6mm /.243 hunting success on Big Game

[mxgsfmdpx]

Two 115 Berger VLD Hunting kills from today from my Tikka 6 creed.

Both were large whitetail does from the far north of Minnesota where they get very large.

Kill 1:

Yardage: 497.
Impact Velocity: Roughly 1,880 (16” barrel and COLD dense air).
Shot Position: Seated Supported.
Distance Travelled After Hit: 40 yards.
Impact Location: Hit 2nd rib. Exited 3rd rib. Bullet recovered in off side hide.

Kill 2:

Yardage: 210.
Impact Velocity: Roughly 2,270.
Shot Position: Standing supported.
Distance Travelled After Hit: 0 yards.
Impact Location: Left Scapula. Exited between 4th and 5th ribs. Bullet recovered in off side hide.

Couple other notes…

Nasty shooting conditions with intermittent blowing snow all day and 7-27 MPH northern winds. High temp was 21F with lows of 16F. Wind chill feels like temps of below 0 F.

Food for thought… The gun was zeroed in 85 degree weather at 3,000 feet and zero checked at 1,200 feet and 20 degrees F. There was no discrepancy in the guns zero. Zero maintained during a 2,800 mile drive with gun laying loose on backseat of truck.

Snow and ice built up on the Tikka and Maven RS1.2, no hiccups during go time other than brushing snow off of scope.

Revic BLR10B Gen 1s ran all day completely cold soaked. No issues.

 

[Castle Rock]

Anyone using 95 grain TMKs in a 1:10 twist 243? Not sure if they always stabilize or not and was wondering before I try load developing with that rifle.

Anyone using 95 grain TMKs in a 1:10 twist 243? Not sure if they always stabilize or not and was wondering before I try load developing with that rifle.

That is exactly what it was designed for but I have no personal experience with it.

 

[Castle Rock]

Two 115 Berger VLD Hunting kills from today from my Tikka 6 creed.

Both were large whitetail does from the far north of Minnesota where they get very large.

Kill 1:

Yardage: 497.
Impact Velocity: Roughly 1,880 (16” barrel and COLD dense air).
Shot Position: Seated Supported.
Distance Travelled After Hit: 40 yards.
Impact Location: Hit 2nd rib. Exited 3rd rib. Bullet recovered in off side hide.

Kill 2:

Yardage: 210.
Impact Velocity: Roughly 2,270.
Shot Position: Standing supported.
Distance Travelled After Hit: 0 yards.
Impact Location: Left Scapula. Exited between 4th and 5th ribs. Bullet recovered in off side hide.

Couple other notes…

Nasty shooting conditions with intermittent blowing snow all day and 7-27 MPH northern winds. High temp was 21F with lows of 16F. Wind chill feels like temps of below 0 F.

Food for thought… The gun was zeroed in 85 degree weather at 3,000 feet and zero checked at 1,200 feet and 20 degrees F. There was no discrepancy in the guns zero. Zero maintained during a 2,800 mile drive with gun laying loose on backseat of truck.

Snow and ice built up on the Tikka and Maven RS1.2, no hiccups during go time other than brushing snow off of scope.

Revic BLR10B Gen 1s ran all day completely cold soaked. No issues.

That sounds really nasty
Well done

 

[BLJ]

gun laying loose on backseat of truck.

Is there a reason you don’t use a case of some kind for your rifle?

 

[mxgsfmdpx]

Is there a reason you don’t use a case of some kind for your rifle?

They take up space and aren’t needed.

 

[mxgsfmdpx]

Also. I use my rifles every day, so I’m not going to take them in and out of cases every time.

For a dedicated long haul like that it’s not a terrible idea if they didn’t take up so much space. Plus I usually travel with minimum 3 rifles.

 

[BLJ]

Gotcha.

Unless you’re going through a state that requires them.

 

[ztc92]

Anyone using 95 grain TMKs in a 1:10 twist 243? Not sure if they always stabilize or not and was wondering before I try load developing with that rifle.

I believe @Small-foot is using a Tikka 243 1:10” twist cut to 17” and it’s stabilizing the 95TMK just fine at around 5000 feet altitude.

Definitely worth it to take the plunge and try it!

 

[bnsafe]

son in law worked up a 95 gr tmk load for my grandsons youth model 700 adl with 1 10 twist. I was skeptical it was gonna work as it says 1 9 twist on the box. but, its shooting right at 1 moa in a load thats going about 2400 fps (he down loaded for a child, works awesome)

 

[schmidty3]

I appreciate the input and reassurance guys, as usual I'm overthinking "just a little" My only kills with a firearm came from my $100 CVA "Hawken" .54 with roundball last year. No such concerns about velocity with that thing . I'll have better data for next season but I'm cutting it close to go changing things at this point. The bullets go where I aim, will do the job they need to, and all will be well.

Loving this thread and community. Thank you so much.

All of the big box branded cheapest soft points were designed with whitetail in mind. A 243 with a core lokt, power point, interlok(bond?), etc etc...are about as good as it gets. Go 95 gr ballistic tip if you want more damage. Go partition if you want more penetration. All good whitetail woodlot ammo.

Most of the comments in this thread are for longer applications. But any of those mentioned will work great too.

But no need to get fancy.

 

[Freddy]

Well, I don’t have any pictures but I can’t even tell you how many deer I have taken with a .243 and the 105 A-Max. I have owned a fast twist .243 for 20 years and am on the 4th barrel. I have always shot the 105 at 2950 to 3000 and use it for filling damage permits. Deer don’t go far and I’ve made hits past 900 yards.

Is the fast twist 243 as good as 6 creed in your opinion?

 

[Small-foot]

Anyone using 95 grain TMKs in a 1:10 twist 243? Not sure if they always stabilize or not and was wondering before I try load developing with that rifle.

I’m shooting 95 TMKs from a tikka .243 with a 1:10 twist at 2760fps without issue. The link below is the damage on an elk at about 8000 ft elevation with a 340yd shot. Also have shot out to 760 yards at 5500 ft of elevation without a problem.

https://rokslide.com/forums/threads/6mm-243-hunting-success-on-big-game.284525/post-4366627

 

[atmat]

Is the fast twist 243 as good as 6 creed in your opinion?

If you handload there’s virtually no difference for 99% of shooters.

If you don’t, you’re somewhat limited in factory ammo. But you still have the 90g ELD.

 

[Ajsomp]

Is the fast twist 243 as good as 6 creed in your opinion?

If you want heavy for caliber bullets in factory loads, no.

If you hand load or buy from UM or Copper creek, or don’t care and shoot 90 ELD or 95 NBT, yes. The only reason I will move away from from my 243 is to shoot factory ammo in the 103-115 range.

 

[schmidty3]

Anyone shooting the heavies out of a 24" 243 tikka?

Wondering what those 108s or 115s would get for speed

 

[Nomosendero]

Hornady Superformance 243 Winchester Ammo 95 Grain Hornady SST (Super

Superformance ammunition is loaded with proprietary propellants that increase the velocity ratings up to 200 feet per second compared to other popular...

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Hornady Precision Hunter 243 Winchester Ammo 90 Grain Hornady ELD-X

Accuracy and terminal performance are the cornerstones of Hornady Precision Hunter factory loaded ammunition. Great care has been given by...

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Federal Premium 243 Winchester Ammo 90 Grain Hornady ELD-X Polymer Tip

Real-world hunts are unpredictable, and we don’t get to choose where game appears. Be ready to make any shot and deliver tag-filling terminal...

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Federal Fusion 243 Winchester Ammo 95 Grain Fusion Soft Point Box of

Fusion was the first rifle ammunition specifically built for deer hunting—and it's still the best, offering the largest expansion and highest...

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Nosler Trophy Grade 243 Winchester Ammo 100 Grain Nosler Partition

Nosler Trophy Grade ammunition is high quality, production-run ammunition manufactured to strict tolerances and inspected as it is hand-packaged. Trophy...

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Nosler Trophy Grade 243 Winchester Ammo 85 Grain Nosler Partition

Nosler Trophy Grade ammunition is high quality, production-run ammunition manufactured to strict tolerances and inspected as it is hand-packaged. Trophy...

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Nosler BT 243 Winchester Ammo 90 Grain Nosler Ballistic Tip Polymer

Nosler Ballistic Tip ammunition is loaded using premium Nosler components to ensure optimum accuracy and deadly performance in the field. Bullet weights...

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Winchester Ballistic Silvertip 243 Winchester Ammo 95 Grain Polymer

The solid base boat tail design and special jacket contours of Winchester Ballistic Silvertip ammunition deliver excellent long-range accuracy with...

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95 ballistic tip, 95 fusion, and 100gr partition get my vote but any of these will work fine

I wonder why Nosler makes both a 90 and a 95 gr. BT ?

 

[Kimber7man]

I wonder why Nosler makes both a 90 and a 95 gr. BT ?

Because Gail Root designed the 95 grain as a hunting bullet he would personally use on just about everything.

 

[Nomosendero]

Thanks for the reply.
I forgot, but I think I read John Barsness make that same comment years ago, thanks!

 

[MT-nuffgun]

Anyone shooting the heavies out of a 24" 243 tikka?

Wondering what those 108s or 115s would get for speed

108 eldm at 3000fps out of a tikka 22”. Im unaware of a 24” 243 tikka.

 

[schmidty3]

108 eldm at 3000fps out of a tikka 22”. Im unaware of a 24” 243 tikka.

Super varmint! What powder you using?