243 Win. maximum deer range

[long40shot]

Hey guys,

I just got a new Remington 700 VLS in 243 Winchester. I am wondering, what is the max range I could dump a deer on it's ass at. I am shooting either 95grn Berger VLDs or 105 grn Berger BTs. The gun has a 1 in 9.5 twist. Like to hear you guys thoughts.

Thanks,

Matt

 

[2506]

I have killed deer at 300 yards with 100 gr Sierra's from a 243.

 

[M700]

With the very similar 6mm Remington and 95 grain Nosler Ballistic Tip bullets, 275 yards has not been a problem on mule deer.

 

[P1ZombieKiller]

I don't shoot .243, but my kids do. They shoot the 87 grain v-max, and have killed Texas Whitetail deer at/under 200 yards with ease. I would not hesitate to shoot longer with it, but I won't let the kids shoot any longer.

Might be good to have a "hunting" load set aside with those V-max or A-max bullets..... very effective on deer size animals in 87 grains at/under 200 yards.

 

[Kodiak99317]

If you are a good LR shooter,allows in the top 10 percent at big matches), have a wind meter, know your elevation, and comeups, and you are will to wait for it to stand still, and you shoot it in the head, then you maybe able to take it at 700 to 800 yds MAX IMO.

 

[Rustystud]

What is realistic and ethical vs will kill the animal.

Whitetail deer on the average weighs less than 200 pounds.

That makes them very simular to a human in body mass.

The U S Military established a minimum amount of energy to kill a human 90% of the time to be 200 ft lbs of energy.

You can do the math.

Bullet weight and velocity.

In my opinion a deer is much tougher than a human.

Rustystud

 

[Kodiak99317]

According to Sierra Suite, a 100g Sierra SBT lauched at 3000 fps with 44.9g of H4831SC with a Fed 210M in a 22" 1:9T barrel at an elevation 1704' above sea level still has 203.8 Ft/Lbs of energy at 1400 yds, but I still say 7-800 yds is Max, especially with no wind flags to read. You would also need 15.5 moa of wind on,or you are holding off into the wind close to 19 feet., 18.93' actually) with a 10 mph 3 o'clock full value wind and it is close to 60.5 moa of UP on the scope if you were zeroed in for 300 yds to hit your mark,aka the head) at 1400 yds! At 1400 yds, the head/brain, assuming it is 5" in size, is only about 1/3 moa in size at 1400 yds. At 700 yds, it is a little over a 1/2 moa in size. Again 7-800 is Max and that is for a really good shooter that knows what he is doing and his gun and it's trajectory very well.

 

[P1ZombieKiller]

According to Sierra Suite, a 100g Sierra SBT lauched at 3000 fps with 44.9g of H4831SC with a Fed 210M in a 22" 1:9T barrel at an elevation 1704' above sea level still has 203.8 Ft/Lbs of energy at 1400 yds, but I still say 7-800 yds is Max, especially with no wind flags to read. You would also need 15.5 moa of wind on,or you are holding off into the wind close to 19 feet., 18.93' actually) with a 10 mph 3 o'clock full value wind and it is close to 60.5 moa of UP on the scope if you were zeroed in for 300 yds to hit your mark,aka the head) at 1400 yds! At 1400 yds, the head/brain, assuming it is 5" in size, is only about 1/3 moa in size at 1400 yds. At 700 yds, it is a little over a 1/2 moa in size. Again 7-800 is Max and that is for a really good shooter that knows what he is doing and his gun and it's trajectory very well.

Take all that he said.... and to put that in basic Texan speak,which is what I assume he speaks since he asked "what would it take to dump a deer on it's ass)..... get a bigger gun if your shooting that far.... No disrepect Kodiak.... but anyone willing to take a shoot at a deer at 700 yards with a 243 won't be hunting on my place..... We manage our deer much better than that, and to decide if a deer is a shooter at 700 yards is about as difficult as it was for me to understnad what the heck you just said.....

 

[AQC440]

The Totally Ballistic software has A overall game weight calculator,OGW). I ran your particular scenario,Berger 105 VLD's) through the OGW using the software and it came-up with a 440 yard max for a 200 lb. white-tailed deer.......for what its worth.

 

[Kodiak99317]

No disrespect Kodiak.... but anyone willing to take a shoot at a deer at 700 yards with a 243 won't be hunting on my place..... We manage our deer much better than that, and to decide if a deer is a shooter at 700 yards is about as difficult as it was for me to understand what the heck you just said.....

LOL non taken Wes, I do agree with ya' on distance too but he did ask for the Max. If your talking a shoulder hit, I agree with AQC440, more like 400 yds max and it will toss it to the ground. Most guys can't even spot a deer standing still past 400 yds! And most shots are taken in the field by the average hunter is under 100 yds!! I have been with a bud years back that did a whitey at around 700 with his 243, but he only hit a leg and then we tracked it for another mile or so, not good. Same bud now uses a 338 wildcat and 250g bullets and has taken many deer in excess of 1000+ yds, one shot, and he aims at the neck and that is were they go, in the neck, no meat lost either. But then again, we are LR competitors too and have been for years now, firing thousands of rounds per year, and we with all the gear to make those shots, wind meters, spotting scopes, on and on... and when we go out plinking at targets, we start at 1000yds and go out from there And yes, with my 6-250 wildcat,smaller than a .243 in capacity) I'd take the shot at 700 yds, but her and I can hold 1/4 moa or better consistently at this, to me now, rather short range of 700yds with the new barrel she just got Now if I could read the winds under 1/2 moa consistently I'd be laughing eh

 

[chino1969]

Bottom line, rule of thumb:

200 to 300 yds. for a .243 using 95+ grn. bullets for ethical shots by a good shooter.

Lou Baccino
Chino69

 

[jb77]

Wow 1/4 moa to 700 yds. You must really clean up at the shoots you go to?

Your buddy hit a deer in the leg at 700, but now he only shoots them in the neck at a thousand plus huh???

You two hosers must truly be the kings of the great white north.

I am calling B.S. on this one kodiack.

 

[Kodiak99317]

On a calm morning, yes a 1/4 moa easy and no BS. This is prone and rested front and rear.

And yes, I take my share of bling home from most shoots. My walls are full and there are more trophies in boxes in storage. I have a BRSC/IBS/NBRSA HBR Nationals wall,Cdn and US) and a Cdn HBR wall, a DCRA/US F Class wall,Cdn and US), a Cdn SFC Records wall, with dozens of trophies on each wall. I have hundreds for shooting trophies here. Include deer, elk, varmint, etc. I hold the current Cdn BRSC HBR and Varmint Hunter titles and many other current titles, plus still have current Cdn SFC HBR Nationals records standing in Canada, thanks.

The leg shot deer was some 20 yrs back, and if my memory is any good thinking about it more here, it was another guy, his cousin that blow the leg off, buddy dropped it with a shoulder shot. And we have only gotten better since then

Re: call me a hoser jb77, I looked that one up and resemble that statement and again thanks for the reference as Kings of the Great White North! I'm a white canadian, upper middle class, late 40's, prairie farm background, it keeps going. I laughted so hard.... Read this.. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hoser but I'm not a sports,baseball, hockey, soccer, etc) fan, nor do I have a flannel shirt but if you send me yours, I'd wash it and wear it

 

[jb77]

Kodiak, I take it all back you are my new hero. You and your 6/250 death ray. You and your bud just keep slaying those "whitey's".

I'll be sure and send you a flannel shirt, I want my new bestest hero to be nice and comfy.

 

[long40shot]

Thanks guys,

I thought that around 300 yds would be the max range. I just wanted to here some chatter on the subject. I pretty excited about the new gun, its a Rem 700 VLS. I'll let you guys know how she shoots. For those 700 to 800 yd shots, i'll stick with the old 300 Win. Mag.

-Matt

 

[long40shot]

Does anyone have any good 95grn berger VLD loads?

-Matt

 

[coupalr]

I use 42.5gr H4831sc and Fed210m primers in Norma brass. 95gr Bergers seated .010 into the lands.

 

[tuck2]

If I were to take someone out deer hunting that used a 243 Win rifle and started to shoot at mule deer over 300 yards, I would never take then out agin.. I know there are a few fine rifleman but most are not..Past 300 yards there is dopeing wind drift, bullet drop, and range estimation. Shooting off a bench rest and shooting after humping up and down hills are two different things..

 

[long40shot]

Has anyone had good luck with the 105 grn Hornady A-max in the Remington VLS with a 1 in 9 1/8 twist barrel?

-Thanks
Matt

 

[Kodiak99317]

We are ethical hunters and hunt with 308's or larger just for the record. Here's my "Hoser" buddy's deer, taken with a 308 and 165g Hornady at 880 yds. This "Hoser"s record is well over 1000 yds with his 338 wildcat.

And here's the take on Saturday 8th 2008 ... most ranged from 400 to 900 yds

Yes if you know what your doing and your rifle, LR hunting is fun, you pick out the nice one of of the pack,these run 160-170 point B&C after deductions) and he does not even know you are there. These all came out of the same herd.

And I still stand at 700 yds as the MAX with my 6-250 or a 243 with pin point accuracy, but I would take my 308 with 165g bullets over either of these cartridges for deer, and I would classify,but I'm Cdn) as a High Master in SR and a high end Master,almost HM) in LR US F Class