font-size: 14px; Best Ammo (Round, Load, Cartridge) for a Successful Whitetail Deer Hunt. Flashing tails, leaping legs, l border-color: #656565; Taking a heart shot at 200 yards is fairly common for those who know what they're doing. First, the average bullet weight is encapsulated in the average muzzle energy for the .243 Winchester. At only $399, it comes with a scope, a recoil pad, a synthetic stock and an adjustable trigger. color: #ffffff; Let’s look at those assumptions a bit closer in the following table. 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. This cartridge is especially well suited to new, small framed, and or recoil shy hunters. .243 Winchester. What we can do is provide a framework to understand what average conditions might look like, and whether those are reasonably viable for a shot from the average shooter to harvest a whitetail deer in the fewest number of shots possible, i.e., ethically. Let’s dive right in. The .243 Winchester is a better varmint cartridge than the .25's, while remaining adequate for hunting deer and antelope. .tg .tg-xhut { Whitetail Deer Cartridge Shoot-Out: .30-30 Win. does this job well. I've reloaded a 105 Speer, H4831--Federal 210Match--Winchester brass, for my wifes 243 Win for years. The .243 Win. .tg { To help you find the best rifle for your own use, we’ve put together a list of six of the best .243 … Ranging from $250 to $500, you can get all you need. font-size: 18px; } We offer a 100% Authenticity Guarantee on all products sold on our website. Ready to go out of the box, this one will get the job done. Online shopping from a great selection of discounted 243 WINCHESTER Bolt Action Rifles at Sportsman's Outdoor Superstore. So as for those two options, I would recommend the .243. We have three other primary assumptions being made here. The sun was on the Nebraska horizon and a Mossberg .243 Winchester bolt action was on my shoulder when a herd of November whitetails exploded from a copse of trees and scattered into the Sandhills. font-weight: bold; The .270 is a great longer range deer round, but it's a tad bit much for fox. border-style: solid; Velocities were advertised as 3,500 feet per second for lighter bullets and 3,070 feet per second for heavier ones, but these figures were a tad bit too high compared to real-world velocities. The .243 Win. text-align: center; Indeed, the .243 Winchester is extremely popular for children to use for deer hunting because it is so effective on deer and has such mild recoil. The .243 Winchester represents a successful effort to develop a light deer rifle cartridge that could hold its own with the high-velocity .22s for long-range use on small targets — and still be adequate for larger animals. Comments have to be approved before showing up, © 2021 Foundry Outdoors - All Rights Reserved, Product successfully added to your Shopping Cart, 223 WSSM Winchester Super Short Magnum Ammo, 243 WSSM Winchester Super Short Magnum Ammo, 25 WSSM Winchester Super Short Magnum Ammo, 300 RSAUM Remington Short Action Ultra Magnum Ammo, 7mm RSAUM Remington Short Action Ultra Magnum Ammo, .243 Winchester for Whitetail Deer Hunting? padding: 10px 5px; Not that you can’t hunt deer with a 90-grain bullet, but the hunting market is what it is, and the .244 fell far behind the .243, with Remington renaming its cartridge the 6mm Remington. Those heavier slugs continue fulfilling this role nicely, hitting 2,900 to 3,000 fps – about 100 fps faster than the 257 Roberts with a 115-grain bullet. 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. The .243 Winchester cartridge somewhat compensates for the bullet weight limitation by driving its bullets at high velocity. What about the other assumptions? This phenonemon is known as drag or air resistance. There are a handful of deer hunters who will mostly prefer a .243 over other rifles like the 30-30 or a .30-06. Disadvantages of .243 Win. © Copyright 2020, WOS, Inc. All Rights Reserved. font-family: Arial, sans-serif; The .243 is light, small and perfect for beginning deer hunters. This hunting rifle may be smaller that most, but it packs a punch on whitetail. Just wondering about real world experiences of using either the 80 grain TTSX or the 85 grain TSX. vs. .243 Win. The .243 Round. This well-rounded rifle ammo was originally designed for varmint elimination and target practice, but modern powders and technology have made it an exceptional cartridge for hunting whitetail deer, coyotes and other similar-sized game. You don't need to spend a lot of money to get a good rifle. } font-size: 18px; What is the average muzzle energy for a .243 Winchester? border-color: black; font-size: 18px; Unless the bullet is monolithic (solid metal bullets without a jacket) or a hardy, controlled-expansion bullet that’s designed to increase penetration and retain mass, there’s a good chance the round won’t go all the way through the deer. word-break: normal; The 243 Winchester made a ground breaking impact, as a lightweight, long range caliber. text-align: center Countless young hunters shoot rifles chambered in .243 Win. Not one single complaint I've heard. Tested: .243 Winchester, .25-06 Remington, 6.5 Creedmoor, .270 Winchester, .30-30 Winchester, .308 Winchester, .30-06 Springfield. In regards to the type of rifle, the classic bolt-action tends to lead to better accuracy, such as the Ruger American. As far as deer hunting calibers go, the .243 is light, small and perfect for beginning deer hunters. In simplest terms the .243 is a necked down .308 case which can be loaded with bullet weights that range anywhere from 55 grains to 115 grains. Thus, a caliber that is effective from 50 yards may not have enough stopping power from 200 yards. Ideally used on varmints, it has become a favorite for, hunting dog breeds such as coyote and prairie dogs, as well as hog hunting. Please email us if you have questions about any of our product listings. The kinetic energy of the projectile drops dramatically the further downrange it travels primarily due to energy lost in the form of heat generated by friction against the air itself. 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. One reason for its accuracy is the low recoil it produces. I always shot 100 grain cor loks or equivalent Winchester rounds. .tg td { Disclaimer: the information above is purely for illustrative purposes and should not be taken as permission to use a particular caliber, a statement of the legality or safety of using certain calibers, or legal advice in any way. It also might be one of the most accurate of all rifle rounds at ranges under 200 yards. If you haven't already figured it out, I'm referring to the .243 Winchester. There are some hunters who don’t think .243 Winchester rounds are large enough to make an ethical shot. However, the .243 Winchester has limitations when used to hunt deer and other Class 2 game. vs. .30-06 Springfield Three of the most revered deer-hunting rounds in a head-to-head-to-head comparison By Ron Spomer }. 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. With that said, we have assumed the average hunting distance for whitetail deer to be approximately 150 yards. .243 Winchester ammunition is a favorite in the hunting community due to its accuracy, manageable recoil, and sufficient energy to take down game. border-color: #656565; The .243 launches an 80 grain varmint bullet at a … No one told that Nebraska buck. .243 Winchester ammo is an excellent choice for hunters who like to hunt deer, coyotes, and feral hogs. is designed to increase accuracy and minimize recoil. If those sound like a little too much rifle, there are plenty of single-shot .243s made by the likes of Rossi or Henry. All the old favorites are normally there, like the classic Marlin, Remington and Ruger rifles. Foundry Outdoors is your trusted home for buying archery, camping, fishing, hunting, shooting sports, and outdoor gear online. NEXT: 10 VINTAGE AMMO BOXES WORTH BIG BUCKS. Shop at Palmetto State Armory for all of your ammo needs. We have a variety of deals on Rifle Ammo, Handgun Ammo, Shotgun Ammo & Rimfire Ammo, as well as ammo for target practice, plinking, hunting, or shooting competitions. How do they do it? Not wanting to start a is 243 okay debate. I hunted with a 243 for 15 years or so and no deer that I made a reasonable shot on went more than 50 yards. However, with the added accuracy of this round, shot placement can become dead on with practice. The second important assumption is ‘slightly-suboptimal’ to ‘optimal’ shot placement. As far as deer hunting calibers go, the .243 is light, small and perfect for beginning deer hunters. In this case, we have assumed the average muzzle energy for a .243 Winchester round is approximately 1950 foot-pounds. Is the .243 Winchester a viable caliber/load/round/cartridge for whitetail deer hunting? .tg .th-lmno { vertical-align: top 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 … Last week we ran a story extolling the virtues of the .243 Winchester.But how does it stand up to a legendary deer-getter like the .30-30? She waits till the deer are 150 yards or under and has put 46 mule deer in … Ammo . The .243 Winchester has significantly less recoil than the 6.5 Creedmoor, especially in a lighter rifle. font-size: 18px; border-width: 1px; In this case, the average weight of an adult male whitetail deer is approximately 210 lbs. First introduced by Winchester in 1955 as a varmint cartridge the .243 Winchester has gone on to be a highly successful calibre for both vermin and light skinned deer. Read on to find out. What is the distance this species is typically hunted from? Please note, the following information reflects the estimated average ballistics for each caliber and does not pertain to … overflow: hidden; background-color: #333333; vertical-align: top Which is the best deer slayer? A 22LR cartridge can fell a bull elephant under the right conditions, and a newborn squirrel can survive a 50 BMG round under other specific conditions. background-color: #efefef; History Introduced in 1955 the .243 Winchester is based on the 7.62x51 military (.308 Winchester) case necked down to .243” (6mm). If you've shot one before, you know how effective the .243 is when it comes to taking down deer. Big-game hunters in the western states use this rifle round on mule deer and even bear. As with anything, the devil is in the details. Like its early competing calibers, the .243 Winchester was originally offered in two bullet weights: 80 grainers were primarily for varmints and 100-grain soft points were for deer. It became one of our most used rifles on the ranch for taking coyotes and pests but was also used for deer and antelope hunting. text-align: left; This single factor leads to the overall appeal to most hunters. padding: 10px 5px; .tg .tg-4q2i { If you haven't already figured it out, I'm referring to the .243 Winchester. I hate tracking deer even if I make a good shot. With that being said, Savage and Browning make a great lever-action that has a coolness factor all of its own. You must read and understand your own local laws before hunting whitetail deer to know whether your caliber of choice is a legal option. Of course those stories exist, and they are not disputed here. Please feel free to agree, disagree, and share stories from your own experience in the comments section below. The main limitation being the .243 bore size restricts the maximum weight of hunting bullets to about 105 grains. overflow: hidden; The .243 Winchester cartridge was initially designed as a target/varmint round, it may be used for animals such as coyotes, black tail deer, whitetail deer, mule deer, pronghorns, and wild hogs. Would like to be able to punch average size whitetails through both shoulders, to hopefully put them down and not have to track them. The balance of light recoil and versatility as both a varmint and big game cartridge quickly led to the .243 being one of the most popular rifle chamberings in the world. We go back and forth on what's better between a .270 Winchester, a .308 Winchester and a .30-06 Springfield. border-width: 1px; This is one of the better bolt action rifles that you can pass on to a child or grandchild for their field sports adventures. As hunting season approaches every year, we look toward our gun cabinets and wonder if we're really using the best deer rifle. If you want a hunting rifle that's incredibly accurate with very little recoil, a .243 is all you need. font-weight: normal; border-color: #656565; word-break: normal; The .243 Winchester Model 70 is a great hunting rifle for those who like to customize their firearm. Winchester and other ammo makers originally engineered 90- and 100-grain .243 projectiles for deer and pronghorn. So let’s check some hard numbers for enlightenment, starting with the often repeated minimum energy standard for termination of an average whitetail: 1,000 foot-pounds of energy. All three are reliable and it always comes down to personal preference. } Personally, I might be a little biased toward the bolt-action Remington 783. border-collapse: collapse; } We offer cheap ammo and bulk ammo deals on the most popular ammo calibers. font-family: Arial, sans-serif; border-spacing: 0; font-weight: bold; background-color: #efefef; border-color: black; Perhaps its because the .243, which is based on the .308 Win. Some hunters out there feel that the .243 just simple isn't big enough for an ethical shot. They are mostly utilized for varmint or deer hunting applications not forgetting, it can be used on larger games according to your preference. The accurate answer is “it depends”. text-align: center; 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. The best .243 ammunition or also known as the .243 Winchester is one of the well sought-out rifle cartridge. Big-game hunters in the western states use this rifle round on mule deer … The following ammunition cartridge ballistics information and chart can be used to approximately compare .243 Winchester vs .300 AAC Blackout ammo rounds. A common thread you may encounter in online forums is anecdote after anecdote of large animals being brought down by small caliber bullets, or small animals surviving large caliber bullets. In the question of “Is the .243 Winchester within the ideal range of suitable calibers for whitetail deer hunting?” our answer is: Let’s look at those assumptions a bit closer in the following table. font-size: 14px; necked down, can be handloaded with a variety of bullets and propellants that allow practice on targets an… vertical-align: top Model 700 .243 Winchester with a state-of-the-art 3-9x variable scope (relatively new at that time). However, this rifle caliber doesn't just stop there. The .243 Winchester is undoubtedly the best and most widely used hunting ammunition in the 6 mm caliber currently on the market: a powerful and versatile small caliber cartridge that is a joy to shoot. Yes, the .243 Winchester is A GOOD CHOICE for whitetail deer hunting, under average conditions, from a mid-range distance, with a medium grain expanding bullet, and with correct shot placement. .tg .tg-sklq { } .tg .tg-hwi9 { border-style: solid; Initially designed as a target/varmint round, it may be used for animals such as coyotes, blacktail deer, whitetail deer, mule deer, pronghorns, and wild hogs.Rounds of at least 90 grains are better suited for hunting the larger of those while rounds less than 90 grains are more suitable for varmints. However, this rifle caliber doesn't just stop there. I have shot deer broadside, quartering, and in the neck. This is why so many hunters think a 243 Winchester is too puny to kill a deer. Distance, of course, plays an important role in the viability of a given caliber in whitetail deer hunting. The .243 Winchester (6×52mm) is a popular sporting rifle cartridge. Plus, this action rifle is so sturdily built that you can expect to count on it for years to come. But if I were to consider any other calibers, I would definitely look at a .257, I don't personally own one at the moment, but I grew up hunting with one. } 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. My old "Veteran" Uncles from both sides have been killing deer and pigs with the 243 Winchester and 6MM Remington since I was a pup, and exclusively using the 100 gr Partitions at 2900 fps for the last 25+ years. The third assumption is that a projectile with appropriate terminal ballistics is being used, which for hunting usually means an expanding bullet. I've taken deer and elk with it, and the occasional cayote. However, it can also reach out there long range if needed. to take untold numbers of deer, antelope and more than a few elk each fall, despite assertions from big-bore advocates that the .243 is marginal, at best, for smaller big-game animals. That is to say, we assume the whitetail deer being harvested is shot directly or nearly directly in the vitals (heart and/or lungs). border-color: #656565; Here we have leaned conservative by taking the average weight of a male individual of the species, since females generally weigh less and require less stopping power. Some have reported taking bears or elk, but at that point, you might be pushing it. What is the average weight of an adult male whitetail deer? However, there's one bolt-action that seems to find its way into more hunters' hands than any other caliber. The second important assumption is ‘ slightly-suboptimal ’ to ‘ optimal ’ shot placement can become dead on with.. 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Cartridge is especially well suited to new, small and perfect for beginning deer hunters a popular sporting rifle.... Winchester is one of the most accurate of all rifle rounds at ranges under 200 yards 's. The bolt-action Remington 783 3-9x variable scope ( relatively new at that time ) of discounted 243 Winchester made ground. Who like to hunt deer and other Class 2 game sports, and feral hogs want hunting!, it can also reach out there feel that the.243 Winchester field sports....