Welcome guest, is this your first visit? Create Account now to join.
  • Login:

Welcome to the NZ Hunting and Shooting Forums.

If this is your first visit, be sure to check out the FAQ by clicking the link above. You may have to register before you can post: click the register link above to proceed.

ZeroPak Ammo Direct


User Tag List

Like Tree7755Likes

Thread: 223 on deer

Hybrid View

  1. #1
    Member
    Join Date
    Nov 2016
    Location
    South Island
    Posts
    1,216
    Something like a 243win would be perfect for fallow and handle reds at sensible ranges too. One of the best in between cals for those animals I reckon. But realistically what ever you hit it with (hilar shot) at least one shoulder is usually fucked for meat anyway.
    Last edited by Allizdog; 27-11-2020 at 09:07 PM.
    Micky Duck and BSA270 like this.

  2. #2
    Almost literate. veitnamcam's Avatar
    Join Date
    Dec 2011
    Location
    Nelson
    Posts
    25,069
    Quote Originally Posted by Allizdog View Post
    Something like a 243win would be perfect for fallow and handle reds at sensible ranges too. One of the best in between cals for those animals I reckon. But realistically what ever you hit it with (hilar shot) at least one shoulder is usually fucked for meat anyway.
    While I agree in part I think the country you hunt rather than the game you hunt decides both the ideal caliber and the marginal calibers.
    "Hunting and fishing" fucking over licenced firearms owners since ages ago.

    308Win One chambering to rule them all.

  3. #3
    Member
    Join Date
    Oct 2013
    Location
    Waikato
    Posts
    414
    Quote Originally Posted by Allizdog View Post
    Something like a 243win would be perfect for fallow and handle reds at sensible ranges too. One of the best in between cals for those animals I reckon. But realistically what ever you hit it with (hilar shot) at least one shoulder is usually fucked for meat anyway.
    +1. The 223 is pretty effective when used sensibly, especially on fallow. But as soon as you run into a big red hind or spiker that’s spent most of its life gorging itself on good farm tucker, and it’s 250yd away and looking decidedly nervous, you’ll be feeling justifiably under gunned. Not so with a 243
    Dago likes this.

  4. #4
    Member doinit's Avatar
    Join Date
    Dec 2011
    Location
    Buller Westcoast.
    Posts
    950
    Quote Originally Posted by 7.62 View Post
    +1. The 223 is pretty effective when used sensibly, especially on fallow. But as soon as you run into a big red hind or spiker that’s spent most of its life gorging itself on good farm tucker, and it’s 250yd away and looking decidedly nervous, you’ll be feeling justifiably under gunned. Not so with a 243
    I'd try and get a tad closer if possible,failing that,walk away.....guess it depends on the individual eh. Still...a large number of biggish animals have gone down over 200yds range...no worries. As mentioned,,,the 243 was favoured by a few cullers. Pretty sure ti say that the wee 22 calibers had a huge following.

  5. #5
    Member
    Join Date
    Oct 2013
    Location
    Waikato
    Posts
    414
    Quote Originally Posted by doinit View Post
    I'd try and get a tad closer if possible,failing that,walk away.....guess it depends on the individual eh. Still...a large number of biggish animals have gone down over 200yds range...no worries. As mentioned,,,the 243 was favoured by a few cullers. Pretty sure ti say that the wee 22 calibers had a huge following.
    Yeah when I had a 223 I shot the odd deer at over 200. A mate also used my rifle to tip over a couple of small red yearlings at about 250; they both ran but expired pretty quickly with lung shots. But I suspect that bigger tougher animals would’ve run quite some distance before expiring, and possibly been lost. After losing a good sized fallow spiker, and then having a few “runners” despite being hit hard, I got fed up with the 223 and replaced it with a 243. Sometimes you don’t have time or adequate cover to stalk in closer and that’s when the 223’s limitations were exposed to me.
    @vulcannz a slow 30 cal will definitely damage less meat than a fast 6mm. 300blk is a great bush cartridge but I need something that’s capable out to 300yd so that discounts it for me

  6. #6
    Member
    Join Date
    Sep 2017
    Location
    Wellington
    Posts
    1,803
    Quote Originally Posted by 7.62 View Post
    @vulcannz a slow 30 cal will definitely damage less meat than a fast 6mm. 300blk is a great bush cartridge but I need something that’s capable out to 300yd so that discounts it for me
    I'd be happy out to 300m or a bit more with it. Sure it has a bit more of a rainbow that the 243, but it's very predictable.

  7. #7
    Member
    Join Date
    Sep 2017
    Location
    Wellington
    Posts
    1,803
    Quote Originally Posted by Allizdog View Post
    Something like a 243win would be perfect for fallow and handle reds at sensible ranges too. One of the best in between cals for those animals I reckon. But realistically what ever you hit it with (hilar shot) at least one shoulder is usually fucked for meat anyway.
    I hunted a lot of fallow with a 243, then I got a 300BLK. What I noticed is that the 243 did considerably more meat damage across a larger area. The 300BLK has dropped them on the spot more, and does a tighter more violent area of damage (to the point my butcher/wife was much happier with the amount of meat recovered). I sold the 243.

    I suspect it is to do with a bigger calibre and lower velocity imparting more damage.
    veitnamcam and MB like this.

  8. #8
    MB
    MB is offline
    Member MB's Avatar
    Join Date
    Jan 2016
    Location
    Deerless North
    Posts
    4,983
    Quote Originally Posted by vulcannz View Post
    I hunted a lot of fallow with a 243, then I got a 300BLK. What I noticed is that the 243 did considerably more meat damage across a larger area. The 300BLK has dropped them on the spot more, and does a tighter more violent area of damage (to the point my butcher/wife was much happier with the amount of meat recovered). I sold the 243.

    I suspect it is to do with a bigger calibre and lower velocity imparting more damage.

    I assume you're talking about 300BLK supersonic? I've got my little 300BLK outfit sorted now, but only used it with subsonic rounds.

  9. #9
    Member
    Join Date
    Sep 2017
    Location
    Wellington
    Posts
    1,803
    Nah using supers (125grain American Gunner). I have it setup for subs, just never used it in anger.
    Micky Duck likes this.

  10. #10
    MB
    MB is offline
    Member MB's Avatar
    Join Date
    Jan 2016
    Location
    Deerless North
    Posts
    4,983
    Quote Originally Posted by vulcannz View Post
    Nah using supers (125grain American Gunner). I have it setup for subs, just never used it in anger.
    Those rounds are listed as a varmint round. Sounds like you get on with them OK. Are they OK for hilar shots up to 100 metres?

  11. #11
    Member
    Join Date
    Sep 2017
    Location
    Wellington
    Posts
    1,803
    Most of my shots are around 200m in the engine compartment. IMHO they drop better than the 243 (I was using 80gr fed powershoks on that).
    MB likes this.

  12. #12
    By Popular Demand gimp's Avatar
    Join Date
    Dec 2011
    Location
    The Big H
    Posts
    9,860
    Tahr, veitnamcam, Trout and 6 others like this.

  13. #13
    Member
    Join Date
    Dec 2011
    Location
    NI
    Posts
    13,361
    Quote Originally Posted by gimp View Post
    That's cool.

  14. #14
    By Popular Demand gimp's Avatar
    Join Date
    Dec 2011
    Location
    The Big H
    Posts
    9,860
    I like that little rifle. Super quiet, light and zero recoil. Just works great.
    Tahr and Micky Duck like this.

  15. #15
    Member
    Join Date
    Dec 2011
    Location
    NI
    Posts
    13,361
    Quote Originally Posted by gimp View Post
    I like that little rifle. Super quiet, light and zero recoil. Just works great.
    Was that this one:

    Another one for the 80 ELDM, 190m heart shot, wobbled a few metres then dropped. Hit a bit lower than I'd like, but just soup on the inside

 

 

Similar Threads

  1. Deer 1 & 2
    By Scott29er in forum The Magazine
    Replies: 12
    Last Post: 19-02-2020, 07:33 PM
  2. First deer film of 2018, 300 NM & 3 deer
    By Norway in forum The Magazine
    Replies: 10
    Last Post: 11-01-2018, 01:21 PM
  3. little bit of deer
    By sneeze in forum Photography and Video
    Replies: 11
    Last Post: 13-12-2012, 06:03 AM

Tags for this Thread

Bookmarks

Posting Permissions

  • You may not post new threads
  • You may not post replies
  • You may not post attachments
  • You may not edit your posts
Welcome to NZ Hunting and Shooting Forums! We see you're new here, or arn't logged in. Create an account, and Login for full access including our FREE BUY and SELL section Register NOW!!