Recommendations for a .243 deer hunting bullet

English Mike

I tried 130gr SST's in .270 & couldn't get on with them. I think it was the spire point that did it, as my most accurate loads were from loading close to the lands & the SST's couldn't be loaded that close (0.005") as it left less than a calibre of bullet in the case neck.
I thought it was that particular rifle but my current Ruger has the same problem with SST's & shoots better with other bullets - even 90gr JHP's loaded way off the lands.
Sometimes I think rifles are just plain ornery, like women. Very Happy

Grant

My better half uses 95 grain Nolser Ballistic tip in her 243. She's taken both Elk and Moose with it so I think that is pretty hard to beat. I use 95 grain Hornady SST's in mine. Very accurate, but I have yet to try them out hunting.

Deer Sniper · Super Member Joined: Apr 26, 2007 Posts: 539

Elvis,

I use the shoot the 85 gr. Ballistic Tip bullets in a 250 Savage Ackley Improved and switched over to Sierra's 90 gr. B.T.-H.P. Game King and got better accuracy and much better performance on deer, so I shoot what works best for me!

I did contact Nosler about those 6mm bullets I had problems with, years ago, and they did make good on them...

I like the A-MAX bullets for deer at extreme ranges, but I have very few guns that will shoot them to my level of expectancy...

I'm not putting down the Ballistic Tip bullets mind you. If they don't do exactly what I want, I'm not going to shoot them, regardless...

Elvis

wow thats 2 bullets that both have great reputations that dont like you....the amax and new eldx etc are the darlings of the long range crowd over here and them boys sure know how to stretch a barrel.... just like a woman fickle creatures.

Deer Sniper · Super Member Joined: Apr 26, 2007 Posts: 539

My 30-284 likes the Hornady 155 gr. A-MAX and will keep most groups around 2" at 600 yds. . I have shot my best 1,000 yd. group with that gun as bullet...

Elvis

man that is shooting.....Im happy with 2" at 200 yards...oh alright Im happy with 2" at anything over a hundy.....when you a bush hobbit at heart and like to "lookem in the eye " before squeezing off a shot you really dont need that much accuracy...it bites me in the bum when animal is out at 350-400.

Deer Sniper · Super Member Joined: Apr 26, 2007 Posts: 539

350-400 yds!!! Shoot it! Easy kill range. Put the cross hairs between their eyes. It will either be a clean kill or a clean miss. BUT! You also have to be sighted in for that distance too...

hunterjoe21

English Mike wrote:

All this information is great stuff & thanks to everyone for their input.
The Sierra #1530 looks ideal for my intended use, though that doesn't mean I'll not try others, even if only at paper.
Roll on January, when I'll have everything in place to get stuck into this project.

Mike,

Did you ever work out a load for your .243?

Curious as to what you came up with...

English Mike

hunterjoe21 wrote:

English Mike wrote:

All this information is great stuff & thanks to everyone for their input.
The Sierra #1530 looks ideal for my intended use, though that doesn't mean I'll not try others, even if only at paper.
Roll on January, when I'll have everything in place to get stuck into this project.

Mike,

Did you ever work out a load for your .243?

Curious as to what you came up with...

I've yet to start, as my time's been taken up with selling on my business & all the legal crap that entails.
I should be free of that entanglement in a couple of weeks, then it's off to the British Shooting Show to look at the rifles I have on my shopping list.
I have however picked up some more bullets to try; 100gr Hornady Interlocks. Got 130 of them for well under shop prices.

OldSchoolRanger · Member Joined: Feb 15, 2017 Posts: 88

Deer Sniper wrote:

chambered221,

I have never reloaded or shot an SST bullet.

I did shoot the 95 gr. Ballistic Tip bullets for a short time, but found the accuracy from them to be very erratic. One group would be 1/2" and the very next one would be over 2", then the next would be 3/4", then the next would be over 4". These were groups that were shot at 200 yds. with match prepped brass. I have never had this happen with the Sierra bullets...

I've been using Nosler 95gr Ballistic Tips, out of my Howa (Vanguard's manufactuer) 1500, twist 1:10. Absolutely the best bullet, I'm puzzled that you say it's erratic. Are you using the same make brass, and primers for your reloads, or are they mix and match. Just asking.

hunterjoe21

I took my .243 with me the range this morning, just to play around a little. It amazes me every time I take it out (provided I do my part). It seems to like being “dirty”, groups get better after 4-5 rounds fired.

Remington Model 700 ADL,
Original except for a Timney trigger
85 gr. Sierra Game King
Around 38 grains Varget

That’s a 1” target spot...

Elvis

yip thats sort of group Id expect from an EBRG.... what ever your load is DONT MESS WITH IT.

slimjim

Nice group! Did you do any scope adjustments?

hunterjoe21

slimjim wrote:

Nice group! Did you do any scope adjustments?

Slim,

I fired shots 1-3, let the barrel cool and adjusted the scope 5 clicks LEFT. Fired 4-7 let it cool and 5 more clicks LEFT and 2 clicks UP and wound up with 8-10.

slimjim

hunterjoe, just confirming. Like, Elvis said - DONT MESS WITH IT anymore. I wouldn't clean it for 80+ rounds.