Johnn Peterson
CGN Ultra frequent flyer
- Location
- Chemainus B.C.
At one point in time I was using 105gr Speer reloads in my model 88 Winchester for Deer here on the island. It proved to be a decent combo.
243 for brush hunting?
- Thread starter mike t
- Start date
At one point in time I was using 105gr Speer reloads in my model 88 Winchester for Deer here on the island. It proved to be a decent combo.
If the pice is right buy it the BLR that is a grate bush rifle you won't regret
The 243 is a minimum for Moose and Blake bear but in the bush and shots are usually under a 100 yards
What make a good bush rifle is being able to pick up ammo at any small town co-op and 243 ammo is everywhere
The 243 is a minimum for Moose and Blake bear but in the bush and shots are usually under a 100 yards
What make a good bush rifle is being able to pick up ammo at any small town co-op and 243 ammo is everywhere
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Some time ago I had the same question as the OP. I did some research on a broader level where I was interested in knowing if any caliber is better for brush busting over other calibers. It was found that a 12 gauge slug was the least effected by deflection... But it still deflected. A clear shot is always the best shot. In my view I would consider the 243 to be a minimum cartridge for deer hunting. It shoots flat and that is the benefit of the 243. I would also suggest that something heavy for caliber in the 243 will be the best bet and and 95 or 100 grain projectile will be the most suitable for the 243 on deer. There are those who have accomplished the task with the 223 and even less - but I would suggest that the 223 caliber (and lesser calibers) is marginal at best. In regards of using a BLR in 243 it would be a light carry and would suffice for your needs.
Hello Cat. Sounds like you also have a copy of Francis Sell's book"The Deer Hunter's Guide". It is a great book, probably the best book I have ever read on that subject.
I have probably read it every year since I purchased it way back about 1965.....At one point I used to have it under my pillow during deer season for luck !!
Pete
blasted_saber
CGN Ultra frequent flyer
- Location
- A blue part of Ontario
Bullet deflection is a myth in that every bullet deflects. Buy the gun that you like best and have fun
I'm leaning towards giving the 243 a try, shots will be anywhere from 30 yards to 100 yards. The rifle I am looking at is a stainless BLR 243. I will be trading a new production BAR longtrac in 30-06, just not to sure on the stainless finish. I'm going to go look at the stainless model today at Cabelas just to see.
Trimmer 905
CGN Ultra frequent flyer
I've shot quite a few deer while dogging through brush and swamps with my .243Win (100gr.PSP). It's an excellent cartridge. Although my personal preference is bolt action,Browning levers are excellent,too.
Why not use a 243 for moose?
In genuine, depression homestead years I knew a man that kept a rather large family in moose meat, year around, for twenty years and his rifle was a 250-3000 Savage. The designation, "250-3000," came from the ballistics of the cartridge, which was an 87 grain bullet that was supposed to have a velocity of 3,000 fps. The universal bullet the little stores carried for that cartridge was a 100 grain bullet and the muzzle velocity would be in the 2750 fps range.
So why wouldn't a 100 grain bullet .243 in diameter at near 3,000 fps be as deadly on a moose as a 100 grain bullet of .257 diameter, travelling at the most, 2,800 fps?
I carry my 257Roberts in the woods all the time. With Nosler Partitions, it will shoot through a 6" birch and keep on going to the target w/o deflection or loss of velocity.
Alright, if you had just said you can shoot through a tree without deflection, I might be a little skeptical, but I'd take your word for it. But doing it without losing any velocity, gotta call b.s. on that one.
I Agree with Hoyt on this one a BLR 308 would be better bush rifle but a 243 will just barely work on moose and black bear getting it if the the price on 243 is a smoking good deal as it will work but a 308 will work better
Exactly!
But this is the internet..... There's more guys here clickin' a mouse than clickin' safeties.
For the most part, guys I talk to are waaaaay overgunned for what they are hunting IMO, but variety is the spice of life. I just don't subscribe to the "you can't have too much gun" mindset. Bigger, faster, heavier keeps mfgs in business and gives people something to debate.
To each their own, and use what works for you.
IME, the internet opinions suggest the opposite... according to the cyber cowboys you can kill any thing, any time, any where with a .22 LR... and while most things have been killed by .22 LR's, a truck load of animals ran off to die a slow death or an equally slow recovery for every animal that was successfully and cleanly harvested... we no longer live in a subsistence era (for the most part)... it is no longer socially or politically wise for those that love our outdoor hunting traditions to adopt the minimalist mindset.
Case in point, 30 years ago, I stalked and arrowed a nice black bear boar... upon dressing the bear I found, not one, not two, not three, but FOUR slugs in the carcass, they were all long healed, old wounds. Two were .22 LR slugs, one was a .243 slug and one mangled one appeared to be a .30 cal soft point, that I believed to be from a .30/30. None were positioned where it could be construed to be defensive shooting... it is most likely that they were shots of random opportunity... this experience can illustrate that it would be wise to use "enough" gun, and when using "enough" gun, to properly place the bullet.
JMO
I agree.
There's certainly the 22lr is all you need for NA hunting crowd.
It's the: "I pack a 338 WM for Blacktail" crowd I get a chuckle from, you know...... for the inevitable bear attack on the truck while driving (hunting) the main lines.
Whatever works for them, works for me.... so long as it's legal and used ethically.
