Look, i shoot a 7-08, have since 1996, but as a whole my family has killed WAY more deer with a 243. My grandfather piled them up with one for years.
223 and 300 BO I’ll agree, carry a bigger gun if you can.
243 (6mm) will kill anything that needs killing.
Carry on

I think that’s the only problem I have with the 243. Sure it’s capable but why? A .22 to the head is also capable. If it’s legal I don’t think you would see many folks toting it. If it’s up to me, with as little time I have to invest to try and kill one I want something that will work no matter the shot angle I have to work with. Some folks will only get so many opportunities why waste that for moderation? Because it kicks less?

Why stop at the 06 then? By that logic then we should all be shooting belted magnums . Now that be a little exaggerated but the point is the same. A hunter needs to know his limitations and capabilities along with his equipment. A .243 is more than capable under most conditions and distances in Alabama. Should it be the go to in heavy cross winds , heavy brush or long distances? No probably not but those situations all need more consideration regardless of what caliber you’re using.

I retired my 'Ole Model 700 '06 about 35 years ago. Been Using a Browning BLR .243 ever since. I EXCLUSIVELY use the Hornady 95 Grain SST. Now I don't ever try a shot past 200 yards....the .243 kills by SPEED not MASS. Past 200 it can Certainly become a Crippler....especially on a 200 Plus pound Deer. Within 200 yards mine is LASER ACCURATE. So....You put that 95 grain SST through the base of the Neck or a SOLID Lung Shot....Ain't a Deer in Alabama can tote it Far. With the Lung Shot the Blood trail looks like a Murder has Occurred!!

I'm going the other way. .450 Bushmaster. Bought it last year and I think I only carried it once. Why? Just want to see what kind of carnage it produces.
And MERICA

Technically it has.

I've killed a grand total of one doe with my 243. 50ish yards, 100g Power Points, bang flop. If does and 1-2 yr old bucks were all I wanted to shoot in a field somewhere, I'd use it. In these mountains of rocks in Jackson county, I'm not chancing it with a 243. 308 minimum for me and I'm thinking about putting together a 35 Whelen.

Chumming the waters...

Y’all shoot what you want just don’t tell me that a 243 isn’t a great for whitetail deer. Barnes 80 grain TTSX is deadly. I could post some pics but I don’t care that much 😀

I’ve got a .243 that’s killed a PILE of deer. It shoots cloverleafs at 100 and has decent glass (Burris 4200). I wouldn’t be scared to take it anytime.

I wouldn't be scared of hunting with 243...I've killed em with 223 I was just joking...I hunt with a 308 but ain't much difference

Reckon how he knew where he hit it when he didn’t even find it??

This one was shot in the shoulder with a 243 and the exit is shown below🤷🏼‍♂️. But he only weighed 191#

.243 will kill deer just fine and has a pile of them over the years. Now people are using. 223 and. 300 and I don't hear people fussing about these calibers. Personally I shoot. 308 . There's not enough difference in the recoil of. 308 and. 243 so as far as a young hunter or female I would pick .308 for them. Still not sure on .223 and. 300 even though they are killing alot of deer.

He videos all of his hunts, you could see the impact.

Well I tried to bounce once off this guys shoulder today, but he ran 40 yards and fell over dead 🤷🏼‍♂️

185#- 6mm creedmoor, 100gr Sierra Gamechanger, 3100 fps, 50 yards, center shoulder quartering to, no exit.

Put this 206 lb buck down for the .243 kill list.
I’ve been wanting to buy a bigger gun, probably will eventually. But the .243 kills em as dead as anything if you make a good shot. Just don’t have as much wiggle room on marginal shots with the .243

Whatever. That .243 I piled em up with had a tasco pronghorn on it. I guess Haters gonna Hate! Haha.

The 243 has a bad rap because its often in the hands of the unexperienced due to its low recoil. If a an experienced shooter can't kill a deer / pine goat each and every time they pull the trigger with a 100 grain well built bullet going 3000 fps its not the guns fault. The rifle is inherently accurate, recoiled light, and often comes in compact easy to shoulder rifles.

Some people just have a Nepoleon complex when it comes to rifles and cartridges. The 243 is not underpowered, and is more than enough with the right bullets.

I’ve got twin boys. Both have done pretty well shooting deer. One I’m convinced you could give him a spork and he’d figure out a way to get the critter dead, the other takes a lot of coaching. What I learned from them is, it don’t matter if they are shooting a 338 or a pellet rifle if they can’t get on target they can’t shoot. I think kids need quality clear optics, with good eye relief and good magnification. My boy that struggles improved 1000% when I got him on a scope with good eye relief. Say what you want but it absolutely does make a difference. I’m not saying it’s not possible much less extremely effective with a tasco pronghorn but I bet very few people still hunt with an old wheel bow or drive 5 speeds so why wouldn’t you improve your optics, especially for a kid that’s getting started. They put a solid shot on a deer caliber begins to matter a whole lot less.

My kids have killed 4 so far 2 made it out of the field by 20 yds 2 were drt with the 87 grain hornady sst lite recoil load.

I killed a 260 pound hog several years ago at 605 ranged yards with a 243 DRT. It’s all about shot placement.


A 223 will kill a bull elephant if you put it in his brain.