light 243 bullets suitable for deer

[black dawg]

Looking to put together a 243 load with lighter bullets (currently shooting 100s). Will be used for kids shooting deer, and usually 50 yds or less. Trying to come up with something that they can shoot a lot and get pretty comfortable with. Rifle is a savage lightweight hunter with stock at 11 inch lop. A standard 100 grn load feels nearly recoilless to me, but looks brutal with my small 11 year old daughter shooting it...…..she says it doesn't hurt, but never wants to shoot it much. I loaded some 100 grn interlocks down to 2500 fps but doesn't really look much different with her shooting it.

So what lighter 243 bullets are suitable for deer?

Wishing I would have bought a 223 at this point, and will be getting one this summer.

 

[desertcj]

80gr TTSX, 90gr Accubond, 85gr Sierra Gameking. If your going to shoot reduced power loads, you can get away with more lightly constructed bullets. 87gr Hornady hpbt, maybe 87gr vmax if you stay off the shoulder.

 

[tyeager2964]

I would buy some H4895 and start at 40% and load up from there. I have an 85 gr sierra load with 25 grains of powder that feels like a 223. My 52lb son loves to shoot it. It's screaming at around 2400 fps. It leaves a lot to be desired in the energy department but he only plinks with it.

For deer we will be running at about 2750 fps and should have 1000 lbs of energy to 150 or so. I have thought about getting a 223 and running the 77 gr SMKs as the destruction shown on hear is more than enough for whitetails out to 100 but he liked the camo 243 better.

 

[mtswampfox]

sierra has always been proud of their 90gr

 

[black dawg]

I have a box of the 80 ttsx, maybe I will put something together with them. I don't want to hunt with them though, just to hard of a bullet and slowed down will be worse. Shot a WT at less than 50 yds (lung shot) with almost no blood trail. Deer only went 100 yds, but tracking was difficult with only a few pin drops of blood, and deer tracks everywhere. Maybe a fluke?

 

[Axlrod]

Hammer makes a 71 Grain all copper that should work very well.
https://hammerbullets.com/product/243cal-71g-sledge-hammer/

 

[black dawg]

I will look into that hammer bullet, thanks

 

[Cant hit em]

My daughters shoots 80grn hornady gmx well

 

[Rich M]

What about downloading the 100s? The factory ammo and standard 100 gr load is 2950 fps.

You could lay off the powder some and get it down around 2500 fps and be good to maybe 150 yards. Most bullets like 1800 fps for expansion and penetration. A soft shooter will probably give you an exit hole as it won;t dump all its energy as fast at short range.

The game king 85 gr hollow points have a great reputation but are typically shot hot. Think nosler has an 85 gr partition which would be another good bullet.

 

[tt_johnsclist]

I have had good luck with 85g Sierra HPBT’s loaded down. I’ll have to find my notes but I am sure I used IMR 4831.


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[desertcj]

If you are going to down load, look hard at those 87gr Hornady bullets. 85gr partition is fine but it's not needed at the velocity you're talking about.

 

[TauPhi111]

I will throw in a vote for the 80 grain ttsx as well. You shouldnt need to reduce velocity too much. I shoot the 80 grain 25 cal ttsx out of my 250-Savage at nearly 3100 FPS and there is virtually no recoil in my savage 99, which is a very light gun. I don't have experience with the hammers, but I've always been interested in them. I bet they'd be good too

 

[kylebowman04]

I would add a vote for 90 grain accubond or 80 ttsx

 

[rickiesrevenge]

85gr Lehigh controlled chaos would be my pick

Aaron

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[Kimber7man]

The 70 grain Nosler BT over the reduced load of H4895 (published by Hodgdon) worked when I got my son going with a youth model 700 in 243. I then bumped up to the 80 TTSX over a min load of H4350 and he never felt the difference when he shot his deer.

 

[Wilderlife]

Lots of options will work. I haven't down loaded stuff before so I can't speak for the sort of difference it may make.

My partner and I have killed plenty of deer with 90gn Tikka factory ammo. Have some 87gn Bergers, 70gn Interlocks and 95gn Partitions to try that people have given us. We mostly shoot fallow deer over here which are similar in size to your whitetail deer. This rifle also sees use on pigs and a big pig is much tougher than any deer we'll likely come across.

I've killed enough fallow deer with a .222 or .223 to figure just go with a lighter bullet in your .243 so it expands nicely and you'll be fine. My favourite bullet with the .222 is the 55gn Sierra Gameking (we call them super roo bullet over here). Going 55gn instead of 50gn takes a bit of velocity off so the bullet holds together a little better, in my experience.

I know that information isn't really what you're after but as we all know, place the bullet well with any of those cartridges and you'll be sweet as.

 

[dmm08300]

87gr Berger VLD Hunting has been a hammer on deer for me, shooting it in a 240wby but it is very impressive

 

[16Bore]

Might stick a Limbsaver on it and double her hearing protection.

 

[MattB]

I've been shooting that Hammer 71 gr. over 34 grs. of H4895 and the accuracy has been really good.

 

[vermeire]

2 years ago I loaded 100 grain Partitions, I'm about out of those and found a good deal on 95 grain partitions. Good sectional density and Nosler reputation; with the 80% load I'm planning it should be plenty good out to almost 200 yards on PA whitetails. Just like archers are embracing heavier skinny arrows I like a heavier skinny bullet.