243 cast bullets for deer?

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  • Last Post 15 January 2023
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2frogs posted this 07 January 2023

This year I want to try hunting deer with my 243 with cast bullets. From what I have been reading, linotype is way too hard. Mine will be 89 gr with gas checks. Maybe out to 150 yards if that. What alloy and mv do you all think will be good to use?. I was thinking Lyman number 2 or even softer. Wheel weights are impossible to get here. I'm open to suggestions. I will be powder coating these as well. Therefore I was thinking even a soft like bhn of even 10/12. Thanks for any information.

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Lee Guthrie posted this 07 January 2023

I've killed a lot of deer with cast bullets, but never with that cartridge so can't help you with what results you will get, although I expect you will have to track wounded deer (unless you have all head shots).  Your bullet is light and if you limit velocity to 1900-2000 fps at muzzle you won't have much steam left at 150 yards.  With powder coat you might get velocity up to 2300 fps, but most folks don't get stellar accuracy much above that.  Better be soft alloy at 150 yards with a light 6mm bullet, but soft alloy and high velocity go together like electricity and water.  If shots are limited to bow range using soft bullets it should work.

With cast for deer hunting I've always used  .35 Whelen, .375 WM, .375 H&H, .45-70, and .458 WM and heavy for caliber bullets. Both .50 and .54 muzzleloaders with 400-500 gr bullets, and 10 gauge ML with RBs.  Yes, .458 WM  --  none ran away and the meat wasn't shot up, although recoil might have been a bit much.........

Rifles in .30 cal with 180 gr bullets (or heavier) would be a much better choice than lightweight 6mm.

 

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beltfed posted this 14 January 2023

My Savage 110CL  243 became a 14" twist 358 Win, with 250 gr Paper Patched bullets at 2350fps

for deer.  Has worked great over the years on a number of large Northern WI bucks. One shot one kill

and minimal bloodshot meat

beltfed/arnie

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Ken Campbell Iowa posted this 14 January 2023

kinda a variation on above and beltfed's post made me think  ... but my 243 coyote rifle ( rem BDL 700v ) is sleeping unused and now that Iowa allows 35 and up cal for deer ...  i am thinking a 358 win. barrel would be cute ...  BUT:  

will this short action not allow the very best 35 cal cast bullets ... long for deer ... to be used ?  anybody else got a 358 in a short action Remmy and wished it had the longer action ?  i believe the savage 243 action is really a long action ? ... sorry for my ignorance; Savage rifles are not allowed in coyote country here in Iowa ... only Remmys and Ruger 77s ... ( and of course AR15-10 ) ... 

btw, i am also converting an oldie but goodie 721 30-06 into a 35 whelen .. ... long ago purchased midwayusa Adams barrel ... that should take care of even those giant cornfed Iowa deer ... or the occasional wooly mammothi leftovers from recent climate changes ...

ken

oh, ...243 on deer ... i would develop a 2 moa load at 1750 and only take head shots ...  that would be satisfying ...

 

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2frogs posted this 14 January 2023

Excellent idea on the 243. I'll plan on it. Thanks.

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Fitzpatrick posted this 14 January 2023

I have a savage that started life as a .243 it became the donor for my 358 Yeti project , you shorten a 308 or similar  headed case and cut it to 1.645 then size to a 35 cal. the barrel has a 1-14 twist so it handles cast bullet up to 310 gr. and is very gentle on powder and the shoulder .

so many options for us.

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beltfed posted this 14 January 2023

Rather than HIJack the thread re 243 cast for hunting,

I am starting another re. 35 cal cast bullet hunting rifles that several of us above are suggesting Much more suitable than the 243 with cast for deer.

beltfed/arnie

 

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Bud Hyett posted this 15 January 2023

A small diameter bullet at low velocity is a valid consideration. Of course, there probably have been more deer shot out-of-season with a .22 Long Rifle than shot in-season with all other calibers combined. 

Farm boy from Illinois, living in the magical Pacific Northwest

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