Experience with .243

[spdfrk70]

So I got the opportunity to pick up a Sako a7 s in 243 

For the general area we live in I'm wondering what the  consensus is  on ammo availability and is the 243 a good general round and your experience with it

Edited January 18 by spdfrk70

[Darrell]

The .243 has been a popular round for deer and varmint for decades. I see ammo at Wal Marche from time to time, but I prefer handloads. 

I bought my first .243 a few months ago. I was thinking about an inexpensive Savage, but ended up with a Ruger #1. It's a good shooter, and the recoil is very light. I can see why it's such a popular round.

[gregintenn]

Good as any. Unless it's recently changed, if a store has any centerfire rifle ammunition, they'll have 243 Win. Like Darrell, I roll my own.

[deerslayer]

Even though I haven’t deer hunted in years, I bought a Browning A-Bolt II in .243 a couple years ago.  I’ve wanted a .243 for years and thought I was going deer hunting with a friend, but the trip fell through.  The A-Bolt shoots pretty nice, but I haven’t put together any handloads yet.  I’ve never had trouble finding a variety of factory hunting ammo.  I have a freshly rebuilt shoulder that feels pretty good, but I may never shoot my .30-06 again.  The little A-Bolt is handy and I would like to see how the .243 does on a deer. 

Edited January 18 by deerslayer

[gregintenn]

I've yet to find an inaccurate rifle chambered in 243, and haven't found an inaccurate load either. More than enough rifle for anything in Tennessee. I currently have a Savage 99F and a pre 64 Model 70 Winchester Featherweight so chambered. They both shoot tiny groups with both factory and handloaded ammo.

 

Were I wanting to buy a particular rifle, I would consider a 243 Winchester chambering a plus.

Edited January 18 by gregintenn

[deerslayer]

If I ever buy another deer rifle, it will be a Bergara Ridge B-14 6.5 Creedmoor.  I’m a Bergara and a 6.5CM fanboy (sorry Handsome Rob).  I like the B-14 and it’s already threaded.  I could get a gunsmith to thread my A-Bolt, but I don’t trust anybody to do it and I don’t really want to monkey with the A-Bolt anyway.  But my next deer hunting trip will include the .243 A-Bolt.  

[InertOrd13]

I don't own a .243 but have shot one before and thought it was pretty tame compared to the .308. I know a lot of people who hunt with it and have had great results. 

[spdfrk70]

2 hours ago, InertOrd13 said:

I don't own a .243 but have shot one before and thought it was pretty tame compared to the .308. I know a lot of people who hunt with it and have had great results. 

That's hopefully the idea and then move my 10-year-old into that caliber He's getting pretty handy with a 22 LR lever rifle but he's always worried about recoil when I hand him something to shoot at the range

I've never put anything in his hands to make him afraid so I don't know what is worry is but regardless soft shooters only for him at this point

[KahrMan]

I am a big fan of Sako rifles and .243.  I bought an Encore barrel in .243 for my daughter to hunt with.  She took her first deer with it at probably 10 or 11.  Light recoil and enough power to kill whitetails.  It is a great all around caliber for anybody not just kids.

[InertOrd13]

1 hour ago, spdfrk70 said:

That's hopefully the idea and then move my 10-year-old into that caliber He's getting pretty handy with a 22 LR lever rifle but he's always worried about recoil when I hand him something to shoot at the range

I've never put anything in his hands to make him afraid so I don't know what is worry is but regardless soft shooters only for him at this point

I would recommend .243 exactly for that. It is a great starter caliber but good enough to keep if a person never wants to change calibers in my opinion.

[spdfrk70]

So I've got my A7 S in 243 now

Looking forward to taking it to the range soon to see where it's at supposed to be zeroed at 100 yd so hopefully it is or at least it's close

[pop pop]

I grew up shooting my dad's 243. His was a lever gun. A Remington I believe. Was scoped and had a wood stock. I loved that rifle. My brother-in-law got drunk and let someone borrow the rifle and he could not remember who had the rifle or I would have it today. That rifle was a 1 1/2" at 100 yards in the early 50's era. 

Edited to add; with his reloads dad could get the 243 into 1"MOA at 100 yds. 

Edited January 20 by pop pop

[Eddie Southgate]

Have owned and hunted with five .243's over the years and still have three including my first one. I own a bunch of deer rifles in other calibers but only because I want them, not because I need anything other than the .243 for deer. I have been shooting one load since 1970 and have no plans of ever shooting anything else as it does everything I need it to do and has always been as accurate as I can shoot. I use the now discontinued Nosler flat base 100 grain Spire point with CCI LRBR primers and 34.5 grains of IMR 4320 . That's the minimum load and was the accuracy load in the Lyman 1970 load book for a 100 grain jacketed bullet.

Both of my sons have .243's they started hunting with and neither one would part with them.

 

Edited January 20 by Eddie Southgate

[leroy]

I'ma 243 fan myself.  Remember, they are a 6 mm 08.  That's what makes em great.  Low recoil, highly accurate. 

I'm waiting for Ruger to build a SFAR in 243... 

leroy...

[mike243]

Shot a savage 110 243 for a long time, gave it to my son and moved to 300wm, gotta have shoulder surgery soon so might trade him back for it lol. besides my muzzle loaders I have had more bang flops with it, 100g Federal 100g spbt carries over 1000lbs to 400y. 

[Fishman731]

Love the 243.  Hunted with it for year and likely to return to it here soon.  I have had great luck with 100 grain sp bullets in remington and winchester.  The best round I have found is Winchester 95 grain silver ballistic tip.  Hard to find but worth it.  I have had more deer DRT with that round than any other.