The 243 Winchester for Australian Game

[F. Vaccaro]

Great all rounder.....I use mine to take foxes and wild dogs as it has the legs to reach out. Took a Sambar stag on my property a few years back, thought I was taking a spiker but after dropping him on the spot turned out he was a full grown stag with malformed antlers. Of course bullet placement is everything but it can hit hard.

And recoil is light enough that a good shooter can precisely place his/her shots.

 

[Bob Nelson 35Whelen]

Great all rounder.....I use mine to take foxes and wild dogs as it has the legs to reach out. Took a Sambar stag on my property a few years back, thought I was taking a spiker but after dropping him on the spot turned out he was a full grown stag with malformed antlers. Of course bullet placement is everything but it can hit hard.

@igotit
I bet you weren't using 87gn bullets like the majority in Australia do.
You say it can hi hard but compared to what, a 222 rem yes, a,good 25 no way. The mild mannered little 250 Savage even hits harder than the 243s.
Bob

 

[Bob Nelson 35Whelen]

And recoil is light enough that a good shooter can precisely place his/her shots.

@F. Vaccaro
If you can find a good 243 yes but it is a mystery object as there's no such thing as a good 243. Fine for paper punching but that it.

 

[MS 9x56]

it has a lot to do with shot placement as well

these links go to one of my favourite videos ever "The Great Australian Buffalo Hunt" where they use a 308 with solid projectiles to one shot kill our Buff in Australia professionally
l would not say that that recipe is what anyone would recommend but it shows that the wrong projectile can be used if the shot placement is right

Just because you can do something doesn't mean you should. Nor is, because something worked once, proof it will always work. In hunting dangerous game the failures possibly result in injury or death.

 

[marksman]

Just because you can do something doesn't mean you should. Nor is, because something worked once, proof it will always work. In hunting dangerous game the failures possibly result in injury or death.

maybe you are right if you are not up to the task and cant place your bullet where it needs to go

but then that brings to mind Karamojo Bell, the famous small bore ivory hunter, in his years elephant hunting he bagged exactly 1,011 elephant, he killed 800 of those elephant armed with a handy lightweight .275 rigby rifle, Bell’s philosophy in hunting was that the rifleman must have a good knowledge of the anatomy of the game they are after and thus that he/she will not press trigger unless sure of their bullet placement and thus an instant humane kill, Bell used military round nose full metal jacket bullets in his rifles and sometimes joked that his rifle’s barrels had never been sullied by soft point ammunition

Karamojo Bell: The Small Bore Ivory Hunter - Revivaler

W.D.M. Bell went from being just an adventurer trying his hand at being a professional ivory hunter to becoming a legend. 800 elephant taken with a small .275 Rigby Rifle.

revivaler.com

it also brings to mind the round recommended for Roo shooting here in Aussie, the humble 222
you have to head shoot, no shots over 200 and have you seen our Roos
as a person who has culled roo's on tags l can tell you some alphas are very intimidating
shot placement is the key

 

[Marcos Rodriguez]

@F. Vaccaro
If you can find a good 243 yes but it is a mystery object as there's no such thing as a good 243. Fine for paper punching but that it.

HAHAHAHAHA
But... the paper... are easily punching by a nude finger, or I´m wrong? hahahaha

 

[ZG47]

maybe you are right if you are not up to the task and cant place your bullet where it needs to go

but then that brings to mind Karamojo Bell, the famous small bore ivory hunter, in his years elephant hunting he bagged exactly 1,011 elephant, he killed 800 of those elephant armed with a handy lightweight .275 rigby rifle, Bell’s philosophy in hunting was that the rifleman must have a good knowledge of the anatomy of the game they are after and thus that he/she will not press trigger unless sure of their bullet placement and thus an instant humane kill, Bell used military round nose full metal jacket bullets in his rifles and sometimes joked that his rifle’s barrels had never been sullied by soft point ammunition

View attachment 488288

Karamojo Bell: The Small Bore Ivory Hunter - Revivaler

W.D.M. Bell went from being just an adventurer trying his hand at being a professional ivory hunter to becoming a legend. 800 elephant taken with a small .275 Rigby Rifle.

revivaler.com

it also brings to mind the round recommended for Roo shooting here in Aussie, the humble 222
you have to head shoot, no shots over 200 and have you seen our Roos
as a person who has culled roo's on tags l can tell you some alphas are very intimidating
shot placement is the key

View attachment 488289

Good post. It is my understanding however, that Mr Bell adopted the 7x57 because, at that time, the German ammunition had completely reliable ignition and combustion whereas the British ammunition was prone to misfires and/or hangfires.

 

[PerH]

Good post. It is my understanding however, that Mr Bell adopted the 7x57 because, at that time, the German ammunition had completely reliable ignition and combustion whereas the British ammunition was prone to misfires and/or hangfires.

And also case splits as he had a number of in British 6,5 ammo which the German surplus ammo had none of as he said.

 

[Marcos Rodriguez]

Good post. It is my understanding however, that Mr Bell adopted the 7x57 because, at that time, the German ammunition had completely reliable ignition and combustion whereas the British ammunition was prone to misfires and/or hangfires.

Good point!
Also, the 7x57 are a GREAT SHOT... for medium game, but with a very good penetration

 

[CBH Australia]

Good point!
Also, the 7x57 are a GREAT SHOT... for medium game, but with a very good penetration

Cause it's a 7mm,

 

[MS 9x56]

Not rough difference between 7mm and 30 caliber to worry about both are fine hunting rounds and well supplied with bullet choices.

 

[NIGHTHAWK]

I guess I’ll have to take mine to Australia to find out…

 

[CoElkHunter]

I guess I’ll have to take mine to Australia to find out…

Camels and scrub bulls!

 

[OldnLazy]

I have a Sako 85 in 243 need to check twist but it will shot the GK and pro hunter 105s no problem and also the Berger 90 grn targets as well as lighter bullets. go a long heavy barrel in a quality factory and you will cover all bases.

 

[OldnLazy]

I've seen several 243s at 1000 yard matches. They always held their own. Now they make heavier match grade bullets if your twist will take them.

Use to be the 300s mags were the go to rifle at 1000 yard matches, but you see more and more 6mms. I wouldnt hesitate to use a 243 at 1000 yards.

Heck I shoot my White Oak Service rifle at 1000 yards and its 223.

If the proper rifle you wont be handy capped with a 243 except in the most servere wind, then the 308 wont cut it either.

 

[rdog]

I guess I’ll have to take mine to Australia to find out…

Come on down

 

[CBH Australia]

I guess I’ll have to take mine to Australia to find out…

Come in through Sydney so you can meet up with Bob.

He might even plan a hunt so he can try the .243 for himself.

 

[rdog]

maybe you are right if you are not up to the task and cant place your bullet where it needs to go

but then that brings to mind Karamojo Bell, the famous small bore ivory hunter, in his years elephant hunting he bagged exactly 1,011 elephant, he killed 800 of those elephant armed with a handy lightweight .275 rigby rifle, Bell’s philosophy in hunting was that the rifleman must have a good knowledge of the anatomy of the game they are after and thus that he/she will not press trigger unless sure of their bullet placement and thus an instant humane kill, Bell used military round nose full metal jacket bullets in his rifles and sometimes joked that his rifle’s barrels had never been sullied by soft point ammunition

View attachment 488288

Karamojo Bell: The Small Bore Ivory Hunter - Revivaler

W.D.M. Bell went from being just an adventurer trying his hand at being a professional ivory hunter to becoming a legend. 800 elephant taken with a small .275 Rigby Rifle.

revivaler.com

it also brings to mind the round recommended for Roo shooting here in Aussie, the humble 222
you have to head shoot, no shots over 200 and have you seen our Roos
as a person who has culled roo's on tags l can tell you some alphas are very intimidating
shot placement is the key

View attachment 488289

Do not screw a round with a big old red Roo he will kill you! they kill dogs in an instant just look at the claws. They do not attack or
hunt you down but wound one or corner one he will give you a arse kicking, he can grab you & rip your guts out with the claws on his hind leg.

 

[NIGHTHAWK]

I've seen several 243s at 1000 yard matches. They always held their own. Now they make heavier match grade bullets if your twist will take them.

Use to be the 300s mags were the go to rifle at 1000 yard matches, but you see more and more 6mms. I wouldnt hesitate to use a 243 at 1000 yards.

Heck I shoot my White Oak Service rifle at 1000 yards and its 223.

If the proper rifle you wont be handy capped with a 243 except in the most servere wind, then the 308 wont cut it either.

I’d like to try my .243 to 500 yards and beyond. All my rifles are hunting rifles. They are not match rifles. Even the 300 RUM that I’ve shot 2000 yards and 1 mile targets with is a well made hunting rifle…

I bought the Tikka .243 to practice with so I would be familiar with the SAKO .375H&H. After I got the .243 back from MOA Rifles, with a few upgrades, it became extremely accurate and a joy to shoot. As long as I do my part, it will hit exactly where I aim. I really didn’t set out to make it a primary hunting rifle. I actually didn’t consider it until I brought it to SA for my 3rd Safari and used it for Bush Pig, Jackal, Warthog, and Impala.

Talking to my PH and planning my last Safari, I really considered just bringing a .375H&H but he likes that .243 and told me to bring it… I had no idea how much disdain there was for .243? Although, a lot of what I’ve read are second hand accounts of what it can’t do.

I’m not in love .243, I just know, by my firsthand experience, it kills animals dead. If I didn’t, I wouldn’t talk about it.

Next size up for me is 7MM REM MAG. I’m certain that’s a marginal caliber too…

I sure am glad I didn’t read all the negative posts on either of these calibers before I started hunting with them, because my trophy rooms would be relatively empty and my taxidermist wouldn’t have a new 4x4 diesel rig…

 

[NIGHTHAWK]

Come in through Sydney so you can meet up with Bob.

He might even plan a hunt so he can try the .243 for himself.

I have to go back to NZ first, but since I’m close, I may as well…