243 bullets for deer

N

NHSHOOTER

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I will be hunting deer with my new 243 this year, I do reload and I have on hand some Sierra game king 85 gr hpbt, and some speer hot-cor 90 gr spitzers. Would these bullets be sufficient, adequate, or very good? Should I go heavier? I will be hunting from a stand taking only broadside shots out to 200 yds. I have loaded and shot both of these bullets and I am getting 1.5" groups @ 200 yds.
 
You will be all set with either. I have used 100 gr corlokt on deer and bear. Shot placement is key with 243. Use what groups best and what you have been shooting. Put the lead to em :)
 
placement

Either of those slugs will take a deer cleanly, provided you shoot well. Your plan sounds like a good one, broad side and reasonable range.

I trend towards the controlled expansion slugs in .243, and am a big fan of 100gr Nosler Partitions in that caliber. But that's me.

Used to be a .243 basher, but after killing a couple myself with the caliber, and watching bamaboy take some more, no longer. All our shooting done under the conditions you describe.
 
Back inthe early 2000's, the Micgigan Ubited Conservation clubs TV show.

had a early fall youth hunt recorded and a small twelve year old, took a 8 pt buck with 100 gr load from a "high seat" [aka hochsizten] @ 130yd frontal shot and flipped the buck backward [was standing still].

Take your time and your shot, Good luck.
 
Try some 95 gr Nosler Ballistic Tips and you'll never want anything else
(Although the ones you named will work too)
 
I still load 100 grain Hornady Interloks for my wife's .243 and they work perfectly. I would think that as long as you do your part any of the bullets you listed will work just fine.
 
I had some $$$ left on a gift card for Cabelas so I ordered some Sierra 100 grn pro hunters. Plenty of time before the season to try em out. Nice to have options.
 
I personally think that of the non-gilded bullets, the 100 is the most ideal for deer. The 85TSX is the real deer hammer in the .243 Winchester.
 
Snyper, I picked up some 95 gr nosler ballistic tips today. Loaded some up over some IMR 4895 and will probably try some over some H380 also, what is your pet load if you dont mind me asking.
 
IMR 4350 has always driven tacks for me with most 85-100 grain bullets in the .243. My 95 grain load is north of anyones published max.
 
I like Hornady GMX 85 grain bullets. They seem to shoot well, feature great penetration, 97% weight retention, and perfect expansion. Lead core bullets often perform very well also, but often lose 20% of their weight and high-velocity rounds spread lead dust and bits beyond the wound channel, at least according to X-Rays of meat given to "Hunters for the Hungry".

They meat may not have been processed as well as I've seen here in Maine, but who knows. I'm erring on the side of caution, since much of my venison is eaten by youngsters, the ones that are harmed the most by lead in food.
 
Twist rate 243 win.

Sierra gameking 85 gr hpbt, #1530 With IMR4350 or H4350 A 10-1 twist may not produce best accuracy with some long 100gr + bullets. Depends on velocity/RPM's and barrel length. My 18 1/2" bbl doesnt like 100 gr, but the 27 1/2" will do better with them. http://www.bergerbullets.com/twist-rate-calculator/
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Unless it is some crazy profile bullet, you should not have a twist rate problem in the .243 Win. with ANY factory barrel barring some of the purpose built varmint guns in the chambering.
 
1.5" at 200 is outstanding. What's the rifle? Oh, nearly any .243" bullet over 80ish grains will be a deer sized game bullet.
Mine is partial to Speer 105's with IMR4350. It won't come close to 1.5" at 100, never mind 200. Barrel's not up to it.
 
I am shooting a Weatherby Vanguard 2 purchased last Feb. First day out with it with just a 3-9x45 got a 1.5" group at 200 yds. Right now I have a Nikon Prostaff BDC 3.5-12 on it, with my mueller 8-32 and 70 gr Sierra match kings I get just under a 1" group @ 200 and a enlarged hole from 3 shots at 100 yds. Its a real shooter, looking forward to taking it down to SC for some 200 yd. kills
 
I shoot Nosler 90Grn BTs over 45.5grn of H4831SC and have taken a bunch of deer with that load. Never had one move more than 15ft from where it was when shot. As stated with the .243, it's about placement more than anything.
 
I load the .243 with IMR 4895, why, simple I always have it on hand because I load several other rounds with it, and it shoots quite well. Honestly I've never tried for groupings with it, as its for my wife in a lightweight Ruger, and she will easily keep them under 2" at 100 which is plenty, her shots are pretty restricted, and she only cares about "minute of dead deer".
 
243 and deer etc. etc.

The first 243 I bought was for my bride in 1965 and it was a Rem 600. Used with a 4x Weaver. Bought a box of 80 gr. ammo to go with it. I shot the rifle before I made it a gift. I was more impressed than she was. That should have been a clue.
She left, I kept the rifle. Started reloading around 1973 and killed several small black tailed bucks with 85 gr. Sierra flat base soft points. Got a 270 in around 1974. Loaded loads using 130 gr. Nosler Partitions. Broad side in the boiler they worked fine. If they hit a leg bone before they hit the rib cage they weren't worth a darn. Ended up with two halves of a 130 gr. bullet neither of which would do diddally. I did not try partitions in the 243.
Now the point of this O.P. Today I am 70 y.o. I am hunting with a Sako L579 243 and I am using 100 gr. Rem corlokts.
I'm shooting this combo at about 1 to 1.3" groups at 100. If you are able to get 1.5" groups at 200 yards with your hunting rifle and load, use it. I've attached a few examples of what a 243 is capable of. All shooting platforms were stock off the shelf.

 
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