# 243 for pronghorn?



## Robert Warnock (Nov 14, 2008)

Is the 243 adequate for pronghorn.  I've killed several deer with mine, but the longest shot was just over 200 yards.  I'm planning a pronghorn hunt next fall and was just thinking ahead. Thanks


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## dapper dan (Nov 14, 2008)

I just came back from my Wyoming trip a few weeks ago. See my avatar, thats what I got and I used a 300 winnmag. I split my goat wide. Out of all the people in my group and there was 10 of us, the smallest round was a 7mag. The thing about antelope is that they are everywhere the first day. And after they get shot at , they tend to stay further from the roads and are alot more spooked. I took 1 shot at a goat and just plain ole shot over his back when i should have drilled him. I know a 243 would take a goat down, but I woluld go with something bigger. Sometimes you may find a lone buck or he may be in a herd of a 100. if you make a marginal or poor shot with a 243 and he's in a big herd you may have a hard time picking him out of the group when he's running. And last but not least, If you want to mount your goat , you must not drag any part of the cape on the ground. A 100 yard drag through the sagebrush will pull out every piece of hair. It will literally look like you shaved him down with clippers. Good luck with next years hunt.


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## Hawken2222 (Nov 14, 2008)

A 243 will be fine for pronghorns.


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## dchfm123 (Nov 14, 2008)

A 243 will be good out to 300 or so but will loose a lot of down range energy, and if windy will not shoot that accurately.  Sound like you have time, I would save a bit and use this as an excuse to buy an new rifle /


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## boothy (Nov 14, 2008)

if it kills a deer it will kill a pronghorn just shoot some good bullets. everyone thinks that if you go out west every shot will be 400+ yards not true.  save the money and lay one down with the .243


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## pdog06 (Nov 16, 2008)

The 243 has plenty of power for Pronghorn. The problem you might incur though is that the 243 is gonna move more in the wind, and there is almost ALWAYS  wind out there. If ya can get something heavier it wont hurt.

Make sure you take a rangefinder. It's tricky guessing the distances out in the open like that. Pronghorn get spooked so easy sometimes it is hard to get close, so a long shot is likely.

Good luck!  Where in Wyoming are ya going? I'll be in NE Wyoming next August.


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## huntfish (Nov 17, 2008)

From one who has taken more than a few pronghorns, both hunting and guiding,  including one with a 223.  Don't let the big caliber mentality lead you astray.  In fact, I've actually had more problems with those who shoot the big boys.   Thin skin animal, bullet going too fast and doesn't expand...trailing a goat is not fun.

There is absolutely no problem with a 243.  Learn to shoot it at 300 yards and you will not have a problem.

Wind?, it affects all.   But too contradict, it's not always blowing and only becomes an issue in a sideways direction.


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## huntfish (Nov 17, 2008)

Ranging distance will be your biggest obstacle and range finders help, but are not the answer.   For some of the pronghorn success, see   http://forum.gon.com/showthread.php?t=37354


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## emusmacker (Nov 17, 2008)

A heavier caliber is better generally speaking, I shoot a 7mm mag and shoot thin skinned deer with ballistic tips and very few run away, I've seen more injured and hunted for from smaller calibers than the big ones. Look at a ballistics table and you'll that very few rifles shoot flatter than the 7 mag. Energy kills the game, and there's no comparison in down range energy from smaller to larger calibers.


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## JerryC (Nov 21, 2008)

I took a couple recently with my sister-in-law's .270 with no problems at all. I would think you'll have no problem. -JerryC


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## Michael Lee (Nov 21, 2008)

.243 will work well, I prefer a 25-.06 personally.  Watch the wind, distance should be good.  Oh, and they can't hide well out there either


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## Muygrande (Nov 21, 2008)

HUNTFISH, great buck and times you got there!

How many pronghorn have you big bullet boys killed??? 
_ACCURACY IS ALL YOU NEED_! A decent bullet will kill them dead as a door nail!
You do not need a magnum, it ain't like they're gonna run off in a swamp and get lost either!!
My 12 year old Daughter with her great buck, 
Ruger M77V .22-250 55gr Sierra Gameking HP I think right around 210 yards.





Cooper .22-250 and the same 55gr Sierra Gameking and a barely missed B&C buck, 250+ yards.




Here's my oldest with her 3 points from B&C buck, .257WBY Mag 100gr Triple shok, 275 yards.




Here's mine .257WBY 100gr Triple Shok, right under 260 yards.


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## Buzz (Nov 21, 2008)

Muygrande said:


> You do not need a magnum, it ain't like they're gonna run off in a swamp and get lost either!!



Those are some really nice bucks you and your daughters took Muygrande.   I am sitting here laughing at this statement because the last time I was in Montana I thought the same thing.   It's not like you can't see it run for hundreds of yards if it did happen to run.


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## emusmacker (Nov 21, 2008)

I agree that accuracy is key, but what makes you think magnum shooters aren't accurate. Study ballistics tables and you tell me then what's more accurate at long range, plus accuracy is important but energy kills.  I shoot a 280 and a 7mag, have a 308, 30-06 and 30-30, my accuracy is profecient out to 250yards, and that's even with my 7mag free hand so to me accuracy ain't a prob.


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## emusmacker (Nov 21, 2008)

Oh yeah what does shooting a magnum have to do with them runnin off in a swamp, that happens more often with smaler calibers. I used to work at a processing plant and when deer was brought in I did a survey on the calibers used. I asked questions like how far was the deer , waht kinda gun, and how far they went, the smaller caliber numbers may surprise you.  

I'm not here to bash smaller calibers, I think the 7mm08 is one of the best for deer sized animals but I don't like people that shoot smaller cals to assume those that don't are not as good fo shooters.


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## Muygrande (Nov 21, 2008)

Emusmacker you bring one of your Magnums to the line and see if it can hold up next to my smaller calibers in terms of accuracy. If you're not keeping it into the .3's, you better pick a different argument.
Sure my .300 Ultra and Win mag would shoot 1/2 MOA but it wasn't enjoyable and the average shooter will not shoot it better than they will a hotter .224, .244 or .257 calibered rifle. It's evident you are a young man and didn't read the context of the post as I referenced that topic because I myself will use a .300 on Whitetails, if I get near the edge of a river or swamp because a deer has the tendency to hold what you give it and carry it off into the thickest places known to man. A gasline/powerline on the Kinchafoone creek or Flint River is not the place for small caliber guns IMHO. That's when I want to anchor one in his tracks.
I'd lay 100 to 1 that most Antelope shot can be seen after the shot if they were to run up to 500 yards from the point of impact.
That's what that statement has to do with it.


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## Killdee (Nov 21, 2008)

People kill me with this argument about smaller calibres. If you hit the animal in the vitals its dead no matter what you shoot. A marginal hit is a wonded animal no matter what you shoot. When an animal is wonded and lost with a .243 people always want to blame the calibre, if its a 7mag, oh it was a bad shot or blame the bullet. I would suggest going a place to shoot long range and shooting under field conditions,and take a couple of different rifles and calibres to test. Good luck with your hunt


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## dbodkin (Nov 21, 2008)

All the goats I've taken in Wyoming have been with  my Reminton 700BDL in 6MM Longest shot was at 410 yards by the rangefinder.  Heart lung shot the buck dropped where he stood.  105 grain Hornady SPBT blew a hole in the heart the size of a golf ball. I found about 60% of the bullet just under the hide and didnt exit.   Full energy expended in the animal.  Now why did I take a shot at that range. I knew the rifle and I  could do it.  Shot placement is key and pratice.. practice .. practice.  

I shoot the same rifle and another 700BDL in 22-250 on ground hogs out at 1000 yards. My buds and I would spot for each other with friendly wagers included. A groundhog at less then 500 yards MUST be taken with a head shot.  This practice is a real tuneup for goats and prarie dogs. Also took a yote but much closer.... He was on a run at 200 yards and took about 3 sumersaults after meeting up with a 105 grain 6MM bullet.   

Man you guys really got me missing the West for hunts and PA hay fields groundhog hunts....


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## Rich Kaminski (Nov 21, 2008)

I bought a 243 just for Pronghorns (although I did shoot a buck with it too). Use a 100 gr bullet. Most pronghorns you can sneak up on by using ravines. Colorado, Texas, Oklahoma are all easy Pronghorn hunting places.
Good luck and learn ow to judge the trophy quality long before you go on that hunt. Get a rangefinder and a good pair of Binoculars.


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## germag (Nov 21, 2008)

I would think that pronghorns would be a perfect application for a .243.


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## dbodkin (Nov 21, 2008)

Rich Kaminski said:


> I bought a 243 just for Pronghorns (although I did shoot a buck with it too). Use a 100 gr bullet. Most pronghorns you can sneak up on by using ravines. Colorado, Texas, Oklahoma are all easy Pronghorn hunting places.
> Good luck and learn ow to judge the trophy quality long before you go on that hunt. Get a rangefinder and a good pair of Binoculars.



Good advice about judging your game... I've had to hold back from taking a shot a number of times. Friends  took their bucks early morning and by afternoon they would see 10 bucks better then what they harvested...


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## huntfish (Nov 21, 2008)

243 isn't just for small animals.   Take a look at Dad's stag and elk taken in New Zealand last year.   Both one shot kills.

http://forum.gon.com/showthread.php?t=111912


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## cotton top (Nov 22, 2008)

x2-Muygrande-- on the 243 Win.


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## emusmacker (Nov 22, 2008)

I never said the 243 was too small i said the bigger caliber is better. And yes I can put my 7mag bullets at .3  I shoot because if I ever want to go on an elk hunt or caribou hunt I don't have to borrow or buy another rifle.  But some on here has probably killed those with a 223, 243, or 7mm08, and that's fine but I choose not to. For me the 7mag is the all around gun, for all game.


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## BigBlack (Nov 22, 2008)

I'd say 243 is plenty of gun.

Practice shooting paper at the ranges you expect to shoot to make sure you are capable then then have fun.

I would shoot 100gr Federal Premium Partitions, unless you reload then just load up some good 100gr game bullets.  I would zero at 300 yard and then make sure you know the range on your target.

Bullet Drop
100 yrd = High by 4.4"
200 yrd = High by 5.5"
300 yrd = Dead On
400 yrd = Low by 12.6"


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## yellowhammer (Nov 24, 2008)

*Antelope*

The .243 is fine.For those who think you need a cannon, and a scope capable of seeing Haley`s comet, for antelope,remember that the goats are also taken with bows and smokepoles.Watch their patterns and you can set up a close shot.If you ride around and shoot from a truck,that ain`t huntin`( for me).Git in there amongst`em.


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## dgr416 (Nov 24, 2008)

*243 for pronghorns?*

I used my 264 win mag on Pronghorn.I think the 243 would be just fine out to 250 yards but i never got that close to any.I shot mine at 350 yards.I was glad I took my 254 win mag .


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## emusmacker (Nov 28, 2008)

Yellowhammer, I don't own a canon with scope that can see haley's comet, I shoot a 7mm mag with a 150 grain balistic tip and a 3x9x40 leupold scope.  As far as the many are shot with smoke poles and bows, you are right, and so have grizzly bears and even elephants, but that doesn't mean I will recommend a 243 to shoot them with over a bigger caliber. Matter of fact, one person even mentioned a 257 weatherby. Isn't it a "bigger" caliber than a 243? I know people that shoot 25-06"s extremely accurate, as well as some that can shoot 7mags just as accurate, I can hold my own at shootin and I ain't an expert marksman, but I have a 308. 30-06, 280, 7mag, and 30-30. All are very accurate, and none are cannons. So yellowhammer I'll let you "get in there amongst em" and I'll just stay back aways and kill em just as dead.


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## dgr416 (Nov 28, 2008)

*243 for pronghorns?*

The sky was the limit on as how far you could shoot where I was at.You need a 4x16 power scope.I had a 3x9 it made it hard to shoot 350 yards.I flipped my pronghorns dead in their tracks with very little meat damage.I am glad I finally got a 264 win mag it worked awesome.I would use a 243 out to about 250 yards but would want more gun out further.


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## Chippewa Partners (Dec 5, 2008)

A .243 will fill your pick-up with speed goats.

Nary a need for anything heavier if you can shoot.


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