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allymeagan

.243 vs .270 for deer

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allymeagan

I'm debating between the two at the moment, would prefer less kick and probably wouldn't be shooting out past 150 yards, 200 at most.  The specs look similar for drop and distance, but would the .243 still have the same oomph to take down a deer?  I like to take safe shots, broadside or quartering away, so I'm not trying to put this through any amount of bone.  Thanks!

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naden

.243 will have less kick than the.270 and would be fine for shooting deer. 

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naden

7mm-08 might be worth a look too or 25-06

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allymeagan

I'll check those out, thanks!

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Thefishleclair

IMO the 243 is a nice round, Got it for my kids to hunt deer and then  I got rid of it I think max bullet weight was 90 gr. I also own .270 and took allot of deer with it 150 gr?. Its all about shot placement so if you are paitient and diligent it will do fine. But for me I upgraded to a heavier round for the hitting power, I bought the 7MM-08 for the youngest and gave my .270 to the oldest.

 

 

Edited by Thefishleclair

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nwodeerhunter

I was having the exact same debate with myself about 5 years ago. I finally went with the .243 and I have to say that I'm really happy with my choice. I have taken many deer with it and the longest shot was about 150 yards. I bought a Tikka T3,  I use the Winchester Xp3 95Gr. bullet and get out for lots of shooting practice in. The thing that many people will say, and I agree is that shot placement is key whether you are using the .243 or the .270. Just my $0.02. Enjoy the new rifle what ever it is you decide to get.

 

Cheers!

 

nwodeerhunter


Tikka T3 Stainless/Laminate 300 WSM
Tikka T3 Stainless/Synthetic .243Win
Benelli Supernova RealTree APG 12Ga.

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naden

One thing to consider if your trying to keep recoil low is to buy a gun with a wood stock instead of synthetic as they are generally heavier and felt recoil is less. This can of course be affected by the action of the rifle and how the rifle fits/stock design etc. 

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allymeagan

I'll keep that in mind, thanks!  My friend has a .270 I can try, but I don't know anyone with a .243 to test.  I'm in the market for a handgun before I purchase another rifle, but I'm doing some research now in case any good deals come up.

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Thefishleclair

I have every gun you listed to try, .243, 22-250, 7mm-08 and a .270 I need to actually go dial in all but the .243. If you want A day can be arranged and you can shoot them. The .243 is open sights though.


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Iron Ranger
On ‎12‎/‎9‎/‎2016 at 11:06 AM, naden said:

7mm-08 might be worth a look too or 25-06

I agree both are great cartridges. My wife shoots a 7mm08. She really likes it, low recoil yet packs a punch, good range out there for the long shot. She has taken deer here in MN, deer in South Dakota, Mule deer and Antelope in Montana and an Elk in Montana. Good bullet expansion and plenty of knock down power is hard to beat. I have no doubt it would be a good Moose cartridge. Shot placement is always key. Get some instruction from an experienced shooter as far as shooting posture and then practice, practice using the shooting instruction that you received. Stay disciplined and everything will be second nature.

 

Keep your eye open for a used bolt in the old fashioned 7mm. Great cartridge!


20 years ago we had Johnny Cash, Bob Hope and Steve Jobs. Now we have no Cash, no Hope and no Jobs. Please God, don't take Kevin Bacon.

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BuckNut

As everyone has said shot placement is most important but no one will always make perfect shots and this is when a little heavier bullet could save your day. Deer up here are big and 90 or 100 gr is a bit light in my opinion. Calibers I've used for deer are .270, 7mm-08, .308, 30-30 , 32 special , .35 rem ,and .44 mag and I favor the heavier , although slower bullets.

What I would recommend is the .308 . With similar weight bullets ( 140 or 150 gr ) recoil is not much different than the .270 or 7mm-08 and it is a more versatile caliber, good for moose and easy to get ammo for and easier to sell if you want to change rifles. 

Again..just my opinion, good luck in whichever you choose.

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arvey

I used to own a 270 and it was a very good gun , I can't say anything about the 243 I never owned or tried one. Although of heard other guys praise them. I use a 308 with 165 gr. bullet , I started reloading my own not to save money more as a hobby and you get to play a little with your loads. I found out guns have their own personality , with 2 308s both shoot better with different loads. good luck with what ever you buy.

 

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allymeagan
On 12/10/2016 at 4:40 PM, Thefishleclair said:

I have every gun you listed to try, .243, 22-250, 7mm-08 and a .270 I need to actually go dial in all but the .243. If you want A day can be arranged and you can shoot them. The .243 is open sights though.

Thank you so much, I appreciate that!  Maybe after the holidays I'll take you up on that, it would be nice to try the different calibres.

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AB

Ally,

 

You can't go wrong with any of those cartridges.

 

My advice would be to ignore the caliber to begin with and find a frame that you feel comfortable toting around, and comes up to your eye easily when you shoulder the gun. If it doesn't fit  and feel right you will have a hard time becoming proficient with it. Once you found the frame you like, order it in what ever caliber you choose!

 

Aim small, miss small!

 

AB

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dano
9 hours ago, Hidinginatree said:

http://www.chuckhawks.com/observations_deer_hunter.htm

 

As buck nut said, our deer up here are big.

 

Not much useful information in that article.

 

The .243 is fine for the whitetails we have around here, works on the big ones too.  

Lots of good bullets available. 

Recoil is going to be considerably less than a .270 ( or a .308 win). 

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Guest

In a nut shell, shot placement, bullet performance and lastly caliber are the factors in order of importance, as the article says.

 

BUT...I shoot all of my deer at 60 yards or less, and I use a 7.62x39 bolt, which has even less jam than a .243. 243 is a good choice for close range. But if you plan to hunt cuts, and shoot over a hundred yards, I would think twice about a 243. The smaller bullet makes a smaller hole, and may give the deer a chance to run off and hide on you, especially that big buck. 

 

I have seen this happen, buck of a lifetime, solid hit. The wolves got to him before we did. I agree with buck nut, 100 grain is a bit light, but ONLY after 100 yards or so. Within that range, 243 is a great choice. 

 

 

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Zackcorbin1401

.50 Bmg 

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rceme74

I own both, since my shoulders have been replaced 270 is on the shelf,Ruger 243 gets the nod. 100gr boat tails do the job on a deer vert nicely and no shoulder pain. Good balance, and easy to carry for long jaunts. Good quality scope makes this a very good hunting rifle.

 

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