The mighty 243

[dgr416]

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Opps i ment 1957 model right after 243s c a me out .It balances awesome and the set trigger is about less than a pound .

 

[ftrovato]

With premium mono or bonded bullets this caliber certainly shoots beyond what us old timers remember it failing on years ago.

 

[WAB]

I sold my .243 simply because it was never used. However, I killed half a dozen deer with it using 100 gr bullets and never had an issue.

 

[dgr416]

If I can find them I have two boxes of Nosler Partitions 100 gr should be good on deer .I just dont trust 243s on stuff above 150 pounds .My friend Roy in Alaaka shot 7 grizzlies at his door with 243 win snd that 2000 pound buffalo .This 243 mannlicher is too pretty not to shoot .

 

[MS 9x56]

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Except for the price. Today you would have to add $1500 to the total .

 

[rdog]

Hornady sucks thats why I dont like their ammo bullets dies reloaders any thing that says hornady .My 338s will not shoot any hornady bullets but they shot cloverleafs with noslers winchester and speer bullets .I had a mess with hornady 405 brass 308 brass and many others i totally avoid 416 rem mag hornady or any of their brass .I dont have problems at all with other brass .Hornady dies are terrible I bought 18 sets before i knew it nond of them would decap brass without knocked with a hammer on the decapping rod .I wouldnt hunt squirrels with any of their junk much less dangerous game of any kind .The hornady xtp bullets were fair but varied so much couldnt trust them except plinking .

I do not have any issues with Hornady products ! i use their dies, bullets , brass, & their other reloading gear.

 

[8 x 60]

I am enjoying the banter on this. Maybe I should do a post about the 6.5 x 58r Sauer and see what @aussiebob#"I have an issue with .243" has to say lol!

 

[cwickgo9]

For Texas deer and below, .243 is fine. If I was going for the Tiny 10, it paired with a .223 would be my ticket. Its especially good for new hunters or those a bit recoil shy. I know it CAN be used on bigger game, but anything bigger than white tail/mule deer/Impala I'd want at least a .30 cal. - but that's me.

 

[Betterinthebush]

I awoke from a horrible dream once. I dreamt that the federal government was confiscating all weapons in the USA except the .243 Win.
The federal government said that that’s all a well regulated militia needed. If we wanted to hunt..that’s what we had to use.

 

[Flbt]

Except for the price. Today you would have to add $1500 to the total .

That full stock dule trigger model in 358 would be nice to

 

[Flbt]

For Texas deer and below, .243 is fine. If I was going for the Tiny 10, it paired with a .223 would be my ticket. Its especially good for new hunters or those a bit recoil shy. I know it CAN be used on bigger game, but anything bigger than white tail/mule deer/Impala I'd want at least a .30 cal. - but that's me.

350L has less recoil 35 cal and heavier bullets

 

[WyoBull]

A 243 works wonders until it doesn’t.

I have seen two situations where 243 bullets designed for medium game failed to reach the vitals because they stopped on a shoulder.

I would say that is the case with any caliber. Use the right bullet in the 243 and it is a great caliber for up to deer size game. With the load I have worked up for mine using the Barnes 80 gr TTSX, I would hand my rifle to anyone hunting Mule Deer, Whitetail Deer, Pronghorn Antelope etc., and have a high degree of confidence in its effectiveness.

 

[WyoBull]

I load for .243 using 80 Grain Barnes TTSX. Fast, accurate, and deadly…

Same here, NIGHTHAWK. Mine is a Tikka T3X Superlite and I worked up a load using the Barnes 80 gr TTSX that is a little faster than the Barnes Vor-TX factory load using the same bullet. I have as much confidence in that rifle and load and any of my rifles. In fact, is has fast become one of two rifles I grab from the safe when heading to the country. People can bash the caliber all they want but I will take mine any day.

 

[leslie hetrick]

Passable ground hog caliber.

just barely and a sick ground hog at that.

 

[skydiver386]

just barely and a sick ground hog at that.

...and if you did shoot him, he'd probably die of infection!

 

[NIGHTHAWK]

Same here, NIGHTHAWK. Mine is a Tikka T3X Superlite and I worked up a load using the Barnes 80 gr TTSX that is a little faster than the Barnes Vor-TX factory load using the same bullet. I have as much confidence in that rifle and load and any of my rifles. In fact, is has fast become one of two rifles I grab from the safe when heading to the country. People can bash the caliber all they want but I will take mine any day.

Yup. They either talk the talk or walk the walk…

If I didn’t have first hand experience I wouldn’t discourage anyone from using a rifle and caliber that is proven. If someone were going on their first Safari and they had a package up to a Wildebeest, or including Tiny 10, I would encourage them to bring their .243 if they shoot it well and it’s accurate.

Also if someone is on a budget and they don’t have the luxury of going out and buying a .30 cal rifle and they have a .243 or similar, they check with their outfitter, and everyone agrees, then of course they should bring their rifle they shoot accurately.

i’ve done it with my .243 several times and reported the results in very detailed hunting reports here and other places.

My use of the .243 In Africa was at the encouragement of more than one PH and I didn’t think twice about it. I had a little concern about taking a Roan with it, but it worked out well and I included the details in my hunting reports.

To each their own…