Who has killed what with a .243

[ELKCHASER]

Recently won a .243 in an RMEF raffle, Mod70 classic featherwieght. I started talking to a few folks about it and without even trying all sorts of arguements came out about what its limits are and what is ethical or not. All you .243 hunters out there, what have you hunted with it and what has been your experience!

Fire away-

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[memtb]

I'am answering for my wife here,as I can't get her to post.
She (in the early 70's) took her first elk with a .243Win. Does she think it's an elk rifle- NO!!!
She's also taken elk with a .270Win. and her last two elk with a .338Win.Mag.
She now uses the .338Win. for all of her big game hunting. -memtb

 

[kirkl]

Elkchaser, i think its a good deer gun, my cousin has shot several blacktail, mule deer and whitetail with his.

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[zoo]

I have shot several whitetails with a .243, 100 gr nosler partitions.

 

[Moosie]

I once shot a Grizz with a Pellet gun

Seriously though, I shoot Coyotes with mine. I have heard that it is a Good gun for Deer but haven't used in on one yet.

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[Nodak Hunter]

Stay away from shoulder or neck shots, keep shots within 200 yards and it's fine for deer/pronghorn. Use sturdy bullets (Partitions or Grand Slams). DO NOT USE BALLISTIC TIPS ON DEER SIZED GAME. My wife knows this from experience. She now uses a .260 Remington for deer.

 

[The Greek]

I took my first 3 elk and my first 3 deer with a 243. My wife took her first deer with it.

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Good Luck
The Greek

 

[Delw]

2 Antelope, a 2 muleys, a few black tail, 1 spike bull, 2 cow elk, lots of coyotes. I use ballistic tips only except for the roosevelt elk they were remington corelocks I belive. they were store bought about 20 years ago.

Delw

 

[Idaho Ron]

I have shot 5 deer with mine and a spike elk. My daughter shot a great buck this year with it. I use 100 grain hornady's at well over 3000 fps. This gun groups under 1" at 200 yards. Ron

 

[Thumper]

I once used mine for them long "bean field" shots on deer with the 100 gr! I consider it as a open range rifle as I have lots of experience from myself and others having the bullet deflect off target from contacting a small twig or brush!

Had plenty to drop on the spot and a few I did have to trail, but never more than 100 yards. It is a great long range flat shooting rifle and as accurate as the shooter can be! It does a hell of a lot of meat damade at long ranges, but at short ranges I have saw it go through a deer so fast that it never knew they were hit and did not drop till they bled out!!

I think I would try it for lopes, but NEVER would I use it as a gun for anything larger than southern sized white-tail or in areas with thick cover.
Personally, I feel very comfortable with shots out to 275 yards, but I site in from a long range bench and have rifle rests on the stands around the big bean and corn fields. Since the 7MM came into my life, I consider it as my all around lower 48 gun of choice!
Just my thoughts and a few past experiences!

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IF YA CAN'T RUN WITH THE BIG DAWGS, KEEP YOUR ARSE ON THE PORCH

http://www.geocities.com/thumper_67.geo

 

[deadeye2]

Well I own one 243 Win., it will shoot about 3/4" at @ 100 yds, it is one fine varmit gun! I feel it is a little light, even for small deer. If you do not use a VERY good bullets at close ranges the bullets blow up, another wonded animal! If you are Very good shot a 22 short will kill a elk.
Be safe, Have fun!
deadeye2

 

[BuzzH]

I've shot lots of game with a 6mm which darn near the same as the 243. I have shot many whitetail, mule deer, antelope from 20-350 yards always performed well. Also shot a bighorn and 2 elk, one cow, one raghorn, and one medium black bear. Most were shot with 100 grain nosler partitions. I also think it is a little on the light side for even mule deer, but with good bullets and good shots no problem with deer. It took me a while to decide it was on the light side. The 6mm has been a good round for me, I still use it as my primary antelope rifle.

 

[elk 45/70]

I used Ruger # 1 in 243 for several whitetail deer. Try to keep shot to 150 yds or less.

 

[hntrjohn]

You read Craig Bodington, and when he hunts pigs use mags. One of the Outfitters he uses carys a .243 with him for protection and going after wounded pigs in the brush.

In my OPINION a .243 is a very good deer gun, and that is it limit. That said a well placed .243 is better than a badly place 338.

John


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"When a man lies he murders some part of the world"

Cliff Burton

 

[WDSWIFT]

I've shot quite a few deer with mine in various sizes. Have used the ballistic tip bullets for the last 3 years in it with no problems and all clean, drop in their tracks harvests Before that I used spire points and had to blood trail one about 80 yds. Would definately aggree that you need to be extra careful on shot selection and placement.....but you should do that with any round. Keep the shots under 200-250 on deer. It is also one fine varmint rifle for any typical range you are good enough to shoot at.WD.

 

[GatoMan]

Its legal caliber to hunt elk with but I would not suggest it, I feel deer bout as big as you want to go with one. They work well on rabbits I do know that, kills, cleans and cooks with one shot

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GatoMan

 

[olefish_99]

3 elk some deer and antelope. All the elk were under 100 yards and put on the ground with one shot. I will say that it made me be very careful as to bullet placement and distance. olefish

 

[ABS]

I consider it as a open range rifle...having the bullet deflect off target from contacting a small twig or brush!

DITTO

The .243 is still commonly used in South Africa for plains game species, altough primarily on Springbuck and Impala. I know hunters who use the .243 on Kudu.

 

[JB Florida]

My Sis-in-law uses one for our southern deer.
It does well with 95 grain nosler ballistic tips....but use it for lung shots only.
Its a great medium range open cover cartridge. I have shot a few deer with hers and no problem out to 300 yards.
The caliber is very accurate!

A lot of folks I know use the 70 or 75 grain
ballistic tips and say it delivers more shock
to the animal than the heavier 95 grain.
Seems like too light a bullet to me though.
JB

Oh yeah,
My Dad-in-law took a guy elk hunting who used a 243 (his only gun) And he said that joker could shoot better than anyone he has ever seen, (dad is a shooter too) He told me he was with this ol fellow and the guide and he saw that joker put 5 out of 6 shots in the lungs of an Elk at close to 600 yards.
It was wide open country, so they could see where the elk would go.
I really think its Way too small for elk though. I had to 3 in an elk with my 270 to bring him down.

It's still a good deer gun though and LITE to carry!
JB



[This message has been edited by JB Florida (edited 02-09-2001).]

 

[Slamfire]

With the .243 or .244/6mm 52 deer, whitetail, mulies and blacktail. An even dozen antelope. About 25 coyotes taken on jackrabbit hunts, and I don't know how many of the bunnies. And 1 javelina, I didn't know about the smell.