.243 deer bullet choice

[General RE LEE]

I tried the SST as well as the 90gn eldx and 103 eldx for my wifes gun. The gun liked the 90gn eldx. She has shot around 6 deer with it now including a tank of an old whitetail buck that weighed roughly 245lb. Those things kill quick and leave giant exits. (I have her avoid shoulder shots) All but one of the blood trails looked like someone walked through the woods tipping a paint can. Deer ran very little. A lot of really good bullets out there these days though. The one that hits its mark every time is the best one.

Old thread but I just loaded up some 90 grain ELD-X in a 6 ARC bolt action. I’m new to 6mm so the bullets look puny to 30 caliber bullets but it appears they kill deer so I’m game!

 

[Buckhead]

Have two .243s, a Rem Model 7 and a Tikka. The Model 7 prefers 100 grain loads, while the Tikka favors 85-90 grainers. The Rem isn’t finicky, shoots everything fairly accurately. The Tikka really shines with the mono copper bullets, particularly Federal 85 gr trophy copper.

 

[Byrdman]

I prefer to use the 100gr interlock over the 95sst. I have had less meat loss and feel it is a stronger bullet than the sst when bone is hit. Both are very accurate bullets though

 

[SloppyJ]

From all accounts the 95gr Nosler Ballistic Tip seems to be the one. I've heard great things about the 80gr TTSX too.

I'm building a 6mm right now and I'm interested in the 108 Bergers. Any deer I've hit with a Berger has been absolutely brutal. If they don't perform well I'll move to the other two.

 

[dan33]

I prefer to use the 100gr interlock over the 95sst. I have had less meat loss and feel it is a stronger bullet than the sst when bone is hit. Both are very accurate bullets though

I saw the same issue with sst vs interlock in 270s. 100 grain soft point is tough to beat out of a 243.

 

[06 SB]

Hornady 100gr Interlock, 100gr Corelokt,100gr Sierra GK, Barnes 85gr TSX, and 80gr TTSX have all killed deer for me out of a 243 or a 6mm Rem. I usually load the Barnes stuff now. I think a 95gr Fusion would work perfectly too. Stay away from the SST.

 

[Trapperkid]

Hornady 100gr Interlock, 100gr Corelokt,100gr Sierra GK, Barnes 85gr TSX, and 80gr TTSX have all killed deer for me out of a 243 or a 6mm Rem. I usually load the Barnes stuff now. I think a 95gr Fusion would work perfectly too. Stay away from the SST.

Why stay away from the sst? I’m a pretty big fan of them myself. Are you trying to minimize meat loss?

 

[dan33]

Why stay away from the sst? I’m a pretty big fan of them myself. Are you trying to minimize meat loss?

I would say so. I've never used them in 243 but the damage I have seen out of the 130 grain 270s is comparable to what I've seen a .300 win mag do with 150 gr soft points

 

[Byrdman]

Definitely trying to minimize meat loss. Sst tends to be violent on impact especially at the closer ranges of the wooded Wisconsin land I hunt. I want to be able to put as much as I can in the freezer.

 

[bluekiss]

Norma makes some real nice bullets, oryx is great.

 

[06 SB]

Why stay away from the sst? I’m a pretty big fan of them myself. Are you trying to minimize meat loss?

I have used SSTs in 338-06, and 308 which are really moderate speeds for a bullet. To me, they open up too easily and usually do not exit. I hunt either public land in PA or near a big swamp in GA. I need a deer to either drop at the shot or die very quickly with a good blood trail. I have not had that happen with a single SST. In a 243, that SST is going much faster and will open up more rapidly, limiting penetration.

 

[NorthernHunter]

Old thread but I just loaded up some 90 grain ELD-X in a 6 ARC bolt action. I’m new to 6mm so the bullets look puny to 30 caliber bullets but it appears they kill deer so I’m game!

They are small but it creates a hole bigger than the 180's I shot out of my 30-06. I used to use various 30 cal cartridges but we use 6.5 and 6mm almost exclusively now. Far more enjoyable to go shoot 100 rounds out of these. Good luck

 

[Article 4]

Not that exact combination but I do like the grenade expansion idea.

I run Berger 115s in my 6CM - prefer a slightly bigger bullet and for thin skinned big game, prefer the bullet to grenade inside, especially if I expect to mount it.
I have had the bullet pass through Antelope in shorter ranges (less than 300)....so keep in mind shot placement on deer too.

 

[Planblars]

Not that exact combination but I do like the grenade expansion idea.

I run Berger 115s in my 6CM - prefer a slightly bigger bullet and for thin skinned big game, prefer the bullet to grenade inside, especially if I expect to mount it.
I have had the bullet pass through Antelope in shorter ranges (less than 300)....so keep in mind shot placement on deer too.

As long as you don’t mind the meat lose. I hunted deer with a .243 for years and shot alot with sst and similar bullets. The amount of damage they can do really blew me away over the years. I’ve had deer that it destroy a front shoulder on the way in and then your pulling jacket out of most of the other side. That said an animal the size of a deer certainly doesn’t go far when they take a shot like that through the vitals.

 

[Trapperkid]

it’s strange everyone loves the 77 tmk 223 most don’t like the 95 sst out of a 243 because of meat loss I’ve noticed. But out of a lot of deer shot with the sst between me and my family and the six I seen shot with the 77 tmk this year the damage seems almost identical between the two.

 

[Article 4]

As long as you don’t mind the meat lose. I hunted deer with a .243 for years and shot alot with sst and similar bullets. The amount of damage they can do really blew me away over the years. I’ve had deer that it destroy a front shoulder on the way in and then your pulling jacket out of most of the other side. That said an animal the size of a deer certainly doesn’t go far when they take a shot like that through the vitals.

I hear you. Every bullet has a trade off. I want the internal damage and the internals completely destroyed

I try hard to pick a shot that is vital centric without hitting meat. It can generally be done however, meat sometimes is sacrificed depending on other hunt criteria. Not ideal but it happens.

 

[General RE LEE]

it’s strange everyone loves the 77 tmk 223 most don’t like the 95 sst out of a 243 because of meat loss I’ve noticed. But out of a lot of deer shot with the sst between me and my family and the six I seen shot with the 77 tmk this year the damage seems almost identical between the two.

77 TMK has become a social contagion on Rok Slide. No one care about a 6mm 95 SST come on man.

 

[KenLee]

As long as you don’t mind the meat lose. I hunted deer with a .243 for years and shot alot with sst and similar bullets. The amount of damage they can do really blew me away over the years. I’ve had deer that it destroy a front shoulder on the way in and then your pulling jacket out of most of the other side. That said an animal the size of a deer certainly doesn’t go far when they take a shot like that through the vitals.

I could care less if an entire shoulder is still laying there on the ground when I move a deer IF said deer "din go 20".

 

[Article 4]

I could care less if an entire shoulder is still laying there on the ground when I move a deer IF said deer "din go 20".

SSTs are a good bullet, have used it in the past. To me, it was the kitchen sink of bullets having almost all the bullet attributes in one "shot" LOL - Cannelure, Polymer tipped, interlock ring.

It has been supplanted by all the new designs that drive the market. BC and weights are a little light for our ELR needs

 

[KenLee]

SSTs are a good bullet, have used it in the past. To me, it was the kitchen sink of bullets having almost all the bullet attributes in one "shot" LOL - Cannelure, Polymer tipped, interlock ring.

It has been supplanted by all the new designs that drive the market. BC and weights are a little light for our ELR needs

Safe range is 400 yards for my ole shaky rear these days. I just send it!