.243 on Mule deer

[Selmer]

Well, we opened the mule deer season in SD this year with a good hunt.  We had four tags to fill, 3 any deer and one any anterless, and ran on to a group of 8 with three bucks and 5 does.  A couple of .243 Winchesters loaded with Nosler 100 gr. Partition bullets and 40.8 gr. of H380 accounted for the two big bucks, shot at 242 yds, one shot kills, complete pass throughs.  The other two fell to .30-06's loaded with 165 gr. Ballistic tips.  For those of your that doubt the effectiveness of the .243 Winchester on large deer, try it some time with a good 100 gr. bullet, Partition, Barnes, or TBBC, and you'll quickly appreciate it's efficiency and lethality.  Both bucks were shot in the shoulder, complete pass throughs and both fell within 5 feet of where they were hit.  I just can't ask for any better than that.  And no, it wasn't from a tower or any such contraption, we ran a successful stalk and shot well.  I'll try to get the pictures posted, but I have to figure it out first...
Selmer

[single action]

CONGRATS !!!!!!!!! You wont get any complaints out of me about using a 243 on mulies, many years ago ( over 20 ) when I lived in nevada, I had a winchester model 70 featherweight in .243. I shot everything that was legal in that state with it using factory ammo , usually winchester 100 gr silvertips for deer and 80 grainers for coyotes cats ect. Never experienced any problems witheither the rifle or the round.

[lewdogg21]

So both shots actually passed through both front shoulders and blew them up?  If so I admit I didn't believe this round was a deer killer.  Actually now that I think about it the ..243 is a 6mm.  I may have to buy one of those rifles.

[Selmer]

I don't believe that I said, "blew them up".  They passed through both shoulder blades on the smaller buck and through the on-side shoulder blade and off-side heavy shoulder bone on the larger buck and pass completely through.  If you do consider this as a deer round, please note that I would NOT recommend it as a deer round with any bullets that are not Nosler Partition, Barnes X, TBBC, or similar construction premium bullets.
Selmer

[rickt300]

I lived in Wyoming for 19 years and saw the 243 take many deer, some big bucks too. Ammo used was mostly Winchester or Remington 100 grain bullets. Most of the locals there won't intentionally shoot at a shoulder or backstrap area so it was ribs and neck shots but the little round brought them down very well. I felt the 243 was at it's best at ranges inside of 250 yards but witnessed many longer shots that were successful. I took several with a 6MM remington loaded with 105 grain Speer bullets and had no complaints.