Nice Little Read On The .243 Win.

[cshold]

[Pete44ru]

.

My 1st deer rifle, shortly after I was discharged from the service in 1966, was a .243 Remington 700 Carbine (20" bbl), which I bought (used) for $95.

I actually mounted a receiver sight on it, and took a few Maine deer, tout de suite.

Of course, like many young folks, I soon "needed" a more powerful rifle, and sold it to get a new Marlin 444 (DOH).

Today, the only reason I didn't buy a new .243 Ruger American, is that I stumbled across a tang safety .250-3000 Ruger M-77 for only a little more $$$.


.

[jeepnik]

There's a .243 that floats around the family. It's been the rifle most of us learned to hunt larger game with. My only problem with it was that I'm a southpaw, so I had to learn to adapt. There are three other southpaws that have done the same, all after me, so I pointed them in the right direction.

Right now a grand niece has it. She's a little thing, but she can put the bullet where she wants it.

[cshold]

Awesome stories guy's.
I to have a 'I remember when story'.
12 years old, first year and a few years after at Deer camp.
Two brothers that owned the Deer camp, every year got into a good natured argument over who had the better Deer Rifle.
The older brother used an old early 50's Savage 99 in .300 Sav.
The younger brother used a totally cool looking pre 64 model 70 in .243 win. (The stock on this one to this day is the darkest black walnut I've ever seen. All but black.)
Needless to say neither one of them ever seemed to have a problem making meat.

[1894]

There's a .243 that floats around the family. It's been the rifle most of us learned to hunt larger game with. My only problem with it was that I'm a southpaw, so I had to learn to adapt. There are three other southpaws that have done the same, all after me, so I pointed them in the right direction.

Right now a grand niece has it. She's a little thing, but she can put the bullet where she wants it.

One like this is taking up space around here. Was my dads and will get given to one of two people that have southern paws like he did. Doesn't cost me a thing to wipe it down once a year .

https://s.yimg.com/fz/api/res/1.2/z2J3R ... 2724_2.jpg

[FWiedner]

It was pitch black, and I was standing 8 feet away from a 150lb feral sow with her nose buried in a pile of feed corn.

I had walked up to the spot in the dark when I saw the sow and her sounder of piglets through the night-vision scope that I had put on top of a single shot Handi-Rifle in .243. (Man that set-up was UGLY.)

I set my sights on a spot just behind the sow's left ear and pulled the trigger. There was a flood of piglets running over and around my feet as the 100gr soft-point bullet barked out and crashed into the sow's neck at 2900fps.

The sow... was dead.

-------------------------------------------------

Now why do I relate this short tale? There I was, at point-blank range on a medium-sized animal, shot it with a .243 Win 100gr SP traveling 2900fps at a downward quartering-angle in the neck, and the bullet did not achieve a full penetration.

Just that. I had always heard good things about the versatility of the .243 as a hunting round, but I'd never used it for hunting before, and I was surprised that a 100gr bullet moving that fast would get stopped by a little ol' pig.

That experience put me off the .243 for a while, but eventually I did consider that feral pigs are a bit tougher through vital areas than the average deer, and well... the pig WAS dead...

Anyway... In the great firearms universe, all cartridges have their niche...

[Old Savage]

Mule deer, 275 yds., Model 88, Western 3 point, 85 gr. TSX.

[Blaine]

It was pitch black, and I was standing 8 feet away from a 150lb feral sow with her nose buried in a pile of feed corn.

I had walked up to the spot in the dark when I saw the sow and her sounder of piglets through the night-vision scope that I had put on top of a single shot Handi-Rifle in .243. (Man was that set-up was UGLY.)

I set my sights on a spot just behind the sow's left ear and pulled the trigger. There was a flood of piglets running over and around my feet as the 100gr soft point bullet barked out and crashed into the sow's neck at 2900fps.

The sow... was dead.

-------------------------------------------------

Now why do I relate this short tale? There I was, at point-blank range on a medium-sized animal, shot it with a .243 Win 100gr SP traveling 2900fps at a downward quartering-angle in the neck, and the bullet did not achieve a full penetration.

Just that. I had always heard good things about the versatility of the .243 as a hunting round, but I'd never used it for hunting before, and I was surprised that a 100gr bullet moving that fast would get stopped by a little ol' pig.

That experience put me off the .243 for a while, but eventually I did consider that feral pigs are a bit tougher through vital areas than the average deer, and well... the pig WAS dead...

Anyway... In the great firearms universe, all cartridges have their niche...

All bullets have their proper niche, as well....

[gregg]

That so true. 2900 fps. Fast.. for bullet to work feet away or 200 yds at I font know I'm not home with my books. 1800 fps. And still open up. Just thoughts.

[6pt-sika]

The first centerfire rifle I ever owned or purchased was a brand spanking new Remington 700BDL in 243 WIN that I bought in 1973 at Clark Brothers Gunshop in Warrenton VA for the ungodly price of $174.00 , got a Bushnell Scopechief IV 2.5-8x for $40 and a Ruger 10-22 standard then still in a walnut stock for $59.99 . I had just turned 13 at the time and that was my whole summers earnings for stuffing envelopes for the company my mother worked for .

Over the years I suspect I've owned somewhere between 18-24 243's in variouse configurations . At the moment I have a Ruger #1B with a 26" barrel and an old circa 1965 Mannlicher Schoenauer MCA 20" Carbine with a full length stock . Dunno if I'll get anymore 243's but those two will stay with me for awhile if I have any choice in the matter !






The Ruger #1B 243 WIN with a smallish Damage Control deer in 2013 .

[Mike Hunter]

My experiences with the .243 are pretty limited; started about 6 years ago when I bought a youth deer rifle for my son. That first year he took a button buck at about 100 yards, one round and it dropped.
Every year, since then he has taken a deer, all the same story one round and down.
At the four year mark, I was impressed enough with the .243’s light recoil and killing power that I picked up a pre-64 Model 70 in .243 Winchester for me, putting the Winchester model 70 .308 in the closet.

All the deer that I’ve seen shot with a .243, the bullet did a pretty good job of scrambling the internals before exiting.

A couple of months ago, my boy had found a piece of ½ inch steel plate on our property, followed by “dad, can we shoot it?” So we started off with .223 which made cute little dents in it. Followed up with .243 and .308. Both had no problems penetrating the plate, surprised me on the .243 not so much on the .308.

I would have no concerns hunting pigs with the .243

[Grizz]

Nostalgia flooding back to about 1961 or 62. Hunting the Mogollon Rim with Dad and a couple of his flying buddies. I had the Model 99 .243 with a scope on it. Went out alone just wandering the woods when I detected a full grown wolf stalking me in guard timber off my port quarter. Hard to hit something that close with a fixed power scope on the gun, but eventually I drew blood and fido ran off to die.

Then shortly after that when I was sitting down to deal with the adrenyline two panicked young bucks charged into the ravine I was in and stopped. The spike became my first deer, and I was the only one that scored on the trip. Hard not to love the irony. Couldn't figure out why the old guys were so grumpy. LOL

Thanks for the memories from all of you.

[jeepnik]

There's a .243 that floats around the family. It's been the rifle most of us learned to hunt larger game with. My only problem with it was that I'm a southpaw, so I had to learn to adapt. There are three other southpaws that have done the same, all after me, so I pointed them in the right direction.

Right now a grand niece has it. She's a little thing, but she can put the bullet where she wants it.

One like this is taking up space around here. Was my dads and will get given to one of two people that have southern paws like he did. Doesn't cost me a thing to wipe it down once a year .

https://s.yimg.com/fz/api/res/1.2/z2J3R ... 2724_2.jpg

I don't think anyone was making a lefty version when ours was made. I didn't get a left handed bolt gun until sometime in the early 70's. I remember seeing an ad for a southpaw Remmy 700. Had to have one, waited almost a year to get it. Like most things it seems they announce them months before they are available.

[Blaine]

I have it's slightly bigger brother, a 25-06 in a H&R Ultra Whateverthehelltheycallthem single shot with the rail built in. I'll let myself get talked out of it at a show one of these days.....

[stew71]

My favorite mountain rifle. Ruger M77 RSI .243 with a Weaver 2-7x.

[6pt-sika]

My favorite mountain rifle. Ruger M77 RSI .243 with a Weaver 2-7x.

A few years back I had a tang safety 77RSI in 308 WIN , once I put a RifleBasix sear in the gun it was a pretty nice little deer rifle .

[Camel73]

Nice, love those articles. Hopefully I will get to experience all of that. So far it's been a strict diet of 55 grainers.

I picked this one up on sale about 6 years ago for $320 to to shoot coyotes with my dad. A 100 ATR in .243.. ugly as sin. Had to ground out the forearm major as it was pressing impressively hard against the barrel and lucked out getting too tall rings cause the bolt throw just makes it past the obsolete 4x16 IR wide angle Bushnell, ha. Think I paid $140.

Only missed one dog with it - at 400+ Dad told me not to, but I couldn't resist. I should have used a heavier bullet at that distance anyway. He wasn't impressed.. Good times dad, good times.

[Streetstar]

Now why do I relate this short tale? There I was, at point-blank range on a medium-sized animal, shot it with a .243 Win 100gr SP traveling 2900fps at a downward quartering-angle in the neck, and the bullet did not achieve a full penetration.

Just that.

This more or less echoes my thoughts on the 243 ----- the lack of penetration or a good blood trail to follow is reason enough for me to never bother with one again

[6pt-sika]

Now why do I relate this short tale? There I was, at point-blank range on a medium-sized animal, shot it with a .243 Win 100gr SP traveling 2900fps at a downward quartering-angle in the neck, and the bullet did not achieve a full penetration.

Just that.

This more or less echoes my thoughts on the 243 ----- the lack of penetration or a good blood trail to follow is reason enough for me to never bother with one again

When I got the 700BDL 243 in 1973 my grandfather was adamant about me taking headshots only as if it were a squirrel . And that year I sure enough shot a poor old unsuspecting doe at about 50 yards right thru the temple and down she went . The one above in the picture I shot was behind the shoulder thru both lungs and she made it perhaps 40-50 from where I shot her . If a person is a lot more "patient" then the average hunter I think they will be fine with a 243 WIN or 6mm REM or 243 WSSM or 250 Savage or 257 Bob as I lump all those cartridges in the same category as far as killing deer is concerned .

[Carlsen Highway]

Now why do I relate this short tale? There I was, at point-blank range on a medium-sized animal, shot it with a .243 Win 100gr SP traveling 2900fps at a downward quartering-angle in the neck, and the bullet did not achieve a full penetration.

Just that.

This more or less echoes my thoughts on the 243 ----- the lack of penetration or a good blood trail to follow is reason enough for me to never bother with one again

It depends on the bullet...I have had exactly that same result with a .308 at six yards.

I have used the .243 on big stags the size of medium elk, and the .243 kills like lightening. The quickest kills I have had with red deer (in between mule deer size and elk) have been with the .243 and the .25/06.
The 95 grain Ballistic Tip is a good .243 bullet. As is the 85 grain Sierra HP.

[vancelw]

Now why do I relate this short tale? There I was, at point-blank range on a medium-sized animal, shot it with a .243 Win 100gr SP traveling 2900fps at a downward quartering-angle in the neck, and the bullet did not achieve a full penetration.

So....somewhere between 0 and 350 yards?

[FWiedner]

Now why do I relate this short tale? There I was, at point-blank range on a medium-sized animal, shot it with a .243 Win 100gr SP traveling 2900fps at a downward quartering-angle in the neck, and the bullet did not achieve a full penetration.

So....somewhere between 0 and 350 yards?

Much closer to 0 than 350, but... yes...

[vancelw]

Now why do I relate this short tale? There I was, at point-blank range on a medium-sized animal, shot it with a .243 Win 100gr SP traveling 2900fps at a downward quartering-angle in the neck, and the bullet did not achieve a full penetration.

So....somewhere between 0 and 350 yards?

Much closer to 0 than 350, but... yes...

Rib-poking range

[1894]

There's a .243 that floats around the family. It's been the rifle most of us learned to hunt larger game with. My only problem with it was that I'm a southpaw, so I had to learn to adapt. There are three other southpaws that have done the same, all after me, so I pointed them in the right direction.

Right now a grand niece has it. She's a little thing, but she can put the bullet where she wants it.

One like this is taking up space around here. Was my dads and will get given to one of two people that have southern paws like he did. Doesn't cost me a thing to wipe it down once a year .

https://s.yimg.com/fz/api/res/1.2/z2J3R ... 2724_2.jpg

I don't think anyone was making a lefty version when ours was made. I didn't get a left handed bolt gun until sometime in the early 70's. I remember seeing an ad for a southpaw Remmy 700. Had to have one, waited almost a year to get it. Like most things it seems they announce them months before they are available.

You made me try and look up a "when was it made " on that savage 110L ( actually 2 , the other a .300 winmagnaboomer) , seems the old ser #s are in the dustbin of history

[Dave]

I have had great success using the 243. I have always used the Sierra Pro Hunter 100 gr bullet over a top load of Varget. It is a killer. It has always seemed like that load did more internal damage to a deer than a 308 or 30-30. It is a hammer.