Think I'm going to purchase a Ruger American Compact for my 9yr old daughter. Now my question is a 7mm-08 or .243? Was considering the 7mm-08 with managed recoil ammo (I don't reload). She isn't a tiny framed girl, she took her first turkey a few weeks back shooting a 20ga Mossberg 510 Mini. I'd like to get her a deer this year next.
.243, no need for special ammo.
Get the 7mm-08. My son has shot the manage recoil since he was 9 and it's a great load. He has killed a bunch of deer that gun.
I would go with the 7mm-08 personally. I like having a little more lead traveling down range.
243 but both are great rounds. 243 can go from deer hunting to crow hunting all using the same ammo which is nice
Joshua 24:15
"But as for me and my household, we will serve the Lord."
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all I've ever shot is a 7mm08 and you can't go wrong with it. I've been in camp and trailed way to many deer with a 243. i still shoot a 7mm08 and will continue too. If you can make the shot theres a good deal most of your deer will be right there or within 50 or 60 yards. I've killed my share and id say over 75% have laid in their tracks. you will get those that say a 7mm08 is a kids gun but i mean with a 7mm bullet and a 308 casing whats kids about that. plus the recoil with the winchester power point 140 grain i shoot is hardly any.
Quote from: Xtrema30 on June 07, 2015, 02:38:47 PM
all I've ever shot is a 7mm08 and you can't go wrong with it. I've been in camp and trailed way to many deer with a 243. i still shoot a 7mm08 and will continue too. If you can make the shot theres a good deal most of your deer will be right there or within 50 or 60 yards. I've killed my share and id say over 75% have laid in their tracks. you will get those that say a 7mm08 is a kids gun but i mean with a 7mm bullet and a 308 casing whats kids about that. plus the recoil with the winchester power point 140 grain i shoot is hardly any.
Same here. I dont think 243 is enough gun for deer. I know there will be some disagreement but unless your shot is perfect your going to be out in the dark with flashlights. 7MM-08 great deer round.
Another vote for the .243 here. Have killed a lot of whitetail, mule deer, antelope, and black bear across several states with that caliber. My oldest daughter uses it as well.
If you make a bad shot with any caliber you will be looking for game. It's the Indian, not the arrow.
7mm08 is what I hunt with most the time. Also like the 25-06 on the long action side...
If she is ok shooting that 20ga and turkey load, she will be just fine with a 7mm08 .
7mm-08. Recoil isn't that much different.
Get the 308 with the horndy lite ammo...308 ammo will always be easy to fine and cheaper... ive got a 9 yr. Old that loves it...
I love my little 243 win. With Barnes 80 gr bullets she is as deadly on deer sized game as any other rifle out there, and no where the punch. I am a hard follower of the 270 win but my 243 is not far behind.
7mm-08 is a great round as well! Either will do a great job. Just make sure the stock fits the shooter.
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7mm-08, and get some Barnes TTSX 120 grains........thank me later
I'm a .270 man myself, BUT I started my deer career with a 6mm (.244) and killed plenty with that 100 gr. nosler partition. That being said, for my son when he first started, I bought him a Browning A-Bolt Micro Hunter in 7mm-08. He still loves that rifle. He's grown, and we've added a sims recoil pad to lengthen the stock, but man-o-man what a sweet deer rifle to tote around the mountains. I had hoped that he would "outgrow" that rifle and want Dad's .270 (and I would take his)...but no such luck! ;)
Hard to argue against the 7mm-08 as the perfect whitetail caliber. Good luck in your quest!
(perfect scenario: find a buddy or two that has one of each and let her shoot at the range before you buy)
Either will work just as good as the other. 243 ammo will be easier to find than 7mm-08. A soft point or the Barnes Vortex or TTSX in either will kill deer. Shot placement is king.
The .243 is great and one of my favorites but the 7mm08 has similar recoil and is more versatile. Either choice will be great for your daughter, or any shooter for that matter.
Either will be just fine. Both are tough little rounds.
I love both rounds, own several 243 and a couple 7mm08. I am a 243 fan, have used one for almost 50 years! Shoot the 100gr bullet at around 3000fps and it will kill any deer! I shoot handloads with Remington Corloc bullets..Having raised 4 kids I can assure you it is a great rifle to start them with. My 3 boys are out of the house and still 243 fans, my oldest has a 2 year old and he just bought a Ruger Compact in 243 for her!! No matter what you choose you are doing the right thing by getting that kid out in the woods!! best longbeads wv
Quote from: wisconsinteacher on June 07, 2015, 02:18:19 PM
I would go with the 7mm-08 personally. I like having a little more lead traveling down range.
My thoughts on it exactly.
I went with a .260 Remington in a Model 7 for my son when he was small. He is an adult now and it is still one of his favorite rifles. This might be a good compromise between the .243 and 7MM-08.
I bought my wife a savage 7mm-08 it shot so well and did such a good job at dropping deer I use it everytime she's not in the woods with me.
Before turkey season started I bought my kids a youth 20 ga and a Savage youth in 7mm-08. Due to being busy with turkey season I haven't shot or scoped it yet but my thinking is the same as yours. According to the recoil charts the managed loads in the 08 have less recoil than standard rounds in 243. And when they're ready, you just throw a standard load down the pipe and they got themselves a full grown deer slayer. I too have seen and heard of way to many losses with the smaller 243. Now I have never hunted with either one and would not be worried about the 243 for myself with careful shot placement but I wont be handing one to my young hunters for their first kills.
I would go with the 7mm -08 it's a great deer gun. My son has killed a bunch of deer with his, and it has hardly any recoil to it. His is the winchester model 70
Your daughter will continue to grow into that rifle, so if you intend to get one that she'll keep and will use the rest of her life, I wouldn't rule out the .308 either.
Each of those cartridges you mentioned is based on the .308 case. In my experience the .243 works on deer, but lacks the knock down power of a bigger bullet. You'd better develop your tracking skills, because you'll get to use them with a .243. My best friend shoots a 7mm/08 and does very well with it. It is definitely a deer hammer. The .308 is really versatile and also has more factory bullet options than the others. Recoil difference between all of them isn't huge until you start to move up above 150 grains in bullet weight in the .308.
I've been hunting with the .308 for 36 years and have killed loads of deer with it. I have yet to lose a deer with it and seldom have to search much for them after the shot.
Jim
Remember with the advancement of bullets any caliber you buy can easily kill deer sized game and be a go to rifle for a lifetime.
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both great whitetail rounds. personally I prefer a 243. I have killed a pile of deer with that round . all comes down to shot placement though.
Quote from: Spitten and drummen on June 08, 2015, 09:03:34 AM
both great whitetail rounds. personally I prefer a 243. I have killed a pile of deer with that round . all comes down to shot placement though.
I agree, I have a friend that shoots a 300 win magnum. I track and never find the deer he shoots. I just walk over and load up my deer shot with my .243. No caliber is a magic solution for poor shooting. That is why it is important to find one they shoot well.
In SC, the .243 is just on the verge of what is not allowed. Its a smaller round than the 7mm.08, but the 7mm.08 packs a much bigger punch for a little bit more recoil.
the .243, and the 7mm.08 have similar trajectories if memory servers, but the pounds per square inch at the same distance was not comparable at all. Much more impact with the 7mm.08.
My vote is the 7mm.08!
My vote is .243. It's a good deer gun. I shoot deer with 100gr remington Coe lok factory ammo. It's a great wood chuck or coyote gun and not as devastating on fox pelts as most would say. At most places .243 ammo is very available and in variety.
I shoot a 243 and I have killed a mess of deer with it in 17 years. I think I've lost 2. Comes down to shooting. I have 2 daughters that will probably start with the 7mm08. My lil bro has the youth model and it will bust em down with lil recoil. Some kids will shoot better than others but I feel like you should give them all the lead they can handle to build their confidence. I think if a kid looses a few they may start doubting theirself or worse, loose interest. Just my .02, not hating on either.
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Here are some numbers that might help you out. Both calibers in same weight rifle (7.5 lb) with 100 gr. bullet weight for the .243 and 120 gr. for the 7mm-08 will give you 8.8 ft. lbs of recoil for the .243 and 12.1 in 7mm-08. Out to 300 yards the .243 has -7.1 inches of drop and 1175 ft. of energy, the 7mm-08 at same distance with the 120 grain bullet has -9.4 inches of drop at 1057 ft pounds of energy. If you go up in bullet weight to a 139 grain in the 7mm-08 you will have more energy and more recoil. If you buy the same brand ammo for each the 7mm-08 will cost you $7.00 more. Perhaps you can rent or borrow one to she what she is more comfortable with. Hope this helps!
7mm-08
The 308 with the Horndy lite will hands down out shot the 243 and 7m 08...
With the 308 you only have to buy one gun and ammo is no problem to get... back last year you couldn't hardly fine factory 100 gr. 243 or any 7 m 08 ... so if your not a hand loader get the 308...
My advice is worth exactly what you've paid for it so here goes:
I've shot several deer with both over the years and have found both to be quite adequate. Youre going to see some separation though in their performance. I've found the 243 to be more of a DRT cartridge so long as the deer is hit properly. The downside is that there's often not an exit hole when using factory loaded ammo unless you get the premium stuff. Also, if they are going to run off, the blood trail CAN be a bit anemic. Doesn't mean you won't get some and in some cases it'll leave quite a bit but I've trailed my share of them to know that there's quite a bit of variation in how the soft point bullets are going to behave when placed in similar scenarios. The 7mm-08 tends to lend itself to better blood trails and better ballistics if hand loaded. Since you're using factory ammo, that point is moot. If the deer isn't hit properly, it matter either way. I don't see much difference in the recoil of the two personally.
After saying all that, I've killed more than a couple truckloads of deer with the lowly 223 and just last night we shot 3 deer on crop damage permits using a suppressed 6x45. It's a 5.56 case necked up to 6mm launching a 75 grain v-max bullet that's quite devastating at ridiculous ranges. In the end, pick what you want and keep it in the front end.
Strictly deer go 7mm-08. I used one for 15 years and killed truckloads of deer with it. Remington 140 gr soft points, 140 great ballistic tip and 139 gr Hornady sst hand loads. If you want a dual purpose deer/varmint rifle the 243 is one of the best. I bought one last fall and it's fast becoming my favorite caliber.
I have had a few guns in my life. I've sold tons more but I'm around 50 still. Now when I got divorced I needed money n had to face facts, they all couldn't stay.
My 7-08 took a ride, my .243 stayed.
I'm by no means afraid of any recoil. Nor is my daughter.
At 13 she was shooting my .300 win mag at the range much to the dismay of others. She's now just over 5' and thin.
I have many guns to choose from when I hit the deer woods. Commonly I use a .300, may sound crazy but my second choice, especially if I want a light gun to carry is the .243.
I've never lost a deer w it but than again I've never lost a deer w any rifle and the thin blood trails guys are speaking of are foreign to me, they tend to drop in sight.
My daughter has claimed the gun which is fine. I bought it for her when she was less than a year. The first time she shot it was a great day.
Most shots on deer aren't very far, so if it's a deer gun I'd be carrying very commonly a .243. Truth is they're both great calibers but any extra felt recoil can be more detrimental to a good shot n lost deer than a caliber slightly less in size.
If that was the arguement than we oughta be all shooting cannons.
7mm-08 is a great round, but as stated availability and price is an issue. At least for me.
I personally like the .243. All the deer I have seen hit behind the shoulders died within steps and their heart/lungs were destroyed.
Go with heavier bullet weights.
For me 90gr scirocco's really blister deer.
.........243 .........
I've hunted with a 6mm all my life and have never had a deer complain yet. I'd go with the 243
I've hunted with and killed plenty of deer with both. Either one you choose will serve you well but if I had to decide on only one, it would be a 243 hands down. Less recoil, much more ammo selection and better ammo availability. People can say all they want about knockdown power blah blah blah. A well placed bullet regardless of the round will kill deer and a poorly placed bullet will not. A 243 does a far better job at transferring the energy of the bullet into a deer than most any other cartridge.
Quote from: West Augusta on June 08, 2015, 09:11:23 PM
I've hunted with a 6mm all my life and have never had a deer complain yet. I'd go with the 243
x2 with a .243. Used many others as well. the 7mm-08 was tikka whitetail, bought early for my son , let quite a few young teen aged boys and girls use it with 120 grain, many said the .243 they liked better. The strange thing is they liked the .270 with a factory 130 grain better too as long as standard factory ammo was used. based on the chronograph you could tell why.
Now the knatweight rifles are sweet for looks and carrying, the model 7 in 7mm-08 i had was a handfull for that caliber, same as the ruger compact. Friend of mine has a 308 in a beautiful model 70 compact, he changes scopes it seems every year and i mount and sight in for him, let him take the fine tuning last shot. About a half dozen shots get my attention , so a guy might give some gun weight a serious thought.
Hands down the 7mm-08. Go buy you some federal fusion 120 grain and shoot away very low recoil. Great deer round!!!!
appears to be different opinions ....... imagine that..... 7mm-08 ......hands down but if you shoot a 243 get you some Winchester silver ballistic tip....
7mm-08 would be my first choice....243 would not be in my top 10....
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Either will be a good caliber for a kid. Take a look at the Tikka T3 along with the Ruger. My boys have the Tikka in .243 and they are tack drivers.
A 243 is plenty adaquate for shooting whitetails. My son who is now 18 has been shooting a 243 since he was 7. I can tell you first hand that with a 100 grain Rem Core Lock it will hammer a deer--a hog too for that matter. I consider this an almost perfect combination for deer. One of my main hunting partners is a an expert rifle and pistol shooter. He is on the poice shooting team. He killed 5 does ( DMAP program) at my place last year using a Marlin 30-30 with open sights. He good naturedly teases my son that his 243 is "cheating".
I went through this same thing this year and settled on the 7mm-08. I got a marlin xs7s. Still waiting to shoot it.
Quote from: beagler on June 07, 2015, 01:36:30 PM
Think I'm going to purchase a Ruger American Compact for my 9yr old daughter. Now my question is a 7mm-08 or .243? Was considering the 7mm-08 with managed recoil ammo (I don't reload). She isn't a tiny framed girl, she took her first turkey a few weeks back shooting a 20ga Mossberg 510 Mini. I'd like to get her a deer this year next.
270 and 25/06 are my 2 favorite calibers. The 25 shoots amazing ans is the best dual purpose gun on the planet in my opinion. However for deer I've never seen as about my thing perform like the 270 as far as killing them dead where they stand.
I bought a 243 about 8 or 9 years ago, worked on it and got it is abiut perfect. Shot 2 deer with it that fall, one fell dead, and one made it about 10 yards. I decided thar was gonna be the last deer I ever killed with a gun.
Well I injured my shoulder about 6 years and several good bucks later and picked the 243 back up. A buck I had been hunting for 3 years shows up and I took a while quartering toward me shot, tried to enter the neck right where the neck meets the body and hit opposite shoulder..
4 hours and very little blood later I spot my buck on the next finger bedded down looking back at me. I put another bullet within an inch of the first one and he never got up.
A week later my wife has a nice 9 point come by at about 50 yards, I thought she missed but she insisted that she did not. Go down there and find some lung blood for about 20 yards and then nothing. Looked for probably 2 hours and I'm pretty dang good at tracking deer. Went to Walmart and bought a led spot light with with a lithium battery 2 in the morning I gave up. Came back the next morning and walk up on the deer while going to pick up the blood trail. Couldn't have asked for a better shot. Clipped the top of his heart and got the lungs. I spent what seemed like an hour but in all reality was probably only 20 or 30 minutes back tracking from deer to last blood and never found another drop. I can't remember if there was blood where he was laying dead or not but if there was it wasn't much at all.
I haven't give the 243 a fair chance and after I nearly lost a 146" 8 point on a shot that I truly believe a 270 would have folded him in his tracks, I'll not be packing that rifle for deep any time in the near future.
I've lost a good buck I shot with a muzzleloader but never a High powered rifle. I've never shot one with a 22-250 thst didn't fall dead where he stood but after them 2 incidents within an week of one another and one being as good a shot as you could ask for, I'm sticking with a 25_06 or 270
I know 2 brothers that are very successful in the fall. They each swear by 2 calibers. One likes a 300 wsm and a 7_08, the other like a 7 mag and a 7_08.
I've never shot the 7-08 but I've never talked to anybody that had one that didn't absolutely love it.
My wifes next rifle will either be a 7-08 or 25-06.
Which brings up a point about shots with a smaller caliber. With .243 shot placement , angled or raking shots should not be taken. Good shots broadside into the heart and lungs put deer down quickly with this caliber providing the proper bullet is used. Never had any problems with Remington Core-lok 100 grainers.
The hornady SST works well it seems , just a few kills with it, kills were quick.
Ballistic tips or Combined Tech Ballistic tips have been the worst performers in .243, 270, 308 in my and others i know experiences. Lost deer and long tracking jobs , some found next day or week.
The .308 really shocked me , shallow penetration on some and no expansion on others , small does and big bucks didn't matter. Killed a few just fine. Spent 5 years dealing with it, just could not believe a 150 grain .308 was the problem, Switched to the 150 grain SST and the deer hit the ground , right now and hard.
The .270 of a friends with 130 CT Ballistic tips couldn't penetrate a 2 year old bucks neck at 60 yards, deer dead after a follow up shot. at least a dozen neck shots with .243 and 100 grain coreloks taken by me or others in our camp-farm house have performed better. Dead right there.
Bullet choice is to me , the thing.
As Onpoint and others pointed out the 25-06 is a flat out a killer , with a 117 SST's this is a stunning combo, 30+ deer and not one single problem in our camp. Many who have shot it , find it pleasant to shoot also.
I am the only one i know who owned a 7-08, not very popular in North Missouri , loaded rounds or brass not easy to find, am surprised about the numbers on here who recommend it. Would be very interested in the performance of kills with 140 sst especially as i have loaded a 7 mag to match the hottest loads a 7-08 can get, from the Nosler book anyway. The loads are very pleasant to shoot , easy on the brass to.
Just need to chronograph them and shoot some deer now. Yes i always need to be tinkering with stuff,lol
As far as recoil is concerned , comparing a rifle to a shotgun just does not seem to be the same.
With a rifle and a scope the concentration seems to make the recoil more noticed. I know plenty shoot 3 and 3 1/2" turkey loads , but give them a rifle , such as 300 mag, 338 or try a .375 h-h and they shoot it once or twice and say no way. Plenty of people flinch with a 30-06, but can shoot a turkey gun just fine.
Good luck with your choice.
as a kid my father purchased me a browning abolt micro 7mm08 and i started hunting with it. We belonged to a hunting club in Mississippi, with about 10-12 grown men members. when i started hunting at age 8 there was not a 7mm08 in the club except mine. When we got out and i was age 14 every single man in that club owned a 7mm08 for either themselves or their child. That speaks well for the 7mm08 in my opinion.
To have a caliber preference is fine, but to say angled shots should not be taken with a .243 makes me question either bullets being used, or a persons experience with that caliber.
Quote from: 30_06 on June 14, 2015, 11:53:49 AM
To have a caliber preference is fine, but to say angled shots should not be taken with a .243 makes me question either bullets being used, or a persons experience with that caliber.
Angled shots being raking rear end , texas heart shots, shoulder area trying to angle to lungs etc.
Mostly Rem core-loks, used for 12 years solid as only rifle and load. Killed alot with lung and heart shots, neck shots. Many friends shooting same combo. Have shot or witnessed or looked at kills hanging in the barn 50 + deer shot with the .243 . Friend of mine during doe season , one weekend had shot 6 does a few years back with the Hornady 87BTHP that worked well also with heart lung shots. Only problems i ever had was with facing, quartered buck which i tried to the shoulder into the lung which left him going with a broke shoulder , the 742 shot again quickly as he turned and jellied the lungs. The shot i should have waited for to begin with! Jumped up a doe and hit her in the rump, hit her again in the heart and down. but the rump shot only penetrated 4 inches or so. Have seen same thing in deer others have shot also. The biggest problem i have seen is with the 95 Combined BT, five hits , shoulder hit , 2 rump 1 leg and finally 1 neck-right under head to do it. Shallow penetration, bullet blow up. HUGE buck though , beer can bases , Fosters cans that is! Put that .243 Corelok in a good place and the deer go down from mine and many others experiences is all i am trying to say. :z-twocents:
If she could handle a little 20ga, a 7mm08 is nothing.
This is going to be a tough decision.
A 7-08 would be better for less thanperfect hits. and when you talking about kids shooting a lot of times things happen..... ice water veins, no nerves, perfect hits any caliber will do
Yes tough one.
A 6 lb. rifle with an 18" barrel.
have you found managed recoil ammo? bass pro, cabelas , midway and sportsmanguide do not have it. May be discontinued. Saw that somewhere searching around.
Out of that 18" barrel velocity will be around 2200 or so fps with that 140 grain ammo.
hornady custom lite is around those stores with 120 gr SST at about 2525 or so with that length barrel.
Just some more for ya to think about :)
helping a guy out at work with some 130 gr. he is loading at 2750 fps or so .270 loads for his wife , rifle stock is a bit to long for her ,but will see how she can handle 7mm-08 comparative recoil before he goes and buys her a 700 to fit her .
Owlhoot; wasn't trying to single you out as I see this said by quite a few people.
Having been personally involved in over 100 whitetail kills with a .243 I can safely say I have never had a single bullet stay in a deer. That includes hard quartering to, hard quartering away, broadside, straight down, and straight on shots. Never tried a Texas heart shot, and don't intend to.
I have hunting companions that use lighter bullets, and ballistic tips that have not had a thru and thru, but they still don't hesitate with a quartering to or away shot. One in particular swears an 85gr as fast as you can push it is perfect.....hard to argue with his results as he has killed well over 500 whitetail, mule deer, and antelope over many years as a depredation? hunter.
Quote from: beagler on June 14, 2015, 06:54:02 PM
This is going to be a tough decision.
Yes it is.
like I mentioned earlier, I've seen the 243 work wonders and I've seen it leave me wishing for a bigger gun on 1 occasion.
personally I would go with a 25-06. No recoil, plenty knockdown, flat shooting, and scary accurate caliber.
I got a Ruger No. 1 in .243 from my wife as a birthday present 13 years ago. I was using 100 grain corelokts at the time. I hunted with it one year and probably killed 15 deer with it. I never lost one with it. The blood trails were not great but the deer generally didn't go far. I put it in the gun cabinet after that and stuck with my .270.
Fast forward to 2 years ago and my 9 year old son starts hunting with it. I bought a box of Hornaday American whitetail 100 grain soft point ammo. It is actually cheaper and just as easy to find in my area. The blood trails that these bullets leave is stupid. It leaves a better blood trail than my .270. I actually started hunting with it again last season. My son has killed about 30 deer with it.
I have no first hand knowledge of 7-08.
Leaning towards the .243. Figure I can use it for a coyote calling gun when it's not in my daughter's hands. ;D
Quote from: beagler on June 15, 2015, 09:02:47 PM
Leaning towards the .243. Figure I can use it for a coyote calling gun when it's not in my daughter's hands. ;D
25-06 is a great dual purpose caliber as well. 7-08 is just a flat out deer killer.
Before u get the 243 think of this. Some have had great luck with it. Some have experienced poor blood trails. Noone with the 708 had any complaint of blood trails. I really loved deer hunting with thar gun until those 2 experiences I mentioned earlier. 243 is a very good caliber. my point is this, if she can handle a 20 gauge, then she can shoot a 708, 2506, hell even a 270.
I truly believe the 2506 is the best dual purpose gun on the planet. I wouldn't rule it out.
If your really wanting a short action don't overlook 260.
I would take the 260, 25/06, 270, 7/08, 308, 6.5 Creedmore, 257 Roberts, and 257 Weatherby all over the 243. That is just the opinion of an ol kentucky hillbilly.
I Neary lost this buck the last time I shot a 243
(http://i1341.photobucket.com/albums/o744/19onpoint85/Mobile%20Uploads/20140522_112928_zpsfeyv824h.jpg) (http://s1341.photobucket.com/user/19onpoint85/media/Mobile%20Uploads/20140522_112928_zpsfeyv824h.jpg.html)
Quote from: beagler on June 15, 2015, 09:02:47 PM
Leaning towards the .243. Figure I can use it for a coyote calling gun when it's not in my daughter's hands. ;D
You won't be sorry. The notion that the .243 is not enough gun for whitetails is comical. Use a well constructed bullet and shoot them in the vitals (same goes for the larger calibers mentioned) and you won't have any problems.
Bullets matter way more than than what's stamped on the opposite end of the case and people seem to be lost on that concept. Look at what HTL shot has done for the smaller gauge shotguns and turkey hunting. Put something like an 80 gr Barnes TTSX in the .243 and it will amaze you. Similar concept.
Quote from: J-Shaped on June 15, 2015, 11:56:53 PM
Quote from: beagler on June 15, 2015, 09:02:47 PM
Leaning towards the .243. Figure I can use it for a coyote calling gun when it's not in my daughter's hands. ;D
You won't be sorry. The notion that the .243 is not enough gun for whitetails is comical. Use a well constructed bullet and shoot them in the vitals (same goes for the larger calibers mentioned) and you won't have any problems.
Bullets matter way more than than what's stamped on the opposite end of the case and people seem to be lost on that concept. Look at what HTL shot has done for the smaller gauge shotguns and turkey hunting. Put something like an 80 gr Barnes TTSX in the .243 and it will amaze you. Similar concept.
I had good luck with the 80 grain Barnes. Thing is, it wasn't as accurate in my gun as fusions and corelokts. The corelokts will shoot clovers at 100. The fusions are pretty dang close. I had moved and couldn't find my bullets any dang where. Had a stock pile of corelokts. So I used the fusions.. both shots I mentioned were with federal fusions.
I'm not saying it's not enough gun. I'm just saying that there are guns that pack alot more punch that still have very manageable recoil..
any caliber gun has a potential for losing a animal. I have shot whitetails with a 300 win mag and core lokt bullets that killed the deer but left a poor trail even though dying withen eyesight. I have killed many a deer with a 243 and core lokt bullets. best blood trails , not at all. most I have shot with it was drt. the few that ran , I found pretty easily. then again im a bowhunter so I consider myself a pretty good tracker. well placed shot with a proper bullet is the biggest factor. I agree that the 25-06 is a great caliber but it lacks in bloodtrails also. own one and have killed a few with it , but it was no more impressive than a 243. most drt , but ones that ran left a poor blood trail.
it's all about placement. And yes that 25-06 was always bad news when I hunted with it - didn't need to blood trail any of the deer I shot with that gun because they were all dead where they stood.
270 with 130 grain bullets or 2506 woth 117's.
In my personal opinion the 270 Is just magical. i have seen deer fold up with thst caliber from bad shots.
when I was young I took one of my old girlfriends deer hunting for the first time. buck showed up and she couldn't get steady where she was so nervous. I let her lay the gun across my shoulder and just covered my ears. By this time the buck was close to 200 yards. She hit him in the back hip. Worst shot I've ever seen. Folded him up in his tracks.
I killed a 180" buck in 2003 at close to 300 yards with a 270. hit a little further back than I like to go. it was about 6 inches behind the shoulder and about 2/3rds the way up. The deer just tensed up and stood there a couple seconds. Tried to take a step with his left foot and fell over.
I told somebody that story not too long ago, it may have even been on this thread. If I repeated myself, I apologize. I haven't got used to this heat yet and climbing and trimming trees in it is making me a little loopy. I could've drug today out and got a full days pay but I went balls to the wall and finished my 3 jobs I had to do and I'm now sitting in a restaurant that's nice and cool enjoying a an ice cold bud light and about to eat a rum glazed salmon salad with walnuts, dried cranberries, tomatoes, onions and sautéed mushrooms. :icon_thumright:
I'm not hating on a 243. For a while I was very impressed with it. It just so happened to be the gun I had in my hands when one of them "how is that deer not dead" moments that came along. I didn't give it a fair shake and I have no reason to. I have the the perfect gun for "me"
The point I'm trying to make is that I've seen a few not so perfect shots with a 270 and the deer still fell in their tracks.
good luck with your choice
The Tikka t3 lite with a meopta scope is a pretty dang good combo
Pick a good bullet and none of the concerns are really concerns.
Quote from: Onpoint on June 16, 2015, 12:09:55 AM
Quote from: J-Shaped on June 15, 2015, 11:56:53 PM
Quote from: beagler on June 15, 2015, 09:02:47 PM
Leaning towards the .243. Figure I can use it for a coyote calling gun when it's not in my daughter's hands. ;D
You won't be sorry. The notion that the .243 is not enough gun for whitetails is comical. Use a well constructed bullet and shoot them in the vitals (same goes for the larger calibers mentioned) and you won't have any problems.
Bullets matter way more than than what's stamped on the opposite end of the case and people seem to be lost on that concept. Look at what HTL shot has done for the smaller gauge shotguns and turkey hunting. Put something like an 80 gr Barnes TTSX in the .243 and it will amaze you. Similar concept.
I had good luck with the 80 grain Barnes. Thing is, it wasn't as accurate in my gun as fusions and corelokts. The corelokts will shoot clovers at 100. The fusions are pretty dang close. I had moved and couldn't find my bullets any dang where. Had a stock pile of corelokts. So I used the fusions.. both shots I mentioned were with federal fusions.
I'm not saying it's not enough gun. I'm just saying that there are guns that pack alot more punch that still have very manageable recoil..
Rifle accuracy is like the 10" circle if you are not shooting 400+ yards. The kill area of a mature deer is like the size of a pie plate, you do not need extra tight groupings to kill a deer. Focus on a great bullet that has good accuracy and you will kill way more of what you shoot than using a good bullet with great accuracy.
Quote from: davisd9 on June 16, 2015, 03:34:59 PM
Quote from: Onpoint on June 16, 2015, 12:09:55 AM
Quote from: J-Shaped on June 15, 2015, 11:56:53 PM
Quote from: beagler on June 15, 2015, 09:02:47 PM
Leaning towards the .243. Figure I can use it for a coyote calling gun when it's not in my daughter's hands. ;D
You won't be sorry. The notion that the .243 is not enough gun for whitetails is comical. Use a well constructed bullet and shoot them in the vitals (same goes for the larger calibers mentioned) and you won't have any problems.
Bullets matter way more than than what's stamped on the opposite end of the case and people seem to be lost on that concept. Look at what HTL shot has done for the smaller gauge shotguns and turkey hunting. Put something like an 80 gr Barnes TTSX in the .243 and it will amaze you. Similar concept.
I had good luck with the 80 grain Barnes. Thing is, it wasn't as accurate in my gun as fusions and corelokts. The corelokts will shoot clovers at 100. The fusions are pretty dang close. I had moved and couldn't find my bullets any dang where. Had a stock pile of corelokts. So I used the fusions.. both shots I mentioned were with federal fusions.
I'm not saying it's not enough gun. I'm just saying that there are guns that pack alot more punch that still have very manageable recoil..
Rifle accuracy is like the 10" circle if you are not shooting 400+ yards. The kill area of a mature deer is like the size of a pie plate, you do not need extra tight groupings to kill a deer. Focus on a great bullet that has good accuracy and you will kill way more of what you shoot than using a good bullet with great accuracy.
Good point
in your opinion, what are the 3 best deer bullets out there
Quote from: davisd9 on June 16, 2015, 03:32:28 PM
Pick a good bullet and none of the concerns are really concerns.
This ^^^^^^^^^
I have and used a 7-08 for 30 years. Even though I've never owned a 243 I always wanted one. Both are good when using the right bullet.
Saying all that, for the last 5-6 years I've used an AR15 in 6.8 SPC for deer, coyotes and ground hogs. Short, light , low recoil, quick follow up shots and good for most things if you use the right bullet. Very similar ballistics to the 243.
Quote from: Onpoint on June 16, 2015, 09:24:39 PM
Quote from: davisd9 on June 16, 2015, 03:34:59 PM
Quote from: Onpoint on June 16, 2015, 12:09:55 AM
Quote from: J-Shaped on June 15, 2015, 11:56:53 PM
Quote from: beagler on June 15, 2015, 09:02:47 PM
Leaning towards the .243. Figure I can use it for a coyote calling gun when it's not in my daughter's hands. ;D
You won't be sorry. The notion that the .243 is not enough gun for whitetails is comical. Use a well constructed bullet and shoot them in the vitals (same goes for the larger calibers mentioned) and you won't have any problems.
Bullets matter way more than than what's stamped on the opposite end of the case and people seem to be lost on that concept. Look at what HTL shot has done for the smaller gauge shotguns and turkey hunting. Put something like an 80 gr Barnes TTSX in the .243 and it will amaze you. Similar concept.
I had good luck with the 80 grain Barnes. Thing is, it wasn't as accurate in my gun as fusions and corelokts. The corelokts will shoot clovers at 100. The fusions are pretty dang close. I had moved and couldn't find my bullets any dang where. Had a stock pile of corelokts. So I used the fusions.. both shots I mentioned were with federal fusions.
I'm not saying it's not enough gun. I'm just saying that there are guns that pack alot more punch that still have very manageable recoil..
Rifle accuracy is like the 10" circle if you are not shooting 400+ yards. The kill area of a mature deer is like the size of a pie plate, you do not need extra tight groupings to kill a deer. Focus on a great bullet that has good accuracy and you will kill way more of what you shoot than using a good bullet with great accuracy.
Good point
in your opinion, what are the 3 best deer bullets out there
Barnes TTSX/TSX (overall best bullet IMO and can turn small guns into big guns), Sierr@ GameKings (Awesome bullet and the best lead core bullet out there, was designed for deer), Sierr@ ProHunter
All of these bullets will usually have great accuracy to go along with their performance. Also, I am guilty as the next guy of trying to get the tightest groupings I can.
Sent from the Strut Zone
Quote from: davisd9 on June 16, 2015, 09:43:35 PM
Quote from: Onpoint on June 16, 2015, 09:24:39 PM
Quote from: davisd9 on June 16, 2015, 03:34:59 PM
Quote from: Onpoint on June 16, 2015, 12:09:55 AM
Quote from: J-Shaped on June 15, 2015, 11:56:53 PM
Quote from: beagler on June 15, 2015, 09:02:47 PM
Leaning towards the .243. Figure I can use it for a coyote calling gun when it's not in my daughter's hands. ;D
You won't be sorry. The notion that the .243 is not enough gun for whitetails is comical. Use a well constructed bullet and shoot them in the vitals (same goes for the larger calibers mentioned) and you won't have any problems.
Bullets matter way more than than what's stamped on the opposite end of the case and people seem to be lost on that concept. Look at what HTL shot has done for the smaller gauge shotguns and turkey hunting. Put something like an 80 gr Barnes TTSX in the .243 and it will amaze you. Similar concept.
I had good luck with the 80 grain Barnes. Thing is, it wasn't as accurate in my gun as fusions and corelokts. The corelokts will shoot clovers at 100. The fusions are pretty dang close. I had moved and couldn't find my bullets any dang where. Had a stock pile of corelokts. So I used the fusions.. both shots I mentioned were with federal fusions.
I'm not saying it's not enough gun. I'm just saying that there are guns that pack alot more punch that still have very manageable recoil..
Rifle accuracy is like the 10" circle if you are not shooting 400+ yards. The kill area of a mature deer is like the size of a pie plate, you do not need extra tight groupings to kill a deer. Focus on a great bullet that has good accuracy and you will kill way more of what you shoot than using a good bullet with great accuracy.
Good point
in your opinion, what are the 3 best deer bullets out there
Barnes TTSX/TSX (overall best bullet IMO and can turn small guns into big guns), Sierr@ GameKings (Awesome bullet and the best lead core bullet out there, was designed for deer), Sierr@ ProHunter
All of these bullets will usually have great accuracy to go along with their performance. Also, I am guilty as the next guy of trying to get the tightest groupings I can.
Sent from the Strut Zone
I shoot the 130 grain game kings out of my 270. well I did anyhow. I can't seem to find any more of the federal loaded game kings around me any more
Quote from: Onpoint on June 16, 2015, 09:54:30 PM
Quote from: davisd9 on June 16, 2015, 09:43:35 PM
Quote from: Onpoint on June 16, 2015, 09:24:39 PM
Quote from: davisd9 on June 16, 2015, 03:34:59 PM
Quote from: Onpoint on June 16, 2015, 12:09:55 AM
Quote from: J-Shaped on June 15, 2015, 11:56:53 PM
Quote from: beagler on June 15, 2015, 09:02:47 PM
Leaning towards the .243. Figure I can use it for a coyote calling gun when it's not in my daughter's hands. ;D
You won't be sorry. The notion that the .243 is not enough gun for whitetails is comical. Use a well constructed bullet and shoot them in the vitals (same goes for the larger calibers mentioned) and you won't have any problems.
Bullets matter way more than than what's stamped on the opposite end of the case and people seem to be lost on that concept. Look at what HTL shot has done for the smaller gauge shotguns and turkey hunting. Put something like an 80 gr Barnes TTSX in the .243 and it will amaze you. Similar concept.
I had good luck with the 80 grain Barnes. Thing is, it wasn't as accurate in my gun as fusions and corelokts. The corelokts will shoot clovers at 100. The fusions are pretty dang close. I had moved and couldn't find my bullets any dang where. Had a stock pile of corelokts. So I used the fusions.. both shots I mentioned were with federal fusions.
I'm not saying it's not enough gun. I'm just saying that there are guns that pack alot more punch that still have very manageable recoil..
Rifle accuracy is like the 10" circle if you are not shooting 400+ yards. The kill area of a mature deer is like the size of a pie plate, you do not need extra tight groupings to kill a deer. Focus on a great bullet that has good accuracy and you will kill way more of what you shoot than using a good bullet with great accuracy.
Good point
in your opinion, what are the 3 best deer bullets out there
Barnes TTSX/TSX (overall best bullet IMO and can turn small guns into big guns), Sierr@ GameKings (Awesome bullet and the best lead core bullet out there, was designed for deer), Sierr@ ProHunter
All of these bullets will usually have great accuracy to go along with their performance. Also, I am guilty as the next guy of trying to get the tightest groupings I can.
Sent from the Strut Zone
I shoot the 130 grain game kings out of my 270. well I did anyhow. I can't seem to find any more of the federal loaded game kings around me any more
The federals are a good load. I load my own. I am now shooting Barnes TTSX 130s on my 270 win and 80 gr in my 243 win.
I have some 130 grain GameKings that I need to load. My father in law still shoots them and thy are a bad bullet!
I tired the 110 grain barnes in my 270 and they did well but the 270 was made to shoot a 130 grain bullet so I had to go back, haha.
Sent from the Strut Zone
Quote from: J-Shaped on June 15, 2015, 11:56:53 PM
Quote from: beagler on June 15, 2015, 09:02:47 PM
Leaning towards the .243. Figure I can use it for a coyote calling gun when it's not in my daughter's hands. ;D
You won't be sorry. The notion that the .243 is not enough gun for whitetails is comical. Use a well constructed bullet and shoot them in the vitals (same goes for the larger calibers mentioned) and you won't have any problems.
Bullets matter way more than than what's stamped on the opposite end of the case and people seem to be lost on that concept. Look at what HTL shot has done for the smaller gauge shotguns and turkey hunting. Put something like an 80 gr Barnes TTSX in the .243 and it will amaze you. Similar concept.
This is right on. I load 100 grain gamekings, accurate arms powder, in my daughters 243 n it may be one of the most accurate guns I own. It's devastating on deer too.,knocking no one but I wonder how many stories are just things guys read, or simply a result of a poorly placed shot n the unwillingness to admit it.
Quote from: mikejd on June 07, 2015, 02:46:32 PM
Quote from: Xtrema30 on June 07, 2015, 02:38:47 PM
all I've ever shot is a 7mm08 and you can't go wrong with it. I've been in camp and trailed way to many deer with a 243. i still shoot a 7mm08 and will continue too. If you can make the shot theres a good deal most of your deer will be right there or within 50 or 60 yards. I've killed my share and id say over 75% have laid in their tracks. you will get those that say a 7mm08 is a kids gun but i mean with a 7mm bullet and a 308 casing whats kids about that. plus the recoil with the winchester power point 140 grain i shoot is hardly any.
Same here. I dont think 243 is enough gun for deer. I know there will be some disagreement but unless your shot is perfect your going to be out in the dark with flashlights. 7MM-08 great deer round.
Hahahahah come on man do some research. I've killed over 165 deer with a 243 and only had 1 take a step. 243 is more then enough fun for a 180lb animal and you don't need to be a sniper to shoot one.
Joshua 24:15
"But as for me and my household, we will serve the Lord."
Sent from my phone sucka
7mm-o8 :OGturkeyhead: :OGturkeyhead: :fud:
I prefer the .243 for predators and deer. My experiences have been good. .243 has tons of bullet options factory loaded. For a deer rifle it penetrates using a 100gr soft point very well. It is the ultimate predator/varmint rifle, to me, for it is flat shooting hard hitting, and bucks the wind pretty well. I shoot 55gr Nosler Varmegeddon ammo for predators/varmint. The round penetrates well before expansion unlike the more traditional varmint cals shooting varmint bullet. Often I refrain from shooting fox but I have shot some with the .243 and the Varmegeddon bullet. The combo has only "blown up" a few. Most have not even had an exit hole. It shoots coyote dead too. Then gun has some reach for varmints and predators also.
We all tend to over think things. This debate over caliber size happens on every predator forum and deer forum I have ever been on. Before the internet this conversation lived in every hunting camp and club. This is physics question really. There are a ton of variables. It would be very difficult for someone to cover every possibility in their lifetime.
Recoil matters, but I think we all give it too much attention. I would not give a 6 year old child a magnum cal (I think most adults struggle to shoot large magnum cal too) but I would not split the hairs of 7mm and 6mm. The kid wont either.
bought my 6yr old grandson a 243 single shot for this upcoming deer season, have never used one before myself, but I've seen plenty of deer that have been killed by one, as the saying goes you put the bullet where it's suppose to go and the deer will die
7mm-08.
I myself would go with the 7mm-08 that way if he wants to continue to hunt it can be used for other species as we'll.
The 7mm-08 can fill multiple roles whereas the 243 is mostly a thin skinned/predator/varmit caliber. I have killed more deer with a 243 than any other. All were dead right there. Never had to track. If your not going after elk or big bear then a 243 is a wonderful round. The 7mm-08 if chasing larger critters later on, even though a lot say it's too small for elk, mainly cause you get better bullet selection and heavier weights. Recoil is nil between the 2 imo. I have also used a 260 and it's a nice accurate round as well. Thinking back the only long action I ever used was a 270 but it didn't kill any deader or any quicker. 257 Roberts is also a nice round.
I would deer hunt with a 22-250 if the law allowed it. I don't buy into the big caliber stuff unless I was chasing dangerous game or moose. Pick a good bullet and shoot straight and the animal will die fast. Shoot one in the gut, leg or any other non vital spot etc it doesn't matter if you use a 416. You will spend time tracking