.243 for mule deer?
- Thread starter phelpsj
- Start date
My first three mule deer were taken with a .243 it is a very capable rifle if you get good shot placement. I had a neighbor who reloaded his own .243 and I talked him into loading me some 105 grain bullets to hunt with. I took two shots to bring down my first mulie, buck fever almost got the best of me. It only took one shot on the other two. The .243 was my first rifle I ever bought, I've accumulated quite a few since then and just use my .243 on coyotes and pronghorns now.
I would not be afraid to go after a mulie again with the rifle and I would use a bullet in the 80-100 grain range now. My only recommendation is to practice, practice, practice, bullet placement is the key so know how your rifle shoots. The .243 is plenty of rifle to handle deer so don't go buy a bigger rifle, unless you just want one and you have plenty of time to practice before the season.
I would not be afraid to go after a mulie again with the rifle and I would use a bullet in the 80-100 grain range now. My only recommendation is to practice, practice, practice, bullet placement is the key so know how your rifle shoots. The .243 is plenty of rifle to handle deer so don't go buy a bigger rifle, unless you just want one and you have plenty of time to practice before the season.
formerflyer
New member
.243 is a minimal, but very capable mule deer cartridge. H&H has some great advice: If you stick with heavy premium bullets (90gr. plus in Barnes TSX, Nosler Partition) then you don’t give up anything to most of the common deer calibers. I’ve helped skin out a dozen or more Muley’s killed with the .243. Little recoil, flat shooting, good cartridge. You’re probably approaching the upper limit of the size of game you should plan on cleanly taking with it, though. Don’t go off thinking you're ready for Elk or some such.
Coltdriver
New member
Mule deer are not that big nor are they that tough. I went hunting on the Eastern Plains this past season and a buddy got a buck that had antlers that were very close to atypical. I was surprised at how small the buck was as we field dressed it.
A .243 round in 85 to 95 grains is plenty. Part of the effectiveness of a .243 is in the velocity you achieve with a bullet in that range. Adding 10 grains to that will only reduce your velocity and your flat shooting range.
Ken Waters used a 95 grain Nosler partition in his favorite hunting load for the .243. Thats what I have loaded up for this coming season.
Do a look up on poster Art Eatman. He has many deer to his credit and swears by the .243
I am hunting in the Colorado plains with a .243 this season.
A .243 round in 85 to 95 grains is plenty. Part of the effectiveness of a .243 is in the velocity you achieve with a bullet in that range. Adding 10 grains to that will only reduce your velocity and your flat shooting range.
Ken Waters used a 95 grain Nosler partition in his favorite hunting load for the .243. Thats what I have loaded up for this coming season.
Do a look up on poster Art Eatman. He has many deer to his credit and swears by the .243
I am hunting in the Colorado plains with a .243 this season.
Jack O'Conner
New member
My brother and I shared a Remington .243 slide action for a decade. Many Wyoming mulies have fallen to our well placed bullets. Minimum is a term which means nothing to a hunter standing over a dead deer. The term has no relevency to success.
We have tried many ammo brands and bullet weights. I like Black Hills Ammo featuring Nosler 95 grain Ballistic Tip for antelope and 95 grain Nosler Partition for mule deer. The Partition is a genuine all-the-way-through the deer bullet. I've never recovered a single bullet. Always a good sized exit hole.
Most of our shots are fired at 225 yards or less. Typically, it is late morning and the buck is either snoozing or nibbling on sage. We wait for broadside presentation whenever we can as this will destroy both lungs in an instant. Hunters who say unkind things about this cartridge are typically woodsmen who have had a bad experience with penetration at forest distances. This can be avoided with the Nosler Partition or Hornady Interlock bullet. Or a woodsman should follow historical predictability and choose a slower, heavier bullet with plenty of exposed lead. Several good forest and foothill cartridges come to mind.
The biggest mulie my brother ever toppled fell to single 100 grain bullet from a box of bargain priced PMP ammo. This ammo comes from South Africa and is hard to find these days. But 5 years ago, a box went for $8.99. Accurasy was quite good.
In summary, I have found the .243 to be a deadly cartridge for even the largest mulie. Thickness of chest wall is nearly identical whether 160 lb. doe or 275 lb. big buck. These animals are not armor-plated.
Good hunting to you.
Jack
We have tried many ammo brands and bullet weights. I like Black Hills Ammo featuring Nosler 95 grain Ballistic Tip for antelope and 95 grain Nosler Partition for mule deer. The Partition is a genuine all-the-way-through the deer bullet. I've never recovered a single bullet. Always a good sized exit hole.
Most of our shots are fired at 225 yards or less. Typically, it is late morning and the buck is either snoozing or nibbling on sage. We wait for broadside presentation whenever we can as this will destroy both lungs in an instant. Hunters who say unkind things about this cartridge are typically woodsmen who have had a bad experience with penetration at forest distances. This can be avoided with the Nosler Partition or Hornady Interlock bullet. Or a woodsman should follow historical predictability and choose a slower, heavier bullet with plenty of exposed lead. Several good forest and foothill cartridges come to mind.
The biggest mulie my brother ever toppled fell to single 100 grain bullet from a box of bargain priced PMP ammo. This ammo comes from South Africa and is hard to find these days. But 5 years ago, a box went for $8.99. Accurasy was quite good.
In summary, I have found the .243 to be a deadly cartridge for even the largest mulie. Thickness of chest wall is nearly identical whether 160 lb. doe or 275 lb. big buck. These animals are not armor-plated.
Good hunting to you.
Jack
Art Eatman
Staff in Memoriam
Jack, you're correct, but the factor that's most important is that you were picky and chose your shots.
Just my opinion, but I think a lot of "not enough gun" comes from folks who sorta aim at the middle of the big brown area and at any old angle. I've helped carry deer to hunters' cold-storage lockers. Looking at a lot of the deer hanging there is what gave me this opinion...
, Art
Just my opinion, but I think a lot of "not enough gun" comes from folks who sorta aim at the middle of the big brown area and at any old angle. I've helped carry deer to hunters' cold-storage lockers. Looking at a lot of the deer hanging there is what gave me this opinion...
, ArtJack O'Conner
Let's be fair here...
You hunt in Wyoming where the deer are plentiful and probably on private land. You can pass on the less than desirable shots and less than desirable deer. That generally allows you to take your time and place your shots like a well disciplined hunter should.
A female hunter, with five witnesses, shot a sizable running Mulie buck, 5 times in a pie plate sized group, at 200 yards with a .243... she was an awesome shooter... The buck ran 200 yards before it fell.
Many hunters in the field would have thought they'd missed all five times... and many have... so the buck would never be found... especially in the trees.
I advocate "more gun" for the average hunter. Not for the selective hunter...
As I've said before, the 30-06 has been used to kill every animal on the planet, but that doesn't make it an elephant gun... nor is it a good choice for Cape Buffalo.
ART
Why do I always find myself agreeing with you?
Could it be because I am always right?
Let's be fair here...
You hunt in Wyoming where the deer are plentiful and probably on private land. You can pass on the less than desirable shots and less than desirable deer. That generally allows you to take your time and place your shots like a well disciplined hunter should.
A female hunter, with five witnesses, shot a sizable running Mulie buck, 5 times in a pie plate sized group, at 200 yards with a .243... she was an awesome shooter... The buck ran 200 yards before it fell.
Many hunters in the field would have thought they'd missed all five times... and many have... so the buck would never be found... especially in the trees.
I advocate "more gun" for the average hunter. Not for the selective hunter...
As I've said before, the 30-06 has been used to kill every animal on the planet, but that doesn't make it an elephant gun... nor is it a good choice for Cape Buffalo.
ART
Why do I always find myself agreeing with you?
Could it be because I am always right?
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Art Eatman
Staff in Memoriam
Aw, ain't it nice to be wise and handsome as well as suave and debonair?
Or is that swayve and deboner?
A buddy of mine found a 1960 copy of the Sports Afield "Gun Annual" In it is an article on hunting in Africa with the .30-'06. It listed the game (including lion and buffalo) and the loads used. Mostly Sierra 150- and 180-grain Spitzers. Most all the plains antelope. The particular buffalo shown looked to be on the small side compared to what H&H has shown us.
I sure got grumpy looking at prices, though...Gee, deluxe Weatherby rifles were as much as $348! Ruger Mark I .22 autos for $37.50!
Art
Or is that swayve and deboner?
A buddy of mine found a 1960 copy of the Sports Afield "Gun Annual" In it is an article on hunting in Africa with the .30-'06. It listed the game (including lion and buffalo) and the loads used. Mostly Sierra 150- and 180-grain Spitzers. Most all the plains antelope. The particular buffalo shown looked to be on the small side compared to what H&H has shown us.
I sure got grumpy looking at prices, though...Gee, deluxe Weatherby rifles were as much as $348! Ruger Mark I .22 autos for $37.50!
Art
Dave Haven
New member
And $1.00/hour was decent wages.
armedtotheteeth
New member
people actually get paid Money for work?? WOW! I have always been paid in Ammo@#? Can you get ammo with $
Art Eatman
Staff in Memoriam
Naw, Dave, maybe $3.00, which is near what I got as a fresh almost-young college grad beginning in 1962. Union carpenters at Cobo Hall in Detroit got $7.00/hr.
, Art
, ArtJack O'Conner
New member
Suprises me that .243 always brings out strong opinions one way or the other. Yet we remain polite and kind to each other which is form of unity when you think about it.
My wife has toppled many mulies and 'lopes with our .243 but I had a custom 6.5mm Swede made for her. Not that it kills mulies better or faster. But the old Swede is a very deep penetrator and is quite possibly the best moderate recoil elk cartridge of all time. Admittedly, 7mm-08 is a worthy contender for this niche. I can't explain it, but 7mm-08 is virtually ignored by the hunting magazines.
.243 is very fast and with the right bullet can be a very deadly mule deer cartridge. Same can be said for 22-250 and 220 Swift. Or 25-06 and 270! You're allowed to disagree with me. But I feel it comes down to placing a good bullet into the chest so both are lungs are destroyed in an instant.
I do not choose our .243 for hunting forests and foothills. I much prefer 30-30 or 35 Remington because the heavier bullets at slower velocities are better performers at forest distances. By better performers I mean to say: deadly and predictable bullet mushroom with less meat damage.
Does this mean the .243 is an expert's cartridge? I think not. You may think differently. But there is no doubt that .243 has a recoil level that is easy to master. This factor helps produce precise bullet placement. Whether used by a beginner or middle-aged hunter like me, the .243 is a popular hunting cartridge that grows in appeal each and every year.
Good hunting to you.
Jack
My wife has toppled many mulies and 'lopes with our .243 but I had a custom 6.5mm Swede made for her. Not that it kills mulies better or faster. But the old Swede is a very deep penetrator and is quite possibly the best moderate recoil elk cartridge of all time. Admittedly, 7mm-08 is a worthy contender for this niche. I can't explain it, but 7mm-08 is virtually ignored by the hunting magazines.
.243 is very fast and with the right bullet can be a very deadly mule deer cartridge. Same can be said for 22-250 and 220 Swift. Or 25-06 and 270! You're allowed to disagree with me. But I feel it comes down to placing a good bullet into the chest so both are lungs are destroyed in an instant.
I do not choose our .243 for hunting forests and foothills. I much prefer 30-30 or 35 Remington because the heavier bullets at slower velocities are better performers at forest distances. By better performers I mean to say: deadly and predictable bullet mushroom with less meat damage.
Does this mean the .243 is an expert's cartridge? I think not. You may think differently. But there is no doubt that .243 has a recoil level that is easy to master. This factor helps produce precise bullet placement. Whether used by a beginner or middle-aged hunter like me, the .243 is a popular hunting cartridge that grows in appeal each and every year.
Good hunting to you.
Jack
Jack O'Conner
New member
Your'e correct. I'm NOT stupid. A Building Inspector is a middle-aged man or older that knows he can't keep up with a 27 year old framer. So he studies, takes courses, and achieves credentials to promote upward into the inspection career. Smart builders become Inspectors.
.243 always brings out strong opinions. I'm forecasting that this discussion will be repeated in 6 months or so.
If you guys really knew me, we'd be great pals. Really.
Jack
.243 always brings out strong opinions. I'm forecasting that this discussion will be repeated in 6 months or so.
If you guys really knew me, we'd be great pals. Really.
Jack
And the fun is on!
I have hunted in and taken mule deer in Utah for the better part of the last 26 years and for a lot of those years used mainly 2 rifles, a Ruger #1 in 30-06 and a Remington 788 in 6MM the balastic twin of the 243. Yes I have also taken deer with my Contender as well as a 54 caliber Lyman Great Plains.
There has been a lot of mule deer fall to the 788 and it has more than a few times in my hands and the hands of others dropped mule deer and the only time I took a second shot was when just as I shot she ducked her head and I pierced her ears just above the top of the skull, the second shot made it where you could not have brain tanned the hide. I loaded my 788 it with Nosler 105 grain flat base when they were avaivable and when they weren't went to the Speer 100 grain and more than one occasion you could put one hand on the deer and the other on where the bullet went into the dirt behind it.
Yes you have to place your bullet in the right spot but I had the funny idea that, that is part of hunting. Learning how to hit what you are aiming at with one shot and passing on the Texas Heart Shots(the ones where all you can see is the south end of a north bound animal).
I have hunted in and taken mule deer in Utah for the better part of the last 26 years and for a lot of those years used mainly 2 rifles, a Ruger #1 in 30-06 and a Remington 788 in 6MM the balastic twin of the 243. Yes I have also taken deer with my Contender as well as a 54 caliber Lyman Great Plains.
There has been a lot of mule deer fall to the 788 and it has more than a few times in my hands and the hands of others dropped mule deer and the only time I took a second shot was when just as I shot she ducked her head and I pierced her ears just above the top of the skull, the second shot made it where you could not have brain tanned the hide. I loaded my 788 it with Nosler 105 grain flat base when they were avaivable and when they weren't went to the Speer 100 grain and more than one occasion you could put one hand on the deer and the other on where the bullet went into the dirt behind it.
Yes you have to place your bullet in the right spot but I had the funny idea that, that is part of hunting. Learning how to hit what you are aiming at with one shot and passing on the Texas Heart Shots(the ones where all you can see is the south end of a north bound animal).
mikejonestkd
New member
.243 winchester
The .243 is great for a hunter that has the time to take a well placed shot, preferribly broadside at a normal sized buck.
My father's encore pistol in .243 drops deer the same as my .308. They can't tell the difference, and we have yet to recover a bullet shot into a deer with either round. He loves the remington 95 grain accutip and the 95 grain winchester BST. he is giving up alot in velocity by using a 15" barrel pistol and STILL the deer drop as fast as with any other cartridge.
That being said, for a once in a lifetime hunt out west i would use more gun. ( the .270 would be at the top of the list ) If I lived out west and hunted mulies on an annual basis I would seriously consider the .243 or any other .308 based round as an excellent deer cartridge.
The .243 is great for a hunter that has the time to take a well placed shot, preferribly broadside at a normal sized buck.
My father's encore pistol in .243 drops deer the same as my .308. They can't tell the difference, and we have yet to recover a bullet shot into a deer with either round. He loves the remington 95 grain accutip and the 95 grain winchester BST. he is giving up alot in velocity by using a 15" barrel pistol and STILL the deer drop as fast as with any other cartridge.
That being said, for a once in a lifetime hunt out west i would use more gun. ( the .270 would be at the top of the list ) If I lived out west and hunted mulies on an annual basis I would seriously consider the .243 or any other .308 based round as an excellent deer cartridge.
FirstFreedom
Moderator
Yeah, and you could buy rifles at OTASCO & Sears (I was but a wee lad at the time, though, not an adult).