Survey Of Actual 243 Win Hunters

[Trendy411]

Those of you who actually hunted white tail, hog, or any other medium sized game with a 243 Win let me know how the round performed. Specifics as to factory brand or hand loads along with such things as barrel lengths would be helpful too. Please do not inform me as to using a higher caliber would be better or ney sayers to the 243 that have never actually hunted with one, as thats not the purpose of this post. What is it with mostly men wanting to have the biggest caliber that they can find and then I see too many people at the range flinching, and grasping in pain because of too much recoil in heavier calibers.   Im guessing its a macho thing. They obviously cant practice as much because of pain and when time to hunt they probably wont feel the pain but may not be accurate due to not enough practice. Over the years as I have watched the hunting programs on TV as most of other hunters have and noticed that women and younger children who shoot with the smaller calibers have dropped deer in their tracks more often than men with their macho magnums. This I believe is due to better shot placement as they are probably less likely to flinch with the smaller calibers. If your not heavily built then leave those magnums to those who are.

[1sourdough]

 My son just completed hunter safety & we'll be on a few hunts this Fall with the 243. I stumbled accross 5 of them over the years but have only shot coyotes with that round. My gunsmith swears by the 243. I loaded up some 95 grn Nosler partions to use in the 243 on deer. I have other bullets & some Hornaday 'light magnum' 243 ammo but I'll start with the partions. I have mostly used a 308 over the years but since most of my shots are under 75yrds at a stationary target I think the 243 will do fine.

[George Foster]

Over the years I have shot 20 some whitetail deer with my 6mm Rem.  My best shot was one day when I killed two deer at 225yds with two shots, one deer dropped where it stood and the other ran for approx 20yds.  I never lost a deer with the cartridge and the furthest I had one travel after I shot it was about 75yds.  This was on a deer where I angled the shot in from the rear ribs and it exited the other side, it was with a 100gr Hornady Spitzer with 44.5gr IMR4831.  I always wanted to try the Sierra 85HPBT but never have.  I don't hunt deer anymore very much but when I do I pick up my Ruger 77 6mm, the load I load for it now is:
100gr Sptz Sierra
45.0gr IMR4831
Fed210M Primer
Rem Case

My favorite load for the rifle when I was hunting whitetails every year was:
100gr SMP Sierra
45.0gr AA3100
Fed210M Primer
Rem Case

[jeclif]

make that 2 for the 6mm rem.   same as above, and a few critters that were just  problems  (beaver, bob cats , coons@ a few hogs)

[Val]

I've got an early 1980s tang safety Reuger with a 22" barrel. I've shot one deer with it (I have too many rifles in my arsenal and I want to drop something with all of them). It took one step and keeled over. I used a 100 grain Nosler partition. I also have a 70 grain varmint load using Nosler ballistic tips. Both loads are well under MOA. The Point of Impact for both loads are so close, I don't have to re-zero the scope when using the 100 grain load and switching to the 70 grain. I also like this rifle because it's a good game caliber than can be used by ladies and youth. It's also a good light carry rifle. I get a chronographed muzzle velocity out of the 100 grain load of 2972 fps and the 70 grain loads gives me 3256 fps. I would never part with this rifle.

[Trendy411]

So far from what Im reading the 243 Win is relatively as effective as the bigger calibers, with either the WT dropping immediately or going down within a reasonable distance. This is pretty much similar to reports of WT hunted with larger calibers.

[huntswithdogs]

Except for neck shots, I've never had a BANG, FLOP with my 243 and don't expect to. None have gone more than 50yds though. Trailing thems been no problem. Not when ya see em fall!

[yooper77]

My experience with my 243 Winchester 24" barrel in a Mauser action.

Any 90 (90 grain Swift Scirocco 2, not the 90 grain Nosler Ballistic Tip) to 100 grain bullet using IMR-4350 is a proven Antelope/Deer stomper, all have been complete pass thru out to 300 yards.  MOA out to 200 yards easily.

I have used the 243 Winchester with 100 grain Nosler Partition for 350lb black bear, with a neck shot at 50 yards.  He was anchored on the spot.

My rifle hates bullets lighter than 70 grain, but any varmint type bullet that's 70, 75, 80, 85, 87 & 90 (90 grain Nosler Ballistic Tip) grains is a tack driver.

yooper77

[flintlock]

I have used a .243 since 1980, it's the only centerfire that I own and I have killed over 150 deer with this gun...

I have used about 10 different factory loadings, all killed deer, with some the deer just dropped (with lung shots) closer than others...
With harder "premium" bullets the deer actually ran further than the regular cup and core soft points...None went over 100 yards and
most dropped within 60 or so...

About 85 were killed with the Remington 100gr CoreLokts...Inside of 200-250 yards it does all I need to do...
When hunting fields where shots can be 150-300 yards, I also like the Federal Premium 85gr HPBT GameKing...
At 3320 fps you can sight in 2 1/2 inches high at 100 yards and  you are about 2 1/2 - 3 inchel low at 300 yards...
It also retains it's velocity, so it is going fast enough at longer ranges to still mushroom and give good wound channels...
If you have shots inside 50-75 yards, this bullet is moving fast enough to fragment...I shot one deer at about 20 steps
with this bullet, the deer went less than 25 yards with a lung shot, but the bullet didn't exit...

If your gun doesn't group the CoreLokts well then I would use either the Hornady Custom 100gr soft points, the Federal
Premium 100gr SPBT Sierra GameKings, the Federal Classic 100gr HotCores or the Federal Premium 100gr Nosler Partitions...

My rifle had a 22 inch barrel when I bought it but I had it rebarreled a few years back and went to a 24 inch...

I don't think a man's build should have anything to do with what he shoots, he should shoot what he wants to as long as it is legal
and lethal for the game persued...I carry my .54 caliber flintlock, loaded with a patched ball more than I carry the .243...If you
looked at energy tables of a round ball, they are pretty pitiful on paper, but lethal on deer...I'm 6ft 5 and weigh about 250,
none of my hunting buddies have anything negative to say about me shooting a .243...Frankly, most have gone from larger calibers to a .243...

As far as bang flops, put that bullet through the shoulder blade or high in the lungs and you will see bang flops...

[TribReady]

You're seeing that you can forget about theory and biases and numbers on papers......the .243 used by us "actual" hunters give "actual" results

[BBF]

243 Win loaded with 100 gr Sierra flat base fired from a Ruger # 1 at approx 30 yards on a young moose bull.
The bullet punched thru the upper part of the shoulder blade, knocked off a vertebrae and came to a stop on the inside of the other shoulder blade. There was about 45 gr left of the bullet.

Wife shot a mulie with the same load out of a  re-barreled( 20") Mohawk at 90 yards. Bullet penetrated thru both lungs and exited. Buck ran for another 50 yards.

My last hunt with a 243 was in Texas from a ladder stand. The buck was facing me at about 45 deg. Ammo was the same Sierra bullet. We found a few drops of blood after then buck walked( not run) off. We never did recover the deer. I had a 44 Rem Mag caiibe with me on the stand at the same time and regret not having used it instead

My conclusion is that the Sierra 100 gr bullet is to heavy constructed for optimal  expansion  in a 243. Win.

[kyelkhunter3006]

I've taken a couple of deer with the .243.  All were bang-flops/flips.  All were pass throughs as well, but none were more than 100 yds away.  One shot was broad side high shoulder, the other two were quartering toward me with the bullet being placed on the tip of the front shoulder passing out the rear ribs.  One was a doe, two were small bucks, a 6pt and a 4pt that had a little rack but field dressed 170lbs.  I've seen probably another 10 killed with it, and all were dead right there except three that were shot very poorly by someone that honestly couldn't kill a deer cleanly with a grenade launcher.  We don't let him hunt with us anymore.  The .243 does as well for me as the 30-30, 30-06, and 7x57 on deer at normal ranges.  I've shot most of the factory ammo in the .243, but the load for the deer I killed happened to be the 100gr Core-Lokt each time.

I love the .243, and I've been looking for the "perfect" one to add to my battery.  The Rem. 700 Boone & Crockett with the laminated stock and fluted barrel may just be it.

[Dave in WV]

I have taken several deer with my .243. I have a stainless M 77 MK II Ruger with a 22" barrel. I load 46gr of H450 (no longer available), a 100gr CoreLokt, and a Win LR primer. I use Remington brass. I don't know the velocity I get. I have never shot a deer more than once with my .243 and all either dropped right where they were or ran a few yards (less than 25). The ranges were all under 100 yards. I got total penetration. My son has used the same load in his 22" barreld Savage 110 with equal results. He now loads 42gr of H4350 and 100gr CoreLokt bullets. He has recovered two bullets. One broke both front shoulders and the other was a head on frontal shot. The bullets held together with just enough shank left to hold the core.

[Graybeard]

My experience with it is very limited and very disappointing. Sadly I don't know why it all went wrong.

I had a Browning Low Wall .243 rifle that was super accurate most often putting three bullets of almost any load into groups of 0.4" to 0.8" at 100 yards. It was light and easy to carry super accurate and of some importance to me very beautiful. I had high hopes for it.

My load was the Hornady Custom with their 100 grain Interlock bullet it was the factory ammo.

My chance to take a deer with it came at a distance of around 50-60 yards max. It as a clear calm morning with no trees or bushes between me and the young buck. He was walking along a ridge just to the left of my permanent tree stand. I was propped on the solid wood walls of the stand and the rest was almost as good as a benchrest for accuracy. The rifle was sighted in to hit within 1/2" of the crosshair at that distance.

The buck stopped and when he did I completed the trigger pull but noted in the scope he again took a step just as the trigger broke. My sight picture told me the bullet hit lungs but perhaps a bit farther back than intended. I fully expected to find the buck dead after a short run and again fully expected a decent blood trail to follow.

Boy was I WRONG on both counts. At the point the buck stood I found zero blood sign. Clearly the bullet did not exit. There was no blood along the path the buck took in running off for as far as I could determine his path which was over 150 yards. I continued to search the area for a couple hours but found no blood at all and lost his trail in the leaf litter and pine needles. Where he went after I lost sight of him I had no way to know. I looked far further afield than I had any expectation of him being able to go with a bullet in the lungs or even the liver had it been a bit further back than my sight picture told me it should be.

I never found the deer. A week or so later other folks hunting that property found a buck of similar size (perhaps the same one perhaps not) well over a quarter mile from where I gave up the search. Buzzards led them to it. They were not able to tell from the carcass where it had been hit or by what. I'll never know for sure if that is the deer I hit or not so neither will I ever know for certain where the bullet hit or what damage it did.

What I do know is it did not exit and left zero blood trail to follow and I did not recover the deer. Not long afterward I sold the rifle in disgust and still kinda regret it as it was a beautiful and super accurate rifle that I could have used for other things even if not for deer.

I have a friend in PA who has an identical rifle to mine. He has used his with handloaded ammo using the exact same bullet I did to take several deer on his farm. I think all have been one shot kills and all bullets exited and left good blood trails.

What happened that mine didn't I'll always wonder but can never know. The incident shook my confidence in the .243 as a deer round and I likely will never regain that confidence but the results of my friend's use of it tells me whatever happened to my little buck was a fluke. For him it has been a very effective deer killer.

[Old English]

I have a Tikka in 243 that I bought earlier this year. The first hunt I took it on, was a week after I got it. I had sighted it in using the Cheap (blue box) Fedral 100gr. I shot 2 hogs with it and they didn't go anywhere except over the grill for 2 hours. I have subsequently loaded 55gr, 60gr and also 85gr SGK and it shoots lights out. I will be using it this deer season with every confidence that a god shot will result in a clean kill.

[kyelkhunter3006]

My experience with it is very limited and very disappointing. Sadly I don't know why it all went wrong.

I had a Browning Low Wall .243 rifle that was super accurate most often putting three bullets of almost any load into groups of 0.4" to 0.8" at 100 yards. It was light and easy to carry super accurate and of some importance to me very beautiful. I had high hopes for it.

My load was the Hornady Custom with their 100 grain Interlock bullet it was the factory ammo.

My chance to take a deer with it came at a distance of around 50-60 yards max. It as a clear calm morning with no trees or bushes between me and the young buck. He was walking along a ridge just to the left of my permanent tree stand. I was propped on the solid wood walls of the stand and the rest was almost as good as a benchrest for accuracy. The rifle was sighted in to hit within 1/2" of the crosshair at that distance.

The buck stopped and when he did I completed the trigger pull but noted in the scope he again took a step just as the trigger broke. My sight picture told me the bullet hit lungs but perhaps a bit farther back than intended. I fully expected to find the buck dead after a short run and again fully expected a decent blood trail to follow.

Boy was I WRONG on both counts. At the point the buck stood I found zero blood sign. Clearly the bullet did not exit. There was no blood along the path the buck took in running off for as far as I could determine his path which was over 150 yards. I continued to search the area for a couple hours but found no blood at all and lost his trail in the leaf litter and pine needles. Where he went after I lost sight of him I had no way to know. I looked far further afield than I had any expectation of him being able to go with a bullet in the lungs or even the liver had it been a bit further back than my sight picture told me it should be.

I never found the deer. A week or so later other folks hunting that property found a buck of similar size (perhaps the same one perhaps not) well over a quarter mile from where I gave up the search. Buzzards led them to it. They were not able to tell from the carcass where it had been hit or by what. I'll never know for sure if that is the deer I hit or not so neither will I ever know for certain where the bullet hit or what damage it did.

What I do know is it did not exit and left zero blood trail to follow and I did not recover the deer. Not long afterward I sold the rifle in disgust and still kinda regret it as it was a beautiful and super accurate rifle that I could have used for other things even if not for deer.

I have a friend in PA who has an identical rifle to mine. He has used his with handloaded ammo using the exact same bullet I did to take several deer on his farm. I think all have been one shot kills and all bullets exited and left good blood trails.

What happened that mine didn't I'll always wonder but can never know. The incident shook my confidence in the .243 as a deer round and I likely will never regain that confidence but the results of my friend's use of it tells me whatever happened to my little buck was a fluke. For him it has been a very effective deer killer.

You just never know what the bullet will do after it leaves the barrel.  Slightly off topic, but here's a short one on bullet performance:  I shot a huge old doe (160lb dressed) two years ago with my 30-06 using the old Winchester FailSafe 180gr load, overkill for deer, excellent for elk and other BIG animals, but that's what I had on hand at the moment.  Distance was 65yds, quartering, on the point of the shoulder.  Bang-flop!  Upon field dressing and butchering, I was amazed that the bullet didn't exit.  I never found it, but there was only one hole in the carcass and hide.  Several of us spent a couple of hours looking for an exit hole, but there wasn't any to be found.  That bullet is famous for shooting through elk from just about any angle.  But that old doe sure stopped it.  Just goes to show that any bullet is unpredictable once it's launched.

[victorcharlie]

Over 50 killed with the .243 as far as I can remember.   My favorite load is IMR 4831 and a sierra 85 grain BTHP (gameking).

I only remember two running, the others just dropped.

[deltecs]

I've used 2 .243 Win for hunting deer.  White tails and Sitka Black tails.  I've shot over 70 deer in the last 45 years in PA and Alaska.  Most of the deer field dressed around 120#'s with a few near 200.  With the exception of 2 deer with a .308 Win, 1 deer with a .35 Rem, 1 deer with a 30-06, 3 deer with a 270 Win, and 1 deer with a 30-30, the rest were shot with .243 Win in a Remington 600 and Ruger RSI with 18 1/2" barrels.  Almost all were shot using Rem brass, 100 gr Sierra BT Gamekings, behind 42 gr of IMR 4350 and CCI 200 primers.  This load in both rifles gave sub minute groups.  I've also shot 2 record caribou with the Rem 600 in .243 Win using the same load but 100 gr Nosler Partitions.  Almost all were shot under 250 yards with the biggest caribou taken at a measured 290 yards.  None have traveled after being hit farther than 50 yards and most have expired within 25.  None were taken with bullets less than 100 gr and I do not advocate their use on deer.  I have utmost confidence in the ballistics of the .243 Win and find no faults with its accuracy or killing power on deer size game.  I cannot remember having to use more than 1 shot per animal except a mercy shot at the downed animal, and can only remember 2 of them.  Hunting areas have been from open fields to extremely heavy brush with some taken at 15 yards.  I think this answers the topic question.

[drdougrx]

I've only killed 3 fallow deer, 1 exotic sheep and one exotic goat.  I use a ruger M77 ultralite w a 20"BBL.  My load is 43.5 H414 and a 95gr Nosler BT at 3040ps.  All animals were shot at less than 100yrds and more than 25yrds.  No bang flops or spectacular kills.  I'm not impressed. All the deer ran or walked off (I always wonder if they know they were hit and no head shots).  Here's a re-print of a thread of my most recent 243 kill on a large fallow deer,"

I used the 243 on the fallow which dressed at 158lbs (a real butterball).  A 95gr NosBT / 43.5gr H414 at 3040fps.  Wouldn't do it again I don't think.  The bullet performed well.  First shot broke the shoulders at about 50yds.  Took a second shot at about the same distance from above (we were on a hill side and the deer was below us).  Interestingly enough...the 2nd bullet entered where the shoulder and where the neck meets and exited just behind the sternum.  A real sharp angle was that shot.  The 3rd shot was a finisher.  Postmortem shows the 1st shot broke both shoulders and the deer ambled away, didn't run.  The second shot (a top to bottom shot) deflated the lungs and the 3rd took out the heart (actually, it came out in three pieces).  The bullet performed well, but, I'd like more shock that I think a larger diameter bullet would give.    

http://www.gboreloaded.com/forums/index.php/topic,126063.0.html

I'm not a know it all and respect the opinions of others...but...for me....the 243 is a javalina and small animal cartiidge.  Don't think I'd use it on a big buck hunt or any hunt where I might want to shoot something over 125 or so lbs.  

You asked ... just MHO.

[TRWalker]

 Taking a rest off the ladder of my tree stand, I shot the large whitetail buck about 250 yards away through the chest.  He took off across the open field going uphill at a dead run. 75 yards away at  the top of the hill he jumped a fence and was gone. I stopped at the place he was standing when I shot and found no sign.   The first sign was at the fence, just a few drops of blood.  I found him 25 yards past the fence. He had been shot through the heart. I wasnt using a .243 that day but a .300 Winchester magnum with 180 grain bullets.  I am certain that any of my  .243 rifles would have done just as well had I used one instead of the magnum.  I have never had a deer shot with a .243 go any further or leave less of a trail and have never lost a deer shot with a .243.  The bottom line is the same as it always has been. Good bullets and good shot placement are all that matters. The .243 rifles I own are a Winchester Classic Featherweight, a vintage Remington 700 BDL, a custom FN sporter, and just last month I bought a Savage 99 with a rotary magazine.  I recommend bullets of 100-105 grains. Remington factory ammo has worked well for me.

[basdjs]

I grew up in northern Pa. and used one gun, a Savage LH Model 110 .243, for everything from groundhogs to deer. I still have that gun and it's one of the most accurate guns I've ever owned.  Although I turned into primarily a bow hunter over the years, I've shot about 30 whitetails with the .243 and only had one that didn't drop where I shot it...and that one was simply a bad shot on my part.  My son also started with a .243 and has shot several whitetails without losing one.  Four years ago I got the Encore bug and switched to .260 Remington which is very similar with both cartridges necked down from a .308 case.  I didn't abandon the .243 because I lost confidence in it...I just wanted to try a slightly different caliber that would handle heavier bullets in case I decide to use it for caribou or mule deer at some later date.  Us kids have to have different toys to play with at times. 

The .243 is a tremendous deer cartridge if you take responsible shots at the vitals.  You made a wise observation in your original post about heavier recoiling rifles.  Most of us shoot lighter recoiling rifles more accurately than shoulder-beaters, especially in hunting situations where you may have to shoot quickly and in different positions.  Light recoilers like the .243 let you stay down on the shot without flinching for fear of getting your shoulder belted or wearing your scope lens over your eye.  I've had to track many more deer for friends hit with -06 and larger calibers than smaller calibers and all where poor hits where I suspect flinching was a factor.  Enjoy your .243.

[TribReady]

Flinch?? C'mon, real men don't flinch 
Now pull up that shoulder cannon and blaze away! 


Seriously, I think there's too much emphasis placed on magnums and heavy-hitters and too little placed on proper bullets, shot placement, and shot distance.  Don't get me wrong, shoot whatever you like, but be sure you're comfortable with it, proficient with it, and not forced into it because your hunting buddy shoots a "big" rifle

[Brithunter]

I've only killed 3 fallow deer, 1 exotic sheep and one exotic goat.  I use a ruger M77 ultralite w a 20"BBL.  My load is 43.5 H414 and a 95gr Nosler BT at 3040ps.  All animals were shot at less than 100yrds and more than 25yrds.  No bang flops or spectacular kills.  I'm not impressed. All the deer ran or walked off (I always wonder if they know they were hit and no head shots).  Here's a re-print of a thread of my most recent 243 kill on a large fallow deer,"

I used the 243 on the fallow which dressed at 158lbs (a real butterball).  A 95gr NosBT / 43.5gr H414 at 3040fps.  Wouldn't do it again I don't think.  The bullet performed well.  First shot broke the shoulders at about 50yds.  Took a second shot at about the same distance from above (we were on a hill side and the deer was below us).  Interestingly enough...the 2nd bullet entered where the shoulder and where the neck meets and exited just behind the sternum.  A real sharp angle was that shot.  The 3rd shot was a finisher.  Postmortem shows the 1st shot broke both shoulders and the deer ambled away, didn't run.  The second shot (a top to bottom shot) deflated the lungs and the 3rd took out the heart (actually, it came out in three pieces).  The bullet performed well, but, I'd like more shock that I think a larger diameter bullet would give.    

http://www.gboreloaded.com/forums/index.php/topic,126063.0.html

I'm not a know it all and respect the opinions of others...but...for me....the 243 is a javalina and small animal cartiidge.  Don't think I'd use it on a big buck hunt or any hunt where I might want to shoot something over 125 or so lbs.  

You asked ... just MHO.

   Hmmm Fallow Bucks especially when in rut seem to absorb lots of punishment without noticing it but then the Gamekeeper I used to hunt with (retired now) dropped one of his biggest Fallow Bucks with 222 Remington. The Buck had one front leg dangling, severly broken and he was out foxing so when the Buck stopped he shot it and it dropped. Heart shot at about 70 yards. The broken leg was the result with an altercation with a car and was starting to go gangerene. He also shot a 20 stone Hirshe in Austria (Red Stag) 20 stone is 280lbs using federal 100 grain Permium ammo with his .243. The Beast took them 6 hours to recover, no it didn't run but fell over the edge of the plataue into a gully. For the last 30 odd years he has used a converted Mannlicher Schoenauer in 243 for nearly all his shooting the exception is Wild Boar for which he uses a 7mm and night Foxing which the moderated .222 Rem is used.

  .243 is about THE most common cartridge in use for Deer hunting here in the UK, partly due to it being the Minimum legal calibre .240" required by law for all Deer species, some of the smaller species can now be shot using .22 CF cartridges but anything larger tham Chinese Water Deer or Muntjac requires minimum .240" calibre and of course that means .243 or 6mm remington and the 6mm is a rare beast here.

   I will expalin about the minimum bit, you see the Police issue Firearms licences here an they like to control people and do not understand firearms nor hunting  so they push people who wish to start hunting into having the Minimum so the .243 Winchester is to one they push. Funny thing is that these people don't seem to have problems dropping their deer even the Red Stags during the Rut. Scottish Red Stags get up to around 330 lbs but those Reds found in England's West country grow bigger due to a less harsh climate and again the .243 does the job .

   Personally I was never fond of the .243  probably because the Police tried to foist it on us and have only recenlty acquired one. Even then it was brought because it was the rifle I was after and not the chambering. The year previously I had acquired a P-H 1200V in 6mm remington then I found this BSA Majestic Featherweight in 243 which has the BESA recoil Reducer machined in the barrel, the first I had ever seen in the fleash so brought it so I have a .243 so of course had to try it out.

   Now I have to get it listed on my licence for hunting before it can used it on game so hopefully in 2009 it will bring me home a nice bit of venison  . Though only having shot one Muntjac with that Mannlicher on one trip due to my picking up the wrong box of ammo  I have every confidence in the .243 doing the job for me providing I do mine in placign the bulelt in the vitals.

[beemanbeme]

Lad here in WV killed a WT deer with 1 shot at 723 yards.  Had his Grandpa with him and he agreed that it looked like 723 yards to him also. Can't dispute Grandpa. Lad was using a store bought 100gr Rem Core Lokt bullet.  He had one of those 50mm scopes on his rifle with see thru mounts. I asked how his rifle was sighted in and he told me "2" high at 100 yards, but I held over some for this deer." Those .243's are indeed lightning in a bottle.   

[yooper77]

Lad here in WV killed a WT deer with 1 shot at 723 yards.  Had his Grandpa with him and he agreed that it looked like 723 yards to him also. Can't dispute Grandpa. Lad was using a store bought 100gr Rem Core Lokt bullet.  He had one of those 50mm scopes on his rifle with see thru mounts. I asked how his rifle was sighted in and he told me "2" high at 100 yards, but I held over some for this deer." Those .243's are indeed lightning in a bottle.   

Personally that's a sad sorts of events if the distance is true.

I would shame any adult allowing a youth to take such a unethical risky shot.  Too many chances for error.  Over 7 football fields?  Game animals deserve more respect.

Not having been there, but I seriously doubt the shot was that far, most people, of course not all, drastically over estimate distance to the extreme.

yooper77

[flintlock]

Lad here in WV killed a WT deer with 1 shot at 723 yards.  Had his Grandpa with him and he agreed that it looked like 723 yards to him also. Can't dispute Grandpa. Lad was using a store bought 100gr Rem Core Lokt bullet.  He had one of those 50mm scopes on his rifle with see thru mounts. I asked how his rifle was sighted in and he told me "2" high at 100 yards, but I held over some for this deer." Those .243's are indeed lightning in a bottle.   

I gotta call BS on that...Whether with a .243 or another standard "deer" round...

[MGMorden]

I gotta call BS on that...Whether with a .243 or another standard "deer" round...

I gotta agree.  At that range a pretty standard 100gr .243 round is coming it at around 700 ft/lbs of energy - pretty close to (and actually just a bit less than) what an average .22 Hornet load (which I think all would agree is too light for deer) generates at the muzzle.  It's certainly enough to kill, but not humanely IMHO.

You're also looking at a bullet drop of several feet at that range. It'd be one heck of a holdover.  My guess is they just got carried away estimating the distance.

That said, where did they pull 723 from?  I can understand guessing 700, or 750.  Those are nice round numbers.  Even 725 would be a little understandable.  But 723?  Unless they had a range finder with them then that's just way to specific to be guessing at. 

[kyelkhunter3006]

Lad here in WV killed a WT deer with 1 shot at 723 yards.  Had his Grandpa with him and he agreed that it looked like 723 yards to him also. Can't dispute Grandpa. Lad was using a store bought 100gr Rem Core Lokt bullet.  He had one of those 50mm scopes on his rifle with see thru mounts. I asked how his rifle was sighted in and he told me "2" high at 100 yards, but I held over some for this deer." Those .243's are indeed lightning in a bottle.   

I gotta call BS on that...Whether with a .243 or another standard "deer" round...

Yeah, me too.  Unless there were witnesses with a range finder or that know from a survey plot that the distance is true.  I've seen too many times "I got'em at 500 yds!"  Oh really, how's your rifle sighted?  "Well, it's dead on at 100."  Where'd you hold?  "Oh, just over his back."  Windage?  "Just straight on'em"  YEAH. 

I've proved people wrong about distance so many times in the past that I got tired of it.  I'd have them take me to the field where they shot it and range from one end to the other, the whole field, not just from where they shot to where the deer stood.  It amazes me to no end when I see the look on their face when I say, "Nope, it's 225" or 250 or whatever.  I've done this probably ten times, and only ONE TIME was the SHOT over 300 yds.  Most of the time the shots were around 250 or less, with the total length of the field being less than 350 yds.  Honestly, the areas I hunt in, if you're shooting over 500yds in a field (if you can find one that long), chances are the deer is on someone elses property anway.

[Duckhunter39480]

"I hunt with a M100 Winchester in 243 Winchester.  I like the 243 because when you shoot a deer with a 243 you still get to hunt for two or three hours more"  Gary D., Central MS.

[ccoker]

I have killed a bunch of Texas whitetail with a 243
loads from 80g Federal Softpoints to 100g Hornady light magnum with interlocks (sp)
from 50 to about 350, every one has died and recovered
neck shots result in instant drop or flip over backwards, heart/lung shots if they are close result in maybe a max of 75 yard run, I think mainly from the sound of the gun...
I gave my old Sako to my son this year and bought a 308, deer I shot with it (5) were the same...
neck shots and they drop, heart/lung they run a it and pile up
I bought a 270 to use this coming year and frankly don't expect any different results
have shot deer with 22-250, 223, 25-06 and it's all pretty much the same thing
do we really think an animal can tell the difference in a bullet that's .2" difference in diameter?
the wound channel isn't much difference between these calibers when using similiar type bullets (I tend to like SPs)