.243 bullet for PA whitetail

H

histed

New member
Thursday I picked up a Savage Axis LH action in .243. Never hunted with this caliber, but age and a triple bipass helped me decide that its time to back away from serious recoil. So, with that explaination, my question is for those who hunt with this caliber - what bullet do you like for whitetail and why? With both my .308 and 7mm mag I really liked sierra bullets - good accuracy and good results - but I have read that they may not be the best for the lighter caliber.
 
When I hunted with a 243 for deer, I used 100 gr Sierra soft points. Worked. May not be the latest and greatest bullet around, but it always worked and was reasonably accurate in that rifle. This is consistent with the 150 gr core lokts I usually use with the 270. Always worked just fine.
 
Partial to Speer 105 grain SP's myself, but any bullet heavier than 85 grain will do.
Having a triple bi-pass won't have anything to do with dealing with felt recoil. Had a quad done 2 years ago last January. Semi-auto is what you need if recoil has become and issue, except for PA's daft ideas.
 
I started using 100gr Sierra ProHunters in the late 90's for my .243 on deer. Its not this latest/greatest bullit that someone claims from this or that manf but it does the job and doesn't cost nearly as much either. Keep it around 2700-2900fps and you should be just fine. Now I also have a .308, .270, and a couple .44mag rifles I use on deer as well. I just like pulling out that old .243 since it was my first "big boy" rifle when I was a kid.
 
i didn,t use a .243,but years ago i used a 6mm with a 90gr bullet at 3000fps and as the .243 and the 6mm are some much alike i see no trouble in killing deer with either. eastbank.
 
I used both a 6MM and a .243 in PA. The .243 I just bought Remington off the shelf, and the 6MM I loaded up Hornady 100 gr RN because it was an old .244 barrel. Some .243 barrels can be finiciky with accuracy too, with certain bullets. You have nothing to worry about with .243 bullets killing deer. Half the time I hunt deer I am using a rifle with .22 caliber bullets.
 
Seems like the old stand-byes are are still the ones. Used most of them in larger calibers at one time or another.
O'Hare - It isn't the bypass - Doc says I'm good to go there, but the blood thinners make me bruise more easily. This Axis has a nice recoil pad and did some target work with my brother's before buying this one. Semi-auto might help, but ... "daft laws". Would be nice for varmints like groundhogs.
 
I'd not hesitate to hunt any deer anywhere with a 243 and decent bullets. Most anything that shoots accurately 90 gr or heavier. Even some of the 80-85 gr bullets are pretty good.
 
Speer GrandSlam and Nosler solid base-both 100 grains. Both bullets have worked very well for my daughter and handicapped son.
 
100 grain Partitions, or Sierra Game Kings probably your best bet, try Winchester Supreme 780 with those Sierras dude they shoot lights out in my daughters MarkX...
 
I use the winchester 95 grn ballistic tips. Dont reload for this caliber yet. Shot one deer with it last year, dropped in her tracks. Nice large NY doe.
 
Dad

After years of bashing the .243, my Dad bought one to hunt groundhogs, which is what he believed was the calibers sole virtue. He shot it so well, that he took it deer hunting too. And lo and behold, he started filling tags, and missing less deer, than ever before. Turns out some practice, and a milder kicking rifle, let ol Dad shoot a good bit better than with the .270.

Dad's load was factory Rem 100 Core-Lokts. When the rifle came to me, naturally I loaded for it, and shoot 100 gr Nosler Partitions. Bamaboy and myself have taken half dozen or so with Dad's .243, and I cannot say it is any less of a killer than something bigger. Bamaboy especially seems to excel in bang-flops with the caliber!

My view is that the .243 is the perfect venue for controlled expansion bullets, ie Partitions, A-Frames, AccuBonds, etc. The Core Lokt is not a bad bullet either, and we have recovered a couple from the off shoulder. But we have not recovered a Partition, all pass through's.
 
Again, my thanks for all the comments and advice. Never used 780 - ball powder, like 748 (which I really like)? Do you use magnum primers with that?
 
I loaded some Nosler 100 grain for my brother's 243. I don't remember what powder I used. I know it was the CCI 200 primers. He used it to shoot a 250lb boar. Worked very well and I am certain it will do the trick for deer. Had some bad experiences with the Hornady SST's
 
Shot a truckload with a Nosler BT in 90grn over a healthy dose of H4831SC. Most died on the spot, the others withing 20'. Don't worry about an exit though, you won't get one.
 
Shot Placement, Trigger Time, Shot Placement.

Although an accurate load with a heavy projectile helps, shot placement is most critical. I've shot Wisconsin deer with 75 grain Hornady HP - but placed shots into the heads only to ensure quick kills and no meat damage. A side shot into the head does not leave a pretty sight on the other side though. I was meat-hunting, not trophy hunting, to put food on the table for the family in early 1990's.

But still have taken more deer with my Ithaca Model 37 DeerSlayer 12 gage.
 
I load a somewhat reduced load for my wife and her .243 100 gr. Hornady Interlock it the bullet I use, any of the 100 grainers designed for game would work fine. Her pet load has almost no recoil and is a killer on white-tails.
 
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