The .243 is an excellent caliber for deer and pigs, amongst many other game. I have tagged countless Texas whitetail and slayed more big Texas hogs than I can remember with a .243. About 98 percent of the hogs I have killed have been with a .243 and all of the deer that I have ever killed in my life have all been with a .243.
I used only 100 gr bullets from different brands, mainly Remington Core Lokt and some federals too, just whatever was cheapest at the time. The only deer that I had run off and could not find I shot with a .30-06. All of the deer I have ever tagged were with a .243 and all dropped where they stood with one shot except for one that ran 30 yards and fell and had to be put to rest with a point blank head shot. But I used it with phenomenal results and would recommend it to anyone.
It also works great with pigs, a huge majority of my pigs were killed with a .243 and only one got away. But some people consider the .243 a tad to light for pigs but I never had trouble with that. For example, my very first hog I shot was with a .243 it was a big 290 lbs boar. It was a 50 yard broadside shot dead through the shoulder. The big ol boar just crumpled in its tracks, no flopping or anything just DRT. So a caliber that can drop a 290 lbs boar dead in its tracks without a head or spine shot can definently hold its own. It also works well on coyotes and will obliterate a beaver.
I sighted my scope dead on at 25 yards and had a 4 inch drop at 300 yards with a 100 grain bullet and about a 3 inch rise at 200 yards and dead on at 260 yards. Good good caliber choice. And I only carried a single shot NEF Handi Rifle, I rarely needed a follow up shot with the .243.
Also reading some of the posts on this thread that sound kinda crazy and naive to me about running shots and the .243 not being up to the not so perfect broadside standing still shot have me scratching my head because I never had a problem with this and I agree with alot of stuff Kraigwy said, people just need to learn to shoot, calibers dont learn to shoot, responsible hunters do. Like I said earlier in this post, the only deer I ever had get away I shot with a .30-06, it was my first deer I ever shot at. So I went back home and honed my skills and raised my confidence back up and the next time I went in the woods I had a .243 and never ever lost one single deer. An 06 has far more power as well as a bigger heavier bullet than a .243 so how did that happen to me? My skills and execution needed more practice and confidence, not my caliber choice.
As far as my direct experience with the not so perfect shot, I once dropped a 180 lbs boar hog free handed standing while the hog at a dead run 230 yards off. One shot from the .243 dropped him dead in his tracks, well he kind of cartwheeled upon impact. But by the time I made that shot I as far more experienced and had alota hog hunting under my belt to know the unpredictable nature of the situations and how to make a spur of the moment shot under not so good circumstances. Now yes alot of practical calibers would have made that clean kill on that running hog, some calibers more powerful, and some less powerful than a .243. But it just goes to show what some others have already said on this thread, people just need to know how to shoot.
I used only 100 gr bullets from different brands, mainly Remington Core Lokt and some federals too, just whatever was cheapest at the time. The only deer that I had run off and could not find I shot with a .30-06. All of the deer I have ever tagged were with a .243 and all dropped where they stood with one shot except for one that ran 30 yards and fell and had to be put to rest with a point blank head shot. But I used it with phenomenal results and would recommend it to anyone.
It also works great with pigs, a huge majority of my pigs were killed with a .243 and only one got away. But some people consider the .243 a tad to light for pigs but I never had trouble with that. For example, my very first hog I shot was with a .243 it was a big 290 lbs boar. It was a 50 yard broadside shot dead through the shoulder. The big ol boar just crumpled in its tracks, no flopping or anything just DRT. So a caliber that can drop a 290 lbs boar dead in its tracks without a head or spine shot can definently hold its own. It also works well on coyotes and will obliterate a beaver.
I sighted my scope dead on at 25 yards and had a 4 inch drop at 300 yards with a 100 grain bullet and about a 3 inch rise at 200 yards and dead on at 260 yards. Good good caliber choice. And I only carried a single shot NEF Handi Rifle, I rarely needed a follow up shot with the .243.
Also reading some of the posts on this thread that sound kinda crazy and naive to me about running shots and the .243 not being up to the not so perfect broadside standing still shot have me scratching my head because I never had a problem with this and I agree with alot of stuff Kraigwy said, people just need to learn to shoot, calibers dont learn to shoot, responsible hunters do. Like I said earlier in this post, the only deer I ever had get away I shot with a .30-06, it was my first deer I ever shot at. So I went back home and honed my skills and raised my confidence back up and the next time I went in the woods I had a .243 and never ever lost one single deer. An 06 has far more power as well as a bigger heavier bullet than a .243 so how did that happen to me? My skills and execution needed more practice and confidence, not my caliber choice.
As far as my direct experience with the not so perfect shot, I once dropped a 180 lbs boar hog free handed standing while the hog at a dead run 230 yards off. One shot from the .243 dropped him dead in his tracks, well he kind of cartwheeled upon impact. But by the time I made that shot I as far more experienced and had alota hog hunting under my belt to know the unpredictable nature of the situations and how to make a spur of the moment shot under not so good circumstances. Now yes alot of practical calibers would have made that clean kill on that running hog, some calibers more powerful, and some less powerful than a .243. But it just goes to show what some others have already said on this thread, people just need to know how to shoot.
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Actually IIRC, he was using a 243 because that's what the rifle he was testing was in. Gunwriters do that. 