The best all around 243 bullet

[Mikey_B79]

Agree with the 95gr Ballistic Tip comments. I'm working up a load now for a youth rifle which has now become my personal favorite (migrated into a full-size Grayboe) and that is the bullet of choice so far.

 

[SaltySailor]

I've seen a few dozen caribou, multiple moose and a grizz all go down with a .243 shooting Remington Core-lokts 90-100 grain. Every bullet I've recovered has been a perfect mushroom.

 

[6mm Remington]

6mm Remington
100 gr. Nosler Partition always performs well. Deep penetration and expansion.
90 gr. Nosler E-tip is a great bullet also. Acts like it's a much larger bullet.
90 gr. Nosler Accubond. Another one that's hard to beat.

100 gr. Partition


90 gr. E-tip


90 gr. E-tip 1-shot 350 yards

 

[06 SB]

Barnes 80gr TTSX. Run it fast and it kills everything.

 

[nubbin]

I have a savage 11 in .243 that has a preference for hornady ammo. I’ve not shot anything Nosler through it but the BT have gotten my interest. But with all that said the rifle likes the 95gr SST’s in particular. It will clover leaf at 100 yards if i do my part. The 100gr interlocks shoot 1” at 100. I’ve always battled with whether i want expansion for quick kills (SST) or penetration for 2 holes (interlock).

This year that little 95gr SST made a believer out of me. I shot a very large sow hog at 25 yards. I was shooting uphill and the underbrush made it hard to see the hog. What i thought was behind the shoulder shot turned out to be a liver shot. The hog ran a 20 yard loop back to where i hit it before going down. Bullet hit a rib going in and fractured into 2 pieces. The main section carried straight through destroying the liver/diaphragm and through offside rib leaving a quarter size exit wound. The fractured piece caught the offside lung and exited in the armpit. If that little bullet can pass through a 200lb sow hog at max velocity i have nothing to worry about for deer. Fast forward to that evening and i have a buck come out into a food plot at last light. This was normal 95gr sst performance I’ve seen out of it. 150 yard shot, perfect double lung shot with buck doing a 60 yard death sprint. Small entry, nickel size exit and lungs turned to jello. I think I’ll just keep shooting the SST because everything else I’ve shot with it didn’t live long. I don’t expect pass through out of a fast small bullet, i understand that shoulder shots are a no go. You put that 95gr SST where it belongs and you’ll see great results. If i want penetration I’ll just grab the 06’ with bonded bullets.

 

[cjdewese]

If one could only shoot non lead, what would it be?

 

[nubbin]

If one could only shoot non lead, what would it be?

I’ve heard great things about the Barnes 80gr ttsx.

 

[cjdewese]

I’ve heard great things about the Barnes 80gr ttsx.

Thats where I am now, 1st season shooting a 243. What yardage would people be comfortable shooting a small to medium sized deer with that bullet? Hoping to get to 400 as a max, but realistically lower than that.

 

[nubbin]

Thats where I am now, 1st season shooting a 243. What yardage would people be comfortable shooting a small to medium sized deer with that bullet? Hoping to get to 400 as a max, but realistically lower than that.

I’ve never shot anything Barnes but you’ll have to look at velocities for it at 400 yards. Copper bullets are a lot tougher than led and at lower velocities don’t expand as much. The .243 is a very fun caliber. It’s inherently accurate, shoots extremely flat, with minimal recoil. You can pop prairie dogs with them, predator hunt, or chase deer and be smiling like a kid shooting it. With that being said, it has its limitations you need to be aware of.

 

[cjdewese]

I’ve never shot anything Barnes but you’ll have to look at velocities for it at 400 yards. Copper bullets are a lot tougher than led and at lower velocities don’t expand as much. The .243 is a very fun caliber. It’s inherently accurate, shoots extremely flat, with minimal recoil. You can pop prairie dogs with them, predator hunt, or chase deer and be smiling like a kid shooting it. With that being said, it has its limitations you need to be aware of.

Been trying to keep it above 2k fps, the barnes is at 2232 at 400.

 

[nubbin]

As far as the elk, moose deal, I’d find something other than a .243. If i had no other options I’d go for a bonded or mono bullet. But there’s lots of options out there and if you’re set on a smaller caliber/lower recoiling I’d look into something shooting a 140 grain bullet. .270, 6.5, 7mm-08.

 

[NWBLKTAIL]

Just a heads up for people on here midway has 95gr. Nosler ballistic tips for sale right now

 

[ZAK13]

I’ve had good luck with Barnes 80gr TTSX and Hornady’s GMX also a 80gr. Using Superformance powder, I’m getting 3200fps.

 

[Stearinlys]

I’ve had good luck with Barnes 80gr TTSX and Hornady’s GMX also a 80gr. Using Superformance powder, I’m getting 3200fps.

Are you getting good consistency with the SP powder? I've seen a few people say they've had it be inconsistent for them.

 

[ZAK13]

Are you getting good consistency with the SP powder? I've seen a few people say they've had it be inconsistent for them.

I have not run into any inconsistency issues. Since the SP came out, I've only used it in my 243 reloads, maybe there are issues with different calibers?

 

[Mike D Texas]

If most shots are I’m guessing 400 and under the Nosler Partition is what I would choose.


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk Pro

 

[Stearinlys]

I have not run into any inconsistency issues. Since the SP came out, I've only used it in my 243 reloads, maybe there are issues with different calibers?

Yeah that could be a possibility. It wasn't shared what calibre they were loading, but just said they've seen "spiking" tendencies with it. Maybe they just got a weird lot that didn't mix quite right...

 

[Grumpystilskin]

I have shot 20 deer with 243 Win. My preferred is the Barnes 80 TTSX. Second choice is the 95gr Nosler Ballistic Tip. I’m a meat hunter mostly and the Barnes gives less bloodshot meat. The Nosler gives shorter trail jobs on average.

 

[Ringbill27]

I like the 95g LRX.

I have a tikka coming and was interested in this bullet. What powder are using?

 

[cjdewese]

I have a tikka coming and was interested in this bullet. What powder are using?

This is actually where I ended up as well. I found 40g of H4350 performed the best with regards to SD and ES. When I did a quick seating depth test the 1st three where all a little over .6 MOA so I just stopped there.

I was originally thinking of doing the 80g ttsx but liked the ballistics of the 95g better. I also specifically got the 1:8 to shoot as heavy as I could.