.243 factory ammo

[ChrisK]

Could I get some suggestions on factory ammo for a .243 encore pistol that I am picking up Friday?
Chris Kiefner

[Hafast]

I prefer Winchester.

[shot1]

Depends on what you are going to be doing with it. If just punching paper most anything will do. If you are going to deer hunt with it I would find something that had a 95 gr Nosler ballistic tip. For varmints something that has a 55 or 70 gr Nosler ballistic tip. Federal makes ammo with these bullets. But with the price of factory ammo you can get into handloading really quick then you can tailor your loads for the occasion.

[SD Handgunner]

The best shooting Factory Ammo I have used is the Federal Power Shok 80gr. PSP. Federal uses the 80gr. Speer Hot Core Spitzer Bullet in this loading. While I have not taken game with the Factory Load using the 80gr. Speer Hot Core Spitzer Bullet I have used that bullet in handloads to take a couple of Whitetails with a 15" .243 Encore. Bullet performance was excellent, complete penetration with exit wounds the size of a quarter. In handloads I was obtaining 2920 FPS with the 80gr. Speer Spitzer Hot Core using H-4895 Powder. I never did chronograph the Federal Factory Loads using the 80gr. Speer Spitzer Hot Core Bullet but they grouped about like the handloads.

I also had excellent accuracy using 95gr. Nosler Ballistic Tips loaded with H-4350 in the 15" .243 Encore at a muzzle velocity of 2717 FPS but again never did take any game with that load. I believe Federal loads the 95gr. Nosler Ballistic Tip in their premium line.

Federal Premiums loaded with the 70gr. Nosler Ballistic Tip averaged 3074 FPS from the 15" Encore .243, with amazing accuracy. Varmints fear this bullet.

Larry

[ChrisK]

Thank you. I will be mostly be using this for deer and the occasional coyote that runs through my back forty. I plan to do a lot of practice with this gun cause I have to get used to the long eye relief scope.

[basdjs]

80 gr. Winchester's shoot 1" at 100 yds. from the bench in my 15" barrel.  The fellow I bought it from was using his own loads with 87 gr. ballistic tips and got even better groups. He used it for deer and groundhogs. I haven't gotten around to shooting any whitetails with this particular barrel but I wouldn't hesitate at all about using it as long as it's a clear and responsible shot. I took several whitetails with my .243 rifle with 80 gr. bullets in my younger days.