A deer load for the .243 /field experience only not theory !

[Darrell Davis]

Morn'in shooters,

As per the question after my last post, I would most certainly NOT call a bullet that puts a game animal down quickly, a "premium" bullet,

To do so, I would then be including the older style .22 cal bullets from 22-250s and Swifts which happened to make it passed the ribs/shoulder into the boiler room, there by giving an instant "kill."

No, a premium bullet is something which can be relied on to not fail (bullet failure as opposed to shooter failure) , no matter what angle fired from or what sized bone/thickness of hide it may hit.

Now, if the hunter makes a bad shot, that is never the problem of the bullet, no matter how lightly it may be constructed.

However, a less the premium bullet will seldom pull your fat out of the fire when that bad shot occurs.  And occur it surely will, if you put enough years in the woods.

Quality/premuim bullets are a small part of huntings total cost. What reason could there be for knowingly going into the woods with something which, when push comes to shove, may fail?

Enough from this poster on this subject. You wanted field experience and that is what I have given.

Keep em coming! :wink:

[nofun1]

Ive used Barnes triple shocks and every one I have recovered is within 1-2 gr of original weight. with a very consistant mushroom. my friend likes bullets that explode like a varmint bullet he says the make mush out of the lungs. I have done the bang flop with a 22 Hornet and 45 gr bullet and chased little deer shot with a 300 mag. I guess my point is. every shot can be a suprise Thats what makes hunting interesting. get a load thet gives you the best accuracy and take carefull shots. The result is almost always death-work-jerky.

[Brithunter]

Hmmmm a lot of the time when a Deer runs after being hit it's due to the fact that they were edgy, ready to run and pumped up for it. The hit of the bullet triggers the reaction a thing which is known as :-

"pre programmed Muscle movements"

    Hence after one poster shot the Buck which dropped the Doe he shot from the same group ran. yep you keyed it up ready and it ran at the hit which caused the adrelilin (Spelling?) dump.

   You might think you sneaked up on the deer unoticed but either you or something had spooked it enough to be ready for flight. Deer are prey animals and so are ready to run almost all the time, it's their defence mechanism, the bang flops are usually when they are relaxed, browsing, and caught completely off guard.

[Country Boy]

very good point and I've found it to be mostly true, there are no absolutes in hunting and some amazing Things happen.
  I have called most of the major bullet makers since beginning this thred and almost all, Hornady,Sierra,Speer recommend the lighter bullets in .243 for deer. so long as they don't have a boattail design(speer) Just don't hit a shoulder or ham. Sierra was very emphatic about their 85 grn gameking as a great bullet for deer. I'm still experementing as to accuracy and vel.
   I don't use a .243 as my go to gun for serious deer hunting, it's my truck gun, mostly coyotes and a deer if one pops up) My serious deer rifle is an 06 with 150 grn bullets at about 2950. It never fails !

[camsdaddy]

Just out of curiosity why do they recomend them as long as they dont have a boat tail.

[Country Boy]

They indicated that the boattail would slip it's core more easily than the Bt. except for the Hornady interlock.

[DavOh]

Notch another one up for the ol 100 gr Rem Cor-lokt.... out of 11 deer shot, 2 ran... both were my mistake(one gutshot and the other a liver shot, neither ran more than 40-50 yds)... Closest shot being 75-80 yds, farthest 250yds(the gutshot, I shanked it)... Used that old rifle(1960's Mossberg 800a) for 4 years before getting my dad's .308.... I'll probably get my old .243 back for my wife this year....

 

[T.R.]

This .243 has been in my family since 1969.  Dad bought it for my brother and me to hunt with as we had complained many times about Grandad's open sighted 30-30 carbine.  While I admire the 30-30 cartridge, it's range limitations are frustrating for hunting the open prairies of Wyoming.

When we shared this rifle for hunting, it went like this: 1st day, I'd carry the rifle and my brother would help me spot game and drag the dead animal out.  2nd day, he would carry the rifle and I would provide same support.  It was a system that worked well for us.  

Up until the mid 1970's we hunted with FEDERAL 100 grain ammo because it shot so well and always got the job done.  Once I began hand loading, a constant experimentation has ocurred.

I need to clarify the mule deer hunting situations most likely encountered.  These are actual shots IÂ’ve made or seen made on large mulies:
1) canyon country with open wooded terrain; distance to quarry may be  
   from 125 to 200 yards
2)open prairie grasslands with rolling hills; distance to quarry may be 125
    to 325 yards.
3) region of large flat topped buttes dotted with juniper, sage, and cactus;
   distance to quarry may be 125 to 225 yards

Clearly, an accurate rifle and an accurate rifle-man is required.  Caliber and cartridge choice is not critical.  But with a lighter caliber such as .243,  premium bullets are the best choice. Premium bullets such as the Nosler Partition will provide an exit wound.  Very important in this terrain because lack of a blood trail at dusk could mean leaving a fine trophy outdoors overnight to be consumed by hungry coyotes before we could return the following morning.

The .243 has adequate power and flat trajectory to hammer any muley that ever walked, assuming good shot placement into the lungs.  But I strongly recommend  premium bullets such 95 grain Nosler Partition.  The Hornady SST is reported to be quite good but I have no experience with it.

Stacks of mulies and ‘lopes have fallen to our old Remington pump gun in .243 Winchester.  Accurate shot placement combined with a tough constructed bullet kills effectively.  But IÂ’ve killed a number of deer and antelope with FEDERALÂ’s 80 gr Sierra Pro hunter.  This bullet is very accurate and very fast but does not produce an exit wound. I do not recommend this bullet for late afternoon hunts.    

The most important factor for a first time western hunter is accuracy.  Which rifle do you shoot best?  Moderate recoil rifles are much easier to shoot well for vast majority of people.  This is why the .243 is a popular seller and .257 Roberts refuses to fade away.  YouÂ’ll need to hit a target the size of an empty 1 gallon paint can at ranges exceeding 150 yards.  Typically, I shoot from the sitting position or prone.  You can expect the same.  You may find using crossed-shooting-sticks helpful.  A good choice for steady aiming from the sitting position.

I hope this clears up any misconceptions you may have about your .243 for mule deer hunting in western South Dakota, Wyoming, eastern Montana, or the prairies of Colorado, North Dakota, and Nebraska.
TR

[handirifle]

Well you guys convinced me, I just bought 100, 95gr Nosler Partitions, for my 243.  I can't see it making a hills worth of beans difference compared to a 100gr and these were total of $35 for 100.

I also ordered a set of Lee dies for it.  May not have time to work up a load this season, but I will for next year.

[Brithunter]

Well good luck in your handloading adventure.

Although I have never used any premium bullets unless the Noslre Ballistic Tip is classed as premium  on game or varmints my Buddy from Missouri swears by them  his best Whitetail (11 pointer) was taken using a 125 Grn Nosler Partition out of his 6.5x55 Ruger at 325 paces. I will have to see what he uses in his .243AI but off hand I seem to recal it being a 95 Grn Nosler Ballistic Tip.

[rickt300]

This fixation on exit holes is odd in my opinion. It's as if deer hit with bullets that don't exit don't bleed.  The partition usually gives a small exit hole that does not materially increase blood loss. Also bullets that penetrate deeply trade wound channel width for depth which does not do you much good once the bullet has passed thru does it. Another thing, in at least 70% of deer I have shot with 100 grain corelokts, Sierrra gamekings, Hornady boat tail interloks and 105 grain Speer hotcors the bullets have exited. I have also had the 87 grain Hornady FB soft point, and  the 85 grain Sierra BTHP make large exit holes in deer. Personally I will take a quick kill over an exit hole every time. I don't care what the bullet looks like after it has dropped my deer or made it easy to recover one. In fact every time there was a heavy blood trail finding the deer was so easy it really did not matter. I really can't say that my experiences with the partition in the 6MM's has been positive. I much prefer the Hornady interlok.

[handirifle]

No fixation here, not sure what you're implying.  Exit holes, by themselves, do not imply the animal is poorly hit or that it will go farther, nor does the Nosler Partition make a smaller exit hole than any other soft point bullet.  Only about 1/3 of the  bullets overall length is partitioned off and the front 2/3rds WILL expand to the same dia as many other hunting bullets.

I've used the Sierra 85gr BTHP and their exit is explosive, but I wouldn't trust that bullet on a shoulder shot.  If a shoulder shot is the best shot for the situation, I do NOT want to limit myself with that type of bullet.  I could care less if the bullet exits, personally, but I DO want to be sure it will penetrate WHEREVER it hits.

Any deer that can live long with a hole from 3/8" to 1/2" in dia in both lungs, is probably too tough to eat anyway.

[rickt300]

3/8 to 1/2 inch hole thru it's lungs? That is a mighty small expectation as for bullet performance out of a 243.  I haven't found the Corelokt, Interlok or Gameking lacking in ability to get thru shoulders. I don't like to shoot shoulders because of the unnecesary meat damage. If I have to drop a deer immediatly I shoot for the neck just in front of and a bit lower than the shoulder blade. If I intended to take shots at extreme angles I would pick a largerr cartridge before I would depend on the partition or any version of the x bullet.

[BUSTER51]

I have had great luck with Winchester Supream balistic tip 95 grain .works on cyotes ,antilope and deer ,with deadly regularity.

[handirifle]

3/8 to 1/2 inch hole thru it's lungs? That is a mighty small expectation as for bullet performance out of a 243.  I haven't found the Corelokt, Interlok or Gameking lacking in ability to get thru shoulders. I don't like to shoot shoulders because of the unnecesary meat damage. If I have to drop a deer immediatly I shoot for the neck just in front of and a bit lower than the shoulder blade. If I intended to take shots at extreme angles I would pick a largerr cartridge before I would depend on the partition or any version of the x bullet.

That's why they make different bullets and different calibers.  To each his own.  Doesn't make someone elses choice wrong, just different.

[flick]

Try 100gr. rem. corelokts { bulk Lot} over your favorite powder.Bang/Flop.30plus one shot kills no tracking.Mostly high shoulder or where neck joins the body hits.Later

[S.S.]

I have heard people crap on this round just about as long as I have been hunting.
But Everyone I know who has or does use one has been exceptionally pleased with them???
Deer must not read all the bad press about the 243, They don't seem to know that they are not supposed to die when they are shot by one !!!!
As with "ANY" other cartridge, it has limitations.. As long as the hunter knows the cartridges limitations "and their own" they should do fine.
I do know that one must use extra caution reloading it ! Minute changes in powder weight
can lead to extreme differences in pressures in this round.

[handirifle]

While the 100gr corelokt is probably more than adequate for any deer out there, I ordered the Nosler Partitions cause black bear season runs concurrent with deer season here and since some of these buggers can get quite large here, I want to make sure the bullet is up to it's part, IF I happened to see one and the set-up was just right.

Even then, with a 243 for the bear, it would be ONLY if just the right shot presents itself.

I know many black bears have fallen to the 243, I just don't want to have to track one through the thick manzanita brush out here.
So my shots would most likely be in the short neck, unless he is a long way from heavy brush (not likely).

But that's me!  I'f I'm hoping to find one, I'd be carrying my 44 Mag, for 375 Win or 30-06.  The 44, of course would be for 100yds or less, with the 240gr loads I use.  The 375 will go to 200 easy, and the '06, as far as I can comfortably shoot (maybe 300yds).

[Country Boy]

I saw a small bear killed(150lbs) with a .243, the guide put this gal from Texas on one on purpose because she had a .243. I do a lot of bear hunting and wouldn't recommend it for bear I don't even like it for deer, but if it's all you have in your hand, it will do the job..
  As for exit holes, I could care less. I want the bullet to do it's damange inside the  deer. I've found many pancaked bullets under the hide. We are not shooting elephants. about 6-7 inches of penentration is all you need on a broadside shot, even less on a neck shotand premium bullets are NOT required. My all time favorte was the.85 grn  Nosler solid base boatail.  I wish they still made them.

[handirifle]

I saw a small bear killed(150lbs) with a .243, the guide put this gal from Texas on one on purpose because she had a .243.

Can you explain a little about this?  Was the job horribly done?  There are a number of people that regurlarly use the 243 for elk, I wouldn't unless that was all I had, even then, I'd keep shots short and make sure of a double lung shot, or neck, if close enough.

[Country Boy]

Well, the guide was Willard Anotechick in Sask. He just didn't think it was big enough for large bear so he set her up to shoot a small one. Shot it in the chest standing. I don't know what the load was. But Blackies in the 300 lb plus catagory are much tougher animals and he didn't want to track one through the brush in the dark. As I recall, it was a shoryt tracking job on the bear. But many bears come from his camp are huge and it would be ashame yto shoot one with a .243 and not find it. Willard is the best tracker and skinner I have ever met in 40 yrs of bear hunting. But, why put your self in that situation where a client looses a bear because of an inadequate caliber.

[handirifle]

Country boy
Gotchya,  Advice taken.

[Nebraska Kelly]

The 243 is my favorite midwest calibur.  I have been using and reloading for it since 1982. That was the year I bought my first 243. It was a remmington model 788 carbine with 18 1/2 inch barrel. I topped it off with a Tasco 6 X 18 scope with bullet drop compensator.  I have killed many many deer and fox and coyotes and one big black bear with it.  My real world experience is as follows: 

I use Hornaday 100gr flat base spitzers.  I load 45 grains of IMR 4831. I use a winchester primer (non magnum).  This is a sub one inch group for my gun and many others who have tried it in there rifles as well.  How does it work?

My first buck shot in the swamps northeast central minnesota was shot in front shoulder while quarting towards me at 100 yards.  It was the only shot I had.  The buck dropped in its tracks before I could get the scope back on him after the shot.  I thought I had missed him he dropped so fast.  The grass was 4 feet high.  This was with a WINCHESTER 100gr spire spitzer factory load.  I had not started loading my own until after that time.  The destruction of meat was HUGE.  It completely destroyed any of the the neck meat and shatterd the front shoulder. I could not find an exit wound and I could not find the bullet in the deer.  INSTANT ONE SHOT KILL!  Is that real enough?  It was for me.

After years of shooting game with that rifle I settled on two different loads.  I use 50 grains of IMR4831 and the Hornaday 75gr hollowpoint for all off season shooting.  During deer season I use the Hornaday 100 gr flatbase bullet over 45gr of IMR 4831.  Both using winchester primers.  They both work exceptionally well.  I have killed deer with both rounds and coyotes with both rounds.  No suprises. I shoot them and they drop or run very short distance then drop.  I have made some bad shots over the years.  Hit one big doe in the back leg. It tried to run but fell after a few steps and was completly dead by the time I walked the 100 yards or so up to it.  The back leg was not edible. To much tissue damage. The meat was bloodshot through and through. Oh well. That is hunting.  I have shot small deer that the heart was hit and they did the "death run" until piling up dead in 50 yards or so. Other deer drop where they stand. That is the most typical reaction I get.  Last year however I loaded up the NEW HORNADAY SST BULLET.  I shot one HUGE buck that I could not find after broadside shot to lungs.  I then shot one buck that dropped in its tracks. It was shot at the base of the neck looking straight at me around 50 yards or less.  That same day I got another buck that I shot on the run (the deer, not me) and hit the back hind quarter squarely. The deer did not drop. It started to hobble very slowely. It was obvious the leg was broken.  I followed up with a quick shot to the lung area to put him down.  This was poor performance in my opinion for the HORNADAY SST BULLET.  I will not use them again.  I know it is supposed to be an "improved" deer bullet but I dont think it is as good as there old standby the 100gr flat base spire point.  That is what I load and that is what keeps my freezer full.  I count on it.  I tried some speer 85gr boattail softpoints one year. The meat destruction was awfull.  The deer I hit ran into a creek and piled up on the opposite bank still alive. It was to wounded to run but was never going to die soon enough.  I had made a 200 yard standing free arm shot at her. I hit kinda far back. It was a tough shot.  It destroyed the back half of the back straps and one complete hind quarter. I could see flecks of the bullet metal spread all throught the meat.  It was a terrible choice of bullet for deer.  It was fast and accurate but NOT A GOOD DEER BULLET.  What can I say?  We all experiment and try different things.  I am going to try HORNADAY 100 GRAIN ROUND NOSE BULLETS this season.   I honestly beleive that they will do the best job for my kind of hunting. That is deer within 200 yards or so.  I want fast expansion with controlled bullet weight loss.

If they dont perform like I expect I will be going back to my old standby HORNADAY 100GR FLATBASE SPIREPOINTS.

DO NOT USE MY RELOAD INFORMATION>  IT IS HOTTER THAN ANY NEW MANUAL SUGGEST. At least it has not blown up any of them (my guns). But I do get short case life and loose primer pockets with these hot loads. I only reload them 3 times. I reload because the speed and accuracy is so good from the 243 reloads. But mostly for the accuracy. 

Just for fun I will share my two "LONG SHOT" stories.  I shot one big doe at 800 yards. It dropped in her tracks. I was aiming at the nice buck standing about 3 feet behind the doe.  I raised the crosshair about 1/2 inch over the back of the buck and pulled the trigger.  My brother screamed " that is the longest shot I have ever seen".  I did not tell him I was aiming at the buck.  I had not accounted for wind drift.

Next story.  I shot a buck at about 500 yards running broadside across two fields from me.  My brother was again with me.  He was yelling to get in the truck and lets get over there and try to get a shot.  I said why chase him with the truck.  Let the buttet chase him down.  So I took the shot.  I was leaning over the hood of the truck. I took him at the base of the neck and he fell like a ton of bricks had dropped on him.  I had learned by this time how to lead a running shot.  It was still luck.  But hunting is sometimes luck.  I did recover that bullet and all that was left was about 20 grains of jacket material under the skin in the off side shoulder. 

The point to these stories is to show the 243 is a very capable round. A little skill. A little luck. It all adds up to hunting at its best in eastern Nebraska.

Nebraska Kelly

[CallaoJoe]

I've had good luck with Sierra Pro-Hunter 100 gr SPT for Whitetails. 
Using Win brass, cci 200 lr primers & 35 gr's of IMR4064....

My sons have used this load in their NEF handi rifles with 22" barrels....

[Country Boy]

Excellent honest information. Since posting I've killed 3 nice bucks with the .243 all dropped where they stood at about 160 yds. I used plain jane Remington 100 grn  Core lockts. All were shot in the ribs and had complete pass throughs.  I coronographed the factory rounds at 2950 in my 22" bbl. and they are very accurate.
  I loaned the rifle to a friend who is taking his son on a  youth hunt this weekend. So I might get some more info. soon.
  Appreciate all the honest down to earth answers. Thanks

[nyhunter863]

Haven't hunted with a .243, but when it comes to premium ammo, I would have to say that I have gotten FEWER instant drop kills with them than I did with standard Remington core-lokt, Winchester silvertip, or old Federal Hi-Shock ammo.  I think in general the premium bullets are constructed a bit too sturdy for light game like whitetails at moderate range.  I have had the premium stuff zip right thru them, almost like a full metal jacket and the deer would rarely drop on the spot.  Yes, they are bullets that will penetrate at all angles and WILL kill your deer, but if you want instant drop kills, I think the less expensive standard stuff will do it more often from what I have witnessed.

[Selmer]

I'll send another vote of extensive experience on whitetails, mulies, and antelope with the .243.  The vote is simple, put a 100 gr. Nosler Partition in and forget it.  You won't have problems with penetration or kills unless YOU place the shot poorly, and that doesn't mean penetration is lacking, I've seen several enter a ham on a straight away running shot and exit the off shoulder or brisket, even out to 200 yds.  It will work and you don't have to wonder.  One thing I have noticed is that our M788 in .243 will shoot 95 gr. and 100 gr. partitions into the same -1" group, but my Encore barrel distinctly does NOT like the 95 gr. bullet, but shoots 1/2" groups with the 100 gr. partition.  Don't ask me why, but it doesn't like the 95 gr., so if yours doesn't like the 95's you bought, try the 100 gr., it could make a world of difference.
Selmer

[Darrell Davis]

You are correct Selmer!

I will weigh in one more time on the 243 issue.

Reading a couple of the last posts, no wonder some calibers come up with a bad reputation, considering the bullets used.

As per "preimum" bullets not expanding and going strieght through the critter, In the case of the Nosler partition, any such happening simply WAS NOT in the recent past.

And for that, you need not take my word, but that of folk with far more field experience then most of us will ever see.

Apparently that problem did show up with the X-Bullet, early on in production.

However, any such problems in the Nosler Partition had long ago been taken care of when I started loading the Partitions back in the 1960s.

The partition opens up fast, even at extended range, then holds together for deep peneratration.

I have seen hits, which if made with some of the bullets spoken of above, would have great amounts of distruction.  With the Nosler, that simply didn't happen.

End of story!

Keep em coming!

[Country Boy]

A lot of wisdom here. Thanks you so much. Found a load and bullet that really does the trick. 90 grn speer 43 grns of imr 4350. Since I started the thred 4 decent bucks have fallen to the rifle. All shot with Remington 100 grn core locks and all were bang flops.
   My neighbor took his son on a youth hunt this morning and was back by 9 am, Remington 100 grn core lock again.The kids first deer, boy was he excited !
   I didn't think the Remington;s went very fast but my cronograph say 2950 with the 22" bbl. and it shoots as good as the reload I found. (3 shot nickle sized groups at 100 yds) Oh and all shots were complete pass throughs with dandy exit holes although it wasn't needed.

[alleyyooper]

I use 85gr. HPBT ahead of a load of IMR 4350 in both my 243's.
This youte as 85 yards out, behind the left ear no exit. Ruger 77.


This buck was shot from the same blind a few days latter with the same rifle and same round.





Nither moved a step after the shot.

  Al