factory 243 deer ammo

[todbartell]

Sure, vanilla soft points work. Hell I killed a mature 4pt mule deer buck with a 55gr Nosler BT @ 3800 fps, even exited on a broadside lung shot. However, when your bullet starts out at 100 grains it cannot afford to lose alot of mass, so a premium bullet gives a bit more insurance on a shot that hits heavier bone like shoulder.

I hope I am not off topic here when I ask if the Barnes 85 grain TSX would be a good choice in a deer bullet for a hand loader. It's the only TSX in .243. I like the TSX in general, but would be interested in opinions in this application.

TSX 85's will perform excellent, feel good about your choice.

 

[canadaman30]

One fact is for sure, if you can't kill them with a 100g softpoint eg. Rem. corelokt, Win. powerpoint, Fed. blue box than you sure the hell won't do any better with a "Premium" load. 40 years ago hunters never seemed to complain that the bullets didn't work, and the animals seemed to end up in freezers.

 

[Woodsman]

Premium bullets are great... for the company that sells them! For game, any old heavier for caliber cup and core standard bullet is more than adequate for deer, moose, and bear.

 

[rral22]

One fact is for sure, if you can't kill them with a 100g softpoint eg. Rem. corelokt, Win. powerpoint, Fed. blue box than you sure the hell won't do any better with a "Premium" load. 40 years ago hunters never seemed to complain that the bullets didn't work, and the animals seemed to end up in freezers.

Hell, I was THERE! (Anyone think that would work as a book title? Naww, probably taken already or something )

But I was, and I eventually started reloading precisely because of my experiences with bullet failure of both the over expanding type (remember the Remington Bronze Points?) and the failure to expand. The old .30-30 never once produced a bullet disaster, but once I moved to the .270, .243, and .300 Win types of rounds, I experienced some problems. Eventually I started loading just so I could get those premium bullets, and I have never had a reason to regret that choice since.

So, there were quite a few of us 40 years ago who were not always happy with the performance of the old stuff. I think much progress has been made in 40 years of bullet design, and I don't see any reason to not utilize that progress. Cost of hunting bullets in relation to the cost of hunting is such a red herring that I ignore it. I think premium bullets are just a smart way to go.

 

[todbartell]

Premium bullets are great... for the company that sells them! For game, any old heavier for caliber cup and core standard bullet is more than adequate for deer, moose, and bear.

now you can get deeper penetration and pick up 350 fps by dropping 20 grains of bullet. less kick too for you old timers

 

[gtrussell]

I like the the less kick part..

 

[canadaman30]

THERE IS NO NEED FOR PREMIUM BULLETS IN A .243!! How hard is this to get through to people? It proved itself long before there were "premium" bullets and it continues to do so. Today's factory ammo, even the cheap stuff is far better than we were getting in the 70's and still animals dropped.
It seems that today people always have to have the 3B's or you just can't get the job done. Instead of putting in the work required to do it, we'll just take a shortcut. Use a cannon and a $3 round on a deer. Next thing, you'll be using .338's on gophers, just to make sure they don't get back in their holes.
For heaven's sake, stop the insanity!!

X-2,..... Unless I see a deer wearing armor plating than I will stick with Corelokt. Or maybe I will need some 400g solids and my 450 for deer.

 

[Woodsman]

now you can get deeper penetration and pick up 350 fps by dropping 20 grains of bullet. less kick too for you old timers

Meh... none of which is significantly perceivable under 90% of hunting situations.

 

[todbartell]

Meh... none of which is significantly perceivable under 90% of hunting situations.

probably not but when that buck of a lifetime is standing quartering away at 280 yards at dusk on the last day of the season, a bit of insurance that your bullet will penetrate and do the job is worth the extra $$, at least to me

 

[arcstarter]

Personally I like the Winchester 100gr Powermax bonded for deer, $20 a box and works everytime

 

[2kjb2kjb]

243 with 100gr Federal Blue Box dropped my 6-point buck in it's tracks this year. Very happy with the pentration and the way the bullet held together. Last year I shot two bucks one with a 270WSM and another with a 300WSM...243 seemed to work just as well

 

[sir_springer]

Some years back I watched as a friend knocked down a relatively small whitetail with his 6mm, at about 60 to 70 yds. He was using 80 gr cup and core bullets by either Sierra or Hornady, don't remember which for sure.

To avoid meat loss, he went for the neck shot. The deer went down fast.

However...

The bullet completely disintegrated on impact, maybe an inch of penetration. Blasted a massive chunk of surface area into bloodshot burger. It was a rather shocking mess.

Lesson being, do NOT use exceedingly light weight bullets of average quality at high velocity on big game.

For the 6mm/.243 for deer hunting, stick with 100 gr bullets! Premium quality, such as Barnes, Nosler, etc...and, yes, Fusion...are always best bets.

 

[Woodsman]

The 80 grainers in .243 in cup and core are usually of the varmint variety. A very bad choice, indeed.

 

[rookie wildcat]

The 80 grainers in .243 in cup and core are usually of the varmint variety. A very bad choice, indeed.

+1. I saw a doe that a friend shot with a .57gn VMax molycoat. They were out yote hunting and saw her at 70yds, spine shot, DRT.
However; that does not mean that I advocate using that, even if the deer were standing there and it was open season, and she was broadside, and...
No where near enough bullet, (and I believe that light bullets can kill just as well as heavy, I use 150s when everyone tells me I have to use 165s at least)even with a guaranteed a headshot. It's just not right.
If I HAD to have that doe RIGHT then or my family starve, then by all means, headshot at 70yds, good to go. Regular hunting? NOT A CHANCE IN HELL DO I TAKE THE SHOT, there's another deer right here tomorrow and I'll come back and use a 100 grainer to invite her home for dinner.

 

[Ski911]

My buddy shot a nice little 4x4 buck with my Stevens 200 in .243 using Federal Power shock 100 grain soft point. It shocked him alright... limped about 35 yards and laid down. It just smashed through ribs and exited the other side with a looney sized hole.
They held good groups as well... should be all you need on deer out to 150 yards for sure.

 

[RememberTheSomme]

The .243 will get the job done with any of those 100grs at the range you speak off and a little beyond with all the humane aiming points we all know. Like Rookie Wildcat stated the varmint class should be avoided and also watch out for those quartering shots inside of 100yds where the rapid expansion and lack of over all energy to ensure penetration to the vitals, may leave you looking for a wounded deer . Especially if its a large body buck. The .243 is a heart/lung broadside , CNS, rifle for deer in my opinion. I used to hunt with one in the early 80s. Some of the people here who have used it of late with some of those premium solids like barnes etc may be able to enlighten me on quartering shots, as i have only used handloaded speers/sierras and factory Winchester PSPs many moons ago.