Will a .243 do more meat damage than a .308?

[TheJason]

My circle would move back 3 inches and up about the same.

Suit yourself, but the center of the circle I drew will put you right at the top of the heart, bottom of the lungs, and the culmination of a massive amount of vasculature.

 

[devon deer]

My circle would move back 3 inches and up about the same.

Yes but then you might just hit the liver, and/or burst the rumen, either way you will get a runner that will go further than with a double lung tap.
Cheers
Richard

 

[antelopedundee]

Suit yourself, but the center of the circle I drew will put you right at the top of the heart, bottom of the lungs, and the culmination of a massive amount of vasculature.

Except that your comment was anywhere in the circle. I'd try for the center of the circle with your circle or mine. For lopes I try for the line separating white from brown a couple inches back from the shoulder edge. Drops em like a rock every time.

 

[TheJason]

Except that your comment was anywhere in the circle. I'd try for the center of the circle with your circle or mine. For lopes I try for the line separating white from brown a couple inches back from the shoulder edge. Drops em like a rock every time.

I think a 2” deviation from the exact center is reasonable.

As I said suit yourself. I’m sure your happy with your method.

 

[antelopedundee]

I think a 2” deviation from the exact center is reasonable.

As I said suit yourself. I’m sure your happy with your method.

Agree on the 2 inches. I try to avoid hitting ANY shoulder meat.

 

[RockinU]

A 125gr in a 300RUM?? Seriously? I always get a kick out of people’s fascination with velocity and how they think it “kills” better. I’ll take a big slower heavy bullet any day.

Momentum Vs Energy debate. At most reasonable hunting ranges it's moot. Put a hole all the way through in the right general area, and all is good.

 

[HuntTalk Freak]

The high shoulder shot is popular here in certain parts of Texas. I’ve shot a lot of deer and seen the results from everything from a 223 up to a 300mag.
Yes a high shoulder will drop them in their tracks but you do lose meat. I prefer right behind the shoulder 99% of the time.

The worst meat damage I’ve had was from a MK262 round (5.56 77gr Sierra OTM) through the shoulders of a big doe. I had bone shards and blood shot meat all over. Basically lost the majority of both fronts. That same round is great for lung shots and gets me the least amount of meat damage I’ve experienced.

 

[cahunter805]

Momentum Vs Energy debate. At most reasonable hunting ranges it's moot. Put a hole all the way through in the right general area, and all is good.

I agree but a 125gr 30cal bullet at RUM speeds might be pretty explosive and not penetrate much.

 

[Don Fischer]

HPs are not guaranteed to expand/disintegrate. Sometimes they just fill up and act like solids.

You are absolutely right. many years ago I shot bullet's into newspaper at 100yds to see what they would do. One of those bullet's was, I think, a 150gr HP bullet from a 308. Two bullet's and both went in, the HP closed up and the bullet's bent! Even at that if the bullet's strayed off past and hit a vital they would kill well. Lot of men aka, the enemy, has died quicly to the 55 gr FMJ.

 

[sharpshooter97]

My brother and I shoot 100 grain federal soft points out of our .243’s on deer and get little meat damage.

 

[Don Fischer]

One way for sure not to ruin any meat no matter what your shooting. Don't hit anything you might want to eat!

 

[antelopedundee]

The answer is that there is no black and white answer to the OP's question.

 

[mtmuley]

A 125gr in a 300RUM?? Seriously? I always get a kick out of people’s fascination with velocity and how they think it “kills” better. I’ll take a big slower heavy bullet any day.

Guy has no clue about the RUM. mtmuley