Bone smashing .243

Avoid the Ballistic Tips or any frangible round, simply because of failure to penetrate.
Soft point 100 gr bullets plain and simple.
You said two different reasons for taking these animals down: Export and then later, private use, stocking the cold room. Which is it?
 
G'day.
You said two different reasons for taking these animals down:.....Which is it?
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The target market is export, but the highest bidder gets the beast (be it restocking or the domestic market). A few get consumed on the farm. It's just like the Dairy farmer that uses some of the milk produced on his farm.

I was on the property last weekend as a beast was shot and butchered. The shot hit a little lower and off center from its intended point of impact. Just above and to the left of the animals right eye. The head was up and facing us. It dropped on the spot but was not killed outright. A second shot was used from a few inches away. All I know about the ammo used is that it was factory loaded Winchester PSP (.243)
 
As was posted, our butcher here uses a .22lr and makes an X lining up the eyes and ears and they drop like a rock.
I would just figure out your most accurate load and go with that. cows die easy when hit in the right spot. A hammer blow to the head works fine ,so why wouldn't any 243 round.
 
I'm assuming these are range cattle, so I doubt he can walk up and screw a .22 in their ear unless you want to see an Aussie version of the running of the bulls.
 
Daryl...For what it's worth, the Partition PENETRATES before it expands.
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I agree...in most cases. From what I've seen and experienced, the tip expands fairly easily, and the base pushed through.

I've seem too many recovered Partitions to be convinced that the tip would penetrate any kind of heavy bone when pushed over 3000 fps. My loads in my .243 are closer to 3100 fps with a 100 grain bullet.

And if you read my post, I didn't disagree with using Partitions. They're good bullets, but I believe the Grand Slams by Speer to be better for deep penetration through bone and such.

I write from my own experience; your's may vary.

Daryl
 
Unless you know your .243 can handle 100gr bullets, stay away from them. Many .243s puke all over themselves, when you stick almost anything in the 100gr range in the chamber. The 85, 87, and 90 grain projectiles are usually a better choice (and 87gr is what the cartridge was designed around).
 
No doubt your 100% correct on knowing what that .243 will handle. Lots of them do not have the correct twist for the heavier grain. My wifes does, and that is why we got it, and tryed a few differnt ones thru it like you suggested. Hers handles the 100 grains great, but you are correct on trying a few differnt ones, because lots of them wont be very accurate with the heavier grain. It is good that you pointed that out. Lots were made with a twist for a lighter bullet so it could also shoot the varmint stuff well also.
 
In case you guys didn't notice, he mentioned shooting brumbies. We call them Mustangs over here. I know there has been an ongoing problem between cattle ranchers shooting wild horses and the horse lovers up in Nevada...
 
Hey skulls, use the 100gr Hornady Interlock. It has been a huge success in my .243 over the years. Quite a hardy bullet.

Want receipes let me know ill e mail them.
 
Could be that for whatever reason, the 6mm diameter is more sensitive to twist rate? My 1:10 doesn't seem to do well with 100-grain. Okay, maybe a 1:9 would be the answer. I dunno for sure.

I guess the question for those having success with 100-grain bullets as to group size is, "What's the twist rate of your rifle?"
 
Since your second shot required experience was do to shot placement rather then bullet performance see which bullet is the most accurate in your rifle and go with that.

Any of the three will penetrate a cows skull from a .243, even at a 100 meters. So I'd look for accuracy.
 
I'm sure I'm in the minority here, but being as the .243 will be traveling at almost 3k or more, will have a solid lead core, and will have the momentum of an itty bitty freight train trapped on turbo speed, i don't think that ANY bovine, when hit on bone that has brain behind it, is going to survive a hit from any size bullet. The impact is going to drive splinters into the tissue and the shock from that impact would be enough to induce a brain bleed, even if there was no penetration of lead into the actual cavity. Any cow type animal, when hit in the brain pan, should go down just as if it was hit with an 8 pound hammer swung by a burly rancher. If you don't see spray, by all means, follow the shot up.
 
Art- ill have to check the twist in my .243 but the bullets shoot great on paper and perfrom well on any animal i have taken.

No evidence of high pressures or key holing.

I get them doing about 2900fps at the muzzle.
 
G'day.
I E-mailed somebody in town that I know does a bit of reloading. He may have a few projectiles I can try. He will get back to me soon with options (make and model).
 
G'day, I'll be going to pick up a few projectiles this weekend. The choices now are.

Sierra 85 gr
Hornady 87 gr
Sierra 100 gr and
Hornady 65 gr V-Max.

I am keen to try the Sierra as I have their manual.
 
With the Vmax, I'd try to keep those rounds as tight in on the brain as I could. they are not meant for large critters, and they will fragment on bone.

If you don't feel certain about hitting brain, I'm pretty sure that they could sever spine.
 
For the criteria you listed any of the three choices will work fine.

Side of the head in the ear was a good suggestion, but certainly don't hesitate to put it just high of "between the eyes" either.

For what it is worth I have put down more than a few with a 22lr and 38 specials in pistols.

With the 22 (if possible) you want to shoot them in the back of the head in the soft spot just under the boney protrusion. Avoid the between the eyes because I have on occasion not had the 22 get through the nasal passage (between the eyes) and penetrate to the brain.
This causes a bloody nose and a hurt, mad cow.
Not pretty.
 
Partitions and Grand Slams would work, but they are pricey bullets.

All of Speer's bullets have a good reputation of penetrating deep, due to the process they have of bonding the jacket to the lead. I would believe that Speer's new DeepCurl bullets would do the trick, since that is exactly what it is designed to do: penetrate deep and then expand. And they are much more affordable than the Grand Slams.

Even more expensive would be bullets from Barnes, or the new Hornady GMX, both of which are totally lead free, and penetrate super deep. They would probably give the best possible penetration in bone, but would also cost the most.

The Hornady Interlock is a less expensive bullet, that has a good reputation for penetration. Its Interlock design helps keep the jacket and core together. They make both a standard Soft point 100 gr Interlock, and also a Boat-tail Soft point 100 gr Interlock that would do a good job at reasonable cost.

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The Hornady VMAX bullet is designed to kill little thin skinned varmints like prairie dogs, marmots, and coyotes. It would offer very poor penetration ability.

If the person making these recommendations to you included the VMAX, then I would seriously question their judgment and knowledge.

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