strubedog Posted November 15, 2011 Report Share Posted November 15, 2011 My son is going to be hunting whitetails with a .243 and shooting hornady 100 btsp bullets. What kind of penetration and damage will he do if he accidently shoots a deer in the shoulder vs double lung it????? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rhino Posted November 15, 2011 Report Share Posted November 15, 2011 It'll come out the off shoulder...shouldn't be a problem. My son hunted with a .243 when he was young. He had no issues. I even used his .243 on pigs before & shoulder shot them. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
redkneck Posted November 15, 2011 Report Share Posted November 15, 2011 I used to be skeptical and critical of the round. Too many kids coming back to the camp with wounded deer not recovered. Three years ago I got one for my kids, and I got to say I am impressed. Out of about 6 deer taken between me, the kids, and a buddy, only 2 made it about 30 yards. Make a good shot, you'll get your deer, but it's not as nearly forgiving as a 30 cal round. That being said, I prefer the 7mm-08 personally. Either way you go, they are extremely reliable at taking deer in the 150 yard range. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wtnhunt Posted November 15, 2011 Report Share Posted November 15, 2011 Wife and oldest daughter have had good results with their .243's and 100 grain soft points. Wife hit a deer in the shoulder a few years ago and like Al said it came out the off shoulder. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
huntnfish Posted November 16, 2011 Report Share Posted November 16, 2011 Never seen any problems with hunters using 243. I have seen more bad shots with larger cal rifles. As has been said a thousand times on this forum, shot placement is just as important or more so than the cal of rifle. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wyohunter Posted November 16, 2011 Report Share Posted November 16, 2011 it will be just fine, trust the round, its placement thats important Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RangerClay Posted November 16, 2011 Report Share Posted November 16, 2011 I have a .243 that I bought for my daughter and I have taken it out for deer a few times. I too am impressed with the round. Here is the bullet I am having success with. Hornady Manufacturing Company :: Ammunition :: Rifle :: Choose by Caliber :: 243 Win :: 243 Win 95 gr SST® Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jeramie Posted November 16, 2011 Report Share Posted November 16, 2011 I personally hunt with a .243 with 100grn Hornady BTSP and IMR4350 handloads. Ive kill many, many deer with it. In fact ive killed three in the last three years, all were at decent ranges. Last year, Buck at 189 yards. He ran about 40 yards 2009 Doe at around 160. She went down in her tracks, drug herself about 10'. The year before another doe at about 120 yards. She went about 40 yards. My neice used the same rifle to kill her first doe at 150 yards, dropped in her tracks. Ive also taken that same rifle on an antelope hunt and shot a doe antelope at somewhere around 275 yards. She didnt go anywhere either. They are a great round, flat, and accurate. Just be sure of the shot and you will not see any issues. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PotashRLS Posted November 16, 2011 Report Share Posted November 16, 2011 I agree that shot placement is key. It should be a tack driver so make sure you sight it in appropriately. I'm not a big fan of "good enough" when sighting in a deer rifle. I expect the bullet to hit exactly where the crosshairs point. I recently purchased a used Ruger M77 compact stainless in .243 from a buddy. It will be my kids starter rifle in a few years. It loves the Federal Classic Ammo in 100gr. but I intend to use Federal Premium loads with Barnes bullets for hunting. I have seen some cases in deer my buddy killed with it where the bullet falls apart and doesn't penetrate to my liking. The Barnes bullets should help with that. Please report back on how your son does with the Hornady ammo. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jeramie Posted November 16, 2011 Report Share Posted November 16, 2011 I agree that shot placement is key. It should be a tack driver so make sure you sight it in appropriately. I'm not a big fan of "good enough" when sighting in a deer rifle. I expect the bullet to hit exactly where the crosshairs point. I recently purchased a used Ruger M77 compact stainless in .243 from a buddy. It will be my kids starter rifle in a few years. It loves the Federal Classic Ammo in 100gr. but I intend to use Federal Premium loads with Barnes bullets for hunting. I have seen some cases in deer my buddy killed with it where the bullet falls apart and doesn't penetrate to my liking. The Barnes bullets should help with that. Please report back on how your son does with the Hornady ammo. Thats what im shooting, a M77 but it is not the compact. Mine loves the Hornady and as far as factory it loves the cheap old Winchester Super X. Great Rifles, very accurate. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rhino Posted November 16, 2011 Report Share Posted November 16, 2011 I have seen some cases in deer my buddy killed with it where the bullet falls apart and doesn't penetrate to my liking. The Barnes bullets should help with that. That can happen with bigger, better, faster rounds too. I know of someone in the old days that had the same issues with a .270. The load I used with my son's .243 (hand loads) were 100 gr. Nosler partitiions and 95 gr. Barnes XFB. Both bullets are designed for maximum weight retetion & penetration. I don't think Barnes makes the 95 gr. XFB anymore...the heaviest bullet they make for the .243 now is the 85 gr. TSX BT but it will sure do the job you're looking for. Today there are several factory loads available loaded with bullets designed for the same thing...max weight retention for greater penetration...not like the old days. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
col3 Posted November 17, 2011 Report Share Posted November 17, 2011 i had a friend shoot a huge buck the other morning with a .243 100 grain bullet, right in the shoulder and lungs, and he took one step and fell over, and if ya need proof i just posted pics in a thread i made about manitoba bucks, check it out! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hogwild63 Posted November 17, 2011 Report Share Posted November 17, 2011 (edited) This buck was taken Sunday with a .243 100gr reload with Nosler tips at about 75 yards. The shot you see is the second but the first shot in the shoulder dropped him where he is laying in the picture. This deer was taken with a 85 grain bullet and he went 20 yards. The farthest shot was 125 yards with a 100 grain bullet that dropped him. Same with his Black Hawaiian Ram. The accuracy is great and it's great caliber for young hunters, however, none of the animals had an exit wound. I agree with whoever said the 7mm-.08 is a better round. If I had it to do over, that is the caliber I would choose over the .243. Edited November 17, 2011 by hogwild63 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Texan_Til_I_Die Posted November 17, 2011 Report Share Posted November 17, 2011 One of the kids I take hunting uses a 243. I think he shoots the green box Remingtons. He shot this 8 point, it went down, jumped back up and staggered about 20 yards before falling over dead. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DropTine49 Posted November 17, 2011 Report Share Posted November 17, 2011 I've killed many deer with the Remington 700 .243 that my dad bought for me 15 years ago when I was 7 years old. I killed many deer with the 95 grain Georgia Arms Ballistic Tip ammo (.243 Winchester 95gr Ballistic Tip 20pk). Now I strictly bow hunt, but if an arrow with a 100 grain field point going less than 300 fps can kill, there is no reason that a 95 grain .243 is not enough caliber for hunting. JMO Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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