243 Deer Bullet

I have loaded Sierra 100 gr. Semi-pointed soft points # 1550 bullets that I have to about 2700 fps.
Have not shot anything with them yet but penetration tests in jugs of water are more than a 30-30 with 170 gr bullets at 75 yards. I am sure they are going to work as well as the 30-30. I hope to see this fall.
I have also compared the 243, 100gr. SP to the 117gr. RN from the 257 Roberts at 2700fps. and I know they work.
I have sectioned many bullets and I have seen that heavy Sierra bullets have thicker tapered jackets that other bullets.
I have only just picked up some Nosler Partitions and will be trying them next year.

I have used lots of Sierra 85gr HPBT's and they are tough bullets as well. And to make them better slow them down a bit.
At 2900 to 3000 fps will still expand at 250 yds.
That's my thoughts.

David
 
Have posted this before a couple of times. Friend's wife with her first bear.

Heather's 243 bear.jpg

A single shot with factory Winchester 100 gr PSP. Pretty sure it would work on deer.

Ted
 

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The common statement is that 243 win is underpowered for deer, bear or any medium sized game, when compared to other calibers. I disagree completely. It is all riding on the guy behind the gun and the bullet selection. If you do your part, they never go far. 90 gr nosler ballistic tips and h4350 is devastating.

I'd say 243 win is my favorite cartridge of all time.

North
 
When a guy goes for a heavier bullet, it is always much slower - so try saying that you want a slower bullet that has the same energy. Can you say "My 75 grain bullet is going too fast - I'm gonna switch to 100 grain?"

The lighter bullet that explodes as soon as it hits will make a violent shock wave - whereas the heavier bullet gives up it's energy slower - maybe going 18" or even 24" on a diagonal through an animal before it has lost all of it's energy into the beast.

It is a compromise - and if it is a long-range shot, the heavier bullet may not be going fast enough to open up and do what it should. These fancy new bullets that are made to hold together through bone, sometimes do not give up all their energy before exiting.

I like lighter bullets going very fast - they blow up and send rib bits as shrapnel through the lungs like a hand grenade.

Remember that any energy that is left in the bullet when it ( if it) come out the other side is wasted.

I hunt near home so I don't need a blood trail - I can always find it. Granted, a deer with a 30 06 hole through both shoulders will drop faster than from a 52 grain 22 250 sp going 4000 fps, but I prefer to grind my burger in the kitchen.

If I am hunting in unfamiliar territory, I might go up to a 243 but maybe not.
 
I think there is a compromise or you could say pros and cons with any bullet. Light and fast can be great but what about bone hits? Heavy and slow can penetrate much better but if the bullet is too tough it may go through with out doing enough damage. How can one accurately predict the outcome when shooting an animal with bones throughout? I think a hunter just needs to pick the bullet that will perform reliably in most scenarios and even that is difficult to do. My brother in law has effectively killed deer at close range with a 222 loaded with ballistic tips. I don't want to use varmint bullets and have to wait for the perfect close range shot. Seems risky. I hope to kill a deer this year with only ONE shot and retain my one shot one kill record.
 
My friend and hunting partner this year has two Remington cor-lok 180 grain slugs recovered from deer he has shot. They mushroomed very nicely and needless to say, never went through.
I never would have thought that such a heavy bullet would not pass through.
Maybe bullets are like a box of chocolates. You never know what your gonna get.
 
Pick your velocity and shootin distance and then pick the bullet that operates effectively regarding those factors. And your shot placement/style of hunting. Long shots in open country, or brush busting.

My wife is deadly in deer with 95gr partitions.
 
I went hunting with two friends in Monday and Tuesday. So far I haven't had any shots at bucks but my friend lured two in with antler rattling. He shot 2. Me, nothing. Not sure if I'll get a chance to place a Federal Fusion where it counts.
 
thatmikeguy said:
Has anyone tried the Hornady interlock 100 grain?
From what I see here, it seems any 100 grain will do.
I'll have to visit Canadian tire to see what they have.
I don't want to try and make deer loads yet when the season is around the corner.
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I've been overall pleased with Hornady Interlocks for deer in many calibres and it is cost effective to reload. Accuracy is good, as is penetration. But for my .243...

...one very large buck I shot in the throat patch as he faced me at 100 paces and he hit the ground hard...but when I skinned his neck the entire bullet including the casing had pulverized on his vertebrae and while I like the fact that all energy was expended inside of him I didn't like that

...one buck hit broadside at 100 went 30 yards with a heart shot

...but one buck I shot in the chest at 150 led me on a blood trail much longer than I wanted to be on it

...I think that perhaps with a good bullet things would be much different for me...and others have had great success...with so many things that can go wrong in the field I don't carry it there any more and I wouldn't give it to an inexperienced shooter

...met a rancher's wife in Montana who used a .243 Win in a limited production run of Weatherby Mk V's who shot an elk every year with it and never lost an animal but she was picky

...wouldn't be my choice for a bear...not with those Hornady's
 
mbogo3 said:
The SST's will also come apart on bone.
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colonel3006 said:
I had very bad luck with a box of 30 cal 150 gr SST's. 2 different bucks I hit with them and both times the bullet never opened up and just pencil holed all the way through. The first 1 went well over 1000 yds and was claimed by another hunter on the next property. 2nd 1 went about half that distance but we did get him. I had used 165 gr SST's before with no issues so thinking I just got a bad box. After that I pulled the leads from about 3 1/2 boxes and reloaded them with Sierra btsp.
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Marshnasty said:
I just got some 80gr TTSX from Budget Shooter Supply. Gonna work up a load and compare them to the 95gr SST that blew apart a shoulder on the last deer I bagged.
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My experiences (and my son's) using SST's were not what I desired for terminal performance. Not taking away anything from those who do like them but we switched because for us these were too frangible. Used factory and then on to reloads. Similar to above quotes. Reload Nosler ballistic tips for load development but have not tried them in the field. I don't know how similar they are to the SST. Using accubonds now and much happier regarding fewer wound channels from pieces of bullet jacket. Less shrapnel in my experience on deer.

todbartell said:
The 95gr Fusion will work well, place your shot well and it will not let you down
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GMC403 said:
Just grab some Federal Fusion and go hunting.
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Couldn't agree more. +1 more for the Fusion for deer. Before reloading, we used these. More than enough accuracy for us and very good terminal results in my opinion. Well priced for what a hunter gets for performance.

Will be continuing more "field testing" later this week.:d

FWIW and good luck.

Regards
Ronr
 
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