the best 243 win bullet

[TXHunt]

95 grain Nosler Balistic tip is the drop them in there tracks like a sack of potatoes bullet for .243!

 

[Foster Hunter]

85gr Partitions and 80 Gr TTSX have always dropped them in their tracks for us.

 

[Gbull71]

Hands down, Barnes 90gr TTSX for reliable expansion.

 

[Ringbill27]

Hands down, Barnes 90gr TTSX for reliable expansion.

80gr?

 

[Gbull71]

80gr?

90gr for deeper penetration!

 

[Ringbill27]

Barnes doesn’t offer a 90gr TTSX in .243.

 

[Gbull71]

Typo strikes!!! Thankfully, you corrected me. 80gr it is.

 

[Ringbill27]

You handload it? What powder do you like?

 

[Gbull71]

You handload it? What powder do you like?

I handload it, IMR 4350, works well for me.

 

[Ringbill27]

.243 is fine but I'd shoot 100gr. non polymer tipped bullets..
Fusions, Interlocks, Partitions, etc.....

I agree with flathead

I’m curious why non-tipped. Just the 100grs?

 

[flathead#2]

In my experience, the polymer tipped bullets are just too explosive,
I prefer straight line penetration with a bullet that mushrooms but
stays together.

 

[Yoteassasin]

You handload it? What powder do you like?

I'm still churning though the 100s of 80gr gmx I have . They love to be loaded super short and place rl-19
H-4350 is as close as it gets cause RL is un-obtainable lately

 

[The Guide]

Bullets I've found effective in a 243 Winchester over the last 36 hunting seasons include the following:

In a 1/10" barrel
100 grain Remington CoreLokt and Hornady Interlock factory ammo. These soft point kill well if kept to reasonable distances (sub 250 yards). I've killed close to 60 deer and antelope using these bullets in factory ammo.

95 NBT and Partition were handloaded by my hunting partner for his kids to kill elk with. I saw those kids kill a dozen cows and bulls while they were growing up along with piles of deer and antelope.

85 Sierra Game King HPBT worked amazing in my wife's Tikka SS Superlite. She has double digit deer and antelope with these bullets. They work great if kept off bone. Hit a shoulder or spine you will relieve the animal of a large portion of their carcass. Never a problem with penetration but more damage than necessary. The only issue was the loss of velocity at distance and poor trajectory. Very low BC. Keep them 300 and in and you're good.

In a 1/8" barrel
The 90 ELDX, 103 ELDX, and 108 ELDM have all shot well from my newest rifle. Accuracy is good and have made good marks in steel. Have not hunted with that rifle yet. Might try and kill a doe before the end of the season with the 108 ELDM.

Might buy some 112 Matchburner bullets to see how they work in the 243. I can use them in my 6CM if they aren't working for the 243. The only bullets I would avoid at 243 speeds on big game would be those below 80 grains.

Jay

 

[Short Track]

My 1st deer was a .243, Federal blue ammo. It's the cheapest ammo available. The exit hole was a golf ball size. Bang Flop.

 

[Ringbill27]

I recently bought my wife a tikka 243 compact, most because I inherited my grandfather’s reloading everything. He was an avid 243 and 6mm rem hunter so I have a lot of different .243 bullets. There are as a fresh box of 95gr partitions and of course I immediately found a pretty spicy and accurate load.

And now they pretty much don’t exist anymore. I find some at some point.

Bullets I've found effective in a 243 Winchester over the last 36 hunting seasons include the following:

95 NBT and Partition were handloaded by my hunting partner for his kids to kill elk with. I saw those kids kill a dozen cows and bulls while they were growing up along with piles of deer and antelope.

 

[jrbarnes9972]

I like a 100grn interlock

Sent from my SM-G986U using Tapatalk

 

[Buschlatte]

I use the 85gr Barnes TSX. On everything, coyotes, deer, elk, you name it. It's a killer. Oh and putting up .25" groups from my 6XC.

 

[IDbrushswimmer]

We took our third deer this year so far with the 95 gr ballistic tip. These have been great from an accuracy and effectiveness standpoint. The buck taken today made it 30 yds, which is the furthest so far. He did it with the top half of his heart gone, some animals are just plain tough. The other two were down in 10 feet or less.

 

[rbaney]

I have shot a few with the 85 Gr HPBT by Sierra and it lays them out. As previously mentioned it can do some pretty heft damage if it hits bone. But it has always worked great for me. I have also tried the 95 gr BT but only have one deer with that one and it was a head shot so no real data for comparison. But they shoot great out of my 243. I hand load the Sierras and recommend them to anyone looking for a good Whitetail 243 Bullet.

 

[Mightymitch]

I tried Nosler trophy grade 90grain accubonds this year and it worked great out of my 1-8twist tikka