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.243 loads #6399594 08/09/16 01:00 AM
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TCB Offline OP
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I was loading the Sierra 100gr for my son's .243 last year. He killed a deer with it but lost one on what appeared to be a good shot. The one we did find ran about 60 yards with no blood trail, so he's lost confidence in that bullet. Even though I know it's a solid bullet I want to change up to make sure he's confident.

I was initially thinking SST or BT but very open to ideas. I like the thought of a Barnes TTSX in 80 grains but I'd to hear other people's thoughts. It'll be used on deer and pigs only.

Re: .243 loads [Re: TCB] #6399659 08/09/16 01:39 AM
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I have the Thomson Pro Hunter in 243. Shoot the 80 gr GMX's, several deer and not had to go look for one yet.
They are just a dead as the one's shot with my 338.

Re: .243 loads [Re: TCB] #6399686 08/09/16 01:52 AM
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I shoot 95 grain SSTs out of mine. I shoot everything behind the shoulder and it liquifies the heart and lungs. Devastating bullet. 90 grain BTs perform very similar.

Re: .243 loads [Re: TCB] #6399690 08/09/16 01:55 AM
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One of mine goes out with 90gr Accubonds around 3150 or so. It will also do the 85 partitions just as accurately. However, the only deer I've taken was with the AB's in this rifle.

The second one likes the 95 gr ballistic tips. Accurate, but still haven't used it on a deer.

The last one handles the 90 gr AB's as well. Not quite as fast as the first rifle but fast enough. Mod 99 Savage that prints 5 shots inside an inch. Can't tell you about a blood trail, all of the 25 or so I've show with it were DRT.


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Pay it forward - Kids are the future.

Rifles are similar to boats and young women...there's no end to how much money you can pour into them without making them any more useful.
Re: .243 loads [Re: Bbear] #6399696 08/09/16 01:58 AM
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100gr Hornady, 95gr BTips, 100gr or 95gr Partitions. Whatever his rifle "likes"

Re: .243 loads [Re: TCB] #6399697 08/09/16 01:59 AM
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Any of those should work great. That Sierra is pretty tough to beat at 243 velocities, but having confidence in your bullet is important.

Re: .243 loads [Re: TCB] #6399702 08/09/16 02:03 AM
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I'm another fan of the 80 grain .243 GMX. Push it fast and you'll have no regrets.


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Re: .243 loads [Re: TCB] #6400063 08/09/16 01:01 PM
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dee Offline
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I run 90gr accubonds in my 243.


"A vote is like a rifle; it's usefulness depends on the character of the user" Theodore Roosevelt
Re: .243 loads [Re: TCB] #6400082 08/09/16 01:12 PM
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Killed a ton of deer with a 243, from 80g sofpoints on up to 100g
They all worked fine, the only thing I am "concerned" with is a close range shot with the lighter traditional bullets if you hit the shoulder.

The Barnes 80g is wicked on deer and pigs.

Re: .243 loads [Re: TCB] #6400145 08/09/16 01:36 PM
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Which sierra were you shooting the game king or the prohunter? I have been shooting 100 grain prohunters for 3 years now and have been impressed with them.

For a little tuffer bullet I would turn to an 85-100 grain nosler partition or an accubond.

If the sierra isn't getting it done then I sure wouldn't go to an sst or bt. To me no blood trail means no exit. Bullets know for exits are going to be partitons, barnes, GMX, and the bonded bullets swift, accubond, interbond etc.


It's hell eatin em live
Re: .243 loads [Re: redchevy] #6400261 08/09/16 02:33 PM
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redchevy: the 95gr Ballistic Tip is not your typical exploding BT. It has been toughen up considerably. Performs very much like a Partition.

No experience with the SSTs, but by reputation, they are pretty fragile.

Re: .243 loads [Re: TCB] #6400403 08/09/16 03:58 PM
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I don't load them but I would find it difficult to believe that it performs like a partition.


It's hell eatin em live
Re: .243 loads [Re: TCB] #6400886 08/09/16 09:46 PM
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OK. I'll just pass this along, FWIW. It was written by gun writer Steve Timm:

"The .243" 95-grain Ballistic was designed by Gail Root. Gail was perhaps Nosler's most talented ballistician.

Gail is and was a .243 Winchester NUT and he designed the 95-grain to be HIS big game killing bullet. Goodness only knows how many big 6X6 bull elk Gail took with the 95 and most of them with a single well-placed shot.

I know of at least one record-class Nilgai bull that Gail killed with the 85. Nilgai have the well-earned reputation of being almost bulletproof. The bull fell at the shot.

Gail also used the 95 to collect his magnigicent B&C typical whitetail.

Gail was proud of the 96=5s performance of big game; it's great penetration, superb accuracy and killing performance is amazing. This is one bullet that never had to go back for re-design.

Yes, I've killed big game with the.243 95-grain Ballistic ... maybe thirty head of assorted mule deer, whitetail, antelope and one quite decent black bear. And, YES, one raghorn 5X5 bull elk that measured about 285 B&C. I've never had to shoot any big game animal more than once and the animals either dropped in place or struggled for less than 20 yards.

The single bull elk I killed with the 95-grain fell as if electrocuted. I was using a Runger Number One in 6mm Remington Normal.

Naysayers will cuss and discuss the Ballistic Tip ... and that ain't my problem. I'm only telling you what I know for a fact and I have considerable experience with the 95-grainer and have found it to be a superb big game bullet.

Steve"



Re: .243 loads [Re: TCB] #6400961 08/09/16 10:44 PM
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That's good to know. I'd otherwise never consider using a BT in either the .243 or the 6mm. It's very interesting how some of the BT bullets can vary so greatly from the performance characteristics of the others. The 120 grain .284 bullet is also an outlier.


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Re: .243 loads [Re: TCB] #6401067 08/09/16 11:55 PM
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I tried loading both Barnes bullets in my .243 and the Nosler E Tip, I couldn't get them to group under an inch at 100 yards. I bought some Berger 95 gr classic hunters and I can group under 1 inch at 200 yards.

I never loaded the Hornady GMX but I have heard good things. For me, Berger is the way to go. The deer I shot didn't take another step. I actually didn't take a great shot, it was 145 yards, broadside, and I put it up towards where the neck meets the chest. The bullet left a silver dollar size exist and there was a lot of blood.

Re: .243 loads [Re: TCB] #6401070 08/09/16 11:56 PM
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I know it's against the grain, but just get a box of 100g Core-Lokt PSP's. I know you're a hand-loader, so am I, but sometimes factory stuff just works. This might be such a time.


"I have no idea what WW-III will be fought with, but WW-IV will be fought with sticks and stones."

A. Einstein

Re: .243 loads [Re: Slow Drifter] #6401179 08/10/16 01:03 AM
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Originally Posted By: Slow Drifter
I know it's against the grain, but just get a box of 100g Core-Lokt PSP's. I know you're a hand-loader, so am I, but sometimes factory stuff just works. This might be such a time.


slowdrifter, the important thing is what works in your rifle, at your ranges, on a consistent basis. Hand loads or factory loads: what puts the bullet where you want to put it? I hand load for 22 different calibers, but would leave my "pet" hand load in a second if I found a factory load the worked better!

Re: .243 loads [Re: TCB] #6401220 08/10/16 01:25 AM
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We're talking "minute of deer" right? I totally agree, but there comes a time when utility takes precedense.

edited to add: Has he even tried 100g Core-Lokts yet? The rifle may LOVE them! Ya' never know.

Last edited by Slow Drifter; 08/10/16 01:36 AM.

"I have no idea what WW-III will be fought with, but WW-IV will be fought with sticks and stones."

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Re: .243 loads [Re: dee] #6401226 08/10/16 01:27 AM
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Originally Posted By: dee
I run 90gr accubonds in my 243.


Where do you buy these? I can't find any. I'd like to try some but I've never lost an animal with the 85 grain Gameking.

Re: .243 loads [Re: TCB] #6401529 08/10/16 04:46 AM
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I shoot the 95gr SSTs over 35 gr of Varget. 1/2 inch groups from a stock M700.


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Re: .243 loads [Re: TCB] #6401709 08/10/16 01:05 PM
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Originally Posted By: TCB
I was loading the Sierra 100gr for my son's .243 last year. He killed a deer with it but lost one on what appeared to be a good shot. The one we did find ran about 60 yards with no blood trail, so he's lost confidence in that bullet. Even though I know it's a solid bullet I want to change up to make sure he's confident.

I was initially thinking SST or BT but very open to ideas. I like the thought of a Barnes TTSX in 80 grains but I'd to hear other people's thoughts. It'll be used on deer and pigs only.


Shot a buck @ 100yrds once with the Barnes TTSX 80gr 243 pushed fast- thought he was gonna run off, but luckily ran in a circle then went down. Bullet managed to go IN between ribs, took a notch out of the heart, and went back out between ribs; never hit any bone, tiny hole in and tiny hole out, bullet never recovered; hardly any blood trail, his heart emptied out into chest cavity. Hardly any tissue damage - (was actually first time I've seen a dear-heart @ 80% - lead bullets usually liquefy everything in this area); disappointed on results of that solid copper bullet on what should have been a great shot.
Once and done - I went back to LEAD bullets for DEER (soft-point or similar - RELIABLE)- I prefer the bang - leap - flop!

Re: .243 loads [Re: TCB] #6423442 08/25/16 03:15 AM
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I vote for the 95 grain Ballistic Tip. Great bullet, almost always exits on broadside hits and really soups up the insides. I also like the 85 grain Partition for head and spine hits on feral hogs.

Re: .243 loads [Re: TCB] #6424809 08/25/16 11:57 PM
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no bullet is going to make a whole lot of difference in any caliber im not going in to a long winded explanation on that, the .243 is considered small. half the time blood trails are non existent no matter what bullet you use, even big calibers dont leave blood trails at times. finding game that have been shot good is probably the more important ticket, dont give up. ive blown big ohles in deer with .30 calibers with no blood, looking out to 200 yds and the damn thing is right there 30 yds from impact. nothing wrong with standard cup and core bullets in .243 stacked tons of animals with the .243 some with blood trails a blind man can follow some with zero blood, but i never lost one cause i knew in my heart he was there somewhere dead.



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