6mm / .243 /.244

Spiker Whitetail deer, rifle a Model 7 caliber .243. This was a snap shot in woods conditions which typically offers less than ideal shot placement as opposed to a prone position shot. Ammunition was Federal factory 100 grain Partition. MV from the stubby Model 7 was around 2770fps, range was around 80 yards, impact velocity approximately 2660fps. The bullet encountered very little resistance on impact.

Point of entry (animal quartering away)

243 impact

Point of exit

243 exit

Internal damage

243 internal

Entry wound through rear ribs is still well above caliber in size (disproportionate to caliber wound channel). The immediate imparting of energy at the ribs caused hydrostatic shock (see game killing section of the knowledge base), dropping the spiker on the spot.

243 internal 2

Damage to rear lungs, wound channel approximately 1" in diameter. As I have re-iterated in the Knowledge base, to increase wounding with the .243, especially out past 200 yards, shot placement needs to be brought forwards so that the shoulder muscles and bones promote resistance. Nevertheless, the below was a good result and as stated at the beginning, with snap shots without a tree or such to rest against, we really don't get to pick and choose. It would be fair to summerize that the .243 can put up with our errors at close ranges and although the .243 cannot tolerate errors so well at longer ranges (producing narrower wounding), we usually have the opportunity to use a rest.

243 rear lungs

Below is the violent wounding 95gr SST. MV 3050fps, range 180 yards, feral goat shooting.

95gr SST web

The recovered SST, quartering on shot, bullet recovered from skin mid paunch.

95gr SST recovered web