.243 ? Which bullet?

[Mikiedem]

gun)Berger 95gr VLD's, cant go wrong. Very impressed!

 

[MachV]

The Sweede gets my vote for first place.....If she can shoot it accuratly. Otherwise the 95 grain Partition or 105 Amax if its 9.5 twist or tighter, 85 partitions if its a 10 twist.

 

[Rhino Hunter]

Last year my son shot a doe and I shot a 6-point buck the same day about 5 hours apart. Both were one shot kills, both were broad side. One was shot in the heart and the other in the lungs and both were complete pass throughs. Each deer ran less than 40 yards and then died immediately.

We were both using Federal Premium Moly coated 100 grain Nosler Partitions.

Rhino Hunter

 

[DKA]

I don't own a 243 but I loaded bullets for one for a friend of mine. We chose H4350 and 95 Btip. He killed 2 pronghorn, 2 Kansas whitetails, and a Colorado muley with these loads. Then, he and his wife took it to New Brunswick and they killed 2 or 3 black bears over bait with it. No failures, just dead animals.

+1, Very effective load.

 

[7 loader]

My wife loads and uses 95 gr Ballistic Silver Tips w/ Rl-22. NONE run more than 30 yds. I've used this gun. IMPRESSED!!!

 

[mcseal2]

Just read this on the Nosler forum

Nosler will have the 243 90 gr AB out in 2011. Nosler part number 56357.

JD338

I've always wanted a midweight bonded bullet for coyotes and the occasional deer. I've had great results with the 100gr Sierra gameking, but wanted a lighter bullet for more velocity. The 80gr GMX, 85gr Interbond, and 90gr Scirocco have not shot well in my rifle with a 1 in 10 twist.

Another bullet I'm experimenting with is the new 87gr Berger VLD for the 1 in 10 twist with a G1 BC of .412. It is a whole different type perfomer than the bonded bullets but still seems effective. I signed up on here to test it and they sent me a box. I worked up a 1/2" load in my custom 243 when I got them in. My girlfriend and a couple other gals used this rifle to take their deer this year and the Berger's performance was impressive. None of the 3 deer moved more than 20ft after the shot at ranges from 70-210yds. One gal shot her buck to far back and the internal damage was so great the buck still only made it 20ft. My rifle is a 14lb gun with a thumbhole stock and the girls could make steady shots with it off my Bogpod tripod. All deer were shot broadside from a blind with the tripod rest. I don't like that none of the bullets exited, and that none of them bled much at all from the entrance wound, but I was impressed with the internal damage they caused. I can't argue with the results. I still like a bullet that will open fast then hold together and exit to leave a blood trail, but bergers are designed to deliver enough shock that game just drops. The 5 whitetail I've seen shot with 87 or 95gr bergers didn't make it over 20yds. I can't say I've had quicker kills with any other rifle/bullet I've tried and I've used everything from 243 to 300win. I will continue to experiment with them, they have the best BC for their weight and are very accurate. I wouldn't use them on anything but a good broadside shot, but I woudn't use any other 243 bullets for shots that require more penetration either.
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[screech]

87 grain vmax has treated me, family and friends all really well out of my 243. everything from whitetails, muledeer and black bears. havent lost one and the farthest i have had to walk was about 150yrds but that was because it dropped right where it was and rolled 150yrds down the mountain?????

 

[Win75]

My bullet for deer in the .243 has always been the 100gr. Nosler Partition. It has never failed me yet and this is on big northern Missouri whitetails.

 

[jmd025]

I have religiously used 85 gr Sierra Game Kings over handloads as well as in Federal Premium Factory stuff. I've had nothing but good results. This include 2 DRT kills in one season made by my late father (a professed .243 fanatic His cartridge of choice for 20+ yrs) which were both 150 yrd "TEXAS HEART SHOTS"..... The results were spectacular and both animals died before they stopped piling up on the ground!

I tried the 100 and 105 grain stuff when I first got started with the round, due to the "needs a bigger projectile to be deadly" mindset.... I quickly found they didnt work to my expectations in my weapons, or perform on game like i had hoped!


I also have a friend who uses a fine Mauser .243 with a Swarovski who loved the rig but hated the fact critters were scampering off when hit... Once I sweet talked him into down sizing the projectiles (he chose the Hornady 75 gr A-MAX) he started reporting lots of DRTs...

Just .02 cents ,
Actually worth less

 

[Rev.]

My 12yr old sone uses 100gr NPT on WT with his .243 & it's a great head. He also uses 95gr NBT which are good as long as you stay away from the shoulder

 

[tlbrooks]

I've killed close to a dozen deer with my .243 using either the 100 grain Remington Core locked factory ammo or the 100 grain Nosler Partition reloads. Neither has ever failed me. Always chest shots. The only one that ever ran very much at all was a fairly small whitetail doe that I hit right on the point of the shoulder at 50 yards with a 100 grain Partition. Bullet didn't exit but it still took out both lungs and she only made it about 50 yards. Bullet ended up weighing only 64 grains but it still made a mess of her innards.

 

[Rev.]

In my little handy rifle I use 90-95gr Btip & 100gr PT

 

[devon]

Even works good on elk!

Really?
That interests me, if i ever get over for an Elk hunt i was told i had to bring my 30-06, but i have loads more confidence in my .243
My favourite rifle is my Sako .243
I use a Speer 100grain with 40.4 grains of reloader 19.
Works a treat and i have taken everything from rabbits to big red deer stags.

Cheers
Richard

 

[Greg Duerr]

I just got back from antelope hunting in Nevada. My new rifle to be is still waiting on the barrel,.243 Ackley....................so I had to borrow a friends .243 I bought factory 80gr Barnes TSX Tipped "Vortex" the box said that the extimated Velocity was 3350. It punched a silver dollar size exit hole through the Lung and put him down. A friend of mine drew the same area and used the 100gr Speer for a 410 yard "dropped in his tracts shot" He has a picture of it on the Antelope sight on this foram............."Budlight" Check it out . Like it was mentioned ....................shot placement is everything. In may experiance over the years when I used a .243 lung shot put them down.........................never had one travel more than 50yards.


Greg