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Rifle question. #1130839 12/27/09 06:20 PM
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mike0513 Offline OP
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Is a .243 a good Texas whitetail rifle.



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Re: Rifle question. [Re: mike0513] #1130856 12/27/09 06:28 PM
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243 is fine . Its all about shot placement



We get old too fast and wise too slow
Re: Rifle question. [Re: erniejs] #1131059 12/27/09 08:42 PM
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Originally Posted By: erniejs
243 is fine . Its all about shot placement


X2!

Just use a premium bullet, dont try to stretch the range of the rifle, and put the bullet where it belongs and it will kill em like lightning!


Re: Rifle question. [Re: JCB] #1131063 12/27/09 08:44 PM
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killed several with mine through the years






Re: Rifle question. [Re: Driller] #1131071 12/27/09 08:50 PM
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have cleaned many over the years shot with 243



David


Re: Rifle question. [Re: mike0513] #1131227 12/27/09 10:16 PM
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Depends on the Whitetail, IMO. There is a big difference between a hill country doe and a big mature Buck from south Texas or the Panhandle.

The 243 would be fine most of the time, but not my first choice for a trophy hunt.


Re: Rifle question. [Re: JJH] #1131295 12/27/09 11:02 PM
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There is a older man I live by that only uses a 243 and has plenty of succes with it.


Re: Rifle question. [Re: Cvothehero] #1131316 12/27/09 11:11 PM
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Killed my only mule deer with one.


Re: Rifle question. [Re: cbump] #1131383 12/27/09 11:56 PM
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I've killed several whitetails with the .243 and a 30" Paunsagunt Utah mulie with the 6mm Rem, the .243's ballistic twin. And I've shot quite a few hogs with the .243.

For whitetails, I'd say you're fine. In hog country, I'd say you're a bit under-gunned, owing to the hogs' thick hide, unless you restrict yourself to head shots. But if you don't have pigs on your lease, then go for it.

Personally, I like a little bit more gun. But if I had to make a choice between going hunting with a .243 or staying home, well, I'd stoke the little gun with 100 gr Speers and go huntin'!



"For every complex problem there is an answer that is clear, simple.....and wrong." H. L. Mencken
Re: Rifle question. [Re: dawaba] #1131532 12/28/09 01:24 AM
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yep plenty



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Re: Rifle question. [Re: luv2brode] #1131540 12/28/09 01:29 AM
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if seen deer die quick from it, and deer run off like they wern't hit but were hit in the vitals.....its an iffy caliber imo as far as deer calibers go...it is either gonna work or it dosen't.

a popular gun writer once gave credit to his fantastic blood tracking skills thanks to a .243

If you handload you can do a bit more with it, i know BMD uses one and he swears by 85 grain TSX's.

It is not an ideal caliber for whitetail imo



For it is not the quarry that we truly seek, but the adventure.
Re: Rifle question. [Re: dawaba] #1131541 12/28/09 01:29 AM
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The 243 is an excellent Deer rifle. You will find it is good medicine for hogs also. I killed them for years with a 243 and quite a few 250# plus ones. One thing I like about it for deer is it seems to be alot less wasted meat on heart/lung shots compared to the bigger rounds.


Re: Rifle question. [Re: luv2brode] #1131543 12/28/09 01:30 AM
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It's plenty, but not my choice for "all" of my deer hunting. I use my 6MM for does and culls (head or neck shots out to 150yds) and step it up for longer shots or bigger deer (bucks).


Re: Rifle question. [Re: Texas Proud] #1131737 12/28/09 03:00 AM
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My wife uses a .243 and has had no problem. havent had one run over 30-40 yrds. I've shot two with it and and one hit the ground (neck shot) and the other never made it across the ride away witch was a sholder shot. imo great caliber for a youth or for someone wanting minimum recoil, but still getting the job done.


Re: Rifle question. [Re: TRHODES] #1131746 12/28/09 03:06 AM
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I bought a Browning .243 for one of the kids and tried it myself. Now I leave my .270 at home and take the .243 when my daughter isn't going with me.



"When the debate is lost, insults become the tool of the loser."
Re: Rifle question. [Re: Texas Dan] #1131769 12/28/09 03:18 AM
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My wife has killed a Vann & Roach double deck load of deer with one and still hunts with it. grin

She inherited a custom 270 WBY, that is a shootin SOB, and it stays in the gunsafe, she would rather hunt with her 243 Sako. up



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Re: Rifle question. [Re: moderno] #1132142 12/28/09 01:19 PM
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my son just killed his first deer last week with one, and I was suprised on how devastating it was even though he gut shot the thing. It only ran about 60 yards and went down.


Re: Rifle question. [Re: tx_basser] #1132374 12/28/09 03:58 PM
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I have killed many deer with it. No issues at all.



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Re: Rifle question. [Re: fastliberator] #1133602 12/29/09 01:09 AM
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Yes it's a good deer round.


Re: Rifle question. [Re: cowboy] #1133646 12/29/09 01:25 AM
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Id use it with some good expanding rounds in a heartbeat.


Re: Rifle question. [Re: devildog28] #1133720 12/29/09 01:50 AM
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hell i've shot deer out to 300 with my vanguard and they never go further than 20 yards even with a heart shot... it's all about bein able to shoot it i say take the gun you can shoot the best and you won't have a problem with one at all unless you shoot ridiculously far





Re: Rifle question. [Re: redseal] #1133764 12/29/09 02:04 AM
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243 is fine within its intended ranges and uses...

What I can't get over is what the 243 will do that a 308 won't do better, cheaper, and allow you more options of things to hunt...


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