.243 Factory Loads Question

[bullnose]

I recently acquired a mid '70s Model 70 XTR varmint in .243 and have yet to shoot it. Is there any factory ammunition in the 80-95 grain bullet range that can do double duty for deer and coyotes and group decently? My current situation doesn't afford the abilty to reload, so I"m limited to what I can find on the shelf or online. I realize I'm going to have to try more than a few different loads and I'm not expecting competition grade accuracy by any stretch of the imagination.

Yes, it's a heavy pig, but I'm not going to be climbing up and down any mountains with it.

 

[kswaterfowl]

Hornady 87 gr vmax would be my choice, if your main target is coyotes. I wouldn't hesitate to shoot deer with them either.

 

[kota]

We have taken a lot of deer with 80 grain Barnes ttsx. They would work on coyotes too.

 

[rbaney]

I use winchester 95 grain ballistic Silver tip and they shoot very accurately out of my 243. An work good on deer size game.

 

[bullnose]

Thanks everyone, you've given me a good starting point to see what this rifle likes.

 

[t_carlson]

I use winchester 95 grain ballistic Silver tip and they shoot very accurately out of my 243. An work good on deer size game.

That was my first thought too. Its actually the same bullet as the Nosler 95 Ballistic Tip, but with a coating. Both work the same on game.

 

[Steve300xcw]

Those are nice guns! I really enjoyed mine, never should have sold that one.

I dont see the point in buying anything fancy, or high end for what you are doing. I'd round up the cheapest 80gr-100gr sp ammo that shot decent and stock up on it.

Federal seems to be the easiest to round up lately. Though I would not be afraid of slinging cor-lokts at everything that walked in front of that rifle.

 

[slowr1der]

95 grain Hornady SST's or Nosler Ballistic Tips would be the two bullets I'd be taking a serious look at.

 

[jazz3ring]

Another vote for the Hornady 95 grain SST.

 

[TradLife406]

Ballistic or Accubonds seem to be the best. I've tried the SST, Barnes and Game Kings. I lost a deer with the Game Kings and almost lost one with the SST. Come to think of it I dropped a deer in its tracks with a Ballistic tip. But it came back to life by the time I got to where it was and it was gone. But the Nosler have a better track record me with that rifle.
To be fair since I've hunted with the rifle last I've put a lot more effort into being better with a rifle.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[mcseal2]

They are expensive, but 90 grain Accubonds or Siroccos would work well. They don't expand so much that they ruin coyotes from my experience, but expand plenty to drop them.

85 grain Sierra Gamekings have done the same for me and shot well from every rifle I tried them in, but I don't know if anyone currently loads them in factory ammo. They have a pretty low BC also if that matters.

 

[Thoff1989]

My savage in 243 really shot federal fusions well. I shot a couple deer with them and didn't have an issue but I never shot a coyote with it. I can't image there would be too much hide damage.