New deer rifle caliber?

Is there any reason to regulate cartridge and bullet size other than to have a minimum to insure better kill rates?
I think our regulations state that it has to be larger than .22. So basically I could hunt with my .223, or my 50 bmg.
 
catscratch said:
Is there any reason to regulate cartridge and bullet size other than to have a minimum to insure better kill rates?
I think our regulations state that it has to be larger than .22. So basically I could hunt with my .223, or my 50 bmg.
Click to expand...

The reasons for the regs are many, but were originally to limit harvest and are gradually being liberalized to increase harvest, while still being safe.

Generally, when a state has regulations that a cartridge shoot a bullet larger than .22, that would exclude any of the centerfire 22 options, like 223, 22/250 and 220 Swift. It's possible that your state actually requires a .243 as a minimum.
 
Jason Broom said:
The reasons for the regs are many, but were originally to limit harvest and are gradually being liberalized to increase harvest, while still being safe.

Generally, when a state has regulations that a cartridge shoot a bullet larger than .22, that would exclude any of the centerfire 22 options, like 223, 22/250 and 220 Swift. It's possible that your state actually requires a .243 as a minimum.
Click to expand...
I was wrong. The rules state that it only has to be a center-fire. If it has a primer you can shoot a deer with it.

http://www.deeranddeerhunting.com/a...get-expanded-regulations-for-rifles-crossbows
 
Rifles: Centerfire rifles firing at least a
55-grain weight soft-nosed or hollow-point
bullet and having an overall cartridge case
length of 1.25 inches or longer (9 mm rifles
are not legal). Clips or magazines of all .22
caliber centerfire firearms may not be capable
of holding more than seven rounds of
ammunition.

Here is the regs in Oklahoma
 
My vote is the Ruger American Compact in .243: http://ruger.com/products/americanRifleAllWeatherCompact/specSheets/6937.html

6937.jpg

I have one in 7mm-08 that I bought in late Oct. and I've already killed five doe with it. A .243 should be just as effective.

Good luck.
 
I did not read every post on this thread so my apologies if this has already been said.

While .243 is certainly popular and often recommended for youth hunters, I consider it to be a cartridge best reserved for a more advanced marksman. It will absolutely kill a deer but marginal shots with a .243 could escalate into a horrible scenario and one you don't want to put a child in.

Other .308 family calibers like the 7mm 08 or even the .308 still offer extremely light recoil as long as you aren't using an ultralight platform and have a much better bullet selection.

I've hand loaded for my wife's .243 and really struggled finding a bullet I considered appropriate for deer and hogs. We ended up loading 90 grain nosler partitions and 85 grain barnes triple shocks. Both will get the job done however the ~140 grain offerings for the 7mm 08 or 150-180 grain offerings for the .308 are much better suited for deer and other big game and will give you a little insurance if the shot placement isn't perfect.
 
We lost several deer to .243s and 100gr CoreLokts....I'm sure mostly due to bad bullet placement. But I watched my son knock down a doe at 65 yards. She got up a minute later. I whiffed one, then put one I was sure in her shoulder at 90 yards. She stayed down for a minute or so and got back up and hobbled off. Never found her. No blood trail. Lost another doe after a good shot that only went 70 yards out of the plot, but with no blood trail, couldn't find her in the thick stuff. Found her bones 2 weeks later. Will never shoot another deer with a .243 again. Many deer have died to a .243 around this great nation, but for me it's .270 (130gr Corelokts) or 20ga slug (Accutips).
 
My best ever shots were a . 243, montana eastern breaks. I killed 2 monstor mulies over 400 yards. Then followed it up with a running yote&478 yards. 1975. We have an 81 yo hunter with ms who has killed big bucks, 1 shot, for 30 years. A .243 well mess up a bucks chest, 60 yards max. Yet i am over 100 with a bow, 19 in a row now yet we are challenged with rifle loads? Yikes.


Sent from my iPhone using Deer Hunter Forum
 
My 15 Yr. old son shot a 150" 8 point sasketchewan buck right through the chest cavity, a little high, at 150 yards with a 300wsm. The buck had to be tracked down and finished off several hours later. I'm sure glad he didn't have a 243, it would have been the difference in not retrieving his first nice buck.FB_20161102_13_54_24_Saved_Picture.jpg
 
A badly placed shot with any caliber is just a badly placed shot. It's not the caliber but the shooter.
 
MK111 said:
A badly placed shot with any caliber is just a badly placed shot. It's not the caliber but the shooter.
Click to expand...
There's still something called knockdown power, and being undergunned. It makes a difference whether you have a 458 or bb if you're shooting at something.
 
Mennoniteman said:
There's still something called knockdown power, and being undergunned. It makes a difference whether you have a 458 or bb if you're shooting at something.
Click to expand...
With all due respect, shot placement really is the most important factor in quick, humane kills. Shoot a deer in the guts with a 458 or a 22 rimfire and it's a slow, agonizing death, with reduced chances of finding the deer. A properly placed bullet from a 243 has killed a lot of elk, so I don't see a problem dispatching the largest whitetail with one.

Sent from my Nexus 7 using Tapatalk
 
Well the wife played a dirty trick on me..... I got my 6 months bonus check and I was eyeing buying me a new hunting rifle in 308 (savage axis or mossberg patriot package gun) or a toy AR-15......maybe even both! Because I am the only one that works I realize we got bills to pay. The wife however handles the finances of the household. The wife tells me, "I'll take half for the the bills and you do what you want with the other half." What?!? Now I have been married for 20 years so I know this game! She says one thing but really means something else knowing good and well that my sense of responsibility will get the better of me. What a dirty trick! She is using me....against me!!!! She knows if she is specific in telling me what to buy that will be OK, but this "do what you want/what you feel is best" stuff......man that's just dirty pool! Man, responsibility SUCKS!
 
Eurooptic has a great deal on a .243 Tikka compact, that would be ideal for your daughter.
http://www.eurooptic.com/Tikka-T3-Lite-Compact-243-Win.aspx?utm_source=eoic2017&utm_medium=KJP
The .243 is going to be an ideal starting rifle due to low recoil. It is just starting to be on the small side for deer, but I think it works fine as long as the shot placement is good. For that you need to her to be out shooting the rifle and not to be scared of the recoil.
P.S.
For all of you other Sako guys like myself on this thread EuroOptic is also offering a crazy deal on some Sako rifles right now. And until Sept 30th you get a $100.00 gift card as well.
http://www.eurooptic.com/sako-and-t...-buys.aspx?utm_source=eoic2017&utm_medium=KJP
 
Kyle said:
Eurooptic has a great deal on a .243 Tikka compact, that would be ideal for your daughter.
http://www.eurooptic.com/Tikka-T3-Lite-Compact-243-Win.aspx?utm_source=eoic2017&utm_medium=KJP
The .243 is going to be an ideal starting rifle due to low recoil. It is just starting to be on the small side for deer, but I think it works fine as long as the shot placement is good. For that you need to her to be out shooting the rifle and not to be scared of the recoil.
P.S.
For all of you other Sako guys like myself on this thread EuroOptic is also offering a crazy deal on some Sako rifles right now. And until Sept 30th you get a $100.00 gift card as well.
http://www.eurooptic.com/sako-and-t...-buys.aspx?utm_source=eoic2017&utm_medium=KJP
Click to expand...
Eurooptic has some great people, I bought several rifles from them. My favorite is a Sako A7 Tecomate 300 wsm.
 
Hopefully you're aware of the big snafu in the Indiana hunting guide, contrary to what is printed in the guide, no center fire rifles this year on public land. Private land rules are the same as last year.
 
Tom Threetoes said:
Hopefully you're aware of the big snafu in the Indiana hunting guide, contrary to what is printed in the guide, no center fire rifles this year on public land. Private land rules are the same as last year.
Click to expand...
Actually, private land allows pretty much any centerfire cartridge, while you are restricted to muzzle loaders, shotguns and pistols, on public lands. Huge screw up by the Indiana legislature.

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