.243 - Just Enough, Not Enough or Perfect

I have a .243 but prefer my 6.5x55 as "ideal". I've only shot one deer with my 243 and it was within 85 grain partition broadside at about 100. It dropped what seemed like faster than gravity. I have nothing against the 243 as a deer round under a couple hundred or a few hundred yards if you know your rifle well. I just prefer 120ttsx at 3000 to a 105gr at 3000. Maybe I just prefer the tikka over the savage because a deer wouldn't notice.
 
while this post initially annoyed me as there is so much info out there these days...I totally get it too many damn opinions
and too much info to be confusing.
with that being said I don't agree with everything on this website but there is some good knowledge and points for sure.
h ttps://www.ballisticstudies.com/Knowledgebase/.243+Winchester.html

personally, It always comes down to the bullet you use and where you decide to put it, as noted in the studies, some bullets do very poor
for certain shots. Out of all the animals ive killed and or been apart of, the most forgiving non bs is the nosler partition.
You can shoot that in almost any Caliber and have great results. Its not fast its not ###y, its old....but damn it just works.

I feel its best to really do the homework on the new bullets these days because they all preform different to an extent.

As one mentioned If you wanted slightly less recoil 6.5 Grendel was super fun and have shot it out to 300 yards.
goodluck In your quest
 
A .243 will work fine for the applications you've listed. But so will a .223. Pick the right bullet for the job and you'll be fine, regardless of the headstamp.

My two main Deer/Elk/Moose cartridges that I carried this year were predominantly .223 Remington, and 6.5 Creedmoor being a distant second. I never connected with either of them. Mostly because of constraints I put on myself for the type of hunting I was doing. I didn't end up with a shot i could take on any game for various reasons. But I never did think for a minute that I was undergunned for my intended quarry.
 
Dorian Gray said:
A .243 will work fine for the applications you've listed. But so will a .223. Pick the right bullet for the job and you'll be fine, regardless of the headstamp.

My two main Deer/Elk/Moose cartridges that I carried this year were predominantly .223 Remington, and 6.5 Creedmoor being a distant second. I never connected with either of them. Mostly because of constraints I put on myself for the type of hunting I was doing. I didn't end up with a shot i could take on any game for various reasons. But I never did think for a minute that I was undergunned for my intended quarry.
Click to expand...
makes total sense, if your waiting to get the perfect shot needed to match your confidence level in the rifle/cartridge in hand

suggesting 223 is suitable for the average hunter is ridic imo
even 243, for most situations things have to be just right
 
Last edited:
  • Like
Reactions: EJG
While I love hunting with large calibers a 243 is not just a kid/ wife caliber.. heck if they can kill something with it why wouldn't it work for you? Good bullets in as heavy wight as your rifling will allow ( usually 100gr) and put it into the vitals from 100-300yds and everything from moose to fox are dead! I wouldn't recommend raking angles on large game at distance..say bull elk at 200yds but keep good broadside shot angles and it will do the job. For deer frangible bullets like sst are OK but I prefer controlled expansion bullets for larger game. My family has killed a pile of game from moose, elk, deer, coyotes...Just about any critter that can be hunted in my neck of the woods.....good wound channels kill well but don't expect it to break heavy bone and anchor big game..also those bullets that create good wound channels( more frangable bullets) tend to damage a lot of meat if you hit shoulders...
 
hoytcanon said:
It can work out with good shot placement and good bullets... BUT...

NOT enough for me.

My medium game hunting starts at 6.5mm... a little extra margin can go a long way... and if not needed, it certainly doesn't hurt.
Click to expand...

Gospel.

I regard the pesky cartridge as too big to be small and too small to be big.

Kind of like Bob on Becker. ⛄️
 
I've killed Red stags with a. 243 and 100 gr soft points. It's way more capable than people think, as long as you stick with 100 gr bullets and avoid ballistic tips. Speer grand slam 100 gr is a fantastic bullet in my 243, although I've killed a lot of deer with 100 gr interlocks.
 
hoytcanon said:
NOT enough for me.

My medium game hunting starts at 6.5mm... a little extra margin can go a long way... and if not needed, it certainly doesn't hurt.
Click to expand...
I own a 257 Roberts. It has killed everything I've shot it at. I consider it to be equivalent to the 243, both being more than enough for deer sized game. Saying that, I would consider the 6.5CM to be a better choice than both, esp for a nonreloader. Slightly heavier bullets, more choices for new rifles and ammo.
 
My wife and I both hunt black bear and whitetail bucks in Ontario with 243win, 270win.
They both get the job done well. The 243win is an underrated cartridge imo from the results we've experienced.
 
For me .243 offers no step up from .308 or .303 for hunting or shooting targets/steel, a 30 cal is what I’ll stick with. .308 is easy to find and load for the most part and barrel life is great. Don’t fix what isn’t broken is how I look at it, nothing wrong with .243. It just doesn’t do anything for me that my usuals already do.
 
-Doug- said:
Application:
-Sub 150 yard deer cartridge
-Low recoiling for recoil sensitive shooter (more so to allow for more enjoyable practice)
-Commonly available factory ammunition

Question:
-Is the .243 just enough, not enough or perfect?
-Does it require an ideal shot (as some say online) or does it have enough insurance to it for those other times.

Lots of articles on this debate - but figured it would be an interesting topic to hear from the experts. Let me know your experience.
Click to expand...
A great quality bullet, such as the 90 grain accubond or any partition, accompanied by a well placed shot will complete the task for a deer.
 
-Doug- said:
Application:
-Sub 150 yard deer cartridge
-Low recoiling for recoil sensitive shooter (more so to allow for more enjoyable practice)
-Commonly available factory ammunition

Question:
-Is the .243 just enough, not enough or perfect?
-Does it require an ideal shot (as some say online) or does it have enough insurance to it for those other times.

Lots of articles on this debate - but figured it would be an interesting topic to hear from the experts. Let me know your experience.
Click to expand...
The 243 is a great round for deer at ranges out to 500 yards. Ive killed bears at 200 with it loaded with a 85g Nosler. Great little cartridge and when loaded for varmnts out does the 22-250 by a lot. I load 50g Hornadys V-Max bullets at 4000fps which is absolutely devastating on coyotes
 
Perfect choice, mine shoots the 95gr Ballistic Tip extremely well and has killed a couple of deer this year and last, but my previous .243 has taken probably a dozen out 350 or so. Also flipped a few coyotes inside-out. Easy peasy.
 
The 243 is extremely popular and capable as a big game cartridge, not my choice though , but then neither is the 270 Winchester.
This is why we have lots of choices when it comes to cartridges and rifles! :)
Cat
 
SuperCub said:
I own a 257 Roberts. It has killed everything I've shot it at. I consider it to be equivalent to the 243, both being more than enough for deer sized game. Saying that, I would consider the 6.5CM to be a better choice than both, esp for a nonreloader. Slightly heavier bullets, more choices for new rifles and ammo.
Click to expand...
Counterpoint: abundant used rifles are better value, and... is there REALLY more 6.5CM available than 243?

I haven't bought rifle ammo retail for a long time.
 
Silverado said:
Counterpoint: abundant used rifles are better value, and... is there REALLY more 6.5CM available than 243?

I haven't bought rifle ammo retail for a long time.
Click to expand...
Up here in Ft. McMurray there sure is, I would have to check , but at first glance, probably three bullet choices and brands of 6.5 Creedmoor for every 243 Winchester .
I will take a look this afternoon to be certain.:)
Cat
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top Bottom