Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Hunting Rifles 243 hunters - Barnes 80-85gr - results on game survey

Nephew just shot a very large Idaho whitetail. Skinned out, legs and head removed the carcas still weighed 160 lbs, we estimate live weight at 300. It was shot at approx 80 yards with a .243 using 85 gr TSX pushed by a stiff charge of IMR 4831. Broke one shoulder, destroyed both lungs and exited with a 1 " hole. Dead on the spot.

Will post some pictures as soon as we get home. Nephew is 16 and he couldn't be happier. Taxidermist in Moscow Idaho said its the biggest whitetail he has seen in 40 years.

I was impressed by the amount of internal damage done by that combo.


Lefty C

Good feedback. No doubt, a mono is going to perform best when running into more muscle/bone thru shoulders IMO than soft tissue like lungs broadside.

Doesn't sound like anyone has yet lost an animal who's reported. What I like hearing is that when the chips are down - it will perform regardless of shot angle. I use and will continue using 95 BTs on deer, but plan on using Barnes for my next several kills whether from a 243 or 6BR.

The pics of that 80 TTSX look great. JS- nice speed - thanks for the load/chrony info. Must be a 24" or longer - I was getting about 3100 in a 20" Ruger #1 RSI, via IIRC 45/IMR 4350 in FC brass.

My one experience is here -

https://www.24hourcampfire.com/ubbth...ger_1_International_Who_has_#Post3091822

Hog hit at 240 yds above, shoulder, wrecked lungs/heart, clipped spine, off shoulder, stopped in fat of the hide offside, DRT, in tracks. Pic of 85 TSX, again, remember, 3100 mv, so longer bbl and better load might add another 50-100 yds of terminal performance.

My MO is always trying different bullets and cartridges, in the name of R&D

Shot placement always rules, and I pick it according to a bullets design.

No doubt Dakota Deer - if I had nothing but broadside deer, an 85 BTHP GKHP or even a 95 BT would do fine, as most cup/core, even a 105 Amax, done it w/70 TNTs myself in a 6BR at 200 yds...ran about 40-60 steps, (2-3 seconds) and hit the brakes and fell over.

Whelenman- nice pics/bucks, thanks for sharing.

Steelhead - what twist are you running in the AIs? Thanks for the bullet info Scott.

Black bears hate that combo.

37 yards - doe -100#. Went 30 yards. Same performance as a doe shot hours before with 90 nbt. Plenty of damage.

26 yards - boar hog - 225-250#. Head shot no real info

60 yards running away - sow - 150#. Quartering away hard. Center hit on back right femur approx 1-1.25" in diameter (golf ball) and penetrated 30" of pregnant hog. Found in front left shoulder. .55" expanded diameter. 85 grain retained weight.

All from 243 WSSM at 3100ish I think. 85 tsx.

https://www.24hourcampfire.com/ubbth..._grain_TSX_performance_243_W#Post5934586

Thanks!

Used the 85 grain for the first time this year. Unbelievable how it put the deer right straight down! Hit him far back in the ribs and he was dead when he hit the ground. Best bullet I have used in the 243 in 45 years.

This was going in.

Good looking buck Rod.

Skinny bugger, huh?

Auschwitz buck?

My Grandfather died at Auschwitz, March 1944.

I agree,i too would never thought of the 243 being able to kill deer as effective as my 30-06 until i bought on and tried it........ kills them just as dead !

You are in rare form today.

??? Seriously, he did.

I'm sorry that you lost your Grandfather in Auschwitz.

I flipped a coin between asking if the buck had come from Ethiopia or Auschwitz, and decided that the Ethiopia reference was a little dated.

Some things ought not be joked about. I get that.

That's ok it was an accidental death when he fell from the guard tower....

Man, my timing is completely off. I should have tossed you that softball a couple of hours ago.

80TTSX

They work as designed, but probably not the best for lung shots. Having used the 130TSX 30 cal, they make a big enough hole anyways that the deer will still bleed a lot even with a lung shot.

Thanks.

I caught this 80 gr. TTSX this year. Broke both shoulders of a 200# whitetail and stopped under the hide of the far side. I have seen however a "pencil" wound channel on lung cavity hits where a rib was not hit upon entry. If a rib is hit upon entry the wound cavity is much greater. Only put three of them into game but all 3 hits told me something about the bullet. All shots under 100 yards and game was recovered.

I just bought a box of the 85's to try in my 243. Hoping they might be a good coyote bullet without tearing the hides up too bad.