[fenrir]

Greetings, I'm new to the forum and am hoping that you all have some good info for me.
I've got a savage model 99m in 243. I hunt mulies and whitetail up to 200 yards in new mexico. I also have a 3x weaver on it which I believe is the factory scope. Is this caliber sufficient for the type of hunting expressed? and is the scope ok?

 

[csward]

SAVAGE 99 IN .243

HI FENRIR,

THERE ARE SO MANY VARIABLES CONCERNING YOUR QUESTION THAT A DEFINATE YES OR NO ANSWER IS NOT EASILY GIVEN.

IF YOU ARE ABLE TO PLACE YOUR BULLETS WITH GREAT SKILL WHEN IN THE FIELD AND OUT OF BREATH AND MAYBE HAVING A LITTLE "BUCK FEVER" THEN A .243 IS MARGINAL FOR THE MULE DEER ( IN MY OPINION ) AND OK FOR THE WHITE TAILS. IF YOU CAN DO THAT AT 200 YARDS, YOU ARE BETTER THAN MANY OF YOUR BROTHER HUNTERS.

MY SUGGESTIONS: VISIT A PLACE TO SHOOT. BUY THE HEAVIEST BULLETS THAT NOSLER MAKES ( MY PREFERENCE) AND SHOOT SOME GROUPS. IF YOUR GROUPS OF THREE SHOTS CANNOT BE PLACED IN 5 INCHES AT 100 YARDS AND 10" AT 200 YARDS, FROM A REST OF SOME KIND, EITHER YOU OR YOUR GUN OR SCOPE NEEDS SOME WORK BEFORE YOU SHOOT AT A DEER OF ANY KIND.

MY OTHER SUGGESTION IS GET CLOSER TO THE GAME OR GET A DIFFERENT CALIBER. WHICH ONE ? THE LARGEST CALIBER THAT YOU CAN EFFECIENTLY HANDLE WITHOUT FLINCHING.

BEST OF LUCK, MY FRIEND.
CSWARD

 

[m141a]

I've never shot a .243 in my life, I'm a .308 win. fan myself. I use the Win. model 100, a semi with a 4X weaver scope, but I'll ask you two questions.

Have you used the gun to hunt these two species in the past with success?

Are you confident with the round and your ability to shoot it?

Certainly the .243 is fine for White tail, and here in NJ I'm not familiar with Mulies short of hunting magazines!!

I'd say, if your comfortable and trust your gun and your abilities for the certain kill, use it!! Dead is dead, no matter... it can't be too dead.

Good luck,
Chris~

 

[whitehunter35]

Sir,

Welcome to the group. I'm a huge admirer of savage 99s, and think that you have a wonderful platform there. I don't have much expirence with a 243, as the majority of my hunting is in the easturn hardwoods, and I tend to shoot a heavier bullet at lower velocities.

Reckon if a fellow is careful, and aims around the natural armor of the deer, like the shoulder blades and such, sticks a well constructed bullet in the engine room, then we'll have vension for dinner. I have gotten in trouble with light/ lightly constructed bullets, when i tried to break down a deer through the shoulders or hips, in calibers including 25-06, 270, and 308. A light bullet moving that fast, and then hitting something that hard just tends to come apart. I only lost one, and I am still sick about it.

I'm thinking out west, you'll be able to see most of the deer, and be able to pick your shot, is that right? That being the case, if you like your rifle, and can shoot it straight enough to suit you, I say drive on.

Good hunting, hope you kill a great big one.

S.R.

 

[Bill Lester]

Both your optics and cartridge are fine for 200 yard shots. I actually prefer lower-power scopes like this for any time I feel the need to switch from irons. They're usually stoutly constructed and troublefree.

While I've never fired a .243 Win. at anything bigger than a bullseye, I have spoken with a few seasoned hunters who use it or the very similar 6mm Remington with great success on whitetails. The bullet most often mentioned for handloading is Speer's 105-grain spitzer. Regardless of either animal, I'd listen closely to whitehunter's advice- wait for unobscured lung or neck shots, don't try to break heavy bone. But most important of all is confidence in, as Chris said, and practice with your hunting rig. Once you get your scope sighted-in, leave the shooting bench and sandbags for good. Practice in all the field positions with an emphasis on sitting. Out West you'll probably use it more than any other shooting position. Rig a shooting sling to help steady your longer shots and use it. Practice as often as you can before big game season and if you keep your cool, your Savage .243 won't let you down.

 

[MikeG]

I think you'll do OK. Stick to the heavier weights (90-105 grain), and if you can find the Federal Premium with the Nosler Partition, shouldn't have a problem.

I have a .257 Roberts that is shooting a 100gr. bullet at about the same velocities as a .243. That gun has killed a number of deer and a few hogs, no problems yet.

The 99 sounds like a good gun to carry up the mountains!

 

[birddogman]

Not a Problem

I have had at my disposal a 300 win mag, 270, 30-06, 45-70, 264 win mag and am not recoil shy. But for some reason the 243 just seems to be the rifle I want to hunt whitetail with here in West Texas. I would not be the least bit hesitant in taking it afield for mule deer in New Mexico. The only thing I would consider is adding a 3x9 or similar powered variable to the rifle to be able to make a more precise aim on the target animal. I have such variables on all of my longer range rifles. It just gives me more with my aging eyes.

Shoot often and you will shoot more accurately.

Bill

 

[csward]

HI BIRDDOGMAN,
THANKS FOR YOUR VIEWS.
I KNOW PEOPLE WHO HUNT DEER OUT OF SEASON WITH A .22 LONG RIFLE THAT THEY ARE COMFORTABLE WITH. I MYSELF HAVE DONE EXACTLY THAT ON MANY OCCASSIONS IN MY EARLY MARRIED LIFE IN TEXAS, CALIFORNIA AND MY HOME STATE. ALL OF WHICH PROVES NOTHING AT ALL !!!!!
THE QUESTION THAT WAS AKED WAS NOT BY ME. IT SEEMED TO BE ASKED BY SOMEONE NOT VERY FAMILIAR WITH THE .243 OR ITS SCOPE. FROM THAT I PERCEIVED THAT HE WASN'T ALL THAT FAMILIAR WITH SHOOTING THAT FIREARM EITHER.
I STAND BY MY ORIGINAL ADVICE THAT WOULD SUFFICE HIM AS WELL AS AN ANIMAL HE WOULD SHOOT.
FOR ALL THOSE WHO ANSWERED THREADS ABOUT THE SNIPER AND HOW THEY COULD SHOOT CIRCLES, RINGS OR WHATEVER AROUND THE SNIPER AND HOW THEIR WIVES, DAUGHTERS, ETC...COULD ALSO DO THAT, I OFFER THE FOLLOWING COMMENT:
PLEASE VOLUNTEER AS A RANGE OFFICER AT YOUR LOCAL CLUB, OR AS HIS ASSISTANT. MOST CLUBS IN MY NECK OF THE WOODS PROVIDES HELP TO PEOPLE WHO WILL SOON ENTER THE WOODS SEEKING GAME. SUCH HELP INCLUDES: ZEROING, SCOPE BASE AND SCOPE RINGS MOUNTING AND SCOPE MOUNTING. THOSE CLUBS AND THE PEOPLE WHO ARE ZEROING THEIR FIREARMS NEED ALL THE HELP THEY CAN GET. YOU WILL THEN BE ABLE TO SEE THE TYPES OF PEOPLE WHO ARE ISSUED HUNTING LICENSES AND HAVE TROUBLE HITTING A 12 INCH SQUARE PAPER AT 25 OR 50 YARDS. MANY ARE CHILDREN WHO WENT TO HUNTER SAFETY SCHOOL AND WIVES WHO HAVE NEVER FIRED A GUN BEFORE.
I HAD DONE MY DUTY SEVERAL YEARS NOW AND WISHED I COULD HAVE TORN UP THIR HUNTING LICENSES AND BURNED THEM, BUT I MERELY SMILED AND ASSISTED THEM WHERE THEY INDICATED THEY WANTED HELP----NOT "NEEDING HELP".
GOOD LUCK AND GOOD HUNTING.

CSWARD