.243 for Antelope?

[Desertrat]

I was thinking about trading or selling my Ruger .243, but I decided that maybe I might want to try antelope here next season. Any of you used the 243 on pronghorns? How did it do on them?

[Jim n Iowa]

I always take my 243 along for Antelope hunts. I load a Sierra 85 grn spt near max. My primary rifle is a 7mm mag as you can be in some very open spaces where a + 250 yd is needed. The 243 in the area's I hunted is well suited -150 yd shooting.
Jim

[Kodiak]

D'rat,
In my 35 years of antelope hunting the west, I have seen lots of hunters with a .243 cal. rifle. The ones that I've seen, worked pretty good. Other hunters have told me they just don't hit hard enough on the long shots and they have found some disappointment along the way. Jim's 7MM Mag. caliber is a great all-around choice for most western hunting.

Kodiak

[Lawdog]

Desertrat,

Your .243 Win. will work just fine out to say 250 plus yards IF you can do your part and put the bullet where it belongs.  An antelope weights say 80 pounds average and every year larger deer than that are taken with .243's.  Just use a good bullet suited for the job, know your weapon and you should do fine.  Besides the .243 makes a great long range varmint caliber.  Lawdog

[foxcaller]

The 243 for big game? This may well be one of the most hotly debated questions ever. I have found the 243 to be effective. Last year in Wyoming I shot a doe antelope at 316yds (ranged) and she dropped like a bag of hammers. The bullet was a Sierra Gameking 85 gr hpbt going about 3180 fps. I have a bunch of kills with the 243 including elk!  Good bullets and good shots are a must with this cartridge! Marginal hits on even smaller game will make you cuss the cartridge and think it useless. Make good solid chest hits with good bullets and it will amaze you!

[Gusman14]

Started with a 30.06 and 150 grain BTSP

Next was the .270 with 130 grain BTSP

Finally settled on the .243 with 100 gr BTSP

This is my combo of choice for antelope.

Great flat shooter and enough firepower to drop them instantly if you have the correct bullet placement.

Just my $.02

Gusman

[Graybeard]

Gus, I think you need to do a wee bit of typo corrections on those bullet weights.

[Gusman14]

Amazing how many errors that you make whe you are sleep deprived.  Thanks GB.

Gus

[Wyo. Coyote Hunter]

  While some guys rave about the .24's and 25's for antelope, I just don't think they have enough bullet wt. and energy for shots beyond 200 yards. I have shot several antelope with the 243 and 257 Roberts and even the .257 Wea.  that were able to remain on their feet and function after solid lung shots. One small buck walked 300 yards up a hill an stood around for a few minutes before lying down. At that point I realize the one shot I had taken at him had hit. It was a good hit, but the little bullet lacked shock at 250 yards. Had he gone out of sight, into heavy sage, he could have been lost. I suppose my wife and I have shot around 60 - 70 head of game with the 24 and 25 caliber rifles. I have seen this thing happen 10 times with this class of rifle. This fall I used a .25-06 on antelope, but all shots were close and shoulder shots. Plus I live about 2 minutes from fine antelope hunting, and If I don't score today I have tomorrow. Since I retired, time isn't an issue. If I were serious about taking a trophy antelope in 3 days, I would probably reach for my wifes old 7mm Mag. or my 7mm Wea. Mag. I use for coyotes. Right now antelope hunting is pure fun for me. I wait til I get the shot I want, if I don't get it today, I will get it tomorrow. I guess we have used every reasonable caliber up through the .375 H & H on antelope. For us, the old .270 win. is a great place to start.

[280shooter]

My kids have taken 10 Antelope in the last 2 years using 85 grain Nosler Partitions with no problems. I prefer my 280 and 1 son now uses a 7-08 with 120 Ballistic Tips loaded to the gills, but the 243 never failed. Antelope are fairly fragile for the most part, but occasionally one will suprise you.

[gwindrider1]

First goat I ever shot was with a Ruger .243.  Factory loaded 100 grn. took him out instantly at a paced 417 yds.

Other hunters in camp razzed me about being undergunned, and not being able to hit in the wind conditions that were prevalent.  Guess who was first to hang meat in camp.

It is light, but it does work!!!

[Doesniper]

I use a .250 Sav. and a good 87g bullet without any problems. Ballisticly speaking the .243 Win. is it's twin. It is more about shot placement and bullet construction.

[WyoXJ]

 Over the years I have seen a ton of Speed goats taken with the .243 mostly with 100gr bullets.  I personally have only shot one with a .243, I mostly use a 7mm Rem or more recently a 45-70.  I my opinion if you are a good shot with it, it will work great on goats but I would use a bullet on the heavier end 90-100gr.  With that said I would not trade my 7mm for one, but if you have it I would use it without a second thought.

[Bear Wallow]

Don't let people tell you that the .243 isn't a pronghorn cartridge.  Maximum of 250 yards is not correct.  You can take them out to 400 if you do your part.

Most of the time a good stock can get you much closer, which you should do anyway.

There's guys that have done it and guys who think it.

[Buckskins & Black Powder]

.243 vs antelope i witness 2 years ago. Young lady placed the shot right behind the shoulder at a little over 100 yards. Thing took off like a jack rabbit, no blood.  Looked around and didnt see anything, She got another antelope 20-30 minutes later.  On the drive back to camp, we found the first antelope 3 miles from where we shot it.

In my honest opinion, I wouldnt use  a .243 unless i was prarie dog/ varmint hunting.  Watched the same thing happen with 2 mule deer, only those 2 deer were never recovered.

[T.R.]

.243 has taken dozens and dozens of prairie goats for me.  This is a mature buck but i doubt he exceeded 125 lbs in weight.  It does not take a big gun to topple these amazing animals.

Good hunting to you.

TR

[yooper77]

I have taken many antelope over 300 yards with my 243 Winchester using hand loaded 100 grain Nosler partitions without any worries or lost animals.  The farthest anyone traveled was 50 yards from where it was hit.  I only take a broadside double lung shot and watch them fall.  I can’t answer for others, but I used my 243 Win for various white-tailed and mule deer without a single loss.

My 243 Win doesn’t like bullets lighter than 70 grains, but it is a proven coyote stomper too.

yooper77