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Thread: A friend reminded me why I like heavy boolits or bullets

  1. #1
    Boolit Master and Dean of Balls




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    A friend reminded me why I like heavy boolits or bullets

    I think everyone knows gander mountain closed a few stores, including one here in Rochester. One of my buddies went down there and got a screaming close out deal sale on a remington 700 BDL in .243 winchester. For $280 out the door I can't say I wouldn't have bought it too.

    Now mind you, the friend in question has more than a few toys and he decided he was going to deer hunt with the .243 this year.

    Long story short he gets a shot at 287 yards according to his range finder. A decently heavy 6 pt buck broadside.
    Even with a 100 grain hornady bullet in the boiler room the buck went 100 yards with wrecked lungs. No exit and not a drop of blood.

    The older I get the heavier I like my boolits.

    He's dropped the rifle off, his smith is going to hang a bartlein barrel in 6.5 creedmoor on it.
    Quote Originally Posted by Theodore Roosevelt
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  2. #2
    Boolit Man
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    I have killed 36 deer and 3 hogs with my .243. I think it kills much better than it ought too I have cast some 85 grain LRNGC's that work very well on squirrels........robin

  3. #3
    Boolit Master

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    At that range the bullet has lost about a 1/3~1/2 of it's energy and even though it killed it probably was a poor decision, IMO. Personally, I don't care if I can make a good hit at longer range if the remaining energy is so much less.
    Liberalism is the triumph of emotion over intellect, but masquerading as the reverse.

    I don't know how we ever shot maximum loads before P/C come along and saved us all. R5R

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  4. #4
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    personally, a 100yd dash is about what I'm used to when killing deer, anything shorter is a bonus in my book.

    I've had a deer hit with a 200gr NP in 8x57 at 80 yds go 100yds before piling up with a good double lung shot and two holes in and out.

    it's whatever floats your boat.

    I remember one deer I shot at 40 yds, double lung, in and out, ran 100yds closer to the truck. Oh yea, happy day! nice 13pt died in the ditch 30yds from the truck.

    now that I think about it.. if they are going to run 100yds then die, just make sure they are pointed the direction you want them to go before you shoot.

    or aim for a high shoulder shot to anchor them.

  5. #5
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    It's not unusual for deer to travel a ways with blown lungs or heart. I've seen it happen with .308's and 7 mags also. I've killed several deer DRT with 80 gr psp so I've never tried the 100 gr in the fine .243 Win. Neck shots or high shoulder shots work better for me.

  6. #6
    Boolit Master
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    Good shot placement makes dead animals. Bullet size and speed are secondary concerns.

    I have shot deer, blown the heart in half and seen them run 200 yards. Drop their effective blood pressure to zero and a mature deer has enough oxygenated blood in its tissues for 10-15 seconds of running. They can cover a LOT of ground in 10-15 seconds.

    For what it's worth, I think the OP's buddy did well enough. One shot, into the vitals, and he soon had one dead deer. Remember, the only way to instantly shut down an animal, any animal, is a direct hit to the central nervous system. Every other "kill shot" takes some time for the animal to realize it's dead.

  7. #7
    In Remembrance


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    My last 7 pt deer was shot at 100 yds using a 12 gauge Winchester 1 oz Foster slug. It was a standing shot behind the shoulder. It went down at the shot but was up and went about 100 yds before piling up. There was quite literally no lungs left at gutting. Whitetails have a nasty habit of going a long way after shooting and are dead - but don`t know it yet. Anymore I either use a .338/06 with 250 gr. cast or I want to use my .416 Taylor with a 330 gr. cast to test the DRT principal.Robert

  8. #8
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    Quote Originally Posted by Hardcast416taylor View Post
    My last 7 pt deer was shot at 100 yds using a 12 gauge Winchester 1 oz Foster slug. It was a standing shot behind the shoulder. It went down at the shot but was up and went about 100 yds before piling up. There was quite literally no lungs left at gutting. Whitetails have a nasty habit of going a long way after shooting and are dead - but don`t know it yet. Anymore I either use a .338/06 with 250 gr. cast or I want to use my .416 Taylor with a 330 gr. cast to test the DRT principal.Robert
    I had a similar experience with the same load from my Ithaca deer slayer. A nice little 6 pt buck that refused to give up the ghost until he went downhill about 600 ft of elevation. Difference being, a blood trail. Btw, I was staring at an 8 hr drag with that one until a guy with a boat happened by. I still owe him a beer or 3.
    He might be the trash can buck in my photo album.

    I'm of the mind that I want an exit from any reasonable angle. These days I tend to go heavier than I did 20 years ago in the same calibers.

    They all go a ways. I only remember 1 or 2 that were DRT. I want blood on the ground.
    Last edited by fatnhappy; 01-23-2018 at 04:10 PM.
    Quote Originally Posted by Theodore Roosevelt
    No man is above the law and no man is below it: nor do we ask any man's permission when we ask him to obey it.

  9. #9
    Boolit Buddy
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    I'm also in that camp, prefer a heavier bullet for deer/elk. Took a nice little All Weather Ruger 77 in 243 back to the Black Hills for a whitetail doe hunt two years ago. The closer deer at 100 or less were no problem, but a bigger doe at 250 took a little more killing to put down. Sold it at the next gun show. Back to my old stand-by 30-06 with 180s.

    Hardcast416Taylor, I'm interested in your 338-06 loads, if you would share them, I'd appreciate it. I have a 338-06 I built on a Remington 03-A3 a few years back, E R Shaw bbl, killed some elk and deer with 210 Partitions, but would love to powder coat some 250 gr boolets for it. You could PM me if you want. Thanks

  10. #10
    Boolit Master reloader28's Avatar
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    I think the 243 is the most perfect deer rifle on earth. We've taken them out to 423yds with sst's with zero problems.

  11. #11
    Boolit Buddy
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    Quote Originally Posted by reloader28 View Post
    I think the 243 is the most perfect deer rifle on earth. We've taken them out to 423yds with sst's with zero problems.
    So did the guy that bought mine a the gun show. He is welcome to it.

  12. #12
    Boolit Buddy
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    Quote Originally Posted by reloader28 View Post
    I think the 243 is the most perfect deer rifle on earth. We've taken them out to 423yds with sst's with zero problems.
    My wife would agree with that but then all the 4 deer she has gotten have waited for her to get within 25 yards till she decides to shoot. I can tell you that is very painful to watch as your telling her in your mind to shoot the deer what are you waiting for she just walks up to the deer starting at around a 100 yards until she raises her rifle at 25 yards and shoots the deer they jump straight up run 30 yards and die... Then of course my job starts LOL...

  13. #13
    Boolit Buddy
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    3 biggest deer I've seen in my 65 years were killed with a 243. Mine was the smallest at 173 Boone and Crockett points. The furthest I've ever seen one run was killed with a 130 out of my 270, ran 120 yards with the heart blown up. Some of the shortest, with no Central Nervous System hits, were with the little 250 Savage. No two are alike, stuff happens.

  14. #14
    Boolit Buddy
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    I built a 243 for my oldest grandson on a 98 Mauser when he was starting out. He did well with it, including killing a 3X3 whitetail standing in a clear-cut broadside at a ranged 307 yds. Told him where to hold and watched the deer with binos as he drilled it rib-to-rib. No complaints. I still have two brand new barrels short chambered 243 on the shelf I'll never build because I'm casting now and won't deal with the mighty mite calibers in a hunting situation. I've gotten all the women and kids in my family started. Move on to a man's rifle.

  15. #15
    Boolit Buddy
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    Quote Originally Posted by Blammer View Post
    if they are going to run 100yds then die, just make sure they are pointed the direction you want them to go before you shoot.

  16. #16
    Boolit Buddy RGrosz's Avatar
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    My son hunts deer with a 243. He got it after we were hunting prairie dogs and watched my 243 kill some dogs at 450 yards throw them 3 - 6 feet in the air and when they landed blow smoke out both ends of them, His words not mine.
    Rob

  17. #17
    Boolit Buddy
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    I've hit deer with umpteen different calibers and the ones that went the shortest distance were mostly with pistol calibers . 357 mag 125 grn SP at 75 yards looking at me with a 10" contender @ age 16 . When recoil came up deer was gone . Knees buckled and hit the ground . First buck age 24 , 45 Colt 75 yards broadside went 10 ft . 44 mag 85 yards 10 ft. I've had 3 hit with rifles 2 in 308 and 1 in 7-30 waters all 3 set fell where they stood. But then I've had several with different rifle cartridges haul **** some for a **** long ways . 30-06 no heart jellied lungs run for 100-150 yrds through the brush . 2 with 244 ( same day) run well over 150 yrds . Lots 1 for 2 days found by accident in the brush 2 days later .(I was sick about it for awhile age 15) never shot that gun again . Had one hit 2 yrs ago with 308 ran 150 yrds and lay down out in the field 2 a second shot and hit and the dang critter got up and ran and jumped a fence with jellied lung and top of heart missing . Then same trip hit a 11 pnt (spike) 8" long @ 35 yrds with 10" 357 maximum super Blackhawk hit the dirt before the recoil came up dry. All good hits except for 2nd shot with 308 at 425 yrds on the one out in open field . Was in the kidney area . Had many shot with rifles under a hundred yrds dead on their feet make a 100 yrs death run . No rhyme or reason to it . But I do have to say I really like the pistol shot ones they just don't go anywhere . Figure that one out . Ohhh 1 I hit with a 45-70 330 grn HP @130 yrds heavy 6 or. @ the shot the deer flinched and then walked in a 5 foot circle to back where I shot him stood there a minute and then flat fell over . Go figure anyway just like ppl and rifles each one has a mind of its own .

  18. #18
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    A favorite gunwriter of mine wrote a piece on the .243 Win. He stated that only experts and gunwriters can't kill deer with it🤣

    Sent from my SAMSUNG-SM-G930A using Tapatalk

  19. #19
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    i like heavy boolits

    is my 450gr lfn gc in my 500L count? or is 280gr wfn gc in 444 marlin? a 405gr fn in 45-70?


    youse guys with your 243s and little bullets.....they makes me laugh!!!!



    i have killed a few deer with the 243. but i like my bigger calibers better.

  20. #20
    Boolit Master ammohead's Avatar
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    Your friend is opting for a caliber that is good for maybe 40 more grains of bullet weight and less powder capacity. ?

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Abbreviations used in Reloading

BP Bronze Point IMR Improved Military Rifle PTD Pointed
BR Bench Rest M Magnum RN Round Nose
BT Boat Tail PL Power-Lokt SP Soft Point
C Compressed Charge PR Primer SPCL Soft Point "Core-Lokt"
HP Hollow Point PSPCL Pointed Soft Point "Core Lokt" C.O.L. Cartridge Overall Length
PSP Pointed Soft Point Spz Spitzer Point SBT Spitzer Boat Tail
LRN Lead Round Nose LWC Lead Wad Cutter LSWC Lead Semi Wad Cutter
GC Gas Check