243 Win bullets

[Lawnboi]

Would like to hear some bullet performance from a 243 WIN. Wife drew a deer tag and am looking for a bullet that will preform from 50-350 yards. Stuck with factory ammo for now for this gun.

The gun is a tikka with an 10 twist.

Mainly looking to hear from others who have taken big game with a 243.

 

[TripleJ]

Between my 3 boys and I, we have killed 20+ deer and 1 antelope with 100 grain partitions from a .243. They work quite well.

 

[Cahunter805]

I would start with something like the Federal fusion 90gr or Federal Premium 95gr ballistic tip.
If those don’t group well you might have to try something lighter like an 80gr bullet.

 

[Lawnboi]

I know this gun shoots federal premium 90g accubonds very well.

 

[Cahunter805]

Nothing wrong with the 90gr accubonds

 

[Ndbowhunter]

Tikka should be 1-10 twist

The older 595’s were as well.

 

[Backpack Hunter]

I have had good luck with quite a few factory cartridges, but for deer and antelope it is hard to beat the cheap Winchester Power Points. Well north of 200 deer have fallen to that round by me.

Esse quam videri

 

[Lawnboi]

Tikka should be 1-10 twist

The older 595’s were as well.

My bad yes it is a 1-10, I’ll fix it in the first post

 

[Ndbowhunter]

It’d be hard to overlook the precision hunter 90gr.

Admittedly no experience but .41bc at 3150fps isn’t slouchy.

 

[Lawnboi]

For those recommending mind sharing some distances you took game at with those bullets?

Seems 350 is maybe starting to push it for mule deer.

Definitely have my eye on the eldx load, had good results in my 300 WM. Waiting for a box to come in locally to try

 

[passinggas33]

I’ve been been using the federal fusion 90 grain bullets. They are inexpensive, accurate, and do a great job. I try to keep my kills (by mine, I mean my daughters) to less than 200 with my .243 but I wouldn’t be afraid to push it out 300 yards.

 

[UtahJimmy]

5 samples for my wife:

2017 using factory Hornady 95gr SST:

Antelope@200 - high lung/opposite shoulder - 1 and done, dropped in tracks
Antelope@170 - vaporized the lungs - 1 and done, maybe ran 10 yards
Mule deer @290 - heart shot 1 and done ran 15 yards picture attached
Elk@240 -first shot hit heart, second (on the run) high spine which dropped her

I didn't like how much meat damage they caused and I took up hand loading

2018 100gr Hornady interlock over h1000 @2850

Mule deer@180 high lung dropped in his tracks. Pass through

Sent from my SM-G950U using Tapatalk

 

[Ndbowhunter]

Seems like 1-10 twist pushes most 243 bullets into a strange category.

Bullets have to be short and therefore light enough to stabilize, but also hold together at 3000+FPS and retain weight without having high sectional density.

I flicked a text to my mate. He recommends the 85gr game king as an all rounder, station culler.

I know the 100gr btsp from Hornady is good for most sub 400 pound ungulates at normal hunting ranges as well.

 

[Lawnboi]

Exactly why the gun is being turned into a 6.5 this winter.

 

[Ndbowhunter]

From experience, deer aren’t too tough. Pop em in the lungs and the bones go on the wall and meat in the freezer.. grab a couple boxes from Wally worlds, see what it likes, and kill em to death.

 

[PNWGATOR]

I chose the Winchester 95gr Nosler ballistic tip based on Formidilosus’ experience. Shoots well out of our Tikka T3.

 

[Lawnboi]

Any other input?

Sounds like about anything will work from 300 in. I just have never shot anything with something under .308.

 

[Newtosavage]

Tough to beat a 100 grain interlock for the .243

 

[Formidilosus]

Seems 350 is maybe starting to push it for mule deer.

Not even close. I kill them at close to twice that distance with .223’s.


With a 1-10” twist I would start with the 95gr Nosler Ballistic Tip- whether Federal or Winchester loaded. Have a couple of hundred deer with the 95gr NBT and 243 win. Including rather large WT and Mule deer bucks out to 527 yards.


Those, HSM’s 95gr Berger VLD, or Hornady Precision Hunter 90gr will all crush the biggest mule deer walking at well past 350 yards.

 

[HuntInWild88]

I wouldnt look past barnes factory 80gr ttsx's. But all.of above will work. Just find what your rifle likes best.