.243 Loads for Deer

the 243 is to small for deer sized game ive heard people say if you hit them in the right place they will drop them everytime but the same could be said for the 22lr
 
Skydiver3346 said:
Lots of whitetails have been taken over the years with the .243 Remington.
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I'm not trying to be overly picky about correct nomenclature. Also I'm not ridiculing you for not knowing the correct name of this cartridge. You may very well know and just accidentally wrote the wrong thing. I and many others have done the same thing.

The correct name is .243 Winchester, Remington does have a .243 caliber cartridge, it is called the 6 mm Remington.

Again you may already know this, I'm not saying you don't. The reason I pointed it out, is because lots of people who don't know the correct names of cartridges come here seeking information.

To the OP: In general .243 caliber bullets of 90-100 grains are usually structured for deer size game.
 
Don't even think about a V-Max. They're varmint bullets. Varmint bullets are designed to expand rapidly upon impact with little penetration. Deer sized game requires controlled penetration while the bullet expands. Think 85 grains and up.
My .243 is partial to Speer 105 grain SP's. Does astounding things to a ground hog too.
 
Back about forty years a go, a dozen of us leased a 7,000-acre ranch near Uvalde. We had the place for six or eight years, thereabouts. I hunted with a .243 about half the time; the rest was with my '06. I probably killed on a 50/50 basis by usage.

One day the rancher came up to me as I was skinning a buck and in the course of casual conversation said, "You must be a better shot than most of the guys." I kinda shrugged and asked, "How so?" He commented, "Well, you shoot 'em in the neck, mostly." So I just shrugged again; didn't really know what to say. I knew I couldn't match my father's skill, and a couple of the other guys were good shots. But I never brought any in which had been hit "a little far back".

I've mentioned numerous times that I use the Sierra 85-grain HPBT. That's not the best deer bullet there is. But I already know that. I'm not covered all over with stupid. It's not a good bullet for an angling shot. But it's the hammer of death on a neck shot, and I never had a deer go anywhere after a cross-body heart shot.

That rig worked good on my culling program for about four years on the old family ranch, for some twenty or so excess deer.

So when I see comments about the .243 as not being big enough, I just figure that we still have folks who don't know what they're talking about. More mouth than experience. When I see folks bumrap the cartridge for problems with a wounded deer, they're blaming the cartridge instead of the user. Sorta like blaming a handgun for causing robberies, seems to me.

It wouldn't be my go-to gun for elk, though. :D
 
The Core-lokt Remmys are great factory loads and work well for deer. I have seen many mule deer taken with the .243 and 100 gr. Core-lokt even out to 300 yards. Shot placement is prettty important with the smaller calibers, but the 6mm's are by no means too small for even the biggest of the mulies or whitetails.

If you desire to go with a very good premium bullet, the Nosler Partitions and the Barnes TSX are difficult to beat. They will extend your effective range by a few yards but you have to ask if the additional cost is worth it. I personally love the 85gr TSX in my 6mm Rem. They do require a 1:10 or faster twist rate to stabilize, and take some tweaking to dial in an accurate load, but once you do, they take no hostages.
 
I have finally chosen the Remington .243 - 90 grain Swift Scirocco Bonded. The Ballistics are Great. I'll let you know about my results this fall. :)
 
I've loaded 95gr partitions in my 6mm and love em. I really want to try the 85gr tipped triple shok, but now that I moved to the midwest where I can't deer hunt with it I guess I'll have to wait a little to try it.
Stickman, you mind posting your load and overall length for your load? I know the tsx is supposed to be loaded out farther.
 
I'm in one of those shotgun/muzzleloader only states in the midwest. They did just allow rifles shooting pistol cartridges, but all of my traditional deer rifles are now waiting anxiously for me to move back west...
 
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