Hunting & Fishing Best .243 Rounds for Pelts

[NB4Z]

I have a .243 rifle and that's it. No, I can't buy myself a .22 or an airgun. So, with this in mind, what are the best .243 cartridges that will drop any of these animals without ruining their pelts? I tan them. (I can sew up a hole up to 1-3in. wide, but usually nothing worse than that.) Preferably I'd like a cartridge that will produce no exit hole, or one as small as possible.
Also, if the cartridge you suggest won't work on all of these animals, let me know which ones it won't work on and why.
Fox
Groundhog
Bobcat
Coyote
Raccoon

Where should I aim on these animals? Head or vitals? If you answer this part say why you chose either head or vitals. (Or another shot if you want to suggest something not head, heart, or lungs.) I'm not an amazing shot so head isn't preferable but if I have to take it and it's the only way not to ruin the pelt I'll practice and take it.
Finally, where are the vitals on all of these animals? And can I take a frontal shot to kill the animal or does it have to be broadside? I'm a deer hunter so a little inexperienced with this. I have called animals (Dogg Catcher e-caller) to see which ones respond to it (all of the ones listed except groundhog, which responds to a corn pile), but not shot at them yet.

Thank you!

 

[Sieg]

I no expert but I'm guessing a .243 is going to explode all but a good sized coyote.

What distances will you typically be shooting?

Look at the ballistics on this round: https://www.federalpremium.com/prod...le/american-eagle-varmint--predator/ae24375vp

 

[cornhusker86]

https://www.hornady.com/ammunition/rifle/243-win-58-gr-v-max-superformance#!/

 

[deersniper]

How long have you been hunting? A front to back or back to front shot generally leaves 100% of animals dead right there

I would buy a 223. CDNN has TC bolt actions for $299 right now. Palmetto had scoped 700s for like $350 a while back.

 

[Maxduty]

Heavier bullets at lower velocities. You'll get a punch through, but most likely end up with a smaller exit than a high velocity round. My experience with .243 varmint hunting has shown that anything smaller than a coyote will suffer a lot of damage. As far as shot placement, I'd go for double lungs. You"ll have to recover them, but heads are full of bone and bone turns to shrapnel.

 

[264win]

The 243 is fine.
Use a solid or controlled expansion bullet ( such as Barnes ) and you shouldn’t have to much damage.
For shot placement, use the exact same as on a deer, right behind the front shoulder.

 

[kswaterfowl]

The most fur friendly bullet that I have found for coyotes is the 69 gr berger. Its usually is a small hole in and out, as long as you avoid bone. I was running them around 3500 fps with 40 gr of varget.

 

[VVhoisJohnGalt]

Find a 95-105gr FMJ and push it as slow as you can sub 3k. As long as it’s legal it will be fine. Double lungs won’t go far

 

[Brent Parker]

Barnes 80 TTSX is the way to go in a .243 if you want to save fur. It's the only bullet I would use.

 

[Chips26]

I have a .243 rifle and that's it. No, I can't buy myself a .22 or an airgun. So, with this in mind, what are the best .243 cartridges that will drop any of these animals without ruining their pelts? I tan them. (I can sew up a hole up to 1-3in. wide, but usually nothing worse than that.) Preferably I'd like a cartridge that will produce no exit hole, or one as small as possible.
Also, if the cartridge you suggest won't work on all of these animals, let me know which ones it won't work on and why.
Fox
Groundhog
Bobcat
Coyote
Raccoon

Where should I aim on these animals? Head or vitals? If you answer this part say why you chose either head or vitals. (Or another shot if you want to suggest something not head, heart, or lungs.) I'm not an amazing shot so head isn't preferable but if I have to take it and it's the only way not to ruin the pelt I'll practice and take it.
Finally, where are the vitals on all of these animals? And can I take a frontal shot to kill the animal or does it have to be broadside? I'm a deer hunter so a little inexperienced with this. I have called animals (Dogg Catcher e-caller) to see which ones respond to it (all of the ones listed except groundhog, which responds to a corn pile), but not shot at them yet.

Thank you!

If you can find some SOLID 6mm bullets(They will probably be on the heavier side) then the .243 wont explode any of them. Other than that, the .243 will damage all of them except the coyote and maybe the bobcat. Now not to say that this cant be mitigated with shot placement and a few choice bullets...

Anything under 70gr will shatter if it hits bone and blow out the frontside. If you hit all soft tissue then you will only have an small entry wound and no exit.
The 70-75gr stuff has been fifty fifty for me on pelt destruction.
80gr or higher stuff will punch through shoulders and zip out the other end. Dime or smaller sized entry and maybe a nickel or quarter sized exit in coyote. Like I said before, the heavier stuff is where you want to be to prevent explosive hits.
Personally I only hunt yotes with mine. I use Hornady 75gr V-max and 87gr soft points. I use the V-maxs when pelts arent prime or if its a bounty deal. Soft points when the fur is in season.

For coyotes you can take it behind the shoulder or center mass straight through the front. Neck shots with heavier bullets works too.

 

[skinney_7]

I have a .243 rifle and that's it. No, I can't buy myself a .22 or an airgun. So, with this in mind, what are the best .243 cartridges that will drop any of these animals without ruining their pelts? I tan them. (I can sew up a hole up to 1-3in. wide, but usually nothing worse than that.) Preferably I'd like a cartridge that will produce no exit hole, or one as small as possible.
Also, if the cartridge you suggest won't work on all of these animals, let me know which ones it won't work on and why.
Fox
Groundhog
Bobcat
Coyote
Raccoon

Where should I aim on these animals? Head or vitals? If you answer this part say why you chose either head or vitals. (Or another shot if you want to suggest something not head, heart, or lungs.) I'm not an amazing shot so head isn't preferable but if I have to take it and it's the only way not to ruin the pelt I'll practice and take it.
Finally, where are the vitals on all of these animals? And can I take a frontal shot to kill the animal or does it have to be broadside? I'm a deer hunter so a little inexperienced with this. I have called animals (Dogg Catcher e-caller) to see which ones respond to it (all of the ones listed except groundhog, which responds to a corn pile), but not shot at them yet.

Thank you!

If you want to save fur, buy a 224 cal. You'll be dollars ahead at the end of the season factoring in the prices of this year.

 

[RTH1800]

Animals are killed by tissue damage. Reduce damage and you reduce recovery % and increase distance traveled after impact.
Like others have said, slower, heavier bullets of the controlled expanding type will reduce pelt damage. Barnes TS might be the solution but not cheap.
I recommend getting a .204. You will kill more and damage less.

 

[hermosabeach]

Every Antelope I have shot with a .243 expanded and exited...

I don't get the game of - I can't buy a .22


but I will play


Do you reload?

This comes from a book where they talk about hunting big game in Africa.

The PH loads the bullets backwards... blunt / rear side out... They want a large solid mass to smash through shoulders and big bones of dangerous game... I agree with a poster above of shooting a FMJ to reduce tissue damage...

I might be inclined to load 5 rounds with the projectile backwards to create a wadcutter.


Bullets are like a dart being thrown backwards... all the mass is in the tail of the bullet. The spin keeps the bullet from rotating 180 degrees.

The .223 is best known as a bullet that will yaw or "tumble" when it enters the animal. The bullet is just trying to rotate 180 degrees so the heavy part is in the front. As the bullet turns sideways, it does a lot of damage.


If you want to get better at shooting, consider an Appleseed course- they are almost free and they teach basic WW2 Army rifle training / Marksmanship


The best performers cheap and hire coaches....

Basketball players all have coaches
Football players all have coaches
Golfers all have coaches

Shooters... many take classes... Coaching works

as you can't afford a .22, Appleseed is great training and relatively inexpensive

Contact Support

 

[RTH1800]

Shooting coyotes with solid or backwards bullets will get you a 50% or higher loss rate. Depending on type of cover loss rate could approach 100%.
I have put tens of thousands of bullets into critters and am yet to see evidence of bullet tumbling. I’m sure it must have happened sometime, somewhere, once, my cousin knew a guy who’s neighbor saw it...

 

[sako17]

If you handload, you might also try the Sierra 90 grain FMJ.