Is a .243 powerful enough to kill a deer in Northern California?

Question

I was thinking about buying a .243 for my son on his graduation and was wondering if it is powerful enough to kill some deer and wild pigs.

Answer 1

Good choice of calibers for your son to shoot light recoil but noisey.Shot placement is primary but is a effective caliber!My buddies 6 yo daughter shoot s hers very well when she shoots with ear protection with out it she gets a little jerky.

Answer 2

The .243 Winchester is usually considered the smallest suitable deer gun. It is critical that you use the premium 100 grain hunting bullets in the .243 when hunting deer. Eighty grain are too light and may cause a 'surface-blowout' which will fail to penetrate to the deer's vital organs dooming him to a slow, lingering death and leave the hunter without venison.

Sounds like your son is 17 or 18 (high school graduation?); he should be able to handle something bigger. How about a .25-06, my first choice when strictly hunting deer? Someone else recommended the .7mm08 or a .308 both of these are also excellent deer calibers.

For pigs I'd use at least a .308 Winchester.

Good luck.

H

Answer 3

I would say it is the minimum caliber for deer.
I would recommend a 7mm 08 or even better yet a 308.
The 308 is a much better caliber with a lot more stopping power then the 243.
If where he hunts deer is in the good old brush and the 243 is not a good brush weapon.
The 308 makes a better brush weapon due to the heaver bullet weight.
The recoil of the 308 is not bad at all.
The 243 heaviest bullet weight is only105 grains, where as the 308 heaviest bullet weight is 200 grains.
The 308 using a 165 grain bullet is great in the brush.

I hunt in brush where I live and use the 308 or 30-06 because of the brush.

D58

Answer 4

With proper shot placement Yes! but then again with a bad shot just about any caliber will fail. I don't know how much shooting experience your son has, but the 243 is a cartridge often recommended for beginners due to its low recoil. There are more powerful rounds out there but if your son does his job the 243 will its job.

Answer 5

The 243 is a great deer rifle. Minimal recoil and excellent velocity. i have killed many deer with an 85 grain nosler partition out of mine.

Answer 6

If i were you, i would step up to the 270, because the 243 is good for deer, but the pigs i dont kow about. the 270 will take either decently.

Answer 7

If you think he's going to use it for varmint-hunting, too, it's a fine caliber. Premium-grade bullets of about 100 grains are needed, because the standard-grade bullets will fail on short-range shots occasionally, but it's plenty of gun with that proviso. If he's going to use it for deer and hogs but not varmints, better choices are available without going to the big bruisers, and sticking with the 308 case, I'd pick 260 Rem or 7mm08 instead. They're still easy on the shoulder and more appropriate for that size game, without being ridiculous for coyotes and such.

Answer 8

With good shot placement it is about the smallest round you can use on deer. My wife and our 14 year old son have used the 7mm-08 & 308 witch are also very good withlight recoil.

Answer 9

Yes, regardless of what state you are in, it will work. Keep in mind that the grain is lighter and bullet placement is important. I have made many successful shots with the .243.

Answer 10

Yes, one of my friends who is a outfitter in Montana uses a 6mm Remington, very similar to the 243, for every thing up to and including elk, its all in bullet placement.