243 for Turkey?

[davem270win]

Here in Pennsylvania, we can use rifles in the fall turkey season. I have a buddy who wants to use his 243, and is asking me to suggest a load. I'm thinking something like a Nosler partition in 85 grain, loaded down a bit. But I'm open to any type of reduced load.

[Questor]

I would be concerned with massive tissue destruction unless the bullet were particularly slow to expand and the velocity is dramatically lower than standard 243 velocities. There's so little meat on a gobbler that it seems easy to waste a lot of it with a 243. I've seen the 243 used with deer bullets on prairie dogs. Wheee! Very destructive indeed! It just blows them up or cuts them in half.

[JerryKo]

Here is a start.  I "googled" xmp 5744 243 and got Chuch Hawks site.  Give it a look.  http://www.chuckhawks.com/reduced_recoil_reloads.htm  On his site it says".243 Winchester - 80 grain Rem. PSP bullet, 25.5 grains SR 4759 powder, Rem. 9 1/2 primer, Remington case. COL 2.640". MV 2710 fps in 24" test barrel. MAP 51,300 CUP. (Based on the IMR Smokeless Powder Reloader's Guide, April 2004.)

.243 Winchester - 100 grain Speer BT bullet, 29.0 grains H414 powder, Rem. CCI 250 primer, Winchester case. COL 2.635". MV 2270 fps in 22" barrel. (Based on the Speer Reloading Manual No. 13.)"  It still seems like a lot for turkey.  Head shots only! Unless I was shooting across the corn field I would use a 22mag at most for turkey.  I live in PA also, but my wildlife unit does not allow rifles at any time for turkey.  I wish it did.
Good luck!

[jasonprox700]

I would use a bullet that holds together very well and does not expand much.  I have seen what a fast .22 centerfire does to a turkey with v-max and similiar bullets.  NOT a good combination if meat is your priority.  It will basically do to a turkey what it does to a prairie dog, just not quite as extreme. 

[beemanbeme]

If your friend isn't committed to making a head shot.  --not that easy-- then he really just wants to kill a turkey with a rifle.  If he's careful, he might have enough left to make a tail and beard display. 

[stimpylu32]

If it were me and had to shoot a bird with the 243 , i would go with a 60% load of H4895 and one of the FMJ bullets . at the reduced speed you stand a good chance that it will not BLOW UP like a P-dog .

stimpy

[flintlock]

dave...I killed 4 while in VA in the 80's with my .243...Like PA we could use them and the season ran during deer season...I used the 100 gr CoreLokts...Hit them where the neck joins the body and you won't destroy edible meat (unless you eat the neck)...They are pretty soft and its not like hitting a deer, the bullet doesn't open up that fast...

[huntswithdogs]

I've killed a couple with my 243 and shot themright at the butt of the wing. That kinda works out like Flint said. They just dropped and flopped. This shot will mess up the central nervous system,but not mess up the eating meat. I used my deer loads on these. I don't download on my 243 and it's stressed in most  reloading manuals not to.


HWD

[wncchester]

It isn't legal to hunt turkey with rifles here but my old .243 squirrel load should do great. 

A hard cast Lyman pill, 85 gr. #345496 GC Loverin style and allox lubed, over 12/2400 duplicates the trajectory of a  of a .22WMRF.  It makes a pretty mushy 1/2" hole with no other tissue damage in squirrels, head shots leave no walking wounded at all!

[Bill,SC]

Try a reduced load of Blue Dot(12-15gr).  The bullet will punch a hole and  there will be very little meat damage.

[manofthe45]

Accuracy not reduced load is gonna make the differance.  Stay away from BT's and fast aexpansion bullets.

[pagris]

davem270win:  I carry a .243 for fall turkey here in Maryland and have had good luck with the following loads:

105 gr. Speer SP  31.0 grains IMR 4064

105 gr. Speer SP  37.0 grains RL 19

My theory is a heavy bullet travelling at a modest velocity will exhibit modest expansion.  Although they are not reduced loads, they shoot quite well in my Browning BLR and tissue damage is very minimal. 

I have also experimented with IMRs SR4759 and 80 grain bullets as a reduced load and have gotten excellent accuracy with it, but I have yet to hunt with it.  I will add that SR4759 and the 105 grain Speer was not a good combination, as there were pressure problems and erratic accuracy.

[Woodbutcher]

 Dave, I asked this very question a year or more ago on this site. I was given the answers, based on claimed experience, that factory deer loads would work very well. Solid body hits put the bird down with minimal meat loss.                                                             Woodbutcher