Home Forums Reloading Big Game Rifles Best .243 bullet for hunting coyotes to deer/antelope?

Which brand/weight?

I am assuming you don't care about being pelt friendly?

If so, then I'd take a serious look at either the 70 or the 95 NBT.

I've used em both a ton load out of my 6/06 on all three that you mentioned and have never found a reason to complain and or look further.

Dober

I shot a called in coyote this last winter and with a 243 winchester and a 100 gr spitzer as I hit the coyote right behind the front shoulder at about 80 yds I ended up with a hole about the size of a dime goin in and an exit hole right behind the opposite shoulder about the size of a quarter but normally I use a 1:10 twisted rifle that shoots best the 80-85 grain bullets and prefer to use the sierra 85 gr. HP or the remington 80 gr. PSP and most generally with a shot of 100 yds or under Ill have a tiny pin hole goin in with no exit,I will choose the 80-85 grainers for use on coyotes and save the 100s for the deer hunting..............

Miss big bones and you won't have big holes, hit big bones and you will have big holes.

Best fur friendly load I've seen to date out of a 6 of some kind is far and away the 55 NBT.

Dober

Never shot a yote but I have shot several deer with a 243. Remington's 100gr Core-Lokts do just fine for me on deer and I doubt a coyote would like it at all. I have never loaded another bullet for deer in my 243. Another option is Sierra's 85gr HPBT game king. My bud's son has wacked two whitetails with handloads using this bullet and neither one took a step. Again I figure it'd kill a yote plenty dead.

I was actually surprised this past year with performance of the 75 grain Sierra HP. Not only is this slug accurate but slowed down to 6x45 velocities (2900'ish) it is most definitely not a varmint bullet.

Exits on everything from coyotes to deer with very small exits (quarter). Everything I shot with it just fell over.

Here is the exit on a deer shot with the above combo at 120 yards.



More info than you wanted I'm sure but as Dober said, the 70 BT is a good one.

However, if I'm killing coyotes in 6mm, I will look no further than the 75 Vmax.

For deer and coyotes I'd go Sierra 85 gr. HP minimum, and recommend that 95 gr. Nosler BT or Winchester CT Silvertip offerings.

Anyone like & use the 85 gr partition for deer?

I plan on loading the 80gr TTSX in mine. Just primed the brass last night and will start load development shortly. Hoping Ramshot Hunter works for me as I use it in my 260AI as well.

I have used and can reccomend the Sierra 85 grain HPBT. The only time it has given me an issue was on a very big wild boar that I shot in the neck while he was fighting dogs. He was unimpressed but a second shot to the back of his head ended the fight.

But deer have been a different story,quick kills with enough penetration to get to the vitals on broadside shots. It'll work on yotes too. It is kind of a tough varmit bullet and a light big game bullet too.

Have shot a bunch of coyotes with the Hornady 87gr. VMax. Great results, but not fur friendly up close. Swapped it out for a Barnes 85gr. TSX for deer. My son shot a big mule deer at 350 yards and the Barnes X went right through the heart, full penetration. Very happy with these two bullets in the .243. Trajectories are almost identical.

G-my 6/06 loves the 75 VM as well, tis a very good bullet and has done a very good job on some lopes/deer as well.

Dober

Dober,

While Vmax's sing at extreme velocities, I find they are the slam dunk in my rifles at 3K or less due to their frangibility index (I made this up) compared to the Btip.

My .223 and 6x45 uppers sing with the Vmax's and I'm sure my soon to be coming 6x45 bolt gun will sing with it as well.

100 gr rem corloc pulls year round duty in my 243. 80 gr when I decide to raise holyned with the prairie dogs.

My choices...........

90 grain Accubond, 95/100 gr partition, 100 gr Hornady BT/SP.

Don't believe that Nosler makes an Accubond in 6mm???

OOPS!

I meant 95 gr E-tips.

A bullet I like in my .243 is the Speer 85 gr BTSP. It does good & penetrates well on deer & antelope.

Won't use a Balistic Tip again on anything I intend to eat. About 4 or 5 years ago I took a little antelope buck with a 95 grainer out of the .243. It destroyed the on side shoulder. Things like this has happened to me too often with the BT's.

Sierra 85 gr. HPBT GameKing running from 2,800 to 3,100 fps at the muzzle is excellent for the job of double duty varmint/light big game.

I'm with MOGC, the Sierra 85gr is very effective on hogs and deer, like one shot dead. I load mine at 3100 fps and it is very accurate and did I mention deadly?