Guy's...I love the following rifles/cartridges for various reasons...357 mag; .44 mag; .22lr; 22mag; 30-06; 308win; 7-08; .450 marlin; 6mm rem; and on and on...right now I'm in the process of trying to rally funds from my shootin pals to put together a .338 win mag for long range stuff...BUT! After owning many rifles, pistols, revolvers...I own only one centerfire rifle...An early M77V Ruger (tang safety, 'strawberry' receiver, etc.) put it in a synthetic stock a few years back, and have an old Tasco high country 6-24x scope in factory mounts, also a fast adjust sling. This rifle has one of the early (shi**y) Wilson barrels, rough, but straight. And the thing has close to 6000 rounds through it. After a trigger job, and by cleaning it every 10 rounds (copper city from that rough bbl) It will still shoot .25 MOA anytime I can do my part with everything from 55gr Nosler exploders with a case full of 380 to 100gr Sierra's or Noslers. I have never had to follow up after single shot hunting with this gun on everything from pasture poodles to healthy whitetails. My only recommendation is limit deer shooting to 250-300yds...with today's bullets it will do it to it IF you place it where it should go...personally, I'd feel like a damn fool to be caught following the 'massive' blood trail caused by a long deep wide .338-.35 and up caliber cannon when folks here in the hills of West Virginia consider a .270-30-06 pretty much overkill, but handy to buy shells for. PRACTICE! "Beware the man with one rifle." S.O.B. just might know how to use it! mildot

Hello from Scotland~

I have taken Red stags with my old .243 infact a large 8-pointer that was "going back" sits above me on the wall.

How ever i always felt the .243 was more varmint than deer. Great on foxes and i never lost a Deer, but i sold that .243 and now own two "proper deer gun" the great shooting .308 and the wonderful .444 marlin.

Boy i love my .444 ! Gives such confidence !

Regards Englander

Boy I used to get this old story from my co-workers. Not enough gun. Well I got a .243 and went hunting. Shot a nice little Blacktail Deer (157 lbs field dressed) took it right off its feet. It managed to stand up but feel back to the ground in its tracks dead. This was with a short barrel Winchester Model 670 carbine using an 87 Gr. Hornady bullet. Were talking thin-skinned animals here not dangerous game. The only limitation is the little gun really starts to run out of energy after 300 yards in my opinion. Inside that it will take most game to include Elk and Moose. The whole story is shot placement a 460 Weatherby shot poorly will result in the same wounded running animal. Why is it so hard for so many to not understand something so simple.

No offense Jay,but I have better things in my vault than my .243 if I was looking to shoot a elk or moose.That 100gr bullet just seems a bit too light and fragile for my personal liking.I do agree with your shot placement comments though.

PATRICK_D,
I'm reluctant to use a .243W on anything as large as a Pronghorn. Some years back a friend and I were hunting Antelope in Arizona. After a stalk, the friend had a shot at a nice buck at about 225 yards. The buck was standing diagonally to us, facing to our left. The buck was hit on the point of it's left shoulder. The bullet was a 100 grain Sierra SBT handload. I don't remember what the load was, only that it was a standard velocity load. When hit, the buck sagged in the hind quarters, turned to its left and started off in a slow run. After about twenty yards the buck hit its stride and took off as if never touched. Agreed, the point of the shoulder required the bullet to penetrate the joint but it should have been able do so. That's when I started looking at Nosler Partitions and religated the .243 to smaller/lighter critters.
At the same time I know of an individual who took a 6x6 bull elk with a .243. A hit under the ear will do that though.. Just my nickles worth. It used to be two cents worth, but inflation has hit everything. Good luck.

I've shot 4 whitetails with a .243. All loaded with 100gr partitions. 2 fell flat, 1 run about 25 yds, the ran about 50. The .243 is a great whitetail cart. Anyone that say's different has never hunted with one or can't shoot! Peronaly I'd use it most deer but I'd want a little more if I ever got a chance to go on an elk hunt (never been).TC

I think the beauty of the 243 for deer is .... well theres a few things.

1- its usually just a joy to shoot, little recoil, big results. In other words lots of practice wouldnt be like going to work, it would be fun.

2- theyre fantastic for new arrivals to the sport, Ive got kids so that one counts for me.

3- they make a perfect deer/varmint gun

4- theyre ecinomical, brass and powder cost is minimal.

Ive been considering re-introducing the 243 to my battery. If I were to use one on Mulies again Id try to get it to shoot a 100 grn GS. A premium in a 243 on large deer would be put to good use IMHO.

Id never use one for Elk though..

[ 08-27-2002, 05:29: Message edited by: Wstrnhuntr ]

wstrnhuntr~

Golly you just described a .308 Winchester !


Englander

Don Martin29
Hunter success ratio may be worse than that up here. Ranges are similar. Not too many hunters in the bush either. Easily half of my deer were taken running. With a 30-30, 6.5X55, or a 45-70.
As to the comments by others.
If you don't feel confident in the shot don't take it. But don't put down another guys method of hunting just because you don't do it that way. I have never lost a deer.
As to the 243. Not too popular in our woods locally, but there are some. They work fine for those that use them. Not my cup of tea.

[ 08-30-2002, 20:48: Message edited by: John Y Cannuck ]

Don Martin
I live in VT, so obviously hunt here too.
I cant remember when I havent shot a buck during rifle season?, been 20 years or more since a dry season. I will not shoot a deer in the arse, or any high risk shot, and still always get my deer. I can and do use anything from a 22-250 on up, various 6.5's being my favorite.