Reloading .243 w/100gr Sierra GameKings

[ShooterSATX]

Has anyone got a good recipe for this bullet using IMR 4064 or Varget?

The rifle in question has a 1:10 twist and has not responded well to factory 100 grainers...it tends to like the smaller stuff.

I have a good load for the 80gr SBT but am looking to up the bullet weight for Deer. I feel pretty confident that the 80's will do fine on Deer.

I am just looking for a little more 'pop'.

Cheers,

Shooter

[FW Conch]

   Shooter, If you can't get the GameKings to come in you might try the 100gr. Pro-Hunters.  Sometimes,

for some reason the flat bases stabilize better !     Good Luck

[243dave]

I wish my 243's liked the gamekings, so I don't have any info on that bullet. Both of my 243 rifles seem to like flat based 100gr bullets better than the boat-tails. I believe a 1-8 twist would work much better on the long 100gr. boat-tails. Of course nobody makes a factory rifle with that twist. I've settled on 100gr speer grandslams for deer,very accurate, penetrates and expands very well. I will shoot deer at any angle with these bullets and not worry about not having a exit, it will be there. With 100gr bullets I've had better luck with slower powder then varget(I use varget with 70gr bullets)and imr 4064. I've had good luck with h-4831 and 100gr bullets. You might want to try 85gr gamekings if you can't get a 100gr bullet to handle good, lots of people brag on them for deer. Wish I could have answered your question,just thought I'd share my experiences with you.  Dave

[ShooterSATX]

Thanks Dave!

I currently have a good load for the 80gr GameKings (w/IMR4064)...less than .750 grouping. I was just wondering if that round is too light for Deer.

I personally think it is fine...heck I have my .223 loades with 65gr GameKings. I am very confident that I can put the bullet where it needs to be. My wife shoots the .243 and was just a little worried about her and the 80 grainers. I ordered some 100gr GameKings for her just in case.

My Savage (10FP LE2) .308 is punching .332-inch holes (@100yds) with GameKing 150's...I'll take that all day long!

Thanks,

Aaron

[243dave]

Aaron,  I assume you are talking about the 85gr hpbt gameking (not a 80gr gameking) if its actually 80grs its a varmint bullet. A lot of people like the 85gr hpbt gamekings for deer. I don't have any personal experience with'em, just read good things. Double check which bullet you have hopefully its the 85gr hpbt gameking.  Dave

[BBF]

I have used the 100 gr Sierra in several rifles. All shot well with H-4831. btw. that is a tough bullet, It penetrates mulies and just about exited a younger bull moose on a close shot. That particular bullet hit the shoulder blade going in, took of part of the spine and was stuck in the off side shoulder blade without losing the jacket.
I have seen and heard very good things with the 85 gr. HP's on deer.

[huntswithdogs]

100gr bullets in the 243, need H4831 or H414, in my and my rifle's opinion. Loaded right at or slightly under max with either powder gets me under an inch all day long. A bunch of whitetails have dropped with this load in my rifle. I've used both of the Sierra bullets with about the same results accuracy wise. My rifle does seem to like the flatbases better than the boattails, but not enough to matter. The Hornady offerings ain't bad either. I really like the 100gr RN.


HWD

[Ruskin]

I picked up my Hornady manual for 1996.  I found a load for 100 gr with Varget.  It used 35.00 grains.  I loaded 34.5 to see if my gun was going to print better than it had been doing.  It is a Ruger 1 Manlicher short barrel.  It was casting bullets back and forth in about a 2" group.  I shot it off the bench at 35 yards, almost one hole for two bullets.  I had the stock inleted and the forend floated.

When I got back, I look at a 2004 manual, and I found the load was 33.7 grains of varget.  I checked for pressure and saw none.  Looks like the manual was changed for some reason-legal liability?

I prefer Hornady.  I think I also will try Rem Cor-lok.

[FW Conch]

Sierra  6mm  .243
      80gr. Blitz Varmiter #1515 (BT)
      80gr. SPT SSP Pro-Hunter #7150 (FB)
      85gr. SPT Varmiter #1520 (FB)
      85gr. HPBT Gameking #1530 (BT)
      100gr. SPT Pro-Hunter #1540 (FB)
      100gr. SPT GameKing #1560 (BT)      Good Hunting!  
  

[Kurt L]

Just my 2 cents,I have a 243 that will put 3 shots you can cover with a dime at 100 yards with
speer 105gr.not much from 100 to 105gr mine loves H4350 you may give this a try if ya got some.
also mine does the same with Hornady 87HPBT with H4350.hope this is of some help to you.

[deltecs]

My Ruger RSI M77 Mark I with 18 1/2" barrel likes 42-43 gr of IMR 4350 or H4350 with Federal 210 or CCI 200 primers in R-P brass.  This load is at max and I don't recommend it for anyone without loading up to it first in their rifles.  I use 100 gr Sierra BT for over 25 years with this loading and has done dynamite service with absolutely no lost animals. Accuracy is extremely good using a Leupold 1x4 VariXII heavy duplex receptacle with all 5 shot completely covered with a quarter at 100 meters under various weather conditions consistently.  I'm still using handloads done over 15 years ago with the same results with this recipe. 

[ShooterSATX]

Dave,

You are correct the 80 grainers are the Varminter Round...I assume that means that they are 'frangible' and wouldn't be too tastey! I found a recipe in the Sierra Loading book that they recommend IMR 4064 for a hunting load (36.2 grains if I'm not mistaken). I was looking to see if this was a workable load as Istated before my wife's rifle (Mossberg 100 ATR) didn't fair too well with several factory loads with the 100 grainers. The rifle is a 1:10 twist and I don't see why they wouldn't work.

I guess I'll have to play around with it. I really like the GameKings because they do so well in my .223 H&R Ultra Varmint 2 (about .7") and my Savage .308 (150 grainers .332"). I also know that they perform really well on deer in TX and are lethal on the wild hogs (the .223 will put them in a pigs ear at 100yds (easily).

Thanks again for your inputs...I'll keep you posted.

Aaron

[Lloyd Smale]

ive killed a slug of deer with the 100 grain flat based pro hunters. I too have allways had better luck with accuracy with the flat based bullets and the jacket seems a tad tougher on them too.

   Shooter, If you can't get the GameKings to come in you might try the 100gr. Pro-Hunters.  Sometimes,

for some reason the flat bases stabilize better !     Good Luck

[Steve P]

My M77 .243 likes the speer 85bt or Speer 100 grainers both with near max doses of H4831.  Three shot groups at 100 are cloverleafs.  At 200, they nearly fit under a quarter.  I have some Nosler Partitions but have not tried them yet. 

My M70 WSSM .243 likes the Nosler 100 gr Partition and max dose of H4831.  All deer have dropped like rocks and no bullets or bullet material have been recovered.

Steve

[rickt300]

Just a thought. I have had several rifles that shot better with flat based bullets and every rifle when recrowned began to shoot just as well with boat tailed bullets. This was true with my 6MM Remington and I now occasionally use the 100 grain Gamekings in it but my favorite bullet for deer is the 95 grain Ballistic Tip.