Hunting & Fishing 243 w/ 18 inch barrel 1in8 twist load for whitetail
- Thread starter trauma1
- Start date
I have used a .243 for years for whitetail. When I first got the rifle in the 80s my dad had already done some grouping tests with it. He shot 8 to10 5 round groups of different manufacturers factory ammo in ranges from 80 to about 105 grains. The factory loads that my rifle liked the best were Winchester power points 100 grain. I have done that group tests a few times over the years on different lots and loads and right now Im getting the best results with factory Federal Fusion 95 grain.
If you are loading your own Im sure that there are some folks here that can point you in the right direction.
If you are using factory ammo then go find a number of boxes do the group test, let the rifle cool, between groups, and see what the rifle likes. Then use the remainder for practice and buy extra of the brand, grain, lot that shoots the best for that rifle.
Depending on how old your son is you could also get some Hornady Custom lite ammo to test out and let him get used to the rifle. its a managed recoil round,
If you are loading your own Im sure that there are some folks here that can point you in the right direction.
If you are using factory ammo then go find a number of boxes do the group test, let the rifle cool, between groups, and see what the rifle likes. Then use the remainder for practice and buy extra of the brand, grain, lot that shoots the best for that rifle.
Depending on how old your son is you could also get some Hornady Custom lite ammo to test out and let him get used to the rifle. its a managed recoil round,
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105 gr berger in 6 mm creedmoor is awesome on mule deer. Nocks them down super fast. Would be a great choice for whitetail in your 243.
Hinged floor plate or a DBM?
Really need to know freebore to start picking a bullet, IMHO. I usually pick bullet I want to use, then pick case that will drive that bullet to desired velocity, decide on magazine system that will feed that OAL, have a reamer ground and then built rifle. Other way it to have it chambered with a zero freebore reamer and then throated to match dummy round.
115 Berger VLDs from a 6 Creedmoor were quite effective on game.
I don't see a whitetail walking away from a well placed 95 Ballistic Tip either.
I'd find what the rifle shoots well with your son on the trigger. Heavier bullets have more recoil, lower recoil for a younger shooter usually means they shoot the rifle better, don't develop flinch / recoil aversion. Lighter bullets go faster, usually inside of heavier bullets at shorter ranges and flatter too. I'm nominally a heavy as possible kind of guy but for a younger shooter, 400 and in I'd be inclined to go slightly lighter bullet, lower recoil and let them develop their fundamentals with as low a recoiling rifle as possible.
That short of a barrel in a 243 is going to have tremendous muzzle blast unless suppressed. Muzzle blast causes more bad habits than recoil IMO.
if going suppressed no worries, if not I would consider 24" for a 243. I used to hunt with one for many years.
if going suppressed no worries, if not I would consider 24" for a 243. I used to hunt with one for many years.
Trauma, something to keep in mind... as rookie stated, a barrel that short will still have higher blast (pressure) when the gasses leave the muzzle. I'd check with the suppressor mfgr to make sure it can handle the pressures at that barrel length. I'm sure you already thought about this, but just in case, I'd hate to see a blown can or injury occur. Keep us updated and include pics if you can.
