Is the 243 the best whitetail deer cartridge?

[Coyote Shadow Tracker]

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[russ usn]

Saying a 243 is the best cartridge ever made for killing deer is like saying this is the best truck ever made for towing 2000 pounds.

Sure it'll do it, well…. But a f250 diesel WILL do it better every time. View attachment 314228

My son just got an F250 Diesel and loves it we are trying a 6.5 CM this year

 

[Litehiker]

No, the 6.5 Creedmoor is best, or the .309, or the 6 mm PRC.
Wait, I think my 6.5 PRC is best for western deer at longer ranges here in Nevada.
But there's the 6.5/06 and 7 mm 08.

Goodness gracious! Maybe we should the deer.

 

[Coyote Shadow Tracker]

My son just got an F250 Diesel and loves it we are trying a 6.5 CM this year

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[73driver]

My son just got an F250 Diesel and loves it we are trying a 6.5 CM this year

I only have a Tacoma but no towing for me. I did use a 6.5C for the first time this year. Dropped a good sized Coues buck at 200 yards using hand loaded Nosler 140 grain Ballistic Tip Hunting bullet and he went down as hard and fast as the last buck I shot at 200 yards with a 150 grain Fusion 270 ammo.

 

[Calvin45]

I'll maybe make my own thread about it later. What I'll say here, because for whatever reason this thread refuses to die (just like game hit with a .243 according to some ), is that my handload killed deer real good yesterday. Filled both tags, antlerless mule deer and a whitetail buck, in one day. Efficiency. The load is most certainly overkill. 120 grain Barnes tac-tx out a .300 win mag at 4050 feet per second muzzle velocity. One shot at around 200 yards, the other around 400. The buck is nothing special but
I'm happy with my outcome. I turned 30 today, Twas a great conclusion to being in my twenties.

 

[blueprairiedog]

Here we go, couldnt help but reply to this and cant believe folks r really this stupid! Is looting and burning friendly protest? That just like saying the 243 is best deer caliber! The 243 is for a fact the most bought worse deer caliber ever created!!!! People really buy them for women and kids because of no recoil! The 243 can account for more game lost, wounded and crippled than any other so called deer caliber ever! What is it that make people want to use the least effective barely capeable to hunt with? I read down and find some idots take this round for shooting elk!! I dont mind stepping on toes when people act this stupid! I consider this type of person to be liberal or democrat! I would rather use over kill than under kill! This is common sense! wake up people!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

You know you shouldn't call people names just because they have an opinion have a great thanksgiving

 

[JMW67]

243 best deer rifle "PFFF! I have watched one of those let the kid "no kick" blow the front leg off & chase to try to finish the deer, lose a deer days.. Nope for me

And I have seen a Nilgai gut shot with a 416 ruger, animal was never found and in turn I have seen a marksman lay them in their tracks with a 243 so bullet diameter does not make up for poor shooting skills, proper bullet selection and shot selection trumps all but of course this is just my opinion ,and we all know what they say about opinions

 

[Starlite]

Sounds like a winner. What are you running those at?

My 110gr Barnes TTSX out of my 20" barrel is 3335FPS

 

[billm67]

My 700 rem is a hammer with 100 grain Sierra Game Kings. I was just out shooting this afternoon and hits on a 12 plate a 300 yards were way to easy!

 

[Starlite]

Here we go, couldnt help but reply to this and cant believe folks r really this stupid! Is looting and burning friendly protest? That just like saying the 243 is best deer caliber! The 243 is for a fact the most bought worse deer caliber ever created!!!! People really buy them for women and kids because of no recoil! The 243 can account for more game lost, wounded and crippled than any other so called deer caliber ever! What is it that make people want to use the least effective barely capeable to hunt with? I read down and find some idots take this round for shooting elk!! I dont mind stepping on toes when people act this stupid! I consider this type of person to be liberal or democrat! I would rather use over kill than under kill! This is common sense! wake up people!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

R U implying that there are no stupid Conservatives or Republicans? I know quite a few that are very stupid (on my scale) but they ALL could shoot and kill a WTD at 200yds with a .223/5.56 let alone a .243/6mm for a joke. IMHO There is no correlation of stupidity and ONES political stripes.
I would also bet that there have been more game lost due to ones inability to hunt effectively Regardless of caliber, Then those using a .243/6mm

just my 2c

 

[Starlite]

And I have seen a Nilgai gut shot with a 416 ruger, animal was never found and in turn I have seen a marksman lay them in their tracks with a 243 so bullet diameter does not make up for poor shooting skills, proper bullet selection and shot selection trumps all but of course this is just my opinion ,and we all know what they say about opinions

Yes good opinions R like good marksmanship while huntin; their never left holding their tag but rather a full bag.

 

[Starlite]

NOPE,. Nissan Frontiers, ARE, the BEST, OFF road, Deer & Elk Huntin', Rigs !
Mine can climb, a Greased up, Telephone Pole,. LOL !
The 6.5 Creed, IS better than, a .243 Win at, Killin' Deer ,.. a FACT of, Phsyics !
That said, the EVER Popular, .243 JUST,.. Kicks,.. LESS !
OH, Yeah,. we got a LONG Ways to go, on THIS,. "subject" ! LOL !
The .243 Win., HAS,.. IT's,. "Place" !
PS; my 12 year old grandson, just Popped ( DRT ), a NICE 3 X 4 Muley Buck Last week with a .243 Win ( 87 Berger HVLD ) @ 265 Yards.
BECAUSE that's, the MOST Gun, that he can, TOLERATE,.. the recoil !

I'm really happy for Your grandson. I'm now excited to try those 87 gr Bg HVLDs in my semi-custom 6creed

 

[mnoland30]

My friend killed his first deer with a .22 long rifle when he was 7. He never hunted deer or elk with anything bigger than a .243. But, he can shoot. I read once that the Eskimos hunt mostly with a .223. The big gun they bring out when hunting polar bear, is a .243. I know that we Americans have magnumitis. Partly because we can, and partly because we want to. I know the rifle I shoot best offhand is my 7mm TCU. It is a joy to shoot, even in a 5 lb. carbine.

As someone else pointed out, bullets today are so much better than 30 years ago. But, picking the right bullet is important. I shot a javelina with a 10" Contender in 7mm TCU with a rifle bullet, and it went right through and the javelina kept going until I put one through the shoulder. Once I switched to a Speer varmit bullet with a huge hollowpoint, they dropped in their tracks. I believe there is a sweet spot between recoil, b.c., and sectional density. For me, it is a 168 gr. 7mm going around 2850 fps. To each his own.

For knocking over deer, I've never shot a centerfire that drops them like a .45 caliber 340 gr. muzzleloader bullet.