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Post by bushog on Aug 29, 2022 10:42:47 GMT -5
The other thing is that the .243 blows around in any kind of wind too, so unless you're close.....
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Post by magnumwheelman on Aug 29, 2022 10:44:39 GMT -5
next question for those so expirienced... are Goats harder to kill??? sounds like on average sheep tend to be larger, possibly 100-110 lbs. heavier for similar animals... so goats are easier to kill??? or are they harder to hunt, & harder to kill size doesn't matter??? maybe more warry, requiring longer shots???
maybe Goats & Sheep should not be put in the same catagory???... I just thought they might be similar to hunt???
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Post by starmetal47 on Aug 29, 2022 13:23:09 GMT -5
I've taken an informal survey of white tail deer harvested with various calibers. I have never seen a 243 or 6mm fail on deer except for my brother who shot one with an 80 hollow point that I loaded for him groundhogs and particularly lectured him not to use on deer. Yeah, well he did, shot in the shoulder and it ran off never to be found. Now these next rounds are particularly good deer killers, 30-30, 32 Special, 35 Remington, 7mm-08, 270, and 45-70.
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Post by bradshaw on Aug 29, 2022 14:12:09 GMT -5
next question for those so expirienced... are Goats harder to kill??? sounds like on average sheep tend to be larger, possibly 100-110 lbs. heavier for similar animals... so goats are easier to kill??? or are they harder to hunt, & harder to kill size doesn't matter??? maybe more warry, requiring longer shots??? maybe Goats & Sheep should not be put in the same catagory???... I just thought they might be similar to hunt??? ***** As trapr indicates, bullet selection tightens with bore diameter. And, just as the handgunner gives up some rifle shots, so must the small bore rifleman give up some presentations (angles-of-fire). Shoulder shots automatically require a stronger bullet than a perpendicular lung shot. To break the shoulders stands a better chance of the game not falling off a cliff than a lung shot. Terrain as well as animal factor in cartridge & bullet selection. I would not set out with a ,243/6mm in jagged mountains to stalk sheep & goats, any more than I’d pursue elk with a 1/4-inch bullet. It’s one thing if you have no choice. Moreover, it is my impression that when the animal knows you’re there, or is otherwise set to spring, his muscles are more resistant to penetration, injury, and shock. A marginal bullet may find its margin. David Bradshaw
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Post by starmetal47 on Aug 29, 2022 14:27:22 GMT -5
If I were to hunt Goat or Sheep and you have once in a life time shot, plus the labor of being in those steep mountain, inadition to the costs of the hunt, I would definely take a more suitable flatter shooting caliber like the 6.5's and 7mm's.
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Post by paul105 on Aug 29, 2022 15:05:11 GMT -5
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Post by starmetal47 on Aug 29, 2022 15:21:40 GMT -5
It's interesting you mentioned that short action. The only reason the 6.5 Creedmoor beats the 260 Remington, in my opinion, is one the 260 was made on a short action and for 120 grain bullets. Thus the twist was speeded up. The 6.5 CM a first was designed on a modern case that burns the powder more efficiently, the case is a tad shorter then the 260 so the heavier bullets can be loaded out of the case, and the twist is faster. Build a 260 on a longer action, throat it out for longer bullets and tighten the twist up and it will out perform the 6.5CM.
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jgt
.327 Meteor
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Posts: 782
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Post by jgt on Aug 30, 2022 9:50:04 GMT -5
I have not used a .243 since the seventies. Back then I had a Remington 700 ADL in .243. I killed two Blacktails with neck shots that were instant DRT. My brother-in-law used a Savage 99 in .243 to kill a Dimmit County, TX Whitetail at 600 yards. He was a lot better shot than I. We both used 80 grain Spire point Flat based bullet. They worked fine. I was using Sierra brand bullets, I don't know the brand he used. Both were from hand loads. We shot a lot of coyotes back then using that same bullet and it was very accurate and deadly. Never tried a shoulder shot with it. Never intend to.
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Post by magnumwheelman on Aug 30, 2022 12:29:33 GMT -5
I wonder, really how many perfectly good cartridges fall from grace... ya don't hear much of the .243 the last several years... 30-30... some of the Savage cartridges, I'm sure there are lots more... seems the AR platform drives many new cartridges developement, funny thing, most of them aren't new... new names on cartridges developed, back when Silhouette was popular & the Contenders ruled...
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Post by starmetal47 on Aug 30, 2022 14:13:42 GMT -5
I wonder, really how many perfectly good cartridges fall from grace... ya don't hear much of the .243 the last several years... 30-30... some of the Savage cartridges, I'm sure there are lots more... seems the AR platform drives many new cartridges developement, funny thing, most of them aren't new... new names on cartridges developed, back when Silhouette was popular & the Contenders ruled... Yeah, part of the reason is because of all the big hella ba loo about the 6mm Creedmoor, the 6.5 Creedmoor, and the other two 6.5's they have come out with.
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Post by x101airborne on Aug 31, 2022 7:10:46 GMT -5
I wont disparage the 243 / 6mm rifles. Those that know and use them do so with an effectiveness gained from experience. If I were after sheep or goats (a lifetime hunt for me) I would certainly consider more gun. I would probably choose a 30-06 because I go through around 200 rounds a year, shots ranging from near to way out there. But that is a caliber I am thoroughly familiar with and have confidence in. If you are supremely confident in a 243 then go for it. Premium bullets a must of course but it will do the job.
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owen67
.30 Stingray
Posts: 251
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Post by owen67 on Aug 31, 2022 19:03:25 GMT -5
I personally would want more power, in the form of energy , weight and diameter. Short action being 6.5 Creedmoor, 7mm-08 and 308. Long action 6.5 Swede on up to whatever you can shoot well.
Folks that have said this very well be a once in a lifetime opportunity. If I was in your situation, and had the ability to afford another rifle I would do so.
If I couldn’t, I’d use a Swift/Partition or Makers solid copper, test them well at different ranges, and limit my shots accordingly.
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tj3006
.375 Atomic
Posts: 1,976
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Post by tj3006 on Sept 3, 2022 11:03:59 GMT -5
If all I had was a .243,I would use it. But I would not buy a .243 for the stated purpose. I can't see how the ,243 out performs the .270. I would hunt any deer or Caribou sized game with a 130 grain 270 with complete confidence. If Recoil is a problem, there are lots of very good 6.5s out there. And that 6.5 PRC, would be a great choice....tj
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lah
.30 Stingray
Posts: 421
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Post by lah on Sept 5, 2022 12:03:46 GMT -5
Never hunted your game but the Winchester 100 grain loads have worked on whitetails with one shot, 100% so far.
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Post by wildcatter on Sept 11, 2022 13:07:11 GMT -5
Never hunted your game but the Winchester 100 grain loads have worked on whitetails with one shot, 100% so far. My thoughts would be it only beats the 270 mathematically, and physically we would see a much bigger difference, in favor of the 270! I have taken several Whitetails with the 243 and 100 grain Hornadys and 105 Speers, with results favoring the semi-pointed Speer 105. But I then acquired a 722 Remington in 257 Robert's, another cartridge that would pale to the much more anemic 243 when comparing spec sheets! BUT! when placed in real life hunting situations, and understanding the difference in specs from manuals, accomadating the rifles and wildcatter used in its origins, compared to it's TRUE abilities when loaded to modern standards, in the stronger modern firearms the 243 was born in, you find a huge differance in favor of the old 257 Robert's! I did, and the way that comes go mind to describe it is SUPERIOR. After much use as a deer and Varmint round, I proved this without doubt! Then after Acklyizing one, that differance really made it round few would believe! Exceeding the capability of a 257 Weatherby, with better barrel life, and performance. I have no experience with goats, but would feel quite confident using a 257 Robert's, loaded to modern standards, on any Deer sized game out to 500 yards providing modern bullets and adequate accuracy were used in the development of the load I would be using. The 243 truly pales to this fine old caliber when both are loaded equal standards!
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