.243 predator bullets??!!

[Del]

After years of having various makes & models of .223's for coyotes etc., I've purchased a .243 Ruger Compact to act as a combo predator / deer rifle (wanted one rifle to do both since my daughter is now ready to go deer hunting w/me! :-)

My question to all the predator hunters here is:
What .243 bullet do you recommend for coyotes etc.??

I want a bullet that will put them down quickly, yet won't always leave exit holes the size of a softball.  

I'm hoping to reload a 55 grn - 70 grn bullet for coyotes etc., then switch to something like a 100 grn Nosler Partition for deer season.

Any information you are willing to share would be greatly appreciated, especially what has worked for you on critters while hunting!!

Thank you,
Del

[victorcharlie]

Most of the 87 grain bullets and below are pretty explosive.......You might be better off with a hundred grain deer bullet that expands a little slower than the light, fast, thin skinned varmit bullets.......I love the Sierra 85 gn. BTHP.  They are very accurate in my rifle and will absolutely vaporize a crow....but they leave a fist size exit wound on deer at ranges less than 100 yards....there again I was loading them hot, and you might try a reduced load......I have no experience with reduced loads and .243.........You might also try loading the 55 grain as fast as possible and hope it doesn't exit......but I doubt it.......The .243 might not be the best round for fur........

[Graybeard]

Check out the Hornady and Nosler plastic tips. You'll find a 55, 58 and 65 grain bullets in the BT and V-MAX line ups. All are great choices. You can run them at unreal velocities and they are super explosive and most likely will not exit on coyotes.

[aulrich]

The 243 is not the best predator gun, if you want to keep the fur, but the 60 gr sierra HP show some potential.  This winter I have taken 4 coyotes and they were all under 100 yards.  3 were with 75 gr Hornady hp and only one was with the 60 sierra so it is not big of a sample size.  One coyote was so torn up it was not salvagable (75 gr).  I was so disscoraged that I bought a handi in 204 rugerbut I ran out of time before I could use it .  

But on the last trip out with the 243 I gave the 60's a try. I took the coytoe at 50 ish on the full run. When I walked up to it I was expecting a big mess. To my surprise there was no exit wound.  I hit it in the gut angeling toward the lungs. As far as I could figure the exit wound would have been middle of the ribs.

At that range there should have been either an exit wound or an entry crater (supposidly a  problem with all plastic tip bullets).

[cj5]

What is the difference in the point of impact on a target when switching from 60gr to 100gr bullets in the .243.

Thanks

[zapper223]

My cousin who hunts coyotes with me uses I believe 55grain but may be 50 nosler ballistic tips. And as graybeard said except on very close shots haven't had an exit . Very accurate in his handi. As to the POI difference the only way to find out is to shoot the different loads in "Your gun"  .  There will almost without a doubt be a shift in POI between the loads you specified, how much waits to be seen . I have a .270 that will shoot 130 grain win. p.p.  1"@ 100 yd group all day, put any other brand ie: rem., fed. big difference. The win.'s patterned the best and I had the bruised shoulder to prove it,  I tried many different loads, just shouldn't have done it in the same day.LOL
                                                    Good-Luck,
                                                        zapper :-)

[kenscot]

The winchester 80gr sp has proven to be the the most accurate in my gun so far. Punched one through a coyote two weeks ago, knocked him off is feet, golfball size exit wound . I'm not to worried about the hide.

[bigjeepman]

I use 65 gr Hornady Vmax bullets in my .243 for yote hunting most of the time along with the 60 gr Sierra HP, 70 gr Nosler BT, and the 80 gr Nosler BT. First, I do not save fur. Secondly, I use the loads/bullets that are my most accurate for good, clean kills. My best 200 yard groups have come from the 65 gr Vmax and Sierra's 60 gr HP so I use these bullets on properties where my shots could be very long ones.

[Del]

I should have been clear that I would like to keep the fur, after shooting coyotes etc.

I know the .243 isn't the best caliber for that goal, but my plan is to have a "combo" rifle for predator calling & deer size critters.  

In the past I've had various .223 rifles for predator calling & other rifles for my big game hunting.  But, now I have a daughter and girlfriend that are interested in going hunting with me, so I needed a dual purpose rifle (can't afford to go buy a whole new gun, so I traded one in for the .243).

So any more information on bullets for predators, when using the .243 or 6mm Remington would be great.  Especially actuall results from the field!

Thanks for the input so far guys!!
Del

[aulrich]

Del  Are you keeping he furs to primarily to have or to sell. For the most part I have keep the fur I shot, some for me and some for friends. They make great wall hangings after they are tanned.   If you are just going to keep them for yourself don't sweat it, because for the most part a needle and thread will fix it.  

That said I would still stay away from the bigger varmint bullets 75 grains and above.  One option to explore, but one that I have run out of time for, is a deer bullet @ moderate velocities.  With that you will always get an exit wound but it would be controlled.

If you have the space fmj's are an option but they give me the willie's on a couple of levels (safety an killing ability).

[Del]

Plan to just keep the fur for myself or to give away to friends, possibly do a lil' trading with them.

I thought about using a good controlled mushrooming 'premium' bullet for everything, figuring like you said, I would always get an exit hole - but hope that it would be smallish holes?!

I'm a believer in one load for each gun and leave it be, but have never bought one to be a true 'dual purpose' gun.

First and foremost I will get a good premium bullet 'deer' load dialed in, then by next snow season hope to have a 'fur bullet load'.  Because I can always shoot a coyote w/a deer load, but I would never want to shoot a deer w/a coyote load.

Thanks for everything so far guys!
Del

[243tom]

You could try some Hornady 58gr vmax,,they're supposed to be fur friendly from what I've read here. Most any of the lighter ballistic tipped bullets are the way to go.

[RodentRidder]

I use the 55gr nosler on top of 52.7 gr of h414.  This load works ver well in my m700 but if you hit them broadside from less than 100 yds it goes in small and comes out other side about a 1" in diameter.  But this load works well for me out to 400yds usless it is windy.  If the wind is blowing I use 75 gr v-max also shoot very well out of my m700 but they just travel to slow for my liking.  They will also tear up the fur if the shot is too close but no near as bad

Rodent Ridder :sniper:

[kkeetr]

Del,
I just got back from my first prairie dog experience and I was using the smallest centerfire I own, my 243.  

I had loaded some 58 gr V-Maxes up for the occasion over 45.5 gr of Varget at 3775 fps.  It was a short session but I did hit 5 with that load.  Two were hit dead center in the thickest part of the rodent and were absolutely blown up.  When my partner held up one of them, I could easily see about 5 inches of daylight through it.  I do not think there would be any danger of an exit wound using that load on coyotes due to the massive energy transfer.  Good luck on your quest.

By the way, here are my thoughts as the world's newest prairie dog hunter:  MAN, THAT'S COOL!!!!

[trotterlg]

Barnes Varmint-A-Thor 58Gr HP's would probably work well.  I use the 40gr bullets in a 22-250 and they are the most accurate I have found.  Berger 60gr MEF's would also be good, I use some of the 30gr ones in the 22-250 also, but they slow down real fast past about 200 yards, but you can get them up to about 4600fps with a long barrel, and they just turn squrrels to mist.  Larry

[varmit_master]

Hi i would try the 58 gr Vmaxs by Hornady they will work great VM