Hunting with the .243 Winchester- stepping down in Caliber and size

micus

Lil-Rokslider
Joined
Feb 27, 2016
Messages
237
Hey guys ,

SO, maybe this will be controversial, maybe it will not. I have been eying various forms of compact rifle, for well before I even had money to buy a rifle when I was a broke ass no gas student.

Anyway, When I finally did muster some coin, I spent it on the poor mans meat gun- Savage axis 30-06.

I still have this rifle, as well as a few others that have come and gone, anyway I figured it was time to get into something small, handy, and light to try out for this season as my quest for "The PERFECT" gun has continued. I walked in looking for a T3x compact in either .243 or .260 and walked out with a M77 compact in .243- crazy deal.

I plan on hunting deer, bear, and Elk if I manage to come across a 6x6. I have been looking around, it looks like lots of guys like the 95Gr SST and kill shots I have seen look dramatic with it.

The first deer I ever shot was with a 7mmRM @ 80 ish yards and it died in about 20 seconds. The second deer I ever shot was with a .243 and it died in equally fast manner so I am somewhat a proponent of accurate lethal hits vs monster mags- with that being said, I do have a custom less hiking friendly RUM.

What are you guys using for big game hunting pills in the 6mm/.243?!?

I have the following in my cabelas cart:
95Gr SSt
90Gr Accubond
100GR SGK
 

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ssliger

WKR
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Jun 20, 2013
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Laramie Wy
My daughter at age 12 dropped her mule deer buck at 275 yards with the 95gr SST. I have no problem with taking her out with that load on elk.


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hodgeman

WKR
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Mar 4, 2012
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Delta Junction, AK
It is tough to beat the 100gr bullets in the .243...especially a Partition.

The only thing I'd note is that carbine barrels produce a bit less MV, so the tougher bullets may be a little too tough for good expansion. I'd also try the 95gr Ballistic tip.
 

N2TRKYS

WKR
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Alabama
I know a few folks using short barreled rifles with 80 grain TTSX and love them. They're shooting whitetails, though.
 

Logan T

WKR
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Feb 17, 2013
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Montana
My old .243 killed its fair share of elk and a pile of deer with the ol’ 100 grain Remington Core Lokts. No fancy bullets but like you said, proper shot placement always put the animals down quickly.


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Joined
Jan 11, 2016
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Broomfield, CO
My 15 year old sons deer rifle is an old Ruger 77 International in 243. He's shot several WT and Mulies with it. It also has a short 18.5 barrel. With a good bullet it will be fine for elk but I'd want to keep the shots inside of about 250 yards. A slightly off shot or at a slightly off angle and it obviously won't be as forgiving as you 30-06. Anyway - that would be my 2 cents.
 

brushape

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Nov 13, 2013
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rohnert park, Ca
I’ve heard nothing but good about the 80 ttsx in 243 and will be what I shoot out of mine one I figure out what it will do that my 6.5 saum and 6.5 creed won’t do


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JP100

WKR
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Dec 20, 2013
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South Island New Zealand
I have used

65gn V Max(not recommended unless you want to turn rabbits inside out)

75gn GS CUSTOM, like a spendy Barnes, Very good but spendy and fussy to load

87gn BTHP from Hornady, these were my all time favorite projectile for Goats,pigs and red deer. Loved them at all ranges, needed good shot placement on stags, gave up using them as they came very hard to source here

85gn Honrady Interbonds, good reliable bullet, did not use them a huge amount but no complaints

100gn Game Kings, good old school bullet design, does the job.

95gn SSTs, only shot a couple of animals with these, worked well. Bull Tahr at 380 yards, furthest I have ever shot one and dropped him on the spot.

Right now I have a pack of 103 ELD X which I am going to make up for this year, used the ELD X last year in the .300wsm(200gns)with great results.

Have also had a very good run with 100gn Winchester Power Points(grey packet) for when I am too lazy to reload.

The .243 is a great wee caliber and the best thing about it is how well you can shoot with one. awkward shots are easy, and you can place that bullet right where it needs to go.

Generally for 'big game' with a 'small' caliber I suggests something like the Barnes/GMX. I have not used them(apart from the GS Custom) in my .243 mainly due to cost and I also use my .243 alot for goats and wallabies(where i want some rapid expansion and cheaper ammo as we can shoot 100 off in one day)

The Monolithic's want to be pushed FAST to work well and hitting some bone is usually good with them. With 'normal' bullets I would go for the ol 'meat saver' lung shot.

Of what you have listed I would go the accubond or GK. The SST is a good bullet, but can over expand with a high impact velocity(for 'deer' Id say it would be great, but might lack a bit on penetration on some shots on Elk)

thats my 2 cents after 10 years of hunting with a .243
 
Joined
Sep 23, 2017
Messages
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That short of a barrel really cramps the 243s style more so than the 308 or 7mm08- so you really want to shoot over a chrony to find out what your actual velocities are. For ana Lil purpose big game load I’d be looking at the 85 grain ttsx- and I’d limit the range of my shots to whatever the takes to keep impact velocity at or above about 2000fps. Probably around 350 yards.

The ttsx will be able to survive impact velocities that are at muzzle velocity without coming apart and will still deliver the penetration you need in the event of a 20 yard shot instead of just blowing up like an sst or smk or bt or eldx etc might. And as long as you keep the impact velocity 2kfps or more it’ll have enough on it to expand also.

It’s tough for me to recommend the 243 as an elk rifle to a guy who has and uses a 30/06 but no reason not to use it for everything else.


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muddydogs

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May 3, 2017
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Utah
Don't worry about the short barrel talk, I have an old Remington 788 243 with a carbine barrel that spits out 100 grain Speer Grand Slam bullet at 3000 fps. I have since started to switch over to Nosler Accubond bullets in my hunting rifles due to some Speer quality control issues I didn't like. The Accubond's have performed very well out of my 7mm Remington mag and 25-06.

There's nothing wrong with the Savage Axis rifle once a good trigger like a Timney is added to it, My 25-06 Axis is a light weight easy to back antelope and deer killing machine.
 
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That 788 still has more barrel than the 77 compact. Anyway it’s certainly not anything to worry about. If my choices were 24” or 16.5” only- I’d take 16.5 every time. At least in the cartridges i shoot. I do not have a rifle in the stable with a tube longer than 20”

But the difference in 18 and 24 (which is the barrel length almost if not all the manufacturers use in test barrels) in 243 is enough that you - correction- “ I “would want to KNOW not guess how fast that bullet is leaving if it might be used to shoot anything past 250.


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Joined
Jan 17, 2017
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567
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sw mt
100 grn partition or hornady interlock, have also used the 100 grn game king with good results.

Used the 80 grn ttsx, behind the shoulder shots at 25 yds produced no blood trail, and minimal tissue damage.....dead deer within 50 yards though.
 

V65Magna

FNG
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Jan 13, 2018
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MD
I'm using a 95 grain Partition in my old A-Bolt chambered in .243 and it really puts a whoopin' on whitetails. I've had expansion issues with Speers and Nosler Ballistic tips at higher velocities (within 150 yards) but remedied this by backing off a grain or so on my charge weights. Still, the Partitions really seem to shine, so I'll stick with them for now. I think I'd try a .243 on Elk in the appropriate hunting situation. Why not?
 
Joined
Oct 19, 2012
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Western Montana
I'm a huge 6mm Remington fan and have used it for many years on coyotes, deer, antelope, and elk. I've tested in gallon water jugs and used on game Nosler Partitions, Accubonds, and E-tips and they all have performed very well. Here are some good ones I would consider and I would feel completely comfortable with the bullet doing it's part if I did my part in shooting accurately!

Nosler 100 or 95 gr. Partition

Nosler 90 gr. Accubond

Nosler 90 gr. E-tip

I have used the 100 gr. Partition with great success and it's an awesome bullet. The 95 gr. would work just as well.

My son uses the 90 gr. E-tip in one of his 6mm's and the 100 gr. Partition in the other. The E-tip has taken several antelope, a nice mule deer buck, and a very large cow elk at 350 yards with one shot!

I've used the Accubonds in other rifles and tested them in water jugs from 25-500 yards so I know what they will do and I have complete faith in them. Impact velocity at 25 yards in water jugs was about 3300 fps and they penetrated and held together nicely and that says a lot!

There are some great new powders out there but a couple tested and tried powders are H4350 and IMR4350. Good place to start. Best of luck.
 

N2TRKYS

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Alabama
I'm a huge 6mm Remington fan and have used it for many years on coyotes, deer, antelope, and elk. I've tested in gallon water jugs and used on game Nosler Partitions, Accubonds, and E-tips and they all have performed very well. Here are some good ones I would consider and I would feel completely comfortable with the bullet doing it's part if I did my part in shooting accurately!

Nosler 100 or 95 gr. Partition

Nosler 90 gr. Accubond

Nosler 90 gr. E-tip

I have used the 100 gr. Partition with great success and it's an awesome bullet. The 95 gr. would work just as well.

My son uses the 90 gr. E-tip in one of his 6mm's and the 100 gr. Partition in the other. The E-tip has taken several antelope, a nice mule deer buck, and a very large cow elk at 350 yards with one shot!

I've used the Accubonds in other rifles and tested them in water jugs from 25-500 yards so I know what they will do and I have complete faith in them. Impact velocity at 25 yards in water jugs was about 3300 fps and they penetrated and held together nicely and that says a lot!

There are some great new powders out there but a couple tested and tried powders are H4350 and IMR4350. Good place to start. Best of luck.

I've been curious about the 90 grain Accubonds in the .243, cause I may load some for my nephew. Thanks for posting this.
 
Joined
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I've been curious about the 90 grain Accubonds in the .243, cause I may load some for my nephew. Thanks for posting this.

I think you will like them if your rifle shoots them well. When I said I have tested the Accubonds from 25-500 yards in water jugs, actually I have tested them all that I listed. Those being the Accubonds, the Partitions, and the E-tips. They all worked very well.

The two powders I listed would be good starters for trying with that bullet in your 243, but there are lots to try. If for some reason you can't get a grouping like you wish, try seating them deeper a bit. Lots of folks have used that trick with success. I haven't had any issues getting them to shoot though.
 
Joined
Oct 2, 2016
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West Virginia
With a good bullet like a Speer Grand Slam, Barnes, partition, etc..., a 243 is a deadly deal. I have a 22 inch barreled version and the deer I've shot with it HIT the ground. God Bless
 

N2TRKYS

WKR
Joined
Apr 17, 2016
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I think you will like them if your rifle shoots them well. When I said I have tested the Accubonds from 25-500 yards in water jugs, actually I have tested them all that I listed. Those being the Accubonds, the Partitions, and the E-tips. They all worked very well.

The two powders I listed would be good starters for trying with that bullet in your 243, but there are lots to try. If for some reason you can't get a grouping like you wish, try seating them deeper a bit. Lots of folks have used that trick with success. I haven't had any issues getting them to shoot though.

I've got those two powders on hand. Lately, I've come to love RL 16 & 26. RL16 gives me 2830fps average with 140 grain Partitions in my 20" barreled 7-08.
 
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