No love for the .243?

[Mikey_B79]

Well that should stir pot lol

I don't know about that, everyone's experience will be different. I shot my first whitetail deer 32 years ago this fall with a borrowed .243 Winchester. Since then, nearly 50 deer and probably 10 or so with a .243 in some form or another in mixed country. I don't ever recall having an issue with blood trails or tracking deer, but I've also not had one end up in the water and my shooting lanes are wayyy bigger than 4 ft in general.

Bears are a different story, my last one was shot at 90 yards with a .300 Win Mag and there were a few drops of blood at the impact spot and that's it. It wasn't even a big bear, and the bullet went through both lungs (180gr Partition). It only made it about 15 yards, but nothing more than a couple drops of blood on the ground.

 

[North61]

I have a lot of very good rifles. Our most accurate is a LH Tikka Lightweight (for my son) in 243 that is one of two rifles I own that actually consistently shades 0.5 MOA with its best loads. By consistently I mean over and over again. The other is a Legendary Arms in .... wait for it...6.5 Creedmoor. We restrict the 243 to 300 or so yards on caribou as it does run out of steam at long range. That's within range of 85-90% of the caribou we have ever taken. Now that he is older he has jumped to a Tikka 7 Rem Mag that only gets MOA but takes us out to 540 yards when the wind is low. 243 is a great round but it does have range limitations where you can make good hits but with low energy. And yes we use bonded or copper bullets only in light calibers like the little 243.

 

[dirtytough]

Serious question, what do you think accounts for the no blood track jobs? The reason I ask is because I’ve been on a few myself that my son has shot over the past couple of years. Shooting federal power shock 100gr and hornady SST 95 gr. Not bad shots and all deer recovered within 100 yards but little to no blood. All shots were 40-80 yards.


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The bullet. My wife shot a buck with a bullet a lot of people like for hunting. Even here on RS it gets love. With a thin skiff of snow I could not find blood. I watched the impact in my BTX so I knew it was a good hit. Finally found the buck and it was a good shot. There was an entrance and exit.

I quit using those bullets after that. And I got a couple new rifles and haven’t used that one since that season. I’ll look for a pic.

Edit. Found the pic. This is the exit side.

 

[justin davis]

I have a lot of very good rifles. Our most accurate is a LH Tikka Lightweight (for my son) in 243 that is one of two rifles I own that actually consistently shades 0.5 MOA with its best loads. By consistently I mean over and over again. The other is a Legendary Arms in .... wait for it...6.5 Creedmoor. We restrict the 243 to 300 or so yards on caribou as it does run out of steam at long range. That's within range of 85-90% of the caribou we have ever taken. Now that he is older he has jumped to a Tikka 7 Rem Mag that only gets MOA but takes us out to 540 yards when the wind is low. 243 is a great round but it does have range limitations where you can make good hits but with low energy. And yes we use bonded or copper bullets only in light calibers like the little 243.

Yea lately we have been using a 6 CM with 108 ELDm bullets. The 6 cm is essentially a .243. But I think with those heavy bullets can take game at pretty far ranges.

 

[sbaker0029]

The bullet. My wife shot a buck with a bullet a lot of people like for hunting. Even here on RS it gets love. With a thin skiff of snow I could not find blood. I watched the impact in my BTX so I knew it was a good hit. Finally found the buck and it was a good shot. There was an entrance and exit.

I quit using those bullets after that. And I got a couple new rifles and haven’t used that one since that season. I’ll look for a pic.

Edit. Found the pic. This is the exit side.
View attachment 581628

What bullet?

 

[stanginthe11s]

I love the .243. I think it can drop anything in the 50 states. the things that I feel hold people back with the .243 are shot placement and bullet choice. I think heavies are not the best for this round, and you should stay between 80-90 gn for big game. as for shot placement, if you're in a heavy growth area then the high shoulder or neck solves that problem. no need for blood trails if you anchor your animal where it stands. this is just my experience though.

 

[Steve300xcw]

then the high shoulder or neck solves that problem. no need for blood trails if you anchor your animal where it stands. this is just my experience though.

Yup.

Though these days, if I cant get a neck or head shot. I am punching shoulders

 

[dirtytough]

180 ELD

 

[Steve300xcw]

180 ELD

You sure?

 

[Formidilosus]

We restrict the 243 to 300 or so yards on caribou as it does run out of steam at long range.

And yes we use bonded or copper bullets only in light calibers like the little 243.

There is your problem. Projectiles that create narrow wounds.

 

[stanginthe11s]

both bullet and shot placement play a part in blood trails, as does temp. putting a round that tight in the crease means the shoulder will block the flow of blood when its running, throw in cold temps that slow blood loss and hair soaking it up and you have no trail. of course, blow a big enough hole and it fixes some of that lol.

 

[dirtytough]

You sure?

?

 

[KenLee]

?

After seeing a couple gut shot bucks that can't run off because their intestines are wrapped around their back legs, I'd agree

 

[6mm Remington]

Hey I love the 6mm REMINGTON and will not cross the road for that other seductress no matter how hard she tries!

 

[6mm Remington]

Here's 315 pound on the hoof buck one shot with my 6mm Remington and 100 gr. Nosler Partition. 75 yards and he dropped on the spot. The doe was running with him and she went about 15 yards and tipped over at about the same distance. Two quick shots with my Ruger 1B.

Antelope buck one shot 6mm Remington 100 gr. Partition at 75 yards.

Spike bull 30 yards one shot in the shoulder exited the neck on the other side. Staggered a few steps and another shot behind the ear put him down. Dead on his feet. 6mm 100 gr. Partition

6mm Remington 100 gr. Partition - 400 yards one shot. Dropped on the spot.

6mm Remington 100 gr. Partition one shot at 200 yards. Dropped on the spot.

Sons first elk. One shot at 350 yards. 6mm Remington 90 gr. Nosler E-tip. Hit her tight behind the right shoulder and the bullet Exited the center of the left shoulder. Went maybe 20 yards and dropped dead.

Sons first buck one shot at 300 yards. 6mm Remington 90 gr. Nosler E-tip. I love the 6mm Remington!

 

[Steve300xcw]

?

A 180gr eld?

 

[stanginthe11s]

never had luck with the 100 gn partitions out of my .243. killed em, but wasnt impressed. should have tried them in my 6 mm rem. maybe the added velocity was needed.

 

[Steve300xcw]

never had luck with the 100 gn partitions out of my .243. killed em, but wasnt impressed. .

How much deader did they need to be?

 

[stanginthe11s]

How much deader did they need to be?

lol. no deader, just sooner. of course that was a long time ago so it may have been me.

 

[dirtytough]

A 180gr eld?

Not in .243 obviously. It was a bullet that gave erratic results.

After seeing a couple gut shot bucks that can't run off because their intestines are wrapped around their back legs, I'd agree

I’m lost.