.243 bullet for deer?

[Rimfirekid1022]

I will be getting a .243 soon for varmints and deer.  I will be deer hunting in western mississippi right on the mississippi river on the river side of the levi (ya thats how close we are!).  Doe's will range in weght from about 120 lbs. to 145 lbs. and bucks will range anywhere from 150 lbs. to 250 lbs. (250 lbs. would be the brutes that you hope to see but rarely do!), but i'd say a good 8 or 10 point would weigh around 185 lbs.-220 lbs.  Shots will range from 75 yds. to 200 yds. depending on where on the property im hunting.  I guess thats all the info y'all need now get to work! Just kiddin!  In earler threads i've read that 100 grain partitions and 85 TSX's are the best bullets for deer? Would these be good bullets for the deer i'll be hunting?  With a good, premium bullet what penetration should i expect on the deer of different sizes at different ranges with a solid behind the shoulder shot?  Thanks!
Joseph

[Dave in WV]

A premium bullet should work well. My son and I only use 100gr Rem Core-Lokts for our deer loads and we've never had a problem.

[Redhawk1]

Try both the 100 grain partitions and 85 TSX's. See which one gives you  the best accuracy and consistency and go with that one. I lean toward the 85 gr. TSX of course.  :-D  

[Rimfirekid1022]

Thanks a lot guys!  So what penetration do you think i would get at these different ranges and different weights of the deer with a solid broadside behind the shoulder shot?  Also would i have enough penetration with these loads for a quartering away shot? If so then what should my max range for quartering shots be? Thanks!
Joseph

[Redhawk1]

The shot you described, "solid broadside behind the shoulder shot". I would say a pass through. JMHO.  

[Thebear_78]

A quick run down of my favorite deer bullets in the 243.

100gr seirra Gameking SBT
100gr Nosler Partition
85gr Barnes TSX
85gr Sierra Gameking HPBT

My number one favorite is the sierra 100gr gameking.  Its always work great for me and been very accurate in ever gun I have shot it out of.

[rickt300]

I used the 105 grain Speer Hotcor on a bunch of mule deer in Wyoming, most of which ranged in size as you describe. Most of the bullets exited and I would say performance was pretty good. One of my hunting buddies used the Remington 80 grain factory bullet and thoughhe didn't always get a exit hole his deer dropped pretty quick. Unlike others on this forum I didn't have really good results with the partitions other than they gave deep penetration.  The times I used the 85 grain Sierra BTHP they worked very satisfactorily on Texas whitetails. The Remington 100 grain corelokt  seems to work for many people also.

[Lawdog]

Try both the 100 grain partitions and 85 TSX's. See which one gives you  the best accuracy and consistency and go with that one. I lean toward the 85 gr. TSX of course.  :-D  

'Redhawk1' has it right.  Go with either the 85 gr. TSX or the 100 gr. Partition in the .243 Winchester.  Then start sending e-mails to Barnes to bring back out a 90 or 95 gr. TSX version.   :-D   Lawdog
 

[Rimfirekid1022]

"Then start sending e-mails to Barnes to bring back out a 90 or 95 gr. TSX version.   :-D"

I'll get right on that!  It sounds like these 2 bullets are the ones to go with!!  Thanks!

[Redhawk1]

Try both the 100 grain partitions and 85 TSX's. See which one gives you  the best accuracy and consistency and go with that one. I lean toward the 85 gr. TSX of course.  :-D  

'Redhawk1' has it right.  Go with either the 85 gr. TSX or the 100 gr. Partition in the .243 Winchester.  Then start sending e-mails to Barnes to bring back out a 90 or 95 gr. TSX version.   :-D   Lawdog
 

That would be cool to have them in the TSX.

[Broken-arrow]

:grin: I use the 85gr. Sierra BTHP in my 6mm and my .243 and have had nothing but good results. Matter of fact I took a nice fat doe yesterday with the .243.  She was standing broadside @ 130 yards, I placed the bullet about 2" behind the shoulder and she went down like she was struck by lightning.   In my experience this little 85 grainer performs way better than it should.  The .243 and 6mm are both fine cartridges for deer-sized game with proper shot placement.

[victorcharlie]

:grin: I use the 85gr. Sierra BTHP in my 6mm and my .243 and have had nothing but good results. Matter of fact I took a nice fat doe yesterday with the .243.  She was standing broadside @ 130 yards, I placed the bullet about 2" behind the shoulder and she went down like she was struck by lightning.   In my experience this little 85 grainer performs way better than it should.  The .243 and 6mm are both fine cartridges for deer-sized game with proper shot placement.

The 85 grain Sierra BTHP has been my bullet of choice for many years in the .243 and I've killed many deer with it........The same bullet also works great on groundhogs and crows.........I agree......the bullet does perform way better than it should.........my guns like a near max load of IMR4831......

[hunt4646]

Tennessee deer run a little lighter than you are hunting.  All of my !00 gr Hornady sp bullets from 243 at 2800fps have exited deer whether broadside or quartering. numerous ribs have been broken on exiting. Shots have been fron 25 yds to 175 yds.

[victorcharlie]

Tennessee deer run a little lighter than you are hunting.  

Not so sure about that......Lookout Mountain GA is right on the Tennessee state line..........right next to Lookout Mountain Tennessee.  I'm sure the deer don't know where the state line is, but maybe the big ones stay in Georgia....... :-D

[Rimfirekid1022]

Where are you from in south east tennessee victor?

[victorcharlie]

Not to far from you at all..........Not sure exactly, but my guess is about 30 miles north of you........

[JKump]

For factory loads, you can not go wrong with either Hornady 100 grain light mags BTSP or Winchster 95 grain Ballistic silver tips.  Shoot both and see which one your gun likes better.  Mine (a NEF Superlight 243) liked the Hornady's better.  I gotten two deer this year one with the Winchester silver tips and one with the Hornady Light Mags.  Good luck with the hunt.

[Slamfire]

Way back in prehistoric days I bought a .244 from a guy who read all the gun writer trash talk about the unsuitablity of that cartridge for deer huntin'. Remington made a 90 grain CoreLokt that worked just fine. In those days the 100 grain Winchester load had bullets that were too hard and didn't open up on deer to well. Both of those bullets are gone now, but I still cling to the lighter bullets designed for medium game. The 87-grain Hornady is my favorite, but my Dad liked the 85 grain Sierra.
Any .243/.244/6mm is not a good rifle for the excitable newby, but a deliberate shooter can make it work. I'm sure the premium bullets work fine, but I've never been temped to try them, other than the Partitions, which weren't very accurate, way back when.  

[Lawdog]

Slamfire,

Any .243/.244/6mm is not a good rifle for the excitable newby, but a deliberate shooter can make it work.

True but yet how many experienced hunters/shooters buy one for their children, wives, sweethearts, etc., as their first rifle.  I fell into this same trap with our children so I do have some idea what I am talking about.  By the time our youngest was old enough to go deer hunting I had him shooting a .308 Savage M99.  With our Grandchildren I build them the rifle of their choice when they come of age.  Oldest Granddaughter chose a 7mm-08 for her first and the Grandson is thinking about either a 7.65x53mm like Grandpa started with or a .30-06 like his Father had.  But he has two years to decide before he reaches legal age.  He’ll most likely change his mind a few times in the next two years.  Lawdog
 

[Slamfire]

Way too many buy newbys .243s for the low recoil. I'd rathers see them equipped with a .257 or one of the 6.5s.  :wink:

[rickt300]

The poorest results I had with my 6MM Remington was when I was talked into using the 100 grain partition, I got plenty of penetration and deer that ran a long ways. Other than that box of bullets my 6 has made quick work of every deer it has hit solidly.  I don't understand why some think there is a penetration issue with standard bullets because there isn't, even with the lighter bullets. The 85 grain Sierra BTHP is a very destructive bullet, more so than some of the heavyweight bullets shot out of the 308 and 30-06 and tissue destruction is what kills deer. I won't ever reccomend the Texas heart shot AKA the Okie head shot with the 6mm rifles but they will still break deer down by breaking the pelvis if you shoot between the hams. If a deer gets away you better blame bad shooting not the cartridge.

[victorcharlie]

I guess you guys just had a different experience than I've had.  Owning property just off the federally protected Natchez Trace Parkway, there were a lot of days that I would have 35 or more deer in the front pasture.  I killed 5 or 6 every year, most with the .243 and a Sierra 85 grain BTHP.  I can say all but 2 that I remember dropped in there tracks.  Deer in Middle Tennessee have become more like varmits than big game, and the gun season in Middle Tennessee allows the taking of 3 does per day.

The .243 really is a great deer round....at least it has been with me....but a bad shot is a bad shot.....and  a bad shot is better off with a larger caliber simply for the fact that it makes bigger holes and the odds of hitting something vital is a little better.

After moving here to east Tennessee, I now hunt mainly a .35 Remington and a 45.70.  but I wouldn't hesitate to take the .243 again......