What do you mean not enough gun?

ART

Touche!

But probably 90% of the really big trophy's are taken at well over 150 yards... :p

And, the average .243 shooter is NOT going to hold off and watch that once-in-a-lifetime-buck slip back into the brush 250 yards out! :eek:
 
First I like the 243. Heck, I killed two deer Friday (11-04-05) with one. The problem I am haveing with it is they are not being anchored with it. The first deer (a small Doe) was shot at 15 yards with Winchester 95 gr. Ballistic Silver Tips, the shot was placed just behind the shoulder. This deer ran over 100 yards thru the woods and jumped a creek. When found part of lung was hanging out of the exit hole. The Second deer (spiked Buck) was shot at 45 yards with 100 gr. Horandy light mags BTSP. This deer shot in the same place, just behind the shoulder, dropped right there. Also on friday, I shot a Third deer (Doe) at 120 yards with the Hornady round, hit this one behind shoulder, she jumped when hit and ran off to not be found. After losing this deer after a good hit I went to a 308. I hear people talking about shot placement which is important, but with good shot placement I have had two out of three run off.
 
Pointer, you shoot him in the white spot, and a .243 is plenty good. That's why God put a neck on a deer: To give me something to break. :D

Art
 
I used a .243 for years before I went on to the 7mag and the 7STW (for better ballistics in long range shooting). The .243 is not underpowered. With the correct bullets, it will punch through the shoulder out to at least 300 yards from my experience. I've shot approximately 40 deer and helped claim twice more of that. I've actually seen deer gut shot with the .243 fold up due to the use of the lighter more expansive bullets that have fragmented into vital areas. I've seen A LOT more deer run away from a bad shot using heavier calibers and/or premium bullets.

I can't remember the time I saw a whitetail lost due to lack of penetration (.243 on up) I've seen a lot lost due to poor shot placement and several lost due to marginal shots made with bonded or solid bullets. In my experience stronger bullet design penetrates perfectly, but hasn't been able to cause the amount of vital tissue damage that conventional bullets have been capable of. The purpose of the bullet is to disrupt vital tissue. A good shot will do this despite the bullet design. An explosive bullet will maximize the effect in most cases, but waste meat. Pick your application wisely based on your game and level of skill (which will not always result in a "premium" loading).
 
Pointer, if there's anything I hated as a kid, it was any lack of respect from my father and my uncle, about shooting.

I was riding in with my uncle in his jeep, one day, and he locked up and slid to a stop, grabbed his rifle, and shot a buck as it jumped the fence some 100 yards or so in front of us. Broke the buck's neck in mid-jump. I hadn't even spotted the buck. I still remember a comment about the "old days" and iron sighted 03s: "When I was your age, anything inside of 300 yards, I owned it."

My father was a guy whose attitude was, "Aw, I'll break his neck, from here." and often proceeded to do so, offhand, in front of witnesses. Me for one; I watched him nail the white spot at 250 yards. Others reported distances out to 400 or more, at one time or another.

You think that won't make you learn to concentrate? To practice? To study and think about shooting? I maybe wasn't a natural, but I danged sure worked at it.

:), Art
 
Well Kirby, do me a favor and kindly inform these Nebraska deer that they aren't ever supposed to run after a non-hindquarter shot. :p

I guess that the reason I want to shoot a larger caliber than the .243 has to do with those times that I pull the shot or screw up in some other manner. A deer that is gut-shot with, say, a .30-06 seems to, in general, drop a lot more quickly than a deer that is gut-shot with a .243.

Not that I've ever screwed up and gut-shot a deer....:rolleyes:
 
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ART

I watched him nail the white spot at 250 yards. Others reported distances out to 400 or more, at one time or another.
Click to expand...
;)

I don't doubt this for a minute!

I have seen some shooting most wouldn't believe to be within the realm of human possiblity! I would be accused of BS if I were to tell the stories on this thread... so I don't.

White-spot shooters are "uncommon" shooters...
Only uncommon shooters have my permission to use a .243... :p :D

Very pleased to know that you know better... 03, 06, etc. :)
 
Fremmer, I've pretty much always used my '06 when walking-hunting, doing the cross-country thing. High odds of jumping a buck and having to shoot him on the run. Like you, I've always figured that I could probably cure a bad hit with an '06 easier than with a lesser cartridge.

I've generally been lucky on running deer. I did hit one buck's spine just back of the shoulders, though, and had to use a second shot. Weird deal: When I walked up to him, he was up on his front legs. Made a sort of bellowing or roaring sound, and really threatened me with his horns. Didn't do him any good, of course.

But, just meddling around where I figured more on up close and personal, or just sitting and staring at an area where calm deer and shorter ranges were likely, the .243 works just fine.

"Situational choice", I reckon. :)

Heck, the last year or two before we lost our old deer lease near Uvalde, I got where I was walking up on sleeping bucks at mid-day. Ten, fifteen yards. Figured I oughta switch to a pistol. The last mule deer I killed, I walked up out of a rocky creek bottom and saw him at maybe 25 or 30 yards. I about halfway apologized to him for using a rifle. Shameful. :)

Art
 
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