I bought my son a .243 when he was 11. I zeroed it using Winchester 100gr power point ammo and that's what has been used in it ever since. Almost every deer he has killed has dropped where they were standing. A couple ran about 40 yards. My son is 23 now and even when I offered to let him use my Browning 30-06, he has taken his .243.
The .243? Hunting and Reloading
- Thread starter UTGrad
- Start date
TraumaSlave
Well-Known Member
My son's Savage Axis youth. 243 it a tac driving deer slayer. As others have said, GameKings for reloading. Another thought, kinda outside the box, a 243 is just a necked down 308. Easy brass ro find or common to already have.
David Sapp
Well-Known Member
I avoided the 243 for years but picked up a nice M70 pre64 and used it to kill one of my better bucks. Decisive one shot kill at just under 100 yards with the factory Fusion load. After deer hunting a few decades, I've figured out there aren't good or bad cartridges out there, just proper placement and adequate bullets. I don't hesitate to take a 243 now.
I had to read the last line carefully since it was under things that had been killed.
Hahahaha
I bought a tang safety Ruger M77 in the early 1980's and have always loaded 100 grain Hornady Interlocks over IMR 4350 with excellent results on deer and antelope.
They are good guns. Have a ruger compact stainless in the safe. However, the same case in 260, 7mm08 or 308 will give you much more versatility and the ability to shoot bullets that are heavier, have a higher bc and sd
Omega
Well-Known Member
You just don't lead them as much!
KPH
Well-Known Member
UT Grade PM sent
Bought a NEF .243 when my son was little and liked it so much I bought a barrel for my Encore. Ended up getting another frame and just leaving it on there and killed a bunch using 95-grain Federal Fusions. My son hasn't hunted in 2 years due to working and a girlfriend but I still carry it at least once a year. Lost a first cousin earlier this year to covid and ended up with a Sako .243 that was his and intend to hunt with it this year and hopefully let it eat.
. As said already, find you some 95 or 100 gr partitions. Best of luck.
PM replied
I've heard the Ballistic Tips are made now with thicker jackets too. They used to be bombs.
41Magnum
Well-Known Member
Killed a large truck load of deer with the .243. I've used everything from 85, 100 gr. Nosler partitions, Speer Grand Slams in reloads, for factory ammo Remington Core-Lokts and Federal Fusions were the best out of my rifles. Put the bullet where it belongs and you will have no issues. I never lost a deer with it.
My daughter shoots a Model 7 243 with 90gr Accubonds. Deer just drop in their tracks. Several powders shot well including RL19, IMR 4350, and IMR 4831.
ron mexico
New Member
I use a Tikka T3 .243 as my Pronghorn gun. Taken them anywhere from 60 yds to 360. Never an issue.
.243 is a deer killing machine. Hard to beat all around caliber.
Safari Hunt
Well-Known Member
Yes, on my second one. Made the mistake of selling a tack-driver Remington 700 ADL, .243. Savage Axis in the safe. Grandson at the time was a bit shy of the 30/06 recoil. Now he's bigger than me.
downthebrown
Well-Known Member
I can attest to this load! I have bang flopped 7 with it. Never had one take a step since shooting it. I know that will change one day but very happy with this DA special!
