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Is the 243 the best whitetail deer cartridge?
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<blockquote data-quote="kopcicle" data-source="post: 2859000" data-attributes="member: 127100"><p>If .243 isn't then it's close.</p><p>We have an ultra lightweight in the family somewhere. (I'll have to check where because it makes the rounds) It was built for 100 pounds soaking wet auntie Ole somewhere around 1957. it's an early model 70 with every conceivable ounce carved off of it. It's never worn an optic. Instead it's been fitted with a three leaf express sight and a hooded blade with a gold dot. The plain butt had a recoil pad added when auntie Ole retired from the active hunt and stayed in camp with her 92 Winchester 44-40.</p><p></p><p>Most of us kids took our first deer with that rifle. The only exceptions were the 03A3, a 6.5x55 m/1894-14, and a full length magazine tube 26" 30-30 '94 take down that weighed a ton. All of these rifles along with a Remington 141 and the various 22's are still somewhere in the family.</p><p></p><p>I grew up in an age where scopes were still a curiosity because aside from durability and construction (most leaked eventually) they were a luxury item and "real" riflemen didn't need them.</p><p>The 25-20 and 32-20 were called "meat in the pot" when not in the hands of a rifleman (woman) that knew a quartering away, behind the trotting shoulder, low in the chest cavity, between the 4th and 5th rib, was a sure kill. Except for auntie Ole.</p><p></p><p>Auntie Ole is immortalized in family oral history for having taken several deer with head, if not eyeball shots. She didn't like button holes in her hides. I don't doubt it. I saw her take a rabbit at 150 yards with the 32-20 off hand with a head shot. "Didn't want to waste the meat."</p><p></p><p>This does get us back to the .243 somehow. Although all the 22's and a sub caliber lever guns were our primary education, auntie Ole's .243 was out graduation. Once we got older our first rifles were out of the trash can at Sears and Roebuck or Montgomery Wards or some such. There were a variety of side by and pump shotguns as well as a lever or three and the pump Remington.</p><p>It all came back to the skills that we learned from that .243.</p><p></p><p>Open sights.</p><p>Minimal recoil.</p><p>Flat to 250 yards.</p><p>Relatively inexpensive to shoot.</p><p>All kinds of .308 to convert .</p><p>Good bullet selection then and even better now.</p><p>With a bit of mucking bout some very good cast boolit loads.</p><p>Easy to carve weight off of without compromising safety, reliability, or accuracy.</p><p>And memories of auntie Ole? Priceless.</p><p></p><p>Afterthoughts.</p><p></p><p>I find myself returning to those early days. All of my big bore magnums are gone and I primarilly use a .270 Winchester or Ackley Improved. I've had a few twilight thoughts centered on the .277-08 which is basically a necked up .243. Some of the sub .30 caliber thinking is the weight of the weapon and the rest is either modern bullet and powder development or the experience of where to place a shot. I may even build a lightweight .243 just to leave an heirloom behind.</p></blockquote><p></p>
[QUOTE="kopcicle, post: 2859000, member: 127100"] If .243 isn't then it's close. We have an ultra lightweight in the family somewhere. (I'll have to check where because it makes the rounds) It was built for 100 pounds soaking wet auntie Ole somewhere around 1957. it's an early model 70 with every conceivable ounce carved off of it. It's never worn an optic. Instead it's been fitted with a three leaf express sight and a hooded blade with a gold dot. The plain butt had a recoil pad added when auntie Ole retired from the active hunt and stayed in camp with her 92 Winchester 44-40. Most of us kids took our first deer with that rifle. The only exceptions were the 03A3, a 6.5x55 m/1894-14, and a full length magazine tube 26" 30-30 '94 take down that weighed a ton. All of these rifles along with a Remington 141 and the various 22's are still somewhere in the family. I grew up in an age where scopes were still a curiosity because aside from durability and construction (most leaked eventually) they were a luxury item and "real" riflemen didn't need them. The 25-20 and 32-20 were called "meat in the pot" when not in the hands of a rifleman (woman) that knew a quartering away, behind the trotting shoulder, low in the chest cavity, between the 4th and 5th rib, was a sure kill. Except for auntie Ole. Auntie Ole is immortalized in family oral history for having taken several deer with head, if not eyeball shots. She didn't like button holes in her hides. I don't doubt it. I saw her take a rabbit at 150 yards with the 32-20 off hand with a head shot. "Didn't want to waste the meat." This does get us back to the .243 somehow. Although all the 22's and a sub caliber lever guns were our primary education, auntie Ole's .243 was out graduation. Once we got older our first rifles were out of the trash can at Sears and Roebuck or Montgomery Wards or some such. There were a variety of side by and pump shotguns as well as a lever or three and the pump Remington. It all came back to the skills that we learned from that .243. Open sights. Minimal recoil. Flat to 250 yards. Relatively inexpensive to shoot. All kinds of .308 to convert . Good bullet selection then and even better now. With a bit of mucking bout some very good cast boolit loads. Easy to carve weight off of without compromising safety, reliability, or accuracy. And memories of auntie Ole? Priceless. Afterthoughts. I find myself returning to those early days. All of my big bore magnums are gone and I primarilly use a .270 Winchester or Ackley Improved. I've had a few twilight thoughts centered on the .277-08 which is basically a necked up .243. Some of the sub .30 caliber thinking is the weight of the weapon and the rest is either modern bullet and powder development or the experience of where to place a shot. I may even build a lightweight .243 just to leave an heirloom behind. [/QUOTE]
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Is the 243 the best whitetail deer cartridge?
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