.243 or 7 mm mag

[rclouse79]

I got drawn for the late November WT hunt in Unit 36c and I am trying to decide which of my rifles to take out. The first coues I shot a few years ago was with my 7 mm at about 60 yards. After seeing the size of the hole it left in the poor little deer I went out and bought a .243 rifle. I have since killed coues with the smaller gun, but noticed a lot of people on this awesome site are using 7mms. I am wondering if the knock down power of a .243 was sufficient for longer ranged shots, or if I should just be on the safe side and use a smaller grain bullet with my 7mm. Thanks for any ideas.

 

On another note does anyone know if the area around the Elkhorn ranch was affected by the recent fires down there?

[willhunt4coues]

Take both guns and use the 7mm for longer ranges and the other for shorter. I have no clue about the fire. Good luck on your hunt.

[GameHauler]

.284 Baby

[loco4coues]

"After seeing the size of the hole it left in the poor little deer "

 

The size of the hole will depend largely on the bullet used and not the caliber of the rifle. I shot my first coues at 217 yards with a .243 using a 90gr. nosler ballistic tip and the exit whole was bigger than my fist. My dad has shot a coues at 200 yds with a 7mm and a 130gr. ballistic tip resulting in a large exit hole. I have shot deer and elk now at 450 plus yards with a 300 ultra mag using a 165 gr. swift scirocco with no large exit wounds. However, just a week or so ago I shot a coues at 450 yds with the 300 ultra mag 165 gr scirocco and the entrance hole was massive (he was quarting away). Anyhow, ballistic tip, bonded core, or hollow point bullets are all going to do different damage and different distances wether from a .243 or a 7mm.

 

I am not claiming to know a lot, just what I have observed in my experiences.

[WHALE]

Besides a bow I have never shot a coues with anything other than my 7 mag and I love it! From 100yds. to 450yrds. IMO

[Guest borderboy]

My first whitetail was with a 30-06 at about 30 yds. But since then I have used a .243. I've taken bucks from +- 50 yds out to 400+. I once used a Winchester Silvertip and that made a mess. After that I went to Remington Corelokt. I use the 100 grn. bullets. Unless the bullet went all the way through, I have found them pretty much in one piece in a nice mushroom with minimal meat loss. Bullet type is extremely important. So is knowing your weapon and shot placement. Suerte amigo.

[308Nut]

With the PROPER bullet, either will do fine even on the longer shots.

 

The 7mm will have a bit more reliable reach both in exterior ballistics as well as terminal performance. If youre getting huge holes in the deer, try a better constucted bullet. The TSX or TTSX or ACCUBONDS will fill that order.

 

Bottom line is which rifle/scope/load combo you are the most comfortable and profficent with is the one you should take. Success will hinge on that much more than 1mm of bullet diameter.

[bobbyo]

First off I use both calibers. I believe both are fine out to 400 yards, but I am more comfortable with the 7 mag 300 yards and beyond. I use corelokts in both and feel they are a great round for Coues. Of coarse I think they are a great round for all animals. From Javelina's through Elk. Sometimes I create medium size wounds with them. Other times I have had massive wounds. Really depends on shot placement.

 

I will be helping fill tags in 36c Elkhorn area. The fire is going to have no effect on my plans. It is a complete non factor. Meaning I don't think it will help or hurt you in finding a deer.

Bob

[cactusjack]

Take the one you shoot better. They both are awesome for deer. The 7mag performs better at the longer distances if the recoil isnt an issue.

[Coach]

As usual, the responses here have been spot on, IMO. If I had to choose one, it would be the 7mm based on nothing more than retained energy at longer distances and wind-bucking ability. That said, I know of some guys who have killed plenty of huge coues with a .243 simply because they can shoot that rifle very accurately, and you can't kill what you can't hit.

 

With regards to bullets, I've seen coues shot quartering with .270 Nosler partitions and .308 Winchester ballistic silver tips that made tiny entrance AND exit wounds and almost no blood trail to speak of. The deer in both situations were recovered but they didn't travel far. For coues, especially in the larger calibers, I would not necessarily recommend the bonded or solid copper type bullets. The only reason I say that is, coues are very thin-skinned and light in both muscle and bone. Why my .300 didn't open up like an exploding can of chili, given the ballistic silver tips, I can't say. I've heard of guys having them explode on the outside of elk - they are not known for holding together well on heavy game. That's why when I shoot at coues, I'm shooting the silver tips. The bullets designed for elk and bear seem to blow right through without opening up much if you don't hit bone. Just my experience.

 

 

You just have to figure out which gun you feel the most confident with, then make the shot count.

[Flash]

My personal opinion is go with the 7mag because it has the extra oomf. Nothing wrong with the 243, just not the bestetr choice in my opinion. I also have both and don'ty hesitate on the choice.

[rclouse79]

I am so glad I found this site; it makes me glad to know I am not the only one out there who obsesses about hunting when I should be doing other things. I think I will stick with the .243 since I originally bought it for coues, and it is more enjoyable to shoot. Thanks for all of the replies.

[WFGinNM]

I also have both .243, and 7mm mag. Both shoot better than I can, but I find myself reaching for the 7mm more often. The first time I ever hunted Coues' I missed a broadside buck at 300 yards with the .243, a shot that has sent many 'yotes to the carcass pile in the sky. I'm sure it was me but I have more confidence in the 7mm, which was given to me by a friend. He couldn't hit the ground with it and said "the barrel must be bent".

 

As far as bullets for the 7mm, I used Federal Vital Shock 150gr. Nosler Ballistic tips for my only Coues' kill and left quite an entrance hole, but no exit would. The bullet disintegrated, and the buck went about 30 inches, straight down. For bigger game I use the Federal Vital Shock 160gr. Nosler Partitions, and critters just keep falling.

 

--Bill

[Coues 'n' Sheep]

7 mag and 168 gr. VLD bergers! Show stopper for Certain!

[lionhunter]

Both great guns, and I too have had both. (Sold the 7mm for a 300 Win, and just bought my kids a new .243) I killed many coues with the 6mm, 80 gr bullet out past 400. I fight the same battle every time I go hunting; which gun to take? I usually opt for the bigger gun with heavier bullet... Will the .243 work great with the correct bullet? Yep. But, ask yourself, if everything was wrong what gun would you rather have? Big buck (120+) is across canyon at dusk, he is getting ready to cross over the boundry to the reservation to the west, the wind is blowing hard (2o mph +) it is the last evening of your Dec tag that you have waited 10 years to draw, he is at 555 yards, (5 is my favorite #), he is quartering away at a bad angle, and it is raining. Ok, you get my drift. In these adverse conditions would you want to guess at what that wind will do to your 100 gr 243 bullet, if the .243 is blown off just a litle, and hits the deer in the rear quarter, do you think he will drop before he reaches the res boundry etc, etc, etc,....

Shoot the 7 mag, and never look back. I read that you shot your last buck at 60 yards, and that is great, but don't limit yourself to the close ones. I would say the average coues deer shot that I get is 200- 500 and beyond.

Shoot the 7mm and leave the 243 for the kids, and coyote hunting....

Whitey