.243 Win question

tbox61 · Posted: Mon Dec 15, 2014 2:52 pm Post subject: Re: .243 Win question

Frankly, .243 brass is readily available and not i short supply, so I would question the hassle of trying to re-size .308 brass, but that is just me.

My Ruger American is a 1-9” twist and shoots the 58 gr. Vmax Superformance Varmint round very well. This is the 3rd .243 I have owned, and found they all shot very well with whatever I fed them. The best load I found with my 2 previous guns was with the now obsolete 85 gr. Nosler soft point over IMR-4350 powder. Unfortunately, can’t get those bullets anymore.

I think Varget will be my go to powder now. My gun will be primarily used for coyotes coming to the call, so I will stick with the lighter bullets.

tlo7mm · Posted: Mon Dec 15, 2014 9:24 pm Post subject: Re: .243 Win question

Im also thinking Nosler Partitions for hunting deer size game and bear.

chambered221 · Posted: Tue Dec 16, 2014 10:23 am Post subject: Re: .243 Win question

Not saying you can't kill bears with a .243 but how big and how far we talking here ???

tlo7mm · Posted: Wed Dec 17, 2014 6:11 am Post subject: Re: .243 Win question

Most black bear here could be dropped with a .243 even some of the bigger ones I know of being killed. We aren't talking brown bear. Most are between 150 and 250 with a 400 pound bear being big. I know of many people who hunt and kill elk with the .243 quite often as well. Not my cup of tea but it can be done humanely and with one shot kills.

SingleShotLover · Posted: Wed Dec 17, 2014 6:36 am Post subject: Re: .243 Win question

Bullet placement and proper bullet choice makes the difference. If one can shoot a .243 more accurately than a .300 Magnum, so be it, though I wouldn't do it myself. Even though I have shot several deer with the .243 I still am more comfortable with calibers starting at .25 for game. Silly I know, but just me.

When I had .243s, my "go to" varmint load was Hornady's 75-grain hollow point pushed by 41 grains of IMR 4064. "Book" velocity of the time was about 3,300 fps but I probably beat that a little with my 24" barrel. Today's powders and bullets give a lot more choice.

chambered221 · Posted: Thu Dec 18, 2014 10:01 am Post subject: Re: .243 Win question

Not gonna argue the virtues of a .243...... I think we all know it can be done !!!
I personally just prefer heavier bullets when messing with anything over 200lbs.
If there's a chance I'm gonna encounter a bear pushing 400lbs. I'd have my 7mm08 with 150gr. copper type bullets in hand.

Grant · Posted: Mon Mar 30, 2015 6:56 am Post subject: Re: .243 Win question

Guys, My better half uses nothing but a 243, 95 grain Nosler ballistic tips, and she's shoots her Elk every year and took one of the largest cow Moose I've ever seen on the ground. Bullet placement is the only important thing when it comes to hunting. I wouldn't hesitate to take a black bear with a 243 and I've no worries about it not being an ethical one shot quick kill.

PaulS · Posted: Fri Apr 03, 2015 11:56 pm Post subject: Re: .243 Win question

Using "small" calibers really brings the shooter to the forefront. It proves that the most important part of the kill is bullet placement and having a bullet that can do the job that is asked of it.

My brother uses a 6mm TCU with 85 grain bullets for dear and black bear. He is a good hunter and can get a lot closer than necessary. He shoots for head and neck shots normally and the animals go down on impact. The 85 grain bullet is considered a hunting bullet but it expands fast and hard. Neck shots often do a fair job of separating the bones in the neck and destroying the arteries and airways with a single bullet. I have seen him use the same rig on a body shot and the deer acted like it was hit with a big gun. It went down and stayed there dead! That kind of shooting is what he likes and I prefer the "bigger is better" thought where game is concerned. My 257 can easily take a deer or elk at the ranges I am used to hunting at but I am way more familiar with my old '06 so that is the one I use.

DrWatson · Rookie Member Joined: Jun 11, 2015 Posts: 3

tlo7mm wrote:

I am looking at gearing up for reloading for .243 Winchester real soon. I was curious if anyone has resized .308 brass to .243 and what are the concerns of doing so?

I have avoided resizing brass from one caliber to another (IE 30-06/.270, .223/.222 etc) in order to avoid not mixing them up however in this case I have no intention of acquiring a .308 (never liked em and don't want one. Personal preference) and I have a fair amount of brass I have dug up for one. I would say if I found one for a steal I might buy one but then sell or trade it.

I am also interested in everyone's personal pet load and what you may use it for?

I have a lot of 7mm08 that started life as 308 with no issues

I personally shoot 90 gr Nosler accubond and get good groups and they kill deer as well as the 7mm08 does ?

My load ? Hogdon 4350 43 grains

Personally I wish I had gone for the 260 because it is the best of the litter [308 case ]

DallanC · Site Admin Joined: Jan 18, 2005 Posts: 3572 Location: Utah

Welcome to the site DrWatson,

My wife hunts primarily with a .243 and has killed one heck of alot of deer with it. We hunted caribou in Alaska and she carried her 243 with 100grn partitions, long story short she got a dandy and those partitions went in one side and out the other. Caribou are way bigger than a deer. Alot of the natives up in Alaska use 243's for everything.

My boy got a 7mm08 and I've just loved shooting it as we worked up loads. If you have a 7mm08 I really dont see the need to downsize, you can if you want but the the added bullet options alone make it pretty snazzy with roughly the same recoil.

I have a 243 as well... but I haven't fired it in years I'm ashamed to say.

-DallanC

Elvis · Posted: Fri Jun 12, 2015 1:08 am Post subject: Re: .243 Win question

no shame in that DallanC,,,,,, Keep it just incase you get a plague of rats, you will have perfect rifle if you do LMAO.

OldSchoolRanger · Member Joined: Feb 15, 2017 Posts: 88

[quote="tlo7mm"]I am looking at gearing up for reloading for .243 Winchester real soon. I was curious if anyone has resized .308 brass to .243 and what are the concerns of doing so?

/quote]
You can resize commercial 308 Win brass to 243 without any problems. I've done it for years. Back when Winchester (the company) created the 243 Win, they just necked down the 308 Win. to make the 243.

With military 308 (7.62x51mm Nato) brass, you have to take into consideration that the brass has less capacity, and may cause higher pressures, so go with a lower starting load. Most loading manuals recommend 10% lower.