The best all around 243 bullet

TxLite

WKR
Joined
Sep 6, 2018
Messages
2,082
Location
Texas
The 95gr NBT is near optimally balanced- the wound profile created is oval shaped and a bit longer than the two above. Performance is a bit more like an Accubond or ABLR that fragments a bit.
Would this still be your recommendation for an 18” 6 creed?

Primary use would be whitetail and antelope from 100-700ish yards
 

CBB1

WKR
Joined
Sep 20, 2016
Messages
330
Location
NC
I’m looking forward to trying the 95gr TMK when Serria starts making them again. I’ve shot or been with people that shot 6 this year with 108eldm. All very dead very quickly but only one exit. Shooting from 75-400 yards. My boys 243s are shooting the 95gr NBT and we almost always get exits and good blood trails. We are in the south so a good blood trails really aids in recovery even if the deer only goes 40-50 yards.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 

Formidilosus

Super Moderator
Shoot2HuntU
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Oct 22, 2014
Messages
10,519
Would this still be your recommendation for an 18” 6 creed?

Primary use would be whitetail and antelope from 100-700ish yards


Not for 700 yards. You need 1,800fps for upset, and the BC is low. 450 to 500’ish yards, it’s great.
 

NickT406

FNG
Classified Approved
Joined
Aug 20, 2019
Messages
61
Location
Kalispell Montana
I shot an antelope buck, a mule deer and 2 whitetails with 108 Eldm’s out of my 16” tikka 1:8 243 win this year.

Muzzle velocity: 2760

The antelope was 540 yards, shot was behind shoulder in lungs. 4-5” exit hole. 1940ish impact velocity

Mule deer was 720 yards, shot was tucked behind shoulder with a 2.5-3 inch exit.
At 720 yards bullet impact velocity was 1700 fps. I’m not recommending this just sharing my experience.

Both whitetail bucks were around 100 yards or so and both bang flops. Both shots were at the base of the neck shoulder junction.

I was surprised with the exit wound on the mule deer and especially the antelope.

Sorry I have no pictures to share. Everybody thinks I’m crazy enough packing around a cap gun for big game I didn’t want to weird them out even more doing autopsy pictures.
 

TxLite

WKR
Joined
Sep 6, 2018
Messages
2,082
Location
Texas
I’m 3/3 this season with 108 ELDMs on deer this season. Including one at 501 yards, the other 2 at 250 yards.

This is with a 6 ARC going 2650 FPS.

The 108 ELDM is a great hunting bullet.
I guess the 109 eld would be a good choice too then. Higher bc for no negligible additional weight. I seem to recall they have the same terminal performance
 
Joined
Dec 28, 2019
Messages
2,007
I guess the 109 eld would be a good choice too then. Higher bc for no negligible additional weight. I seem to recall they have the same terminal performance

Good question and not exactly sure. Seems there have been mumblings it doesn’t expand like the 108. I’m interested to know as well.

The longer I shoot, reload and hunt, the more I realize those BC #s on the box can be a bit of mental masturbation.

Pick a proven high BC bullet that you can readily get, shoot high volumes and go hunt.
 

Athens

FNG
Joined
Oct 29, 2023
Messages
35
I'll still go with the 95 gr ballistic tip. This bullet is also built fairly tough. It's been accurate and deadly for me in the 243 WIN & 240 WBY.
The 105 Berger hunting VLD is also super accurate and holds up well at longer ranges.
 
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