the best 243 win bullet

[S-3 ranch]

My entire family has been killing deer with 100gr Remington for about 60 years
I personally like the federal powskok 100gr on deer & antelope

 

[StupidLightweight]

Between 2007 and 2011, I used the .243 a lot, exclusively with Sierra's 85-grain HPBT. Between deer, antelope, coyotes, and pigs, I think only one animal ever took a step after impact. That was a giant California boar with the thickest shield I've seen. The bullet penetrated the shield and blew up one lung. No clue how far he'd have gone, as my buddy headshot him a second after that.

Today, I'd rock the 95-grain Ballistic Tip or 95-grain TMK, but there a ton of good options for .243 and 6mm Creed class cartridges.

 

[Buckhead]

A couple weeks ago, shot another buck with the .243. 85 grain Federal Trophy Copper. 150 yds. Broke both shoulders and exited.

 

[mcseal2]

The 90 grain accubond has served me well, but its got pretty expensive. 85 or 100 grain Sierra Gamekings worked great before I found Accubonds and are what I’d load today for my 243.

I was a tester for the 87 grain Berger VLD hunter when it came out in 243, that bullet and the 95 grain version gave quick kills on whitetail for me. There wasn’t much if any blood trail because they didn’t exit, but I never had one go over 30 yards. I decided I’d rather have the performance of the ones I mentioned first using a light bullet like that, but the Berger’s never failed to kill quick.

 

[Unckebob]

so i am wanting to know the best 243 win ammo for deer hunting i shot 2 deer at about 100 each with the horandy superformance 95 grain sst and first deer no blood second deer three drops and no more. i shot some remington corelokt 80 grain and they didnt group good so i am gonna try some fedral powershock 100 grain but i want to know the best bullet for blood on deer 100 hundred yard shot i can not have them run no more than 250 yards. also do you think a 300 weatherby mag is too much for deer with a 180 grain accubond because i asked in a diffrent thread the best bullet out of that 180 grn to 200 grn projectoille range and people was like why do you need such a big gun on deer at 100-150 yards and i explained to them about the 243 and what happend to me and my bad experince. also i kinda think its personell perfernce because my brother shot a deer with a 30-30 and it wasted more meat with a 150 grain bullet than my 300 weatherby wit a 180 gr accubond.

You need a pass thru if you want more blood. You are using soft cup and core bullets designed to rapidly expand. They kill well, but are not likely to pass thru.

I used a 243 Powershok once and it turned the deer's vitals into soup. It did not "fail," even though the deer did not bleed a single drop. That deer wasn't going far without any lungs.

To get a pass thru, try a Federal Fusion, Nosler Partition or Accubond or a copper projectile.

You do not need more rifle for deer. The 243 is popular because it is a fantastic deer cartridge.

A 300 Weatherby Magnum is a poor choice for a deer cartridge. It is hard to shoot, needs a heavy rifle with a long barrel, and is likely to destroy a LOT of meat if the round hits the shoulder instead of the ribs.

 

[magnum44270]

85,90 or 95g partitions,
Which ever your rifle likes

 

[Rams horns]

I've killed several deer over the years with my reloads in .243. I started off with the 100gr Sierra Gameking, and it worked fine. Longest run was probably 50 yards or so. Then I tried the 95gr Nosler BT, killed a buck and a doe with that, on the same day. The doe was DRT; the buck went about 60 yards. No exit wound that I could find, but he was blowing a lot of blood out the nose and mouth. This year, I've got some loaded up with the 85gr Sierra Gameking. Have heard good things about them, so thought I'd give them a try.

I also have a loaner .243 that I keep sighted in with 100gr Federal PowerShock. I can't say for sure, but I'm guessing they're Speer bullets. I have a young lady friend who has killed 3 with that rifle, and all were DRT.

 

[Marchbrown]

have you had one run with that load. i have heard that copper bullets arent that good without magnum velocity if you dont drop them dead in there tracks.

You can get plenty of velocity with an 80 ttsx out of the 243. Barnes keeps intended caliber in mind when choosing grades of copper for their bullets. I’ve shot a small sample with 80 grain Barnes and none of them went far enough to really need a blood trail but it put a good enough trail for me down.

 

[S-3 ranch]

My buddy is going to run some Sierra 90gr TGK in a 26inch ruger #1 I bet they are pretty explosive but kill deer DRT
$18 per box is pretty cheap for top shipping ammunition

 

[AngleAway]

I've had great performance out of 100gr interlock bullets on whitetail bucks. If you look at solid copper bullets, check out cavity back bullets. They have offerings in a handful of calibers and expand at low velocities, compared to most other solid coppers.

 

[TradLife406]

Accubonds work great . But I want to try Berger.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[Yoteassasin]

You can get plenty of velocity with an 80 ttsx out of the 243. Barnes keeps intended caliber in mind when choosing grades of copper for their bullets. I’ve shot a small sample with 80 grain Barnes and none of them went far enough to really need a blood trail but it put a good enough trail for me down.

80grn copper is cooking out of the barrel . It has not let me down yet . Mule deer ,black tail , black bear , hogs

 

[jeffpenland123]

I found one my rifle likes its the 80 grain remington core lokt 3350 fps out of the barrel dropped a 90 pound doe at 125 yards very good. hit it high shoulder quartering away come out of the neck it dropped didn't move i mostly use a 300 weatherby magnum for deer but for my stand that I got a 1/4 mile walk I'm going to take the 6 pound 243 instead of the 11 pound 300.

 

[jeffpenland123]

Also in the first of this that that my rifle didn't like the 80 core lokt I shot federal powers hock 100 grain winchester deer season xp 95 grain and the 80 grain remington again and it was a 2.4 inch group with he federal 3.5 inch group with deer season xp and 1.4 inch group with 80 grain core lokt. So I went with core lokt ofc.

 

[jeffpenland123]

You need a pass thru if you want more blood. You are using soft cup and core bullets designed to rapidly expand. They kill well, but are not likely to pass thru.

I used a 243 Powershok once and it turned the deer's vitals into soup. It did not "fail," even though the deer did not bleed a single drop. That deer wasn't going far without any lungs.

To get a pass thru, try a Federal Fusion, Nosler Partition or Accubond or a copper projectile.

You do not need more rifle for deer. The 243 is popular because it is a fantastic deer cartridge.

A 300 Weatherby Magnum is a poor choice for a deer cartridge. It is hard to shoot, needs a heavy rifle with a long barrel, and is likely to destroy a LOT of meat if the round hits the shoulder instead of the ribs.

As far as meat loss for the 300 wby mag I couldn't tell much difference from a 270 win or 308 win compared to it. But like u said the rifle is heavy long barrel and kicks alot.

 

[Yoteassasin]

I found one my rifle likes its the 80 grain remington core lokt 3350 fps out of the barrel dropped a 90 pound doe at 125 yards very good. hit it high shoulder quartering away come out of the neck it dropped didn't move i mostly use a 300 weatherby magnum for deer but for my stand that I got a 1/4 mile walk I'm going to take the 6 pound 243 instead of the 11 pound 300.

Wowsers!!! 11# 300 weatherby on deer !
Where on earth do you hunt deer and walk a 1/4 mile or less !

 

[RDF1]

I like the sierra 85gr game king. They shoot great and work well on deer.
I tried the 87gr berger and they were very accurate but shot more coyotes and crows than deer with them.