Thread: The gentlemen’s caliber

They do work on big deer also. Picture is of a friends son in Canada with his first moose shot with a 243 and an 85 gr TSX, the moose required two shots to put him down.

Great thread, I love the 243 but given the title it should be about the 7x57!

Exactly, Well except the bit about loving the EBRG.

The last Gentleman of note using the .275 Rigby passed away the year the 243 was born.

It's rather hard to imagine Colonel Edward James Corbett setting forth to hunt the Champawat Tiger armed with his trusty 243.

@jakewire, do you have a copy of Man-Eaters of Kumaon available for a read by any chance?

Originally Posted by Flyblown

@jakewire, do you have a copy of Man-Eaters of Kumaon available for a read by any chance?

I think my Dad has a copy I could loan you when home. Pm me and we can organise a drop off pick up.

I have exactly that book, have had it for years and I cannot find it now you want it. I've quickly looked in all the usual place but can't remeber where it is or even the last time i saw it.
Damn

Well a lot can be said about the good old 243, some love them some hate them. Most of my hunting life I have had a 243 in the safe. My first came along when I was in the NZ FS goat culling, although I used the Sako 222 mostly I liked it so much I got a Sako Forrester in 243. I would take it out for walks when I wanted a change even though I had to buy my own ammo. I used this 243 all the time meat hunting after the FS days and then over the last 40 plus years have had several others but nothing to match that Sako.
I used all sorts of different ammo both factory and hand loads, factory stuff was Norma 100 gr and Win 100gr as well as some 80 gr Win. While meat hunting we got some 80 gr Remington match bullets which were great on deer.
We found the 80- 85 gr bullets worked best but the 100's were not to bad either.
Later we stuck to handloads and found the 85 gr Noslar Partition to be an excellent killer on everything we used it on. Beeman has been a one rifle man( 43 odd years ), the 243,and has taken goats ,pigs , Reds, sika, Fallow, Sambar, Tahr, Chamois to name a few and has never felt the need to go bigger, until now when he got a 260 more for longer range work.
More recently I have been playing with the 90 -95 gr bullets and have found them ok but not as accurate in my current rifle as the Noslar's. The 90 gr ELD x will be next to try so hoping that will shoot better than the 95 gr SST. ( might even try some of Sierra's Gamechangers at some stage.)
For the person who doesn't like a lot of recoil but wants something capable out to about 350 odd yards the 243 won't let you down, it's a bit like the 270 it just won't go away.

I had a Sako Forester in .243 for a while.

I never expected it to kill with chest shots like a 308 and sort of used it as a step up from a .223.I belive it is more of an experts caliber on Deer sized Animals.I found the lack of recoil and flat trajectory pleasant,but for what it is worth a .308 does everything better in the same sized gun for most of the hunting we have in New Zealand.

Dropped some big bodied red stags with my 243 growing up. Dropped them all no worries. Projectile choice and shot placement. Great caliber when used within its range limits. My 308, 270, 7mm08 and now 284 never seemed to kill better as of such. Just give more range.

@Flyblown @Mooseman
Thoughts on these? After a packet to resight my 243 with. a lot more around that when I used it years ago. Stabilise you think? Might be able to get a packet or 2 at a reasonable price if they are still available.
https://geco-munition.de/en/ammuniti...t/243-win.html
Also Flyblown considering your thoughts on the soft point blowing up being the most effective what about the Browning BXR line. That's what they are designed to do yeah?
I wont be reloading anytime soon for this so keep that in mind. any suggestions factory ammo only

Originally Posted by csmiffy

@Flyblown @Mooseman
Thoughts on these? After a packet to resight my 243 with. a lot more around that when I used it years ago. Stabilise you think? Might be able to get a packet or 2 at a reasonable price if they are still available.
https://geco-munition.de/en/ammuniti...t/243-win.html
Also Flyblown considering your thoughts on the soft point blowing up being the most effective what about the Browning BXR line. That's what they are designed to do yeah?
I wont be reloading anytime soon for this so keep that in mind. any suggestions factory ammo only

If you are going to use factory ammo, use Hornady Superformance 95gn SST load. I've been using 85gn Sierra Gameking and Hornady 95 SST for the last while, and they both kill big deer and Tahr with authority if you put it in the right place. (Within sensible ranges, the bc is lacking a bit)

You know I seriously don't think the 243 is best with the 100gr or plus bullets [modern twist rates excepted of course] , even though the twist is 1-10.
The 6mm which a mate of mine uses has a 1-12 twist

This late in the thread it's best I admit I have owned two 243's over the years. One a Ruger Sporter , the one with the laminated stock and the other a Browning Abolt 11
The Sporter was before my loading days and Alan Newham worked up a load for me using the 87gr Hornady soft point, he also bedded the stock [ laminate] and ajusted the trigger, it shot very well
Tussock may remember this rifle
The Abolt 11, I was loading by then and also used the 87Gr, again the rifle shot very well.

They were only ever used by me on wallaby except for one unlucky Red hind,with the wallaby they were emphatic killers , they were great out to 300-350 yards, no fancy scope in those days.

And then, and then...., I met the 6.5x55.

Originally Posted by csmiffy

@Flyblown @Mooseman
Thoughts on these? After a packet to resight my 243 with. a lot more around that when I used it years ago. Stabilise you think? Might be able to get a packet or 2 at a reasonable price if they are still available.
https://geco-munition.de/en/ammuniti...t/243-win.html
Also Flyblown considering your thoughts on the soft point blowing up being the most effective what about the Browning BXR line. That's what they are designed to do yeah?
I wont be reloading anytime soon for this so keep that in mind. any suggestions factory ammo only

Unfortunately I don't know anything about either of those @csmiffy.

I've heard of the Geco but no experience sorry. Looking at a picture I expect they are quite short and should stabilise ok and be accurate enough for hunting. A proper review has them grouping 1 - 1.5MOA, good enough inside 250m for chest shots. Look to be pretty good value.

The Browning BXR is completely new to me and now I'm interested in knowing more about it!

Originally Posted by Flyblown

Unfortunately I don't know anything about either of those @csmiffy.

I've heard of the Geco but no experience sorry. Looking at a picture I expect they are quite short and should stabilise ok and be accurate enough for hunting. A proper review has them grouping 1 - 1.5MOA, good enough inside 250m for chest shots. Look to be pretty good value.

The Browning BXR is completely new to me and now I'm interested in knowing more about it!

@Flyblown 250 to 300 is a long way to me so they might be worth a shot if still available.
The browning BXR and Winchester deer season xp although different are built with exactly the same design brief. Dump majority amount of energy quickly but penetrate enough to damage things.
Sounds like ammo you'd be interested in playing with?

I personally would be inclined to go with a lighter bullet as the 105 gr may not stabilise in the normal twist rate in the 243. I would be thinking it would work well at closer range and penetrate deep. Only one way to fine out is try them out.