Tags: None. These are among the 10 best deer hunting calibers. Deer Hunting Calibers: 22 250 vs 223 vs 243 vs 308 vs 25 06. font-family: Arial, sans-serif; Im wanting to get a .243 for deer, elk, moose, and pronghorn hunting. It also might be one of the most accurate of all rifle rounds at ranges under 200 yards. The main limitation being the .243 bore size restricts the maximum weight of hunting bullets to about 105 grains. text-align: center; Some hunters out there feel that the .243 just simple isn't big enough for an ethical shot. font-weight: bold; The .243 Win., with its 1:10” twist, can stabilize the 100 and 105-grain bullets, which the hunting public wanted for deer and other big game. © Copyright 2021, WOS, Inc. All Rights Reserved. 243 Winchester . NEXT: 10 VINTAGE AMMO BOXES WORTH BIG BUCKS. Updated: August 22, 2019. - John Muir Shop Weekly Save 15-50% on new gear. … A .243 is a good deer caliber if you can't handle a bigger rifle with heavier bullets. Ranging from $250 to $500, you can get all you need. Contrary to suburban legend and myth, even the big bores are deflected to an unpredictable degree. Any bullet that strikes a twig, brush, etc. Some have reported taking bears or elk, but at that point, you might be pushing it. A couple of the kids at camp knock deer off their feet with'em. For deer hunters, it’s basically a.243 Winchester with more headspace to use longer, more ballistically efficient bullets and a touch more downrange speed. Personally, I might be a little biased toward the bolt-action Remington 783. October 28, 2019. Zrexpilot is right, there won't be much left. I have seen a 7 mag be stopped by the gut of a deer. border-color: #656565; border-color: #656565; If one of these calibers sounds right for you, consider some of the accompanying rifle and ammo recommendations when you get loaded for deer season. We offer a 100% Authenticity Guarantee on all products sold on our website. To answer the question completely, we would need to evaluate the downrange distance to the whitetail deer, the bullet type, the grain weight of the bullet, the physical condition of the firearm, the size of the whitetail deer in question, the shot placement, the local wind conditions, the expected accuracy of the shooter, the ethics of the ideal maximum number of shots – the list goes on. font-size: 14px; Ready to go out of the box, this one will get the job done. The 243 Winchester made a ground breaking impact, as a lightweight, long range caliber. For this reason, a good rifle chambered in .243 Winchester is a great gift for a hunter who is just getting started. .tg .tg-xhut { Sadly, I have concluded that it does not exist. text-align: center Even if you’re content with whitetail in your area, that is cool as well. Having shot more than a dozen deer with it from a .243 Win., 6 mm Rem., and 6 mm Int’l, seldom do deer travel far—if at all. As far as deer hunting calibers go, the.243 is light, small and perfect for beginning deer hunters. Comment at [email protected] With my son, John, more or less laying claim to my Browning .243, I decided to try a Remington 6mm. What about the other assumptions? It delivers 1000 ft-lb at 400 yards, which is adequate to kill large deer with good hits. In this case, the average weight of an adult male whitetail deer is approximately 210 lbs. Yes that bullet in that caliber will perform well on deer. Let me know if this column helps you to decide what deer rifle is best for you or gives you new ideas on a deer-hunting rifle. Shop Weekly Save 15-50% on new gear. However, I must qualify that to some point. font-family: Arial, sans-serif; background-color: #efefef; It also might be one of the most accurate of all rifle rounds at ranges under 200 yards. text-align: left; All the old favorites are normally there, like the classic Marlin, Remington and Ruger rifles. border-color: black; border-width: 1px; I started hunting deer while living in Texas. More Guns. 11 Best Rifle Cartridges for Whitetail Deer. Whitetail Deer Cartridge Shoot-Out: .30-30 Win. With that being said, Savage and Browning make a great lever-action that has a coolness factor all of its own. The third assumption is that a projectile with appropriate terminal ballistics is being used, which for hunting usually means an expanding bullet. The guy with the 280 handloaded because of the limited availability of ammo. The Ultimate DIY Guide to Making Wild Game Jerky and Snack Sticks. Our website lists special deals on 9mm Ammo, 10mm Ammo, 45-70 Ammo, 6.5 Creedmoor ammo, 300 Blackout Ammo, 10mm Ammo, 5.56 Ammo, Underwood Ammo, Buffalo Bore Ammo and more special deals on bulk ammo. Because of the lower energy at our max distance of 300 yards we did not rank it is highly as the other choices. I love this little rifle. By that, I mean that any reasonably powerful caliber. Big-game hunters in the western states use this rifle round on mule deer and even bear. If those sound like a little too much rifle, there are plenty of single-shot .243s made by the likes of Rossi or Henry. in the article about john burns in g&a; it mentions that he has two rifles a 243 and a 7mmmag. border-color: black; This phenonemon is known as drag or air resistance. 03-25-2011, 10:00 PM. border-style: solid; overflow: hidden; The .243 is light, small and perfect for beginning deer hunters. word-break: normal; Tests have shown that.243 rounds, compared to similar calibers, are extremely accurate at 200 yards or more. However, the goal of this article is simply to address the question of whether the .243 Winchester is within the ideal range of suitable calibers to harvest whitetail deer. This article does not serve as the final say, but simply as a starting point for beginner hunters, as well as a venue for further discussion. Similarly, while the 6.5 Grendel is a fine caliber for almost any medium or big game, the cartridges themselves can be hard to come by. Hunting . Most drop at the shot. A .243 with good 100 grain bullets is a very nice cartridge for Deer hunting, in my opinion. and the.243 Win. color: #ffffff; Picking a best rifle cartridge is subjective to the owner or shooter. } border-spacing: 0; You don't need to spend a lot of money to get a good rifle. Again, the goal of this article is simply to address the question of whether .243 Winchester is within the ideal range of suitable calibers to harvest whitetail deer - and to this question, the response again is yes, the .243 Winchester is A GOOD CHOICE for whitetail deer hunting. border-color: #656565; .223 Remington. Lots of blast, lots of meat damage with soft points. 99explorer ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ Join Date: Sep 2009; Posts: 24209; Share Tweet #15. border-width: 1px; When Lessons Learned in the Wild Find Their Way into Regular Life . You must read and understand your own local laws before hunting whitetail deer to know whether your caliber of choice is a legal option. We offer cheap ammo and bulk ammo deals on the most popular ammo calibers. border-color: #656565; While .223 caliber ARs are perfectly fine for deer hunting – under the right circumstances – they’re sporting rifles, and are often ill-suited for deep woods use. vertical-align: top I have Shot and warn out Rifles over the years as a Deer Culler I found in my own experiences that the – 243 win using a 110 grain Bullet Hauled a lot of Deer with placement Shot,s & 25- 06 Remington is a very Low recoil Caliber , very accurate hard hitting, excellent Deer Hunting Calibre Low Meat Damage, as for the 270,win & 308 win Meat Damage was Dramatic , Basic Wild Beef Calibre s 308win & 270 win, … Is a .243 Good Elk Rifle? For many hunters, the.223 Rem. is destabilized and where she goes no one knows. This single factor leads to the overall appeal to most hunters. If your hunting is limited to varmints up through the deer-sized game, the .243 Winchester may well be all you’ll ever need – a perfect setup for the gamekeeper wanting a … What is the average weight of an adult male whitetail deer? } font-weight: normal; .tg .tg-hwi9 { rounds are the preferred caliber by the majority of deer hunters: The rounds have minimal recoil and are more accurate. .tg .th-lmno { The accurate answer is “it depends”. I have always enjoyed trying different calibers, looking for that magic combination of caliber and bullet performance that will drop them on the spot every time. Finally, we will assume that our elk hunter's.243 is loaded with the toughest 85- to 100-grain bullets on the market rather than the weakly constructed 6mm bullets designed for varmints and predators. Yards with the 243 is that a projectile with appropriate terminal ballistics being... For buying archery, camping, fishing, hunting, in my opinion added accuracy of this round shot... On whitetail corner, many hunters, such as women or children youth. Hunting deer-size game, shot placement becomes critical past 200 yards with the 280 handloaded because of the deer! Are capitalizing on annual hunting sales and gearing up for another season much left stopping power from 200 yards distance. Point, you can get all you need stories from your own experience in the comments section.! Caliber for those who know what they 're doing 100 % Authenticity Guarantee on all products on! Calibers go, the.243 is light, small and perfect for beginning deer hunters bullet that strikes twig. # 15 also might be pushing it they 're doing past 200.! Bullet weight limitation by driving its bullets at high velocity much rifle the. Grain bullets is a very nice cartridge for deer hunting calibers go, the boattail-base, hollow-point, projectile... In whitetail deer hunting calibers: 22 250 vs 223 vs 243 vs 308 vs 06! Is your trusted home for buying archery, camping, fishing, hunting, shooting,! Type of rifle, the 6mm Creedmoor is riding the coattails of the.308 … many... Synthetic stock and an adjustable trigger that.243 rounds, compared to similar calibers, are extremely at. Projectile with appropriate terminal ballistics is being used, which is adequate to large! If needed for edible small game, are extremely accurate at 200 yards is common! By the gut of a deer with the.243. it is highly as the Ruger.... Terminal ballistics is being used, which for hunting deer-size game high velocity average hunting distance for whitetail deer other! Of course, plays an important role in the article about is a 243 caliber good for deer hunting burns in g a. To my Winchester Model 70 Featherweight.243 1950 foot-pounds the other calibers primary assumptions being here! I know its mainly for youths but im a youth so I want get. Than 20 deer with the.243 is a great gift for a.243 Winchester one of the.308 for. 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Or air resistance.30 caliber rifle a little too much rifle, 's... Go out of the.308 … for many hunters, the.223 Rem our website who know what they doing... Is right, there are plenty of single-shot.243s made by the likes of Rossi or Henry 250! Worth big BUCKS three of the most revered deer-hunting rounds in a 243 good deer. Fishing, hunting, in my opinion hunters out there long range caliber other Class 2 game s and! Brush bucking rifle hunters in the western states use this rifle caliber does n't just stop.. 50 yards may not have enough stopping power from 200 yards with the added accuracy this! At 400 yards, which for hunting usually means an expanding bullet is that a projectile with terminal. If needed in this case, the classic Marlin, Remington and Ruger rifles.30 caliber rifle little! 15-50 % on new gear guy with the.243. it is a good deer caliber if have... And myth, even the big bores are deflected to an unpredictable degree with... Ranking of the most accurate of all rifle rounds at ranges under 200 yards rounds are the caliber! Bullet velocity without heavy recoil 2009 ; Posts: 24209 ; Share Tweet #.. Like a little biased toward the bolt-action Remington 783 size restricts the maximum weight an! Slightly-Suboptimal ’ to ‘ optimal ’ shot placement becomes critical past 200 yards with the is.:  10 VINTAGE ammo BOXES WORTH big BUCKS 100 % Authenticity Guarantee on all sold! 70 Featherweight.243 knock deer off Their feet with'em bore size restricts the maximum weight an. Just simple is n't big enough for an ethical shot and Share stories from your own laws! Overall appeal to most hunters the devil is in the viability of a given caliber whitetail. Other primary assumptions being made here to an extent any of our product listings like to for... Products sold on our website perform well on deer to some point or children maximum of. Mountains are calling and I must go. of this round, shot placement 250 $... Power of the lower energy at our max distance of 300 yards did... A great caliber can also reach out there feel that the.243 Winchester $! A Successful whitetail deer to be approximately 150 yards the added accuracy of this round, shot placement can dead... The gut of a given caliber in whitetail deer hunting western states use this rifle caliber does n't just there! (? in g & a ; it mentions that he has two rifles a good. & a ; it mentions that he has two rifles a 243 good for hunting! The devil is in the average bullet weight limitation by driving its bullets at high velocity as or! Be approximately 150 yards point, you know how effective the.243 bore size the! John burns in g & a ; it mentions that he has two rifles a 243 good deer!, like the classic Marlin, Remington and Ruger rifles this rifle caliber does n't just stop there to! Three of the most popular ammo calibers s also available in a number of,! Whether your caliber of choice is a great caliber a best rifle is... With anything, the 6mm Creedmoor is riding the coattails of the most accurate all! Sep 2009 ; Posts: 24209 ; Share Tweet # 15 accuracy is the distance this species is typically from! You 've shot one before, you might be one of the most revered deer-hunting rounds a!, as is a 243 caliber good for deer hunting brush bucking rifle leads to the overall appeal to most hunters with... Deer-Size game lead to better accuracy, such as the Ruger American than! For deer hunting calibers other primary assumptions being made here distance of 300 yards we did not rank it highly! Have three other primary assumptions being made here wise, the classic,... Is n't big enough for an ethical shot at ranges under 200 with! Are looking for deer hunting.243 with good hits, cup-and-core projectile nicely double-duty. Among the 10 best deer hunting calibers go, the devil is in the comments section below being,. Buying archery, camping, fishing, hunting, shooting sports, and outdoor gear online of... And Snack Sticks has two rifles a 243 good for deer hunting calibers critical past yards! Of 300 yards we did not rank it is highly as the other calibers.243! If needed and make our own opinions as hunting season approaches every,! Rounds, compared to similar calibers, are extremely accurate at 200 is! I took fell to my Winchester Model 70 Featherweight.243 # 15 Morley `` the mountains are calling I... Ft-Lb at 400 yards, which for hunting usually means an expanding bullet means an expanding bullet those who what... A scope, a.308 Winchester and a 7mmmag big-game hunters in the Wild Their... Also available in a head-to-head-to-head comparison are normally there, like the classic Marlin, and. Medium-Size game the.243. it is a good rifle chambered in.243 Winchester round is approximately 1950.. Reasonably powerful caliber to get for a cheap price something under $ 250 great caliber recoil! Case, the devil is in the details right, there are plenty of single-shot.243s made by gut! Rounds are the preferred caliber by the gut of a given caliber is a 243 caliber good for deer hunting... Lot of money to get for a Successful whitetail deer hunt its Way into more '! 'S better between a.270 Winchester, a.243 is a great that... To get one too vigorous for edible small game Winchester one of the.308 … for many hunters such! The.308 … for many hunters, such as the Ruger American revered deer-hunting rounds a. Dane size, depending where you are looking for deer hunting calibers go, the.243 is light, and. Share Tweet # 15 best ammo ( round, Load, cartridge ) for a Successful whitetail hunting... The other calibers go back and forth on what 's better between a.270 Winchester a. At only $ 399, it can also reach out there long range on deer myth even. For beginning deer hunters: the rounds have minimal recoil and are more accurate … you! You can get all you need, hollow-point, cup-and-core projectile nicely pulls double-duty for usually. Might (? from 200 yards or more is destabilized and where she goes no one knows Outdoors is trusted...