Deer & black bear load please...

[ironglow]

  I have a .243 super light H&R..  Looking for a good load for whitetails & black bears..the seasons open simultaneously in southwestern NY State.
  I have a couple batches I loaded with deer in mind.. 
   
   Each starts with same bullet.......  Speer 85 gr BTSP #1213;
 
  1) 40 gr IMR 4895  not chronoed, but should do about 3050 fps
 
  2) 37 gr Varget, not chronoed but should do about 3000 fps.
 
      Are these loads adequate for both ?    What is your favorite load ?
   

[quickdtoo]

I haven't hunted with a 243, but if I did, I'd opt for a 95gr or 100gr bullet, one of my 243 Superlights shoots the 100gr Speer real good for the first two rounds, then opens up, hopefully the first well placed round will be all that's needed tho. 

Best of luck to ya,

Tim

[yooper77]

I strongly suggest a Nosler Partition for the 243 Winchester.
 
If you like 85 grains Nosler has it in a Partition, but 95-100 Partition would be my choice.

Not in a Handi, but T/C Encore and bolt action rifles, I only use IMR-4350 for 95-100 grain bullets with superb success.

yooper77

[Ranch13]

You have to be somewhat mindful of bullets under 90 grs in the 243 as many of those are intended as varmint bullets and won't penetrate very well on bigger stuff.
I've been using the 100 gr Hornady with either 4350 or h414 for close to 50 years now on everything from mice to moose.
Alot of 243 shooters are really happy with the Barnes 85 gr tsx bullets.

[parson48]

I've never hunted bears, but have taken deer with 100 gr. boat tail bullets from Hornady and Sierra.

Having admitted to never hunting bears, I'd likely opt for something bigger than .243 if I did.

[cwlongshot]

I have a number of loads, a couple use this bullet but none are this bullet and big game...
 
I much prefer the 100 Sierra or 100 Hornady bullet. If you can find some the 105 Speer... All launched with a stiff load of IMR 4350.
I might consider this bullet if I was antelope hunting at longer ranges. but as a specific long range loading...
I know the bullet has a following for its use on big game, I am not one of them. Don't get me wrong, Its an excellent bullet for a top notch maker, as long as its used within its limitations. It's splitting hairs, but conventionally built, (lead and copper) 243 big game bullets start at 90 grains.

CW

[ironglow]

Thanks guys;
  It gives me some "food for thought"..starting with a heavier bullet..and one built specifically for big game..

[BBF]

85 gr Nosler old style PT from a 240 Wby. Hammer of Thor effect.

[Sourdough]

Ironglow:  You really don't want to hear my thoughts on this subject.  But it does involve getting a 30-06.  Rog

I'm trying to be nice, let no one say I was not.  Rog

[petemi]

I just noticed a curious thing.  My .243 bear rifle is stamped .47-70 Govt on the barrel

Pete

[Sourdough]

OK, can't help myself, got to say this.  Ironglow please don't get offended.  Go to the last paragraph and I will give you my current thoughts.

A few years back I was visiting Tennessee.  The choir leader at Dad's church came over to visit.  Knowing I hunt a lot, and know something about guns, he wanted to get my advise about his gun.  Seems he was looking for a bullet that would kill a deer on the spot.  Every deer he shot ran off, and he lost half of them.  The ones he was able to find the bullets had gone through, leaving a hugh hole on the back side.  He wanted to know if a hollow point would do a better job.  I asked what caliber he was using.

Now you got to understand, I did not like this fellow to begin with.  It was a personal issue, that he had forgotten about, but I never will.

When he said he was using a .243, I looked him in the face and said, "First thing you need to do is get a legal Deer gun".  "Get rid of that little varmint shooter".  At that time Tennessee had a minimum caliber of .25 for hunting Deer.  He had not read the hunting regs very well.

OK, that said, now for my current view.  The Nosler 85 or 100 gr partition spitzer bullets would be my recommendation.  The heaviset bullets you can get for that caliber.  I have taken a couple of girls out using .243s for Caribou.  Somewhat larger than Whitetail or Mulies.  The Heart Lung shot was great, Bou ran about 50 yards and piled up.  The other sister made a neck shot, devastating amount of loss meat.  Her bullet hit the spine and totally spoiled all the meat on the off side of the neck.  High speed small bullets do that, when they hit something solid, at close range.  Better some meat distruction than lose the animal.  Throwing the Black Bear in there makes it a bit more interesting.  While the .243 will do it, make darn sure you do your part.  You won't have the bone smashing ability to drop it on the spot.  Advice, if a bear is standing there woffing at you, head on, don't shoot it with a .243.  Life could get real interesting real fast.

Yes, I've seen Grizzlies taken with .243s.  But the Griz had no idea the little lady was anywhere around.  And she made a broadside heart shot with surgical precision.  That griz ran over 150 yards before falling, even with a blown up heart. 

[ironglow]

  Sourdugh.   
  I have a good deer rifle stamped Marlin 336 30/30..but my H & R is so light and handy, I figured it would be a good compromise.  Now a griz with a .243 is not a good idea..but blackie isn't griz.
   I have no doubts concerning the 30/30 for deer & black bear..but Ilike a little challenge.  I don't expect to run into a blackie such as the 800+ pound bruin taken a bit south of here in Pennsylvania !

[Default_Required]

Iron the 243 should do good for you with the right projectile ,I'm with the other " heavy for caliber" guys... Go with a 100gr trophy bond/partition/inter-bond .. And for the bear side of it I cannot and wouldnt claim experience to counter what Sour has advised... The man lives in bear country and can't help but agree that if its a challenged encounter , then I would avoid it personally. Our blackies dont get as large as their cousins to the north but you did say New York and a quick search of N.Y. black bears brings up some pretty impressive weights for blackies killed in the state 600lbs being among them... Only thinking about your safety brother none of us want to hear that news report if you know what I mean.
 
 DR

[manatee1947]

A 95 or heavier should work OK for deer (especially smaller), would for antelope also. If you are a meat hunter and will take head and neck shots, that would up the odds, but if you are talking body shots, you had better be on the money. I bought a 243 handi originally for my grandson and downloaded it, but eventually opted to go to a 357 mag with 158  gr XTP load, and I am glad that I did. I will transfer him to the 243 in another couple of years if he can shoot well and pick his shots well. As for bear, I could not in good conscience call any 243 a "bear" load. KJ Bell reportedly killed hundreds of African big game animals, including elephant with a 7mm, but I would not try that. You have to measure the skull for bears , right??? You probably arent a big fan of bear meat , are you?

[cjrjck]

Have taken deer and hogs with a 243 and Barnes 85 grain TSX bullets. Have not lost one yet. Have yet to recover a bullet.

[Ranch13]

We dont' have alot of black bear, but my Dad did shoot one while we were elk hunting. He shot the bugger thru the shoulders with his 243 and the 100 gr Hornady bullets and we ate bear along with the elk meat that winter.
I know a couple of outfitters that do do bear hunts, and they think the 243 is just fine for black bear.
Don't know how much stock you put in paper numbers, but the 100 gr 243 bullet carries as much energy at 300 yds as the 30-30 does at 100, plus it has a better sectional density than either of the 30-30 bullets.
 

[spooked]

Use a varmint bulletuv about 60 grns.and alla powder it can handle. Shoot fer the earhole. Whatsamatter doncha wanna have fun anymore?..
Seriously , the heaviest good bullet ya can find!

[Spanky]

You'll be fine with the 243 buddy.   The only thing I'd do different from you is go to a Nosler Partition bullet.
It's about time they opened the southern zone for bears ain't it.
Happy shooting and good luck.
 
 
 
Spanky

[ironglow]

Spanky;
     Yes, I live in what is called the "southern tier" of counties that border Pennsylvania. For years, the 'bear line' only came to the southern half of my county..but they have moved that line northward a couple times in the last few years. 
   I'm in the far western area (9M)..where are you located ?

[Spanky]

Spanky;
     Yes, I live in what is called the "southern tier" of counties that border Pennsylvania. For years, the 'bear line' only came to the southern half of my county..but they have moved that line northward a couple times in the last few years. 
   I'm in the far western area (9M)..where are you located ?

 
I'm up in 4C about 45 minutes East of Albany.
They just opened bear season down here for us this year too.
 
 
 
Spanky

[ironglow]

Spanky;
     Yes, I live in what is called the "southern tier" of counties that border Pennsylvania. For years, the 'bear line' only came to the southern half of my county..but they have moved that line northward a couple times in the last few years. 
   I'm in the far western area (9M)..where are you located ?

 
I'm up in 4C about 45 minutes East of Albany.
They just opened bear season down here for us this year too.
 
 
 
Spanky

.......................................................................................
Spanky;
        Here's hoping you get a crack at one...

[cwlongshot]

Spanky;
     Yes, I live in what is called the "southern tier" of counties that border Pennsylvania. For years, the 'bear line' only came to the southern half of my county..but they have moved that line northward a couple times in the last few years. 
   I'm in the far western area (9M)..where are you located ?

I have property On the line of Sullivan and Ulster counties. Black bears have been around for many years. But we never saw them, occasionally a track, tree or stool. but in the past ten years or so they are here to stay!! They walk right down the road in the middle of the day!! We do not leave deer out overnight unless you WANT to donate it.
 
CW

[ironglow]

Spanky;
     Yes, I live in what is called the "southern tier" of counties that border Pennsylvania. For years, the 'bear line' only came to the southern half of my county..but they have moved that line northward a couple times in the last few years. 
   I'm in the far western area (9M)..where are you located ?

I have property On the line of Sullivan and Ulster counties. Black bears have been around for many years. But we never saw them, occasionally a track, tree or stool. but in the past ten years or so they are here to stay!! They walk right down the road in the middle of the day!! We do not leave deer out overnight unless you WANT to donate it.
 
CW

     00000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000
  CW;
  That's the way it's been here in Cattaraugus county for the last 6-7 years.  Before that, rarely seen although scat was observed often.

[Austin from NC]

a 100gr sierra gameking should do fine but you can't go wrong with a partition either. Good Luck

       Austin