Home Forums Reloading Big Game Rifles 243win loads for 85 gr Sierra HPBT

Yup, 36 - 37gr Varget seems to be a real winner in my 243. Shoots 1" groups at 300 yards regularly. 2880 - 3040fps. 22" barrel.

When I bought my 243 this was the cheapest bullet on the shelf at $22. With 900 rounds of it downrange I am very confident of its ballistics.

Haven't shot a creature with it yet, so it is good to hear others' experiences. Suprised about Aussie shooting wild pigs with it...I thought it would be way to explosive to penetrate a pig unless you hit a soft spot. I thought it would expand too much/fast on a large deer too, but by all accounts this bullet does penetrate & expand well and drop 'em fast. So much for the need for SSTs, BalTips, AccuBonds, and the rest of the expensive ones (1.5 - 2x the cost). Its not so much the cost of the bullet you use in the hunt, its the hundreds we send through paper that is significant.

Same bullet, but a starting load of H380. Very first time I shot this rifle at 100 yards.
Didn't chrony it but on paper should be in the 3000 FPS range

Yeah? Well mine works better with 37.6 gr of Varget!

I always reach for 4064 first... in that bullet weight range and H 414 second...

don't need any other choices in the 80 to 90 grain range.

Ramshot Hunter!!!!