Largest animal using a 243?

What would be the largest animal you would shoot with a 243?

jackrabbit

Nothing bigger than Bigfoot I wouldn't think.

a doe or a buck (if neck shot) and a 1000lb hog.

anything in north america under 100 yards...

that include a 120 lb meth head????

yes.....very good at taking out culls..

Yes, shot placement will be key in this situation.

what about the 400 lb moo-moo wearing buffet buster that is usually seen shimmying down the tile sendero's at wal-mart?

if I were to say gut shoot and let it run off folks would get upset with me.

yelp...called knee cap

Oddly specific, and something I don't want to address because I don't want that mental picture.

I think the question you're trying to ask is "What is the largest animal you would intentionally hunt with a 243?"

For me it would be a mule deer.

I can think of several scenarios where an opportunity at a really large animal like an elk or moose might present itself and all I had available was a 243. In that case...POW! But I'm not going to be carrying one if I'm out hunting for an elk or moose.

Most of the ones I see are rolling down the tile senderos. I don't know how those tiny little tires stand up to the strain.

If in doubt, put a head shot on it! Most anything i shoot with .223 or 22-250 i put a head shot, usually i try to earhole it. To answer the op, I wouldn't knowingly go out hunting anything larger than i white tail, if i had larger guns around (which i do).

a buddy of mine shot a 250lb hog at 200 yards. DRT. And it was at a pretty steep decline. I dont knock em.

I would probably stick with whitetail,mule deer, or even pronghorns but probably nothing bigger than that. Ive taken alot of deer and pigs with mine up to 300 lbs and never had a problem. Shot Placement is key

Ok, I revise my post. I will use that caliber on piggy's. I'm sure i could kill larger animals with it, but wouldn't if i don't have too

I'd have no problem taking my .243 for mulies...as long as I knew my shots would be under 300 yards.

Thanks for the "serious" response. My 10 year grand daughter is going on her first hunt this weekend and we are thinking about letting her take a pretty good size Sika that we have been watching with a 243.

I have shot several large axis bucks with my 308 and have not had any problems. A 243 is simply a neck down 308 with a 6mm bullet.

I'd shoot anything in the country with mine, but would prefer not to. Hogs are the biggest things I like to shoot with mine and that is because I don't mind if I lose them. Head shots strictly on hogs for me with anything 243 or smaller.

I like to ensure I have a blood trail on deer in case I pull the shot a little and don't drop them with a high shoulder shot.

It is all preference really.

what about the batteries???? they must need a charge every 12 min.

god help them if they ever encountered any kind of a grade

Hogs and Doe

Largest was around 150lbs (Hog) 115 (Doe)

I say go for it with the 243. Keep the distance fairly close and make sure she knows where (and how) to place the shot. Good luck to the young hunter!!!!

Hogs and Doe

Largest was around 150lbs (Hog) 115 (Doe)

I've taken a large white tail buck and lots of BIG hogs (up to 300 lbs) with my .243 and it's not a problem. She should do just fine with it IMO.

Why ya'll be hatin' on fat girlz, de need luv too.

I have used a 243 on a lot of aminals.I guess the biggest was a hog that went about 350.

seriously......


i see little need for a kid using a .243 when we have the .260, 7mm-08 and the 6.5x55 available.


unless you handload, with factory ammo a .243 isn't a real show stopper

Red Hartebeest and Black Wildebeest

What about a Texas black panther?

Sorry, I think your thead got hijacked.
Most will tell you anything in Texas is fine for a .243. Most would suggest a .270 min. for rest of continental 48, and maybe bigger for moose, buffalo, and wildlife in Canada/Alaska. Leave head shots out of the question and you'll get many answers tho.

I know several grown arse men who shoot a .243 exclusively for deer hunting in Texas.

They all have .270's, .300's, 7mag's, etc as well.

.243 is a good load for whitetail.

Knock on wood, but I've never lost and animal, of any kind, with my .243. I've had it for 14 years and I love it. It's dead on and I shoot anything from 55 grain ballistic to 90 grain BTHP. I've shot Deer, pigs, and Mulies, along with coyotes bobcats. Someone said it earlier, but shot placement is the key. I do also have a 300 WSM, but personally, I think it's a bit over kill for any of the animals I've mentioned earlier. Just my opinion.

The shot will be anywhere from 50 to 75 yards. The round will probably be a 95 grain Winchester Ballistic Tip.

I just got through reloading some, so I will check them out tomorrow and see how they do.

We are assuming the the big Sika will show up, however if he doesn't then there are plenty of WT and Axis does.

We thought it would pretty cool to have her "buck" hanging on the wall with the others.

lets put it this way....i would't shoot an axis buck with one

I don't like the .243 as an all around caliber. I really don't care for it for whitetail either. I've owned lots of guns and lots of different calibers and for serious hunting of deer or anything bigger (not counting big brown bears) I want something that pushes about a 117gr. bullet at around 3,000 FPS.

Just my opinon.

well there goes my 25-06 and 257 wby and 100 grain bullets as deer hunting rounds

the 257 wby throwing a 100 grain partition is a mean S.O.B

What is it with you and those two calibers? No offense, but since I've been on here you seem to brag about those two calibers like they were heaven sent. Unless you reload, the 257 wby is a poor choice of caliber due to the high ammo price. You can buy other calibers that can do the same thing without spending an arm and leg for some ammo. It's been my experience that A LOT of people that shoot Weatherby calibers only do so for braggin rights and do not have good enough marksmanship skills to really need a caliber with the potential that those rounds offer. I'm not directing that statement at you, just making a observation.

The 25-06 is a nice choice and I really don't have anything bad to say about it. Loaded with 117 Sierra Gamekings I wouldnt hesitate to aim it at any whitetail.

I can kill anything with a 243 that you can with any othose guns.it all depends on shot placement.

imo the .257 wby is handed down from god himself.

it is probably THE best deer round ever made.....and anyone who thinks the wby mark V isn't the cats azz dosen't know his butt from a hole in the ground.

who gives a rats ace about price anyway....unless its 10 bucks a round or something what does it matter?

Tell me why? Why is it heaven sent?

Agree with bowman on this one. Largest thing I have killed personally is a 195lb whitetail.

Factory load Remington with 95gr Swift Sirocco. punched a nice hole through both shoulders and heart/lungs serious damage with almost 1.5 inch exit hole. bullet continues into about 1.5 inches of oak tree before comming to a stop. Hogs up to 240lb have also dropped from a shoulder shot with the same box of ammo. I would not hesitate to use that load on the Sika. Make sure she can shoot and take her hunting!

that top part is sigline worthy to me considering who it is to.


don't overlook the 110gr Accubonds in that -06.

The price may not matter to you, but I'd be willing to bet the majority of hunters still like going into Wal-Mart and paying $20 for a box for their 270, 7 mag, or 30-06.

I don't mean to come across as a hater of the 257 wby. I know what it can do and I know it's a serious cartridge. Just saying the price of the ammo is a little over rated for what the caliber can do.

in bulk you can get some loads for $38...I love the 257wby because I can get reloads for it for next to nothing. It's one round that does suck the life right out of a deer...even though I prefer doing such with the 300wm(s).

My son (11 years old) has shot lots of deer with his .243 and to this day has never had one run over about 30 yards after the shot. Last year I started making him shoot them through the shoulder instead of behind it and I kid you not, everything he has shot since then has dropped DRT in it's tracks. Including a 300 lb. boar at 150 yards. When we are in the blind together and I decide to shoot something myself, I will usually grab his .243 instead of my 30-06. The 243 rarely exits the animal and it does LOTS of damage.

as a few of you know, with the rare exception, i hunt whitetail exclusively in south tx.

i haven't shot a deer in the hill country (other than one meat doe for my in laws,at their place) since 1997.

where i hunt, if a deer makes makes it more than 10 yards from the point of impact, it can be very hard to find.


it takes a certain type of caliber to be certain of a drt.

I can certainly understand that! I have hunted on places like that.

I hunt south as well, and have dropped them in their tracks with a 22-250 heart shot that massacred the inside of the body (buck). Shot them with a 270 and they have run 50 yards or so (not all of them). 284 have dropped them in their tracks and even missed a monster 8 point cull (i'm blaming that one on severely cold north winds, and miss judging the range). Nothing has run from the 300 rum. I have not lost an animal that i have hit. Again doe and spike i try to ear hole, whatever gun i have in my hand. All bucks i do a heart shot. It all depends on shot placement, and whatever gun you are the most comfortable with. The 270 i use is the one that i have the most confidence in. My ar15 in .223 is the next most confidence. If i put it in the ear, i know i'm gonna hit it in the ear with that one. It all depends on how good of shot you are, and really depends on how confident you are in the rifle you have in your hands

Back to the original question and the OPs further comments. Take her shooting then take her hunting, I bet she would love the Sika mount. Good luck on getting him and post some pics when she does. Biggest Sika I have seen killed was with a 243 at about 60 yards with a double lung shot tight behind the shoulder.

I forgot to mention that I also killed a axis buck with mine last year aswell. Good luck to yall hope to some pics up soon!

I dropped my 252 lbs whitetail buck this year with a 100 grain .243. Also took a Red Stag with one several years ago. That little bullet does a lot of damage if you hit them right.

Agreed.

Years ago I happened across a good book at the public library that was written by an experienced hunter way back in the 1960's. Back in those days, men hunted in the true sense of the word. I remember the author's testiment of the little .243 as being sufficient to take even the largest elk, given correct shot placement in the heart and lungs.

I've really come to enjoy taking my daughter's Browning .243 Medallion, when she lets me of course. It's a sweet little "carry" rifle that handles small, and yet yields a very wicked punch.

I am just as likely to carry my 243 as I am my 300 or 270. I have shot nothing but Nosler Partitions and never more than 300 yards, but it is lethal and fun to shoot. My rifle has taken a 5X6 bull elk with one shot behind the shoulder at 175 yards. It was not intended to be used, but friends son forgot his 7mm-08 ammo and there was none to be found in South Central CO.

A) both those calibers any one can shot accurately... You don't have to worry about some doorknob overly manly want to be hunter thinking he needs a 300 mag to kill a whitetial ect..then pull the shot, becuase he flinched or closed his eyes

b) both those guns when loaded with well built hundred grain builts well flat hammer any thing you hit them with ... they carry way more then enough energey out to 400 yards to cleanly and effectly kill any thing they want... Not to mention at a 100 yards they are both still push 2000 lbs of energy.

c) they both take the guess work out of 350yard shots or lower.. 1.5 high at a hundred and your holding dead on out to 350

d) I spent to much time with guys that have 300 mag, 270 wsm, 7mm..ect... they start cussing thier scope or gun because they are 3-5 plus inch circle at 100 yards...hand them my 25-06 and they are shooting MOA...and loving it, had more people try to buy my rifle becuase it shots so well, the truth is a good shooter but its nothing special... Its the lack of recoil plain and simple. The recoil makes them a more user friendly gun at 300 yards... You pull a 300mag 3 inches at a hundred you still hit the deer in vitals,,, but at 300 yards your in the guts or miss. Again your less likely to pull the quarterbores just off recoil.

as far as 257 wby ammo you can buy 100 grain 257 wby spitzer for 30 bucks.

And as far as the 117 grain Gameking, not a fan but it will kill effectively, I think the technology has come a long way since cup and core bullets.

I have no need for any other WBY other then the 257. As far as what people buy and why... Other mfg's has spent the last 30 years trying to match the ballistics of the wby rounds for OTC ammo... is it needed..no, but the ballistics are impressive never the less of OTC ammo.

So yes I'm a huge fan of the 25 bores just due to the fact they are shooter friendly for any one wither it be a kid, female, adult or gramps... And I push it so hard becuase i hate sitting on here listening to people say you need 270+ cailber to kill deer or elk. When in fact in most cases those are the guys that talk kids or newbies into the big calibers and it gets them in trouble becuase theer not polished enough yet to handle those big recoiling guns

I haven't read all the posts yet (so someone may have already said this), but I hunted in Colorado about 12 yrs ago and at that time you were not allowed to hunt with anything smaller than a .270

So the .243 or the 25.06 would be illegal.

Colorado the minimum caliber for all big game is the .243/6mm. There is a grain restriction for bullets on elk which is either 85 or 90 grains???? All rifles must have a minimum of 1000 ft-lbs of energy at 100 yards to be legal. Most States with elk have a similar caliber restrictions

I shot a 1200lb brahma bull with a 243 several years ago. It had gone nuts and was hurting our heifers, charging the truck. It was wild and I shot it at about 75yds. Dropped like a rock. It was a head shot.
It was also fun hunting the wild sucker. Kinda like a west texas cape buffalo hunt!

Use a good heavy bullet and It will go through and cause damage that no one can fix. .243 is a good round and will do the job. Just remember speed is fine but accuracy is final !!! Put the round in its heart and lungs and its "Back Strap" baby...

Now lets go shoot something !!

+1 I am a huge fan of Weatherby and I can shoot any rifle well. I second the comment that EVERY company or ammo manufacturer has tried to duplicate weatherby ballistics. Hence all of the WSM loads, Rem. Ultra mags, Hornaday has several pumped up loads for slow guns trying to match weatherby. No one can on an everyday bases. The .257 is the best all around caliber made today. Low recoil fast and flat shooting and more pounds of energy than a 30-06.

My Daughter got this one with a .243 Savage and 100 grain bullet. It was her second hog and she was thrilled. We have a 243 and a 270-shot placement is key along with some other important items but we have never lost an animal with the .243 and 100 grain bullet-we hunt north texas so take that into consideration also.

R U serious, the .243 is a cannon, shoot whatever you want with it.
My .22 hornet will take anything in this continent with a head shot.

DCS, I think your original posting here went a different direction than you were wanting, but overall I agree with those that say shoot the Sika! My daughter uses a .243 as well. I have hunted for nearly 30 years, served as Pro Staff for a Outdoor television program and seen the .243 used by kids to take down numerous whitetails...the Sika doesn't stand a chance. However, my daughter is at the range more than she's in the field. She needs only one shot for whatever comes out in front of the blind/ stand. I recommend time on the range as key to success in this situation. Good luck and I look forward to the pictures being posted.

If a bow can kill it a .243 can kill it.

Not sure why anyone would think a .243 is not enough for deer. Deer are not tough animals to kill. Unless I am hunting for buffalo I would use a .243 to kill any game animal in the state of Texas.

Reggie

I've shot a 243 more than any rifle and am very happy with it! I've downed deer, hogs, etc... Shot placement is key as is every caliber! I tend to make a shot behind the front shoulder, into the shoulder and top of the shoulder/base of the neck and never had one go more than 40yds!!! Use Hornady BTSP 100 grain and it'll be all good! I've used just about every other bullet and the Hornady has the most accuracy even after several shots! Tried shooting several shots with many other bullets and the Remy Core-Lock always shoot the first 2 accurate then the next 3 will be 2-3 inches off! Hornady stays dead on with a minimal 1/2" of movement on the target!!! I can deal with that!!!

BOBO, where are you buying your ammo?

I just checked a mail order catalog, from a place I consider to be very inexpensive, and the cheapest 257 Weatherby ammo they offer is $49.21 a box. The Nosler Partitions are $70.49 a box.

Weatherby brand empty 257 brass is $32.25 per 20.

I got a couple of Custom mades that make that MARK V look like a daisy BB GUN. Also in 22-250 and 25-06 and 300 Short Mag. The 243 is a good round nothing wrong with it I have seen it drop an axis no problem. I also hunt in South Texas and the Hill Country and shot placement is key if you hit them right they will be DRT period..