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10:21 pm
April 23, 2011
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Getting back to the original question I use the Hornaday varmint gernades when I hunt for fur. According to everything that I have read you will have a very small entrance wound and no exit due to the bullet fragmenting. Unfortunately I do not have any experience with acutal fur damage as I have yet to find that yote or bobcat.
10:18 pm
April 23, 2011
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I use my 243 all the time at the range or out shooting rabbits. I use 100grain bullets in it and it shoots awesome. I have heard that they dont usually like the bigger bullets but my 700 seems to love them. I carried the gun on a barbary sheep hunt a few years ago but did not have the opportunity to shoot. I consistently grab the 30-06 when I rifle hunt however. I have also heard of a kid that has taken two very large bull elk in CO with his 243 so I guess it is possible with proper placement but would prefer the larger calibers for longer reach if necessary.
9:33 pm
Platinum Member
April 29, 2011
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FlattenedGravy said:
Idaho doesn't really have a minimum caliber for hunting. It just says in the manual that the rifle can't weigh more than 16 pounds, be fully automatic, or be a rim-fire. And for handgun hunting the round has to be a straight-walled cartridge.
Louisiana law is just as bad. It simply says that you can't use anything smaller than .22 centerfire. It would be illeagle to shoot a deer with a rifle chambered for .22 LR, .22 MAG., OR .204 Ruger, but it would be leagle to shoot a deer with a .25 ACP pistol with a 2.5 inch barrel.
8:36 pm
Moderator
March 10, 2011
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FlattenedGravy said:
Idaho doesn't really have a minimum caliber for hunting. It just says in the manual that the rifle can't weigh more than 16 pounds, be fully automatic, or be a rim-fire. And for handgun hunting the round has to be a straight-walled cartridge.
I see many problems with this, someone could use a .380 ACP for handgun hunting… or a .17 (center-fire) rifle cartridge on a elk and it isn't against the law.
I e-mailed them last season about this expressing my concern that people could be using calibers that are not big enough. They just said that they don't usually see people using smaller calibers. (I have never been stopped and asked what I was hunting with, how do they know which rifle caliber everyone is using?!)
For rifles, Colorado sets a minimum of .24 caliber (6mm) with impact energy of at least 1000 ft lbs at 100 yards, minimum 70 grain bullet for deer, 85 grain for elk, expanding bullets only. (Not sure I'd be willing to shoot an elk with an 85 grain bullet, legal or not.)
For handguns, it has to be minimum .24 caliber, at least 4" barrel, expanding bullets, and deliver at least 550 ft lbs of impact energy at 50 yards.
There are other rules but those are the big ones.
8:17 pm
April 9, 2011
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Idaho doesn't really have a minimum caliber for hunting. It just says in the manual that the rifle can't weigh more than 16 pounds, be fully automatic, or be a rim-fire. And for handgun hunting the round has to be a straight-walled cartridge.
I see many problems with this, someone could use a .380 ACP for handgun hunting… or a .17 (center-fire) rifle cartridge on a elk and it isn't against the law.
I e-mailed them last season about this expressing my concern that people could be using calibers that are not big enough. They just said that they don't usually see people using smaller calibers. (I have never been stopped and asked what I was hunting with, how do they know which rifle caliber everyone is using?!)
4:21 pm
Moderator
March 10, 2011
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NEILT said:
you only live once
Yep – and as they say, if you do it right, once is enough.
[We're talking about living here!]
4:17 pm
Platinum Member
August 17, 2011
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colorado hunter said:
FlattenedGravy said:
I've been looking at the 22-250 and the .243 recently. I want one of these calibers for when my kid grows up I can take her hunting and it won't blow her shoulder off!
FWIW, 22-250s are not legal for big game in some states (Colorado for sure) while .243s are legal for deer everywhere I know of. The recoil on the one .243 I have is very mild. My 15 year old granddaughter could handle it with no problem. I'm still not decided on how useful this rifle is going to be – I got it mainly because I wanted a Savage 99 and that's the one I found. Probably not a very good reason but I can never pass up a nice-looking classic rifle at a good price.
you only live once
4:12 pm
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March 10, 2011
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FlattenedGravy said:
I've been looking at the 22-250 and the .243 recently. I want one of these calibers for when my kid grows up I can take her hunting and it won't blow her shoulder off!
FWIW, 22-250s are not legal for big game in some states (Colorado for sure) while .243s are legal for deer everywhere I know of. The recoil on the one .243 I have is very mild. My 15 year old granddaughter could handle it with no problem. I'm still not decided on how useful this rifle is going to be – I got it mainly because I wanted a Savage 99 and that's the one I found. Probably not a very good reason but I can never pass up a nice-looking classic rifle at a good price.
3:50 pm
April 9, 2011
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I've been looking at the 22-250 and the .243 recently. I want one of these calibers for when my kid grows up I can take her hunting and it won't blow her shoulder off!
3:41 pm
Moderator
April 25, 2011
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Always went back and forth on getting a .243. I got a 22-250 for predators and maybe Antelope (some day). But I think I'll be going with a .308 next purchase I can afford. I love Hornady ammo and their v-max does the job on coyotes reak nice. I have been meaning to try their Superformance ammo, just haven't had the need to restock. I saw the Pigman show one night and he was killing deer, pigs and goats with a .223 using the Superformance. I wouldn't recommend it. He was just trying to prove a point. IMHO an unneccesary point.
2:41 pm
Platinum Member
April 29, 2011
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colorado hunter said:
Shooting that .243 feels like a BB gun compared to the 30-06.
I know what you mean. One of the guns that were stolen from me several years ago was a 6mm rem. It was a sweet shooting rifle.
2:05 pm
April 30, 2011
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I still use my wincherster 94 30-30 for hunting.
12:33 pm
Platinum Member
August 17, 2011
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colorado hunter said:
NEILT said:
the old 30-30, I remember brush hunting with my dads 35. The real test will be how well you shoot the old 99 on the range.
Well, I shoot everything pretty well . . . on the range.
haha….well said
12:23 pm
Moderator
March 10, 2011
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NEILT said:
the old 30-30, I remember brush hunting with my dads 35. The real test will be how well you shoot the old 99 on the range.
Well, I shoot everything pretty well . . . on the range.
12:15 pm
Platinum Member
August 17, 2011
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colorado hunter said:
NEILT said:
I have always considered the .243 to be no better then the .223. In my opinion,but I have limited 243 knowledge. But with that being said I've seen many deer taken with both calibers. Again as with any gun, shot placement is a big factor. Even more so with smaller calibers. Should work,just fine. Just be sure to put "a few" rounds down range before you take it out.
Just my $.02, over priced as it may be
.223s are not legal for big game in Colorado so a .243 would be the minimum caliber anyway. Mainly I would just enjoy taking the old '99 hunting but I've got other choices. I've already checked it out at the range and it's plenty accurate enough, even with my old eyes over the open irons. If I use it I'll scope it, though. Ballistics table says it's enough gun for Muleys but I don't have any direct experience with that caliber.
I generally just reach for a 30-06 but I'm feeling the urge to take a lever gun out this year – maybe "Old Sidewinder", my 1950's Marlin 30-30 will go out to play.
the old 30-30, I remember brush hunting with my dads 35. The real test will be how well you shoot the old 99 on the range.
12:13 pm
Moderator
March 10, 2011
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bluewater said:
That is it should work with 100 gr. bullets.
Looks to me like it would, too, but for some reason .243s are not commonly used out here in the Rocky Mountain region. Maybe I'll give it a try. Shooting that .243 feels like a BB gun compared to the 30-06.
10:33 am
Platinum Member
April 29, 2011
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That is it should work with 100 gr. bullets.
10:29 am
Platinum Member
April 29, 2011
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colorado hunter said:
.223s are not legal for big game in Colorado so a .243 would be the minimum caliber anyway. Mainly I would just enjoy taking the old '99 hunting but I've got other choices. I've already checked it out at the range and it's plenty accurate enough, even with my old eyes over the open irons. If I use it I'll scope it, though. Ballistics table says it's enough gun for Muleys but I don't have any direct experience with that caliber.
The largest game we have here is white tail deer. I don't have any experience with the .243, but a friend of mine has a model 99 in .243 just like yours and he has taken lots of whitetails with it. I also don't know anything about mule deer, but it should work.
8:35 am
Moderator
March 10, 2011
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NEILT said:
I have always considered the .243 to be no better then the .223. In my opinion,but I have limited 243 knowledge. But with that being said I've seen many deer taken with both calibers. Again as with any gun, shot placement is a big factor. Even more so with smaller calibers. Should work,just fine. Just be sure to put "a few" rounds down range before you take it out.
Just my $.02, over priced as it may be
.223s are not legal for big game in Colorado so a .243 would be the minimum caliber anyway. Mainly I would just enjoy taking the old '99 hunting but I've got other choices. I've already checked it out at the range and it's plenty accurate enough, even with my old eyes over the open irons. If I use it I'll scope it, though. Ballistics table says it's enough gun for Muleys but I don't have any direct experience with that caliber.
I generally just reach for a 30-06 but I'm feeling the urge to take a lever gun out this year – maybe "Old Sidewinder", my 1950's Marlin 30-30 will go out to play.
7:58 am
Platinum Member
August 17, 2011
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colorado hunter said:
scarlino said:
I'm not sure about the v max, but I shot my first Mule deer with a single shot 243 in Montana.
Tell me more about the .243, Scarlino. My go-to caliber has always been a 30-06 but I recently got a can't pass up deal on a Savage 99 chambered in .243 and I'm considering blooding it this fall on a mule deer. I've studied the ballistics tables and it looks like it would be effective out to about 250 yards with a 100-grain bullet. Do you agree with that? Any other info you'd care to share?
I have always considered the .243 to be no better then the .223. In my opinion,but I have limited 243 knowledge. But with that being said I've seen many deer taken with both calibers. Again as with any gun, shot placement is a big factor. Even more so with smaller calibers. Should work,just fine. Just be sure to put "a few" rounds down range before you take it out.
Just my $.02, over priced as it may be 
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