Really depressing. I put one today right behind the shoulder of a beautiful buck at 50 yards with my 243 loaded with 39 grains of imr4350 and the Serra game king 100 grain bysp. The deer took off like I missed ran about 300 yards and fell over. He ran into a guy's posted property and would not let me pick up my deer. Hope he enjoys the meat. Ugh. I am switching to my 30-06 I thought the Serra game kings were good bullets. Am I wrong, do something wrong? Advice?
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Serra btsp for 243 deer hunting
- Thread starter Dano4734
- Start date
Sierra bullets are way behind the times in hunting bullets, IMO.
They do make some very good target bullets though
I stopped using them in the mid 70s and have never looked back....for the same reason as you.
Lost 4 solidly hit deer back then due to poor bullet performance.
You should consider switching over to the 90 gr Accubond. They are deadly.
They do make some very good target bullets though
I stopped using them in the mid 70s and have never looked back....for the same reason as you.
Lost 4 solidly hit deer back then due to poor bullet performance.
You should consider switching over to the 90 gr Accubond. They are deadly.
Sounds like the bullet didn't exit. The 243 is a little small and unforgiving. Perhaps the shot placement wasn't as ideal as you thought?
My son shot a small mule deer at about 100 yds with a 7mm Mag several years back. I watched him run about 100 yds before he fell over dead. He had a sizable exit hole and a substantial blood trail. Shot placement was a little high and back (lung). Guess they can travel a good bit with a hole in the lung.
My son shot a small mule deer at about 100 yds with a 7mm Mag several years back. I watched him run about 100 yds before he fell over dead. He had a sizable exit hole and a substantial blood trail. Shot placement was a little high and back (lung). Guess they can travel a good bit with a hole in the lung.
CarJunkieLS1
New member
A friend of mine does gel testing of rifle calibers commonly used for deer hunting. Across many bullet diameters and velocities the Sierra Game Kings are the worst performers of them all.
He only tests common cup and core bullets.
The best across all calibers has been Speer Hot-Cor. Followed by Hornady Interlocks and then Sierra.
He only tests common cup and core bullets.
The best across all calibers has been Speer Hot-Cor. Followed by Hornady Interlocks and then Sierra.
I would refer you to read the 243 Win article in the knowledgebase section.
www.ballisticstudies.com
www.ballisticstudies.com
VoodooMountain
New member
It’s hard for me to blame Sierra. They’ve been in business for decades for a reason. I haven’t seen too many deer run more than 100 yards shot with any kind of bullet. Even a fmj through the heart/lungs would drop an animal within 100-200 yards.
Sierra bullets are designed to be frangible and often with a stout jacket .
Speer are much softer but hold together better.
Hornady isn’t as soft as speer and not frangible, so it’s in between the two.
Most people shooting these bullets into media decry the game king because they don’t see that mushroom we’ve all been told is perfection. Sierra bullets are made with a different philosophy and they work well for many circumstances including the op’s.
Sierra bullets are designed to be frangible and often with a stout jacket .
Speer are much softer but hold together better.
Hornady isn’t as soft as speer and not frangible, so it’s in between the two.
Most people shooting these bullets into media decry the game king because they don’t see that mushroom we’ve all been told is perfection. Sierra bullets are made with a different philosophy and they work well for many circumstances including the op’s.
In my 65 years on earth I never had to chase a deer but I can now check that off my bucket list. I will just consider myself to blame but not use these bullets again just for my piece of mine. Also it's the first time I used a 243 on deer. Oh well it's hunting not shooting stuff happens
mikejonestkd
New member
Sorry to hear that you lost the deer.
I have had good results with 95 gr NBTs and similar bullets in the 243 win. Over 20 satisfied 'customers' with none going more than 50 yards after a good hit.
I am guessing that you had a bullet that held together too well - and did not expand, or perhaps you hit the deer too high.
The '06 ought to do the trick for you, happy hunting
I have had good results with 95 gr NBTs and similar bullets in the 243 win. Over 20 satisfied 'customers' with none going more than 50 yards after a good hit.
I am guessing that you had a bullet that held together too well - and did not expand, or perhaps you hit the deer too high.
The '06 ought to do the trick for you, happy hunting
With respect to the many that use smaller calibers, my position has always been the smaller calibers require stout bullets to perform like the big boys. In 308, 30-06, and 7mmRM, I've had excellent results with Hornady, Speer, and Sierra cup and core. My own minimum is a 6.5 Grendel with 123SST
reloader28
New member
If that guy didnt let you pick up your deer, then the game warden needs to be visiting him. After a nice hefty fine for wasting a game animal I bet he would change his mind.
Around here, no matter how someone feels about it, they have to let you retrieve your animal or they get fined for wasting.
Around here, no matter how someone feels about it, they have to let you retrieve your animal or they get fined for wasting.
Deer that I've shot behind the shoulder nearly always ran. Never had one run 300 yards tho. They ran 15 to maybe 50 max. Whether with a .243 (85 gr Speer BTSP w/45 gr IMR 4831 or 130 Ballistic tip in the .270) the .270 does seem to put them down faster.
BUT, I don't expect one to drop in his tracks shot behind the shoulder, don't usually work that way. Brainpan, backbone or neck bone are the only sure thing to drop a buck in his tracks. Bigger bullets always seem to work better when placed properly.
BUT, I don't expect one to drop in his tracks shot behind the shoulder, don't usually work that way. Brainpan, backbone or neck bone are the only sure thing to drop a buck in his tracks. Bigger bullets always seem to work better when placed properly.
603Country
New member
When shooting deer, sometimes the unexpected happens. I shot one this morning, right behind the shoulder. She ran, but didn’t drop. No problem, i’ll drink my coffee and then go find her. Went to where she had been standing, and no blood. That’s odd. I knew the path she took and where she entered the woods, so I walked that area. Not a drop of blood. Went to the edge of the woods. Found one tiny drop. Marked it with toilet paper. After a while I found another drop and marked it. She ought to be pouring blood, but scarcely any on the ground. Found several more drops and marked them with tp. Now I had a path and a direction. Finally found a big drop and then some on a bush, and finally found the doe. Took most of an hour. The entry and exit wounds were both very bloody. Blood everywhere near the doe. How did she get here from there, bleeding like that and dropping hardly any blood? Danged if I know.
Thank goodness for TP for blood trailing.
Rifle is a Tikka 260, with 120 gr Nosler BT’s. Been using it for years, with no failures, but this never happened before. Not the bullet’s fault. Has to be my fault on bullet placement, which from the in and out holes was good but I must have barely nicked the lungs.
Thank goodness for TP for blood trailing.
Rifle is a Tikka 260, with 120 gr Nosler BT’s. Been using it for years, with no failures, but this never happened before. Not the bullet’s fault. Has to be my fault on bullet placement, which from the in and out holes was good but I must have barely nicked the lungs.
Don Fischer
New member
Sierra match bullet's are, for me, good as it get's. Gave up on Sierra hunting bullet's in the very early 1970's. Much to soft and blow up badly but, do make a real mess inside an animal if they get in there! I've read the pro hunter is a good hunting bullet but don't know. For hunting big game, I use only Hornady cup and core bullets and in over 40 yrs have never been let down one time.
I have killed three deer with a 243 and tend to be a bit skeptic of it on big game. But all three dropped right there and a whole lot of other' have had great result's from the 243. I think the secret is the bullet you use and how you place it! I thik if I was to use one on deer again, I might as I'm old, I'd go with a min 87/90gr bullet designed for hunting big game.
I have killed three deer with a 243 and tend to be a bit skeptic of it on big game. But all three dropped right there and a whole lot of other' have had great result's from the 243. I think the secret is the bullet you use and how you place it! I thik if I was to use one on deer again, I might as I'm old, I'd go with a min 87/90gr bullet designed for hunting big game.
"...the bullet didn't exit..." Has nothing to do with it. The bullet's energy was expended in the carcass. That's a good thing.
It might have been a marginal hit though. Either way you should have immediately called the local CO's about the guy refusing to let you get your deer. As it is, in most jurisdictions, he's illegally in possession of the carcass. He has an obviously shot dead deer for which he likely has no hunting licence. Where you are matters, of course.
Oh and deer will run even when hit by any .30-06 bullet.
It might have been a marginal hit though. Either way you should have immediately called the local CO's about the guy refusing to let you get your deer. As it is, in most jurisdictions, he's illegally in possession of the carcass. He has an obviously shot dead deer for which he likely has no hunting licence. Where you are matters, of course.
Oh and deer will run even when hit by any .30-06 bullet.