Other factory deer loads for .243?

[Huntrap_MT]

I started out on deer with a .243 and many years later I am using the same old gun with the same old  100 gr factory load. Though the .243 has plenty of penetrating power for deer it does not open up a large enough bleeder hole useing 100 grs. The bucks here are big and rugged as the hills, and shots are made on the run out in the open plains, which means that the bullet may enter a little high, a little low, a little back, or a little forward. You don't get much of a shot opportunity out here, as the big bucks are almost always running away from you and not standing broadside for you in the bald prairie. Even though most shots end up a little off perfection, a larger bullet would eat a larger hole to the middle, thus bleeding out the animal quicker. However, those 100 grs are just to darn small to open up a big buck effectivley without clotting up soon after in a lot of "big buck" cases. So, What other factory loads can I buy that range larger than the 100 gr? Is there a certian type of bullet that would be better for punching wider bleeder holes? Please find me some larger bullets! If I didn't already have this gun and was starting fresh, I would consider a .25 caliber for sure.  However, I think I can turn this gun into a real "dandy" if I can just match it up with some more grs! Help!!!

Huntrap

[huntsman]

Huntrap,

You have made some very astute observations about bullet performance in the .243. You are obviously a thoughtful and careful hunter and know your quarry and weapon very well. That is to be commended in a hunter, as unfortunately there are too many who don't invest that kind of care and share that kind of passion for the sport.

You are obviously very fond of your .243 and it has evidently killed many animals for you. However, the fact that you are writing on this topic indicates that you may have discovered some dissatisfaction with the way the .243 bullets you are using are performing on deer. As I see it, you have two avenues of approach on this issue.

Option #1: Stay with the .243 and get a maximum performance bullet and load in commercial ammunition. You didn't specify what 100 grain load you are using, only that it was commercial. I assume from your post that you don't handload and are searching for a commercial load to meet your needs. Unfortunately, none of the commercial round offerings that I am aware of (indeed even bullets for handloaders) are offered in a performance-type bullet of more than 100 grains.

So, you are already on the high end of the weight spectrum for your caliber. All you can do is put more energy into the bullet (such as using a light magnum round) and/or use a premium bonded or partitioned bullet that will retain its form enough to punch through an exit hole. In your situation I would recommend both, and you still may not get an exit hole on a larger whitetail, especially with shots that hit more bone and muscle mass.

Going this route, my recommendations would be trying the Rem 100gr PSP core-lokt (I have used these for years in larger calibers for increased exit-hole performance), Fed 100gr Nosler Partition, Hornady 100gr BTSP LM (a light magnum load with more velocity), Speer 100gr Grand Slam, Win 100gr PP Plus. All of these rounds offer either a better-performing bullet (holds its form and penetrates better) or higher velocity (more bullet energy). None of them combine the two (velocity and bullet integrity), so to get that you will need to consult someone who does custom reloads, and that means lots of time and expense in most cases.

Option #2: Consider graduating from the .243 into a caliber more capable of handling your hunting needs. Here the territory is wide-open, as you are already near the bottom end of whitetail calibers in terms of terminal performance. From your description of hunting it sounds like you will need something that is flat-shooting for long shots and precise shot placement. If you are stepping up from the .243 and your primary quarry is whitetail or mule deer, you will probably want something that isn't overly powerful but will significantly increase your terminal performance on game.

There are many good calibers to choose from, but I would recommend getting a 6.5mm (.264") caliber or above for the same reasons you are moving up from .243 (better terminal performance and larger exit hole). The larger your caliber diameter, the larger weight bullets will be offered in commercial ammo, generally speaking. All of the calibers of 6.5mm up offer good selections of premium bullets of 140 grains or better, which I would highly recommend in your situation.

Personally, I would stay away from the magnum calibers with excessive power. It simply isn't needed on deer-sized game and shooting these cannons can get to be quite uncomforable. Get something you can shoot comfortably in a rifle you can handle easily. My personal recommendations would be any of the following: 6.5 x 55 Swedish, .270 Win, 7 x 57 Mauser, 7mm-08 Rem., .308 Win, .30-06 Springfield. All of these have good commercial ammo available and are proven performers on the range and in the field on game. None of them will beat you up on the range with the right rifle and load.

Whatever you decide, good luck on those monster MT whitetails! Sure would love to try my luck on those papasitos some day!  :grin:

[Dave in WV]

Huntrap, you didn't mention the ranges you are usually shooting your deer or what load/loads you have used. I use a .243 for deer at close range and I use 100gr Rem Corelokts. I have never recovered a bullet. My son has with the same load but only twice. Are you getting total penetration or not? With more info we may be of some help. Dave

[Dogshooter]

I used Hornady Light Magnums last year and took a pretty large bodied mule deer with my 243. Good terminal performance.

[foto]

Instead of looking for a larger bullet maybe you should be looking for a smaller one. Don't always use the .243 , but when I have I have used the Nosler ballistic tips and to say they are explosive is an understatement.
Try the remington 90gr BT or the Winchester 95gr BT(called something else). Punch a deer withg one of those and you will get a very large amount of blood and a sizeable exit hole. From personal experience I can say that a chest cavity hit will put any deer down in short order and leave a sizeable blood trail, including pieces of lung, liver etc depending on where you hit him. The BT in a .243 leave bigger holes than my .30-30 or 45-70 or 44. They also leave bigger holes then my 30-06 with soft points.
All my shots are under 100 yds, so that may have some effect. Take care.

[grouper sandwich]

To expand on what foto said, you may also want to try the Barnes X bullets.  I believe that Black Hills Gold factory loads them.  You can also probably get a local gunshop to custom load them for you.  I would try the 90 or 95 grain Xor XLC in the 243.  I shoot a 115 grain Barnes X in 25-06 and the results are devestating, to say the least.  ALWAYS an exit and usually tons of blood to follow when hit in the chest.

[Huntrap_MT]

huntsman, thanks for the good words. Yes, I do put much thought into the game I persue, as I am very thankful that I can persue them!  And it is true that too many hunters don't invest enough thought and care for the animals they hunt, in fact, the vast majority of the "hunters?" in my area don't give one respectful thought to the animals they point thier gun at at all. The idea here, is to empty your gun on a buck no matter if it is on the dead run at 300 yards or running over the horizon, and hope that at least one of the bullets strike a part of the animal to put it down long enough to close the distance, so more rounds can be put in it. To add to that, not that many even get out of thier pickup to shoot at a buck. That is sad,  :cry:  but there is no education in respectful hunting nor is there much education about the animals they hunt here. We also do not have game law coverage in much of our state and anything can and is done when pursuing animals with guns.  :x   In our NE corner, we have only in recent years, had a game warden serving the area, but he still has to serve such a huge area that even 3 dozen wardens wouldn't be effective enough. Oh well, every state has something wrong with there hunting systems I am sure. Anyway, my .243 is the famously accurite model 788. I have found this outfit to be very accurite and very deadly in most, favorable circumstances, however, I have had too many of those big and unimaginably tough, bucks get up and take off again!  :shock:  When that happens I am very sickened, not just because the big one got away, but also because a great animal ran off to die somewhere, I hate that! Also, my gun has killed many deer for me and has got me through a lot of years for substinance provisions. The gun shoots great, has countless deer to it's credit, and it is user friendly. I would sure love to keep a hold of it for a long time to come, as I am not one to give up a good gun just like that. However, if I have to put up with any more of these big boys travelling off so far before expiring or clotting up to soon, then for the games sake and I, a new outfit will be gotten. I prefer to stay with a "smaller" gun no larger than .25 caliber. I own a model 721 in 30.06 also, but I personally am not fond of such large guns for deer. So, I would very much like to use a lighter outfit, but one that will open up a little larger hole. I have thought a lot about the 25.06 and may just go ahead and cave in, but what will I do with my poor .243? How could I just keep it in the gun cabinet all the time or sell such a great gun? But the animals first, I say. My shots are usually within 100 yards and I never like to shoot at a deer past 250 anymore. Before I ditch my game getter, what larger grained bullets could I get custom loaded for it? I am already useing 100 gr Remington Corelokts, and when I make that perfect hit, I get good penetration, however, it only takes a hit being off just a enough from the main portion of the vitals on the real big bucks and it may not do the job immediatly. A lot of these bigger bucks are just too darn tough, to where a guy should really have a  lot of shock value from your round to put them down, I am guessing. Like I said in my first post, I think my main problem with these large bucks is that the bleeder hole(s) are too narrow and will clot up to quickly from my observations. regardless of what outfit I decide to go with for deer, I still have to use my .243 one more season and will have to try a bullet suggestion from one of folks. Thanks for all of your suggestions, and I still would love to hear more words from all of you, since I explained my situation a little more.

Huntrap

[grouper sandwich]

If you're going to have custom loads done then definately have some loaded with Barnes X, 95 grain.  I know that that is actually smaller, but it hits bigger on game.  Since it's made of solid copper it retains 100% of original weight and ALWAYS exits.  It peels back into 4 razor sharp petals that spin as it goes through the animal creating a devestating wound channel and a tremendous amount of blood.  A Barnes X in 95 grain is going to give you the performance of a much larger bullet.  I would defiantely give it a try before shelving Old Faithful.  Here's a link to browse at.

 http://www.barnesbullets.com/

[Dave in WV]

Federal Premiums are loaded with 100gr Nosler Partitions. I personally know a woman that got a cow elk with a M600 Remington .243 using this load. She shot the elk on the run at around 200 yards and dropped it. Remington loads Premium Core-Lokt 100 gr ammo that has a bonded bullet and there is a Rem. Premium 90gr Scriocco load too. Dave

[huntsman]

Huntrap,

You don't say why you prefer to stay with the lighter caliber gun rather than shoot your .30-06. Is it the individual rifle, its handling, weight, smoothness, etc.? Or is it the shooting characteristics, like recoil, muzzle blast, accuracy, etc.? If it is the individual rifle issue, consider swapping the one you have and don't like for one that is smooth and feels right. If it is the shooting characteristics, experiment with some lighter bullet weights in the .30-06 (assuming you haven't already). They can sometimes make a big difference in recoil and accuracy. For example, Winchester, Remington, and Federal all make 125-grain loads in .30-06 which should reduce recoil quite a bit and shoot flatter than the popular 150-180 grain loads. You will probably have to order this ammo, as it is not normally stocked on sporting goods shelves, but it is available.

I know secondhand the sickening feeling of losing a deer that you know was shot well, but ran off and didn't leave a blood trail. On a couple of occasions this has happened to my relatives using the .243 with 100-grain factory loads. Better bullets can improve this situation by providing an exit hole, but it's most likely not going to be a whole lot bigger than what you are getting already with 100-grain core-lokt bullets. The .243 can be a very deadly caliber, as many have attested to already, but it leaves a lot less margin for error on shots (such as those off the mark and at tougher angles) and does not provide what I consider to be enough bullet weight to punch through heavy bone tissue with sufficient authority.

There are certainly no guarantees that any caliber will put down a deer 100% of the time, but increasing bullet diameter and weight certainly adds a significant degree of certainty and much more margin for error on angled/running shots on large deer. You reiterated your concern for a larger diameter wound that will not stop up or clot up. A larger diameter bullet (i.e., larger caliber) is the only way to increase wound diameter outside of differences in bullet performance. And increased bullet weight will add knockdown power and penetrating ability to any load.

One more thing: If you can't bring yourself to "retire" your .243 rifle, you might want to consider rechambering/rebarreling it to a larger caliber, such as the 7mm-08 or the .308. These are short-action calibers that will work with your extisting action. Both are fine calibers and will add a lot more punch for those monster MT whitetails. That way you can keep your favorite rifle and have more power, too. It probably wouldn't cost as much, or not much more anyway, than buying another rifle. Just a thought.

[Huntrap_MT]

grouper,  those Barnes X 95s sound like the kind of bullet I am looking for! Do they maintain good accuracy though? I believe that it is not totaly nessacary to have a wide bleeder hole to kill an animal effectively, as chewing up the insides will do just as well or better by internal bleeding and also damage to more inward parts! So, if I can get a bullet that will open up and retain it's size and weight while cork screwing its way through, I think we may have something here, it is definatly worth a try anyhow. I just checked out the Barnes X site and read about the XLC and the "X" S and if they are correct, then they would fit bill.

huntsman, I prefer to stay with a lighter caliber rather than anything at .30 caliber or larger, because the lighter calibers are easier on the ears, allow you to keep your steady all the way through the shot, and the flatness is outstanding! I also like to save as much meat as I can, if I hit them a little off target, which does happen at times. My .243 has such little recoil, that I actually don't even remember if it even has enough for me to notice any. Now who wouldn't enjoy shooting a gun like that? Shooting a little gun like the .243, allows a man to concentrate on his extremely important shot, rather than splitting his concentration with the shot and the gun! I don't think I would go through the fuss of rechambering my .243, as the gun itself does not mean quite that much to me, but the idea of letting it sleep in the rack is what I don't like, cause it is still a fine gun. I guess I could turn it into a coyote gun if I find a good round that is easy on the fur. I call a lot of coyotes in the winter for adding extra pelts to my trapline catch and I use the .243 for doing so, but I need to find a proper bullet to allow me to use this gun for fur and retire it from deer, but that is for another post. I think after this year I will definatly go for another caliber for deer and I will dedicate the .243 for coyote work.

I do understand that the .243 is a very deadly round on deer (I know), but I also know that it may not be quite enough on the type of deer in my area when the ideal mark cannot be hit.  So I will try the Barns KLC or the "X" S loads and see if that don't give me a little success on these tough old bucks. Thank you all for your advice, it helped alot!  :wink:

Huntrap

[grouper sandwich]

Hunt, the Barnes are extremely accurate and have a superior ballistic coefficient than a comperable weight bullet of another brand.  No other bullet shoots better out of my 25-06 than the Barnes-X.

[Danny Boy]

Huntrap:

I am in the exact situation as you with my .243 shooting Remington 100 gr Core-Lokt. I too enjoy shooting my rifle and have not encountered any problem as yet.  Using the smaller caliber rifle over the years, I have learned to make the perfect shot or else I wouldn’t pull the trigger.

As a general rule, I don’t shoot deer outside of 200 yards with my .243. I rather take my time and get closer. It is more exciting stalking a deer in my view. The .243 is also being used for hunting coyotes.

I also have a .270 that I use for mule deer or elks as well as a backup rifle. But for whitetail, it is the .243. At times I have problems explaining why I am so attached to the .243. I just love that rifle.

Danny Boy

[olyguy12]

I received a 788 in 243 for my 8th grade graduation. And as you know that gun has been out of production for almost 25 years now. So I've enjoyed it for quite a while now. I've shot 100 grain Hornady spire points and boat tail spire points with great consistantacy. I did use Speer 100 gr SPBT, but didn't have the accuracy. I also tried Nosler 95Gr partition, but they had a too controlled expansion and did not blow up well on light animals like deer and antelope. Exit wound very small. For the past couple of years I've been using Remington factory loads. They have been working fine but both shots were under 100 yards. Two years ago I also thought I needed a larger gun and did not research it as much as the ego wanted something big. Ended up with a 300 WinMag. I did shoot a deer with it the first year, but still have not shot a box of shells through it. After shooting it the first 5 times and thinking my arm was going to be tore off I found the 7mm-08 data and think that would of been a much better gun. In fact I would get one, but the gun cabinet is already full. But I have a plan. In only four years my step son will be 12. Legal age in Nebraska for deer.  :?