243 for newbie shooting fallow

[Tim.243]

Why so slow?

My .280 pushes a 140 at 3200…..

I don't care nor do the deer...the candle that burns twice as bright only lasts half as long.
Or the tortoise and the hare.
No bits of paper were harmed with the speed of my .270

 

[Overlay]

Get a .243 100 grn SP half decent scope sorted that will any deer in the uk no problem

 

[Acm]

Get a .243 100 grn SP half decent scope sorted that will any deer in the uk no problem

In my opinion 70 - 80 grain copper is where it’s at.

 

[Overlay]

In my opinion 70 - 80 grain copper is where it’s at.

Yep sounds good

But I've got stacks of 100grn in lead it ain’t over yet

 

[Acm]

Yep sounds good

But I've got stacks of 100grn in lead it ain’t over yet

I have a secret soft spot for the 85grn partition too, a great .242 deer bullet! What 100 grn are you using?

 

[Overlay]

I have a secret soft spot for the 85grn partition too, a great .242 deer bullet! What 100 grn are you using?

Super performance 100 grn sp I don’t reload anymore they are really quick and stay the distance, really good round and the 75 grn I think for a phenomenal foxing round
Those two are really all you need for .243 knock any deer over

 

[Heym SR20]

For many years I used the RwS 100gn Softpoint. My Heym SR20 would put five into a little clover leaf, and the bullet worked well on red hinds and Roe.

Then RWS changed things. They seated the bullet noticeably deeper into the case and it was a lot softer. It didn’t group as well and I had a few cases where bullet blew up on the rib cage and had hinds run off.

I tried other ammo - Sako and Norma, but they just didn’t group. I have good 7mm rifles and going lead free they just worked, so been using those for a good while.

The 243 has been unloved. Finally got around to loading up some 80gn Fox bullets. Using Edinburgh rifles published data, but in an RWS case put five rounds into a 3/4” group. I am looking forward to getting out with at the weekend. I had forgotten what a nice little rifle it is to use.

 

[kennyc]

all this talk about .243v.308 seems to focus on what is wrong with .243? what is "wrong" with .308? recoil? use a 125 bullet, on a moderated rifle the recoil is negligible, bullet drop? again all the main calibres are comparable to 250m and over that is probably not an issue for a novice to be worried about!
now, against the .243 personally I have never felt the need for anything more (or less) than a .308, 125/150 for deer, 155/168/175 target and 180 for the piggies, not sure a .243 will do all that and if used for target (.243) then barrel life becomes an issue, as does barrel life in a second hand rifle.
at the end of the day, either will do the job if used within their limits with the right ammo, and both should be easy to feed with shop ammo (not everyone reloads) and the random fox wont complain if you hit them with a .308 either .
if you want a varmint rifle that can handle the occasional deer then .243 will do the job
if you want a deer rifle that can handle the occasional bigger deer than .308 will do the job
horses for courses

 

[w0rks2much]

I find the .243 doesn’t drop the larger deer fast enough. The fallow were running too far, even with a good heart shot.
Changed to my .308, and never looked back.
Just my opinion.

 

[A Guy Out West]

.243 is perfect with the right bullet, 90 gr. or heavier controlled expansion. If that’s too boring, 6.5 Sweed, 7/08, .308 Win.

 

[Overlay]

.243 100 grn

.308 123 grn

H&L both calibres produce runners short and long

High neck both calibres no runners

 

[Overlay]

all this talk about .243v.308 seems to focus on what is wrong with .243? what is "wrong" with .308? recoil? use a 125 bullet, on a moderated rifle the recoil is negligible, bullet drop? again all the main calibres are comparable to 250m and over that is probably not an issue for a novice to be worried about!
now, against the .243 personally I have never felt the need for anything more (or less) than a .308, 125/150 for deer, 155/168/175 target and 180 for the piggies, not sure a .243 will do all that and if used for target (.243) then barrel life becomes an issue, as does barrel life in a second hand rifle.
at the end of the day, either will do the job if used within their limits with the right ammo, and both should be easy to feed with shop ammo (not everyone reloads) and the random fox wont complain if you hit them with a .308 either .
if you want a varmint rifle that can handle the occasional deer then .243 will do the job
if you want a deer rifle that can handle the occasional bigger deer than .308 will do the job
horses for courses

My 243 spitting out 100 grnn SP is neglible Recoil and shoots like a laser, I've shot every uk deer species with that and its never let me down
For boar I take the 6.5 x 55 163 grn soft point or the 308 123grn as number 2 rifle

No reason on the boar, the 163 grn is my boar round in my head and as they say if ain't broke don't try and mend it

I’ve no doubt a 100 grn 243 tucked up behind a boars ear will do the same, but proven to me the 6.5 163 grn is the one for me, it pulverises pigs of any size of what I’ve shot over a few years it’s not many in all (13) in total average 2 a year not many at all, but no runners all dropped on the spot, i’m happy and confidant with that furthest one 89 yds out of a high seat nice a comfy shooting position 163 grn does carry some recoil but for one shot it doesn't even notice

My rifles have 22 mm match fluted barrels on, so a mid weight rifle consumes some of the recoil