Got my son a 243 for hunting White tail deer. I had some 85 grain Sierra spitzers that shoot well in the rifle. Anyone have experience with them on white tail? What are your bullet recommendations?
Hunting & Fishing 243 for White deer, What bullet?
- Thread starter jeffm
- Start date
Re: 243 for White deer, What bullet?
I've mostly use 100gr spitzer or BT bullets for deer hunting, Sierra or Hornady with H4350 powder. These combinations have worked very well for me with good shot placement.
My son uses the 85gr TSX in his and they hold together better and penetrate further but cost more. Probably a better bullet to go with if you are going to shoot any shot presented including poor angles.
I've mostly use 100gr spitzer or BT bullets for deer hunting, Sierra or Hornady with H4350 powder. These combinations have worked very well for me with good shot placement.
My son uses the 85gr TSX in his and they hold together better and penetrate further but cost more. Probably a better bullet to go with if you are going to shoot any shot presented including poor angles.
Re: 243 for White deer, What bullet?
I've had good luck with Partitions and Sierra ProHunters. In factory ammo, Remington CorLokt. 14 or 15 kills from 30-210 yards. Only twice did it fail to exit, both on hard angling-towards shots that broke leading shoulder. Only used 100 grain projectiles in my Remington 600 and never lost a deer with that rifle. Ymmv.
I've had excellent success with the heavies both in killing and accuracy departments.
-Deadly Punk.
I've had good luck with Partitions and Sierra ProHunters. In factory ammo, Remington CorLokt. 14 or 15 kills from 30-210 yards. Only twice did it fail to exit, both on hard angling-towards shots that broke leading shoulder. Only used 100 grain projectiles in my Remington 600 and never lost a deer with that rifle. Ymmv.
I've had excellent success with the heavies both in killing and accuracy departments.
-Deadly Punk.
Re: 243 for White deer, What bullet?
<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Quote:</div><div class="ubbcode-body"> I had some 85 grain Sierra spitzers that shoot well in the rifle.</div></div>
It they shoot well, why change.
We use the Berger 87 gn VLD Hunters in my wife's 243 but you Sierras will work, and as you already said, they shoot well. That's kind of important.
<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Quote:</div><div class="ubbcode-body"> I had some 85 grain Sierra spitzers that shoot well in the rifle.</div></div>
It they shoot well, why change.
We use the Berger 87 gn VLD Hunters in my wife's 243 but you Sierras will work, and as you already said, they shoot well. That's kind of important.
Re: 243 for White deer, What bullet?
I had one built this year with a 8.5 twist barrel and I am using 105gr amax foe hunting. Dropped 2 deer in their tracks already this season.
I had one built this year with a 8.5 twist barrel and I am using 105gr amax foe hunting. Dropped 2 deer in their tracks already this season.
Re: 243 for White deer, What bullet?
Any decent bullet from a reputable manufacturer will work fine, though I would steer clear of the varmint bullets. The real question is what will shoot well in your particular gun, (most every bullet out there will work fine if you shoot it well and place it properly on the animal) your accuracy and placement far outweigh bullet selection. The only way to find that out is to try several different bullets/loads.
My typical procedure for finding a bullet starts out with choosing a couple or three bullets, said bullets will always share a few characteristics; heavy for caliber (barrel twist permitting) As high as a BC as possible, and last but not least, an affordable bullet available most everywhere.
My reasoning is derived from the volume of shooting I do, If I shoot Bergers VS. Hornady's I will just plain have to shoot less because of the cost. The heavier bullets usually have the better BC, as well as good performance on the big game that I typically pursue. I find it wasteful and tedious to have multiple loads for competition, hunting, varminting, Zombies, ect. We spend countless time and money trying to uniform brass, bullets, stocks, barrels and such for the sole purpose of removing variables, variables are what kill our consistency and thereby our shot to shot accuracy. I dont know why people go to all that work, and then throw a huge variable into their equation with a new/different bullet.
My bullet selection almost always begins with Hornady and Sierra, reason being they are very affordable, and have an excellent performance history with myself and others. And they do so without putting my home up as collateral.
If I were to start playing the .243 game, I'd start with either a 105 Amax or a 107 SMK, though your barrel likely is not twisted right for those two. That being the case one of the lighter bullets like and interlock, SST, or a Game King would probably do you well. Something in the 85- 95 grain.
Good luck with your choices, enjoy the chase after the perfect load.
Any decent bullet from a reputable manufacturer will work fine, though I would steer clear of the varmint bullets. The real question is what will shoot well in your particular gun, (most every bullet out there will work fine if you shoot it well and place it properly on the animal) your accuracy and placement far outweigh bullet selection. The only way to find that out is to try several different bullets/loads.
My typical procedure for finding a bullet starts out with choosing a couple or three bullets, said bullets will always share a few characteristics; heavy for caliber (barrel twist permitting) As high as a BC as possible, and last but not least, an affordable bullet available most everywhere.
My reasoning is derived from the volume of shooting I do, If I shoot Bergers VS. Hornady's I will just plain have to shoot less because of the cost. The heavier bullets usually have the better BC, as well as good performance on the big game that I typically pursue. I find it wasteful and tedious to have multiple loads for competition, hunting, varminting, Zombies, ect. We spend countless time and money trying to uniform brass, bullets, stocks, barrels and such for the sole purpose of removing variables, variables are what kill our consistency and thereby our shot to shot accuracy. I dont know why people go to all that work, and then throw a huge variable into their equation with a new/different bullet.
My bullet selection almost always begins with Hornady and Sierra, reason being they are very affordable, and have an excellent performance history with myself and others. And they do so without putting my home up as collateral.
If I were to start playing the .243 game, I'd start with either a 105 Amax or a 107 SMK, though your barrel likely is not twisted right for those two. That being the case one of the lighter bullets like and interlock, SST, or a Game King would probably do you well. Something in the 85- 95 grain.
Good luck with your choices, enjoy the chase after the perfect load.
Re: 243 for White deer, What bullet?
Our hunting buddies in Alabama prefer the 65 grain hollow points. They have only killed about 800+ with them, and to date haven't lost any. Although the son had to have a .264 Win mag...shot the barrel out after a couple hundred deer and went back to the .243. They have access to several thousand acres and own almost a thousand themselves. Over 40 years, those were a lot of deer down!
Our hunting buddies in Alabama prefer the 65 grain hollow points. They have only killed about 800+ with them, and to date haven't lost any. Although the son had to have a .264 Win mag...shot the barrel out after a couple hundred deer and went back to the .243. They have access to several thousand acres and own almost a thousand themselves. Over 40 years, those were a lot of deer down!
Re: 243 for White deer, What bullet?
<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: Graham</div><div class="ubbcode-body">It's not about the bullet. </div></div>
^^^^^
<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: Graham</div><div class="ubbcode-body">It's not about the bullet. </div></div>
^^^^^
Re: 243 for White deer, What bullet?
Remington Core Lokt 100 grain. Price is right, works (for me) every single time for over 20 years. Tough to go wrong.
Remington Core Lokt 100 grain. Price is right, works (for me) every single time for over 20 years. Tough to go wrong.
Re: 243 for White deer, What bullet?
<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: jeffm</div><div class="ubbcode-body">Got my son a 243 for hunting White tail deer. I had some 85 grain Sierra spitzers that shoot well in the rifle. Anyone have experience with them on white tail? What are your bullet recommendations? </div></div>
I have used the plain old Speer 85 gr BTSP in my .243 with excellent results on deer.
The old 85 Barnes X Moly coated is pure devestation on deer. The TSX should be more of the same.
<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: jeffm</div><div class="ubbcode-body">Got my son a 243 for hunting White tail deer. I had some 85 grain Sierra spitzers that shoot well in the rifle. Anyone have experience with them on white tail? What are your bullet recommendations? </div></div>
I have used the plain old Speer 85 gr BTSP in my .243 with excellent results on deer.
The old 85 Barnes X Moly coated is pure devestation on deer. The TSX should be more of the same.
Re: 243 for White deer, What bullet?
Big white tail, 100g Nosler Partition.
Small white tail, 85g Nosler Partition.
Big white tail, 100g Nosler Partition.
Small white tail, 85g Nosler Partition.
Re: 243 for White deer, What bullet?
85g sierra GKHP is what I use for antelope/muleies/whitetails out here. Never a issue with them or the nosler 95g HBT bullet.
85g sierra GKHP is what I use for antelope/muleies/whitetails out here. Never a issue with them or the nosler 95g HBT bullet.
