Jeramie Posted September 12, 2006 Report Share Posted September 12, 2006 I'm shooting a .243 this November on Whitetail for the first time ever. My primary gun has mainly been a .30-06. Ive taken countless shoulder shots with the 06 and anchored the deer where they stood. Is the .243, shooting 100grn Hornady, enough to still safely take a shoulder shot? I know deer have a thin shoulder but ive lost one doe to a 30/30 and I'm insanely paranoid about losing another. Years later I still let that one doe bother me. Also, what can I look for range wise on the .243 and still remain totally effective? The longest shot would probably be 250 but I do have the possibility to take a 300yd shot. I have every confidence I can make the shot, ive been feeding lead well over 200yds with great accuracy. I was just curious about energy of the 100grn at that distance. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
popgun Posted September 12, 2006 Report Share Posted September 12, 2006 Re: Effective Range and questions, .243? I don't know what brand of shell you are shooting but if it was Remington 100 grain: You are starting with 2960 Muzzle Velocity, At that range you will have a bullet moving at 2829 Fps. and 1777 Ft. Lb. Energy. ....popgun Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
snapper Posted September 12, 2006 Report Share Posted September 12, 2006 Re: Effective Range and questions, .243? I would safely say a .243 will take a deer out to 200 yards... and prob. beyond! BTW, you didn't lose a doe from the .30-30...its shooting the same size bullet your -06 is. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
terry264 Posted September 12, 2006 Report Share Posted September 12, 2006 Re: Effective Range and questions, .243? Hi Popgun, better check your chart on the 100gr. .243 load. I think you quoted the 50yd. results for that bullet,,,not the 200 yd. lol Terry. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jeramie Posted September 12, 2006 Author Report Share Posted September 12, 2006 Re: Effective Range and questions, .243? [ QUOTE ] I would safely say a .243 will take a deer out to 200 yards... and prob. beyond! BTW, you didn't lose a doe from the .30-30...its shooting the same size bullet your -06 is. [/ QUOTE ] With just a tad less energy.... I hit her with a hollowpoint at 100yds. The shot was good, I saw the blood exiting. She bled like no other, blood everywhere. Finally she quit after about 150yds through timber. We looked for roughly 3-5 hours with no deer to be found. It was like someone turned off the faucet. I switched to a 30-06 and have never had one take more then a couple of steps. Even at 150+ yard shots. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
popgun Posted September 12, 2006 Report Share Posted September 12, 2006 Re: Effective Range and questions, .243? terry264 is absolutely right. Sorry Jeramie, I rechecked my program. 100 yds 2702 Fps and 1621 Ft lbs energy. 200 yds 2558 Fps and 1341 Ft lbs energy. 300 yds 2227 Fps and 1101 Ft lbs energy. Thanks terry, I just hate giving out false information, and I'm glad you caught that. ....popgun Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rifleman25 Posted September 12, 2006 Report Share Posted September 12, 2006 Re: Effective Range and questions, .243? I shoot 95 gr ballistic tips and have taken nothing but shoulder shots. my average shot is 200-300 yards. You will be just fine. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
too_pointer Posted September 12, 2006 Report Share Posted September 12, 2006 Re: Effective Range and questions, .243? Do what you want, but I wouldn't take a shoulder shot with a .243. I would prefer a behind the shoulder shot that would take out the lungs. My hunting buddy shoots a .243 and has had great success with it, but they were lung shots. Why take the chance too_ Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
johnf Posted September 12, 2006 Report Share Posted September 12, 2006 Re: Effective Range and questions, .243? When I was practicing at 300 yards I pulled a shot pretty bad and it hit about 8" from where I was aiming. It hit a 3" round 1" thick magnet and vaporized it, then went through 2 layers of 1/8" thick angle iron. The target pulled about 8" out of the ground and was thrown back about 6 feet. I don't know how that translates into ft/lbs, but I'm thinking it would do some serious damage to a deer. Two years ago I hit a doe at about 100 yard on an extream quartering shot. After the shot she went about 30 yards and dropped. The bullet entered at her last rib, traveled up the rib cage and lodged into the same side shoulder. (She was standing at an odd angle) When I opened her up the liver was literally turned to mush and the lung on that side was nearly gone. As near as I could tell the bullet travel about 27" through bone and flesh. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jeramie Posted September 13, 2006 Author Report Share Posted September 13, 2006 Re: Effective Range and questions, .243? [ QUOTE ] Do what you want, but I wouldn't take a shoulder shot with a .243. I would prefer a behind the shoulder shot that would take out the lungs. My hunting buddy shoots a .243 and has had great success with it, but they were lung shots. Why take the chance too_ [/ QUOTE ] I agree the double lung is a fail safe shot. I take that shot very often. I will say this, when you take the shoulder out you push bone through the heart, arteries, and sometimes the lungs. Its a very safe shot IMHO. Every deer ive ever shoulder shot folded like a card table. That was pushing a 180grn Corelokt. It decimate the deer. You want to keep the shot toward the back of the shoulder. That was the only shot I had on a doe a few years back. She was behind a tree(s). Her shoulder was exposed. I had taken that shot before so I knew how devastating. I took it again and she hit the ground like a ton of concrete. The bone tore out her throat, main arteries, and slivered into her heart. You could literally see down her windpipe. Its a shot I would never take with anything other than a Rifle but if you're carrying enough energy and weight it hammers the deer. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
snapper Posted September 13, 2006 Report Share Posted September 13, 2006 Re: Effective Range and questions, .243? [ QUOTE ] I hit her with a hollowpoint at 100yds. The shot was good, I saw the blood exiting. [/ QUOTE ] The .30-30 and just about any cal. gun has enough energy to take a deer at 100 yards. Sorry, but if she went 150 yards bleeding...it wasn't a good hit. JMO! I've killed several deer with a .30-30 125 gr. hollow points at 100+ yards...more than enough energy to take a deer down. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wtnhunt Posted September 13, 2006 Report Share Posted September 13, 2006 Re: Effective Range and questions, .243? The wife has killed a couple with her .243 with 100 grain corelokts, but not with any long range shots. The deer she has shot with that rifle have not gone more than 10 yards. Her shots have been tight behind the shoulder. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AJ Posted September 14, 2006 Report Share Posted September 14, 2006 Re: Effective Range and questions, .243? If I had a .243 Win and the bbuck of my dreams was quartering towards me at 300 yards and that's as good as it was going to get, I would take the shot with confidence that he would be on the ground in a second. A Nosler 95 gr Partition will crush the shoulder and penetrate just fine. Let them have it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jeramie Posted September 14, 2006 Author Report Share Posted September 14, 2006 Re: Effective Range and questions, .243? Good to hear! Thanks gang. There is really only one scenario where a 250yd+ shot will be possible. I have a hillside that overlooks three pastures and four different ponds. Its very conceivable that I will have a shot that distance if i can stay on the hillside. That will also greatly increase my options.... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest ronin Posted September 15, 2006 Report Share Posted September 15, 2006 Re: Effective Range and questions, .243? Personally, I prefer the Barnes Triple Shock bullet in 85 Gr. for deer and hogs. It may seem a little small on the surface but this TSX bullet is pretty devestating...it really sizzles in a handload at 3300 FPS. If you like factory loads, Federal Vital Shok offers the 85 Barnes TSX. Everything I have shot with this bullet so far hasn't taken a step afterwards. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jeramie Posted September 15, 2006 Author Report Share Posted September 15, 2006 Re: Effective Range and questions, .243? Ill check out the Barnes. I bought a Rock Chucker a couple of months back and I need a reason to buy more stuff... Im soon to be addicted. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest ronin Posted September 15, 2006 Report Share Posted September 15, 2006 Re: Effective Range and questions, .243? I think you will be pleasantly surprised. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest chiefks Posted September 21, 2006 Report Share Posted September 21, 2006 Re: Effective Range and questions, .243? I have 1 deer rifle. It is a savage model 12 in 243. Accu trigger and 26" bull barrel. The last buck I shot was almost 400 yards. I made a excellent shot and he did not go very far at all. One shoulder was totally destroyed and the lungs came out in pieces. I would not hesitate to take the shot. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
OJR Posted September 21, 2006 Report Share Posted September 21, 2006 Re: Effective Range and questions, .243? Welcome to the forums! I don't know if I should say "Good Shot" or "Lucky Shot"! The main thing is that you got the deer! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest chiefks Posted September 21, 2006 Report Share Posted September 21, 2006 Re: Effective Range and questions, .243? Thanks for the welcome. There was absolutely no way to get closer to that buck. It was either shoot or let him walk and probably would not get another crack at him. To much hunting pressure in my area. He had 14 points with kickers and dressed out at 200 lbs I practice shooting 300 yards alot and felt real good about the shot. The shot was defanitly not luck. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
too_pointer Posted September 22, 2006 Report Share Posted September 22, 2006 Re: Effective Range and questions, .243? Welcome chief Congrats on the great buck !! too_ Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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