Author Topic: "Fur Friendly" .243 Loads (Read 1311 times)

Swift One · « **on:** July 12, 2005, 02:59:42 AM »

My friend is shooting a Handi Rifle in 243 with 75 or 80gr TNT bullets. He does enjoy making quite the mess out of the local stray cats, G-Hogs, and other stuff, but he has come to the conclusion that the current load is probably not the most fur friendly one out there.

What would you guys recommend or have had good luck with as far as 243 fur friendly loads go? I am thinking something in the hollow point area and maybe 55gr. He wants to go with something in the Sierra line of bullets.

Cottonwood · « **Reply #1 on:** July 12, 2005, 03:40:59 AM »

Greetings

Check with the guys over at Predator Masters in the forum section.

Many shoot .223, 22-250 and .243 and know fur friendly bullets for shooting those Yotes.

Cottonwood · « **Reply #2 on:** July 12, 2005, 03:44:40 AM »

After posting this I found your post over there :-D

Graybeard · « **Reply #3 on:** July 12, 2005, 04:32:28 AM »

The ONLY thing that you can load in a .243 to even be remotely considered fur friendly is a FMJ bullet and if it tumbles or hits bone it too might take out the whole back side. A cast bullet at low velocity also might act like a FMJ.

Swift One · « **Reply #4 on:** July 12, 2005, 05:30:57 AM »

FMJs are fur friendly but are not an option for the open, flat human inhabited land that I shoot in. I understand that the .243 is not the top ranked as far as fur friendly goes, but some bullets do less damage than others. I guess that is what I am trying to find.

Cottonwood · « **Reply #5 on:** July 12, 2005, 05:45:58 AM »

A good Artical on Predatory Loads and saving or not saving the pelt.

According to the artical.........

Now I also found this from the loading bench: Reloading The .243 Winchester

Nice articals since I have a nice .243 Win with a mauzer action

cheatermk3 · « **Reply #6 on:** July 12, 2005, 11:26:41 AM »

I wonder how a vmax varmint bullet would do...it might explode inside the yote and not make an exit wound?

Graybeard · « **Reply #7 on:** July 12, 2005, 11:57:54 AM »

Quote

I wonder how a vmax varmint bullet would do...it might explode inside the yote and not make an exit wound?

Nope. They take out the entire back side and yup they do exit even the light ones. Full loads in the .243 is just too much of a good thing. Low velocity cast bullets maybe.

cheatermk3 · « **Reply #8 on:** July 12, 2005, 12:14:04 PM »

Well, I guess a guy could just hone in on his bullet placement, and stick one in wylie's ear or eyeball.

Swift One · « **Reply #9 on:** July 12, 2005, 12:31:08 PM »

Quote

Full loads in the .243 is just too much of a good thing. [/code]

:-D That's for sure!!!

Interesting reading Montanan. It looks like my friend is going to have to go with a game bullet or FMJ is he wants to save the pelts.

Mitch in MI · « **Reply #10 on:** July 12, 2005, 12:51:05 PM »

I take it he doesn't want to use a Barnes solid?

Cottonwood · « **Reply #11 on:** July 12, 2005, 01:39:28 PM »

Quote from: Graybeard

Quote
I wonder how a vmax varmint bullet would do...it might explode inside the yote and not make an exit wound?

Nope. They take out the entire back side and yup they do exit even the light ones. Full loads in the .243 is just too much of a good thing. Low velocity cast bullets maybe.

Graybread, you hit it right on the head there... using a V-Max is like using nitro. :biggun:

Swift One · « **Reply #12 on:** July 12, 2005, 04:04:58 PM »

Mitch,

I have had no experience with Barnes bullets. i don't know that much about them. I have had some excellent results with a number of different Sierra bulltes (SPTs, Blitzkings, and Blitzs) out of the Handis though. You know how it goes- once you find something you like, you tend to stick with what you know.

FYI- TNTs in a 243 is like serving your varmint some nitro also!! Crows=POOF, G-HOGs= SPLAT, feral cats= EXPLOSION, and Coons=INTESTINAL STREAMERS!!!

If a person wants to turn there .243 into a mass carnage weapon, get some TNTs.

aulrich · « **Reply #13 on:** July 12, 2005, 06:02:17 PM »

The closest bullet to fur friendly that I found was the 60 gr HP from sierra and thats because it was the first bullet that did not exit for me. But I only go one coyote and that was at about 50 yards I was expecting a mess but when I go there no impact crater or exit wound. If the head is 12 o'clock I took it on a slightly rearward 7 o'clock angle.

I had done some experimenting with reduced loads with blue dot (look it up on www.accuratereloading.com) accuracy wise they had good potential but I ran out of winter before I could use them and then I got a 204. My idea was to get some where between 22 hornet and 222 with the 55 gr BT, you don't need much steam when your calling 50 -100 yards is pretty much normal when it works

.

Paul5388 · « **Reply #14 on:** July 13, 2005, 07:56:19 PM »

I shot some 100 gr Rem core-lokt with 17.2 gr Blue Dot out of a 6mm at about 1900 fps. They grouped at <3/4" for 3 shots at 100 yards.

I haven't tried Blue Dot in my .243 Handi yet, but I have in another gun. It seems like I used about 16.0 gr with the same 100 gr Rem. The normal formula is 40% of the case capacity. When you fill the case to the top of the case mouth with Blue Dot and weigh that amount, multiply by .4 and that should tell you the amount to start with. The .243 is close to 40.0 gr total capacity.