I don't see the need to get hung up on what the calibre is or it's relative size.
Heym SR20
Well-Known Member
My conclusion after using the 243 then adding 7x57, 7x65R and 223 is that provided you choose the correct bullet and put it in the correct place they all expire very quickly.
The Deer also need to have read the Best Practice Manual or correct after shot reaction.
I have had a few deer over the years take a bullet, show absolutely no sign of being hit, then bounce away. Followed up - no sign of any blood etc but hound has them stone 100 yards away. No issue with shot placement, and gralloching major organs completely destroyed.
I really don’t think it matters what rifle you use, provided bullet is in the correct place. A gut shot animal regardless of whether it’s a 50, 80 or 200 grain SST or monolithic will still go a very long way and may take many hours to die.
The Deer also need to have read the Best Practice Manual or correct after shot reaction.
I have had a few deer over the years take a bullet, show absolutely no sign of being hit, then bounce away. Followed up - no sign of any blood etc but hound has them stone 100 yards away. No issue with shot placement, and gralloching major organs completely destroyed.
I really don’t think it matters what rifle you use, provided bullet is in the correct place. A gut shot animal regardless of whether it’s a 50, 80 or 200 grain SST or monolithic will still go a very long way and may take many hours to die.
I use my .243 (yes I have a .270) but it is duel purpose so hundreds of foxes later with a quote from a very well know pigeon shooter " you will open up more doors shooting foxes than anything" and by the way pencil in x date for a days pheasant shooting as a thank you for shooting the foxes
The thread is about a .243 "fallow" but in my world the .243 has a digital scope (drone 10) previously a Kahles which I mounted for foxes and in-turn keeps the stalking and pigeon shooting doors open.
I was lucky to start rifles @ 14 so 49 years later I am still learning, the "new to stalking" it takes years to gain snippets of experience as peoples life styles get in the way. Most won't want to spend years out foxing as they want to shoot deer but the experience I gained with my .243 has paid off.
I could have asked for a .270/.308 out the gate but Essex leaned to .243 so granted .243 for Deer/Fox NO DSC1 based on previous experience shooting .22 .303's .300 in Africa.
It is hours/days/weeks/years on the ground that counts
paul o'
Well-Known Member
The 6mm 243 bullet has been largely forgotten about since the likes of creedmoor etc became the new !
The .243 can will kill anything in the UK and plans game including trophy
! so don't dismiss the old mouse gun
Sure the .308 big slow bullets 150gr@ 2700 FPS or more will also do the job if you like to use one then fill your boots it's a free world even a .22 will kill very large animals it's bullet placement ? It's not how big or small the swinging dick that pops out of the end is?
The thing is, you need to be able to shoot small and not just as anyone who has seen artillery in play just lob one down range at the big bits.
No .30 derived cases feelings we're hurt in tapping out the above.
The .243 can will kill anything in the UK and plans game including trophy
! so don't dismiss the old mouse gunSure the .308 big slow bullets 150gr@ 2700 FPS or more will also do the job if you like to use one then fill your boots it's a free world even a .22 will kill very large animals it's bullet placement ? It's not how big or small the swinging dick that pops out of the end is?
The thing is, you need to be able to shoot small and not just as anyone who has seen artillery in play just lob one down range at the big bits.
No .30 derived cases feelings we're hurt in tapping out the above.
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Can't work it out Paul post a few examples of .243 and the be-moaners disappear, must be part of the Steering Axle Gang...The 6mm 243 bullet has been largely forgotten about since the likes of creedmoor etc became the new !
The .243 can will kill anything in the UK and plans game including trophy
Sure the .308 big slow bullets 150gr@ 2700 FPS or more will also do the job if you like to use one then fill your boots it's a free world even a .22 will kill very large animals it's bullet placement ? It's not how big or small the swinging dick that pops out of the end is?
The thing is, you need to be able to shoot small and not just as anyone who has seen artillery in play just lob one down range at the big bits.
No .30 derived cases feelings we're hurt in tapping out the above.
Stalker-of-the-deer
Well-Known Member
243 does anything in the uk, I have one for smaller deer and fox and would be happy to use it on bigger if the opportunity presented it self.
I also have a 308, it's not that a 243 won't take a bigger deer it's just It give me a bit more knock down power if I was to fudge the shot. So if I was going out for fallow, sika and stag I'd be taking that.
It's all personal preference at the end of the day
I also have a 308, it's not that a 243 won't take a bigger deer it's just It give me a bit more knock down power if I was to fudge the shot. So if I was going out for fallow, sika and stag I'd be taking that.
It's all personal preference at the end of the day
devon deer stalker
Well-Known Member
Ah, the good old .243 debate
My first deer calibre
I did wonder when I dropped from 100g lead to 80g copper it wouldn't work on big red Devon stags, well it does.
Just don't push it, keep it to below 200m and it does just fine.
People new to stalking should just practice more on shot placement and consistent accuracy than these larger 30 Cal's etc
I have seen it with a few new clients to deer stalking that arrive with a .308 and have a 'flinch', I equate the 'flinch' to trying to correct a fly fisher who has long standing faults in their casting....can be difficult to correct
My first deer calibre
I did wonder when I dropped from 100g lead to 80g copper it wouldn't work on big red Devon stags, well it does.
Just don't push it, keep it to below 200m and it does just fine.
People new to stalking should just practice more on shot placement and consistent accuracy than these larger 30 Cal's etc
I have seen it with a few new clients to deer stalking that arrive with a .308 and have a 'flinch', I equate the 'flinch' to trying to correct a fly fisher who has long standing faults in their casting....can be difficult to correct
Only room for 1 king pin in Essex?Can't work it out Paul post a few examples of .243 and the be-moaners disappear, must be part of the Steering Axle Gang...
243's Rule!
Nickb
Well-Known Member
Principality of Essex I will have you know..........Only room for 1 king pin in Essex?
243's Rule!
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