I am sure this topic has been discussed before. But I am going to reload some ammo for hog hunting. I was curious as to what others thought was the best bullet, gr. wt. ect. for hunting hogs with a 243. All suggestions would be appreciated. I am currently using a 85gr. which is dropping them in their tracks.

Then why mess with a sure thing ??

If it ain't broke don't fix it. Keep using what you are doing it with. Otherwise I have never seen a need for a premium bullet for hog hunting. A 80-100 grain psp will knock them dead with boring regularity. I have shot hogs with everything from fast loaded 58 gr ballistic tips to 75gr HP to humdrum 100gr psp. All work though the lighter grains don't offer the penetration guarantee as the heavier options. I don't see a reason to change what your gun shoots accurate and has proven itself already....

I personally use the hornady 100 gr.BTSP, and I don't plan on changing to ANYTHING else. It totally mystifies me, why anyone would want to "chance" wounding, or being under sized or under- powered while hunting any animal. Who in the heck enjoys busting through brush in the dark tracking a animal that should be laying where you pulled the trigger????? Just trying to satisfy ones' macho image by seeing how small of a calibre you can kill a animal with is not being a ethical sportsman. I wish some of the clowns on here shooting BB guns at elephants would understand this> Go ahead guys, you can blast away at me now.

http://www.academy.com/webapp/wcs/stores...8331+4294963052

I Love this Ammo, used their 300 Win Mag 180-grain last deer season and the full copper jacket stuck together through the deer and through the tree behind the deer, I would use this bullet for anything after that experience, I would recommend getting a box and spending a day at the range with your .243 before taking it out to the field, but I am confident that their .243 product is just as awesome as every other product they make.

It doesn't matter, shoot them in the ear hole, they will drop. Way to many people worry about caliber and ammo.

Barnes 85gr tsx

Thats what I'm talkin bout!

dam! you must feel ten pounds lighter now!!
A person should unload like that at least once a month don't ya think?

Personally on the original question in my opinion I will shoot them with whatever I have in my hand at the time of opportunity.
If I am gigging frogs and one is dumb enough to let me I am going to for sure poke him with it..
But, and thisis a big butt,,If I really want to "bring one home" with me it starts with a Nosler partition and ends with a barnes.
No if ands or butts about it.

Exactly

Sorry W.C., I just don't have ten pounds to lose. You got me laughing though.

Just telling the truth in my post. A guy kinda' gets tired listening to this argument on here quicky. There is a reason why the states have size caliber laws on big game animals, or we would see some clown taking a .17 after a grizzly. I just caped out a big boar, and his body guard was easily 1 3/4" thick. My knife hardly cut through it.Unbelieveable. And these jokers are out expiermenting with under-powered guns? We NEVER hear how many wounded are never found from these guys - case closed.

I would hardly compare shooting a hog with a .243 akin to "an elephant with a bb gun". That's ridiculous. A .243 in a non varmint loading (80-100gr bullet) will kill any hog you can encounter in Texas without a problem. I have been doing it for years and my dad and grandad many more before me. Hundreds and hundreds of hogs later and you will have a hard time convincing me it does not work. I have not left many wounded and suffering along the way. I'm sure a few have got away - so have they from my .308, .270, and a .44. What did all of those pigs that got away have in common? I made a less than perfect shot. There is not magic caliber for hogs, just a need for good shot placement. I feel the onset of dead horse beating coming along so I must stop; however, if a .243 is unethical and inefficient to drop hogs in their tracks, i guess no one has told me or the hogs, but I'll keep stacking them up with it effortlessly like I hAve been doing all my life...

A 243 with even a decent bullet" yes, non varmint" will kill the biggest and baddest grunter ever to suck wind.
Only problem is the lack of a blood trail most of the time, so ifthey run as they will as we all know they can be a beach to find sometimes.
But is it capable? my word YES.

I'm shooing 100gr bullets and drop hogs. My Rem 700 shoots them very well.

Took the words right out of my mouth! I have shot all my pigs with my 243 using 100 grain soft points and havent had any of them complain! But the one I shot with my 17hmr didnt either haha

Heck I shoot the cheap monarch 100gr soft point on hogs.. Never lost a hog or deer... I did shoot a doe at 70 yds facing me in the brisket
This season .. No blood trail found her 30 yds away under a tree ... So as they all say shot placement is key not caliber or ammo

Thanks guy's for all your opinions. Sorry if I started a war, was not intentional. My wife has recently started shooting hogs with me. I agree with all of you that shot placement is the key. I started her out on a 222 she has droped every hog in its tracks. Now that she is comfortable shooting it is time to move her up in caliber, without overpowering her. I was realy looking for some feed back on the destruction of different bullets in gr. wt. and bullet type. Since we all know that sometimes you do not have that perfect shot for ear hole placement. But with the right bullet, ammount of penetration, and destruction along the way you can make them just as dead.

A .243 Would be a fine choice for her. You don't have to ear hole shoot them to kill them. Shoulder shot will work just fine with a .243 also.

Ah nobody is worried too much about differing opinions, we just afigure they are wrong and it ain't nice to pick on the handicapped.
It would be a whole lot easier to tell ya what does work, and so in my sterling opinion here it is.
I already mentioned the Nosler partition, smoking great bullet, maybe nothing ever made to surpass it for what you are wanting to do.
Also the Barnes, either TSX or TTSX makes nota handful of beans difference which, they both are freekinf deadly with more penetration than any single other bullet made, with NO exceptions.
If you like blood trails, its your baby.
However there is one other reeeaaaaly great bullet that doesn't get near the press that it should and honestly is as good a killer as either of the above, and that is the Speer Grand Slam.
Get the heaviest in caliber of any of the above three, I think it is 100 grains for the Nosper and the Speer and 80 for the Barnes.
Load up a comfortable shooting round that she likes to bust a cap on with no flinching and she is good to go on any hog anywhere witha shoulder or behind the shoulder shot.
And then of course if she does geta chance to pop one in the ear hole, well you know how that works.

Factory 80 grain soft points have always dropped em for me..Well placed head shot...

I have shot about 10 or so with 80 grain Remington PSPs without losing one yet. The most recent was a sow that weighed 250-275 and shot her right behind the shoulder. Insides looked like a grenade went off in there.

I also get tired of the .243 argument and not being enough to kill Texas animals. I inherited a Savage 99E from my Grandpa that killed over 200 deer, several Mulies, and 2 cow elk in Colorado. I also have a 300WSM, 270, and 223 but my gun of choice is always the 243. I dont always get an exit hole but they cant run far if their lungs and heart are a frothy liquid.

Are you driving on a spare?

my friend yur a mess,,

Curious...whats with the unopened Sam's cola? Is it for size comparrison? Never seen anyone brag of shooting a hog that weighed 88 colas..interesting though...

I've forgotten how many hogs I've killed with good ol' Remington Corelokt 100gr pills! Mostly ear shots but plenty in the body as 'opportunity' shots. Not undergunned at all!