243 For Coyotes, What's A Good Load

[700 LTR]

I have several loads so it depends on what powder you have available. 62 grain varmint grenade likes 46.0 of IMR4350 and 42.5 of IMR4166. 70 gr Varmageddon likes 41.5 of IMR4166 (3425) and 45.5 of IMR 4451. 75 Vmax likes 39.2 of IMR4166 (3300) or 38.0 of IMR4064. 87 Vmax really likes 37.0 of IMR4064. I have several loads using Varget and H 4831 if you don't have the above powders available.

 

[SummitOh]

I'm a little unconventional, but I shoot 55g Nosler or 58G VMax out of my 6MM Remington. I can get over 4000fps with any one of 5 powders I use, so with the .243 you should be at 3900fps or close to. Absolutely devastating. You may want heavier to fight wind, but the extra flatness is good for guessed distances. Optics Planet has the VMax in stock. Recoil is nearly non-existent if you are training youngins. Heavy for caliber may be the new hotness, but if I hit a coyote in the leg, I want to find the leg.

Another vote for 6mm and 55 nosler or Hdy VMax usually no exit holes

 

[del2les]

In 243's and 6mm's including AI's, I've shot a ton of 70 gr TNT's and Nosler BT at small and larger varmints, and when extending the range and for less wind drift, I used the Speer 85 SPBT. Since I still have a large supply of these for varmints, I have not experimented with much else. Game animals are another story.

For these and other, numerous reloading data in manuals and online. Most any of the previous mentioned bullets work well.

 

[MZmoose]

Nosler 55gr ballistic tip and RL15 was supper accurate in my gun and stoned em. VMax 75gr and 87gr with Varget are great too. Currently using 105gr AMax and Hybrid 100V. Really bucks the wind on longer shots.

 

[bengineer]

If you want an expander, the Varmageddon is the softest bullet I know. The 70 with Superformance makes a mess of fleshy things, but don't expect deep penetration with it. I bet it will expand in, or because of, a grape.
If you want a hunting type bullet, with mushroom-type expansion, the Hornady 87 BTHP is a pretty solid option. I have not found them to be explosive or frangible at all, under any circumstance, from a 243, but they will penetrate like a deer bullet and not make a messy exit on a yodeler.
I have successfully used the 87 VMAX, but not the 75. The wind drift of the 105 AMAX is much less, and the AMAX bullet is more frangible or softer than all but the Varmageddon.
The lighter VMAX are good options, too, with their higher velocity potential, same as the light ballistic tips.
Lastly, the 100 Hornady BTSP is a heavier, better BC option to the 87 BTHP with similar penetration and wounding.
I am speaking in terms of coyote and deer size game for penetration and wounding with hunting bullets and smaller furry or fuzzy stuff with the lighter frangible or explosive bullets.
I wouldn't shoot a deer with a Varmageddon, unless under duress. However, tree squirrels pop with the 100 BTSP from a 243.

 

[dwinmeade]

My 243 varmint load is:
Barnes 62g Varmint Grenade w/37.0g of RL10x.
Sample of my groups at 100 yards (going to 300 yards later this week)...a 4 shot group, on 4th shot, I forgot to look at the bubble level.

 

[one3]

Had .243 for many years, used 80 gr. speer and IMR 4350. Do not remember the power grain. Droped many ground hog, from 1967 to 1998.

 

[Alberta Wexit]

Coyote load .243 Winchester 75gr Hornady Hollow Point IMR 4350 46 grains CCI 250 magnum primer three shot group .620" outside to outside 3488fps. That's my load from a Savage 22" barrel.

 

[Lionel Boyd Johnson]

I have the identical Youth Model 700 in .243 Winchester. For an all around load covering ground hogs to deer and antelope, I haven't found a better load than the Sierra 85 grain HPBT over 42 grains of Win 760, Win LR primers, in RP brass. This load is safe in three rifles that I load for, but you should start a couple of grains lower and work up. -Ed

 

[Airedale56]

Hornady 58 Vmax and top load of Winchester 760 in my .243 for coyotes in WY.

 

[Calvin45]

My particular 243 (an old savage 99 that I shall never part with) doesn't like lighter bullets it seems and I haven't used it for coyote hunting but I will say, if you're looking to avoid exit wounds the 58 vmax would be hard to beat. EXTREMELY VIOLENT. as in I shot a small pumpkin with it and it didn't exit but created a 5 inch entrance. On the opposite end of the spectrum the 90 grain Sierra fmj went through 6 of them!

 

[1moredeer]

70 grain Nosler BT over IMR 4350 out of a Remington 700 22" barrel is bad news for coyotes.

 

[bwells]

+1 on the 55gr ballistic tip. Four or five 243's now and they've all shot that bullet really well with a max load of H380.
Not a great longrange combo but for a calling rifle its a pretty tough combo to beat.

 

[Calvin45]

I have the identical Youth Model 700 in .243 Winchester. For an all around load covering ground hogs to deer and antelope, I haven't found a better load than the Sierra 85 grain HPBT over 42 grains of Win 760, Win LR primers, in RP brass. This load is safe in three rifles that I load for, but you should start a couple of grains lower and work up. -Ed

I've never played with that projectile but it seems to have a legendary status, almost a cult following in some circles.