.243 win for deer

jhoffman

jhoffman

New member
I am just startign to get into reloading and don't know too much about it yet.

My uncle is showing me how to do everything and he has been reloading for his .44 pistol for years.

I have a .243 Win Savage Model 11 that I use as a combination whitetail and predator gun. I have had excellent luck with it with factory ammo so far and just want to fine tune everything by reloading. I am trying to find out what would be the best handload for whitetail.
 
You'll need a 140 or 150 grain bullet in either 7mm or 308 diameter. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif

In other words... Your gun will certainly kill deer with a perfect broadside shot but you really need a lot more gun if you are going to attempt raking, quartering, front or rear angles.

I don't mean to be rude but consider getting something with a bigger diameter bullet for deer. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grinning-smiley-003.gif

$bob$
 
My experience is MUCH different. But then I have actually shot deer with the 243. with 95 grain(I use) or any from 80 thru 100 grain the 243 "knocks the livin crap" out of deer.
You must, of course, use a bullet meant for game not varmits. The deer I have shot go down so fast it is unbeleivable. Place your shot well or you will ruin lots of meat. Im like Nosler Bullets and Rl-22 powder.
Carl
 
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J -

I used a Ruger M-77 in .243 for deer for many years. I hand loaded with Speer 85 grain Spitzer Boattails. It NEVER failed to drop the deer in it's tracks. One shot in particular was quartering away at about 75 yards; I shot up through the bottom of the rib cage and into his heart.

I used that same load for coyotes.

I used it to take a black bear in Canada with a 100 grain spitzer - I don't remember the make.

I wish I could give you more info on the loadings..... I had quit hunting about 12 years ago and am just now returning. I don't have any of my reloading notes any more.

That .243 was my do-it-all rifle for probably 10 years!

me!
 
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One of the advantages of reloading is that you can custom make rounds for specific purposes. For deer I use 90gr. scirrocos in my 243. I would suggest you stick with 90gr. bullets minimum. Many will disagree but I'd stay away from ballistic tips. 243 is already on the light side, might as well use some stout bullets.
 
I have used a .243 for 20 years here in northern Minnesota. Never had one run more than 30 yards.
I use the Remington factory 100 gr pointed soft points.
 
I have killed over fifty deer with the 6mm's using 75 to 105 gr bullets. Load any 90 to 100 gr bullet or the Nosler 85 gr part. and any deer from 300 yards down is yours. Shoot them in the lungs and you have backstrap for breakfast. A deer shot in the gut is going to be hard to find no matter what he is shot with. Most people who put down the 6mm's have never shot deer with them or they are poor marksmans. Rel 19 or H4350 are hard to beat.
 
I though I had learned my lesson on getting involved in one of these threads but I guess I haven't.

I have killed many deer over the last 30 years with .243. I have always used the 85 grain Nosler partition and have NEVER had to look for one of them. None of these deer have been taken at any extreme distance but some of them were monster deer, and they ALL fell like a ton of bricks.

Some of the factory offerings for the .243 Winchester have poor quality bullets but to say that you NEED a 150 grain bullet out of a 7mm or .308, in my opinion, is nonsense.
 
The 243 and 85 - 100 grain big game bullets will take anything from Bull Elk on down all day long.

A 70 grain bullet turns it into a speeding locomotive on varmits.
 
Ditto, ditto, ditto, I would be hesitant to use a 243 on anything larger than 400 lbs That leaves every deer in the US open and 99% of the rest in N America
 
For economy sake, buy the Bulk Remington Core-Loct 100 grain bullet and start with, oh say IMR-4350 powder in your choice of case and primer. Work up slowly from a safe starting load. Once you begin to approach the max powder listed in a up to date reloading manual, more than likely you'll have a load that snuggles into some nice tight little bughole type groups. Stop there. Practice with your rifle and load, choose your shots wisely, and enjoy your venison steak dinners!
 
In the hands of a skilled shooter, a properly loaded 243 will drop a deer like a bolt of lightning. My current favorite load is REALLY accurate, but also REALLY hot. It consists of a 100gr Sierra GK over a healthy dose of IMR4350. 3 of last 4 shots went into 1 hole, /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/shocked.gif 4th went through nice Michigan 8-point /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif
 
I'm presently looking for another 243. My previous 243 really liked 85 grn Sierra BRHP with 4350 for deer. Just like a stick of dynomite on deer. Never had to chase one, track one and never lost one. Hits like a ton of bricks. Just my 2 cents
 
Sniper270:

I just put a nice Ithaca LSA-55, made by Tikka, in .243 Winchester in the classifieds.. It is in great shape and comes with a 3-12X scope, Tikka Rings, set of like new RCBS .243 dies and 50 rounds of new, unfired Winchester brass.. It is extremely accurate.. Reason for trading...Got a 6mm Remington Varmint rifle, don't need this and I have a new rifle I want to buy.. Contact me if your interested..

Dave
 
I shot 60 some W.T. with the 243 including a 260 lbs. 16 point.I used 4320 powder and sierra 100 gr. spitzers.All these deer were lung shots and exited with a small hole.I had to track most of these deer 70 to 100 yds. my brother had the same succes with the 100 gr. always tracking.Then he started using 85 gr. spitzers and the deer usualy dropped in thier tracks.Load the 243 as close to max and youl have great success as long as you do what you have to with any caliber,shoot straight.
 
I like the 100 gr Nolser Partition. I have never had to track a deer with it... I have had great success with the .22 caliber Nosler 60 grain partition as well. I am a believer in a good solid bullet and great velocity. It think the energy is spent in the animal, instead of exiting the animal on the back side...

You're .243 will do fine... The nosler partition will most definitly bust a shoulder or rib if need be... Happy shooting...
 
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