Best 243 round for deer

95 grain Fusions do a heck of a job. I started shooting Hornady SSTs in 95 gr. I want to try those during an upcoming doe hunt.
 
Shop Around

I have, over the past 35 years, used Remington CoreLokt (100gr.), Federal Power Shok (100gr.), Hornady Interlock (95gr.) and of late, Federal Fusion (95gr). All have performed very well as far as penetration, expansion, etc. at ranges of 75yds to 225yds for whitetail, mule deer, antelope and even 1 hog. I have stayed with the Fusion loads now for 6 or 7 years due to accuracy. They seem to like my rifle(s). Like the old saying goes, "it's not what you're shooting, it's where you're hitting that counts".
Best to try several loads and settle on what works best in YOUR rifle and, just as importantly, what YOU have confidence in.
 
243.
to see the best performance a 243 has to offer on thin skinned Big Game. I found the 80 Soft Point to be the best for the purpose. Exceeding 3200 fps at muzzle is defiantly a step in the right direction for reliable lethal performance the 95- to 105 gr. cannot match or even come close too. Non-believers. Keep a closed mind and shooting those heavier bullets. For those others always looking for better. Try a 80 gr in the field this deer season. See for yourself what I have experienced many times. __"There is a difference." (No hast to chase. >Brown is down!!)
 
Years ago, the .243 had a reputation for leaving weak blood trails. But with the advent of Premium bullets this has changed for the better. I suggest a bonded bullet such as offered in FEDERAL Fusion ammo. There are many others to choose from as well but this brand is usually easily located and affordable, too.

Good hunting to you.

Jack
 
"85gr sierra hollow points have worked well for me, shoot under an inch at 100 and they do kill deer. I just picked up some speer 85 gr btsp I am going to try this season, have to take em out and test em for accuracy first though. I will let you know how they work out"


I have been hand loading the Sierra HPBT game king bullets for my 243 for years. Don't need a blood trail with them as long as you do your part and put them in the kill zone. If you that the deer is a bang flop right on the spot.

I use the same round on coyotes when it is windy too.


:D Al
 
alleyyooper, Glad to see there is at least 2 others that agree with me, you and sure shot mcgee, although he uses 80's I have yet to try those new 85's but according to the loading manual they spit out at 3250 fps..Lets hope they group well..
 
DA!!!! didn't post up the grainage of the ones I use. I use the 85gt HPBT Sierras, 243 dia. (6mm) 85 gr. HPBT GameKing 1530 .

I use them for every thing from deer bang flop, coyotes pops their eye balls out with head shots and dust crows into a flurry of feathers.

:D Al
 
I do use the 85 TSX on deer. Maybe I am just old school and stubborn, but I do not trust a traditional construction 85gr bullet on white tail deer. Does not mean I am right.
I like to plan for the less than ideal circumstance and give myself plenty of margin for error. Though I would like to think I am a perfect shot, I know that is not realistic. I want a blood trail that is easy to follow. A neighbor shot a deer with a .243 Win and hit it smack dead on the shoulder blade. My hound could only track it about 70 yards. The buzzards found it for him a few days later. If I remember correctly he was using an 85 grain cup and core type bullet. Had he been using a 100 gr bonded, interlock, or 85 gr gilded, the deer would have been dead in a pile where hit.
 
Me'n alleyyooper. Two dozen bang-flops. :) I won't take an angling shot, though, where deep penetration would be needed.

FWIW: I found the Federal load with that Sierra bullet to group just as tight as my handloads. (37.5 grains of 3031.)
 
Just some observations: For what its worth.

Last year we used 87 Gr Bergers VLD Hunting, in my wife's Model 70.

She was quite upset. Both her antelope and deer hand huge chunks of meat removed. Too devastating.

So this year, I loaded up some Hornady 100 Gr. BTSP. Left a 1.5 inch exit hole without destroying half the meat.
 
.243 is so devastating, I use the cheapest Federal blue ammo. Leaves a 3" exit hole.

I normally use 100g, I'm considering reducing to 80g.
 
In my family, We have several .243 win rifles and handguns for deer hunting and most of us use 95gr remington accutips, 95 gr winchester silvertip, or hand load 95 gr nosler ballistic tips.
Most of the deer drop within 25 yards after being hit in the boiler room. I don't think we have ever lost one after being hit with one of the above bullets, and have never recovered a bullet - all have exited the deer.
 
The .243 is not my regular deer round but I have shot two deer with the Rem 100gr core lokt. Neither ran far. Neither shot was over 100 yds.
Deer don't need fancy bullets imo
 
.243 is on the light end for deer sized game so go with heavy instead of light bullets.

A semi-handloaders trick.

Buy Remington standard loads because they are usually the lowest power commercial loads.

Pull the bullets with a gravity hammer.

Throw away the Remington bullet and and put in a Barnes copper bullet of the same weight with a Lee Loader.

DON'T try that with the Hornady or Federal loads, they tend to be hot for the caliber.
 
My son had very good luck and clean kills with 100gr PPU soft points. $14 a box at SGAMMO. Might be the cheapest deer we have ever taken.
 
I just picked up some speer 85 gr btsp I am going to try this season, have to take em out and test em for accuracy first though. I will let you know how they work out"
Click to expand...
I got great accuracy with those, but decided they were too fragile for deer.

They would do lots of damage but often didn't pass through, which made tracking tough.

I've never had that problem with the 95 gr Ballistic Tips
 
Try the Remington corelokt, Winchester power points, and/or the federal fusion, and use whichever is most accurate through your rifle. I'd start with those three less expensive brands because they both work very well for deer; I've used the .243 corelokt to kill deer and it works very well, and I have friends who love the fusion. I suppose that Just about all of the soft point 90-100 grain rounds from the major ammunition manufacturers will work great.

I use the federal premium Sierra 165 grain gameking for deer because my rifle loves it, but I sure wish it loved a less expensive brand!
 
Last edited:
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top