Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Hunting Rifles Noslers @ Sierra boat tails HP 243 cal. ?

I like to ask are these 2 bullets pretty close
Noslers 95 Gr.HPBT
Sierra 85 grain HPBT
I shoot both of them out of my 243 cal. both give me outstanding groups from the bench,I seem to lean more for the noslers 95 grain SPBT bullets

The above are the noslers at 75 yard from the bench
The sierra will group about the same
my load runs IMR 4350 43.0 about 1 1/2grains over max load I would well over 3000 FPS

I like to ask are these 2 bullets pretty close

Close in regards to which aspects? Accuracy, performance on deer, price, etc., ?

performance on deer

On deer, I'd use the Nosler.

I am loading some of the 85g SGK for my nephew for this year's KY whitetail season, can you tell me what your experience has been with these bullets on deer?

I load 85gr Sierra HPBTs for my buddy's son. He's taken two deer with them; one at 65 yards and one around 170. Both DRT'd and bullets exited.

I think Sierra describes the 85 HPBT as a deer bullet, not a varmint bullet. Seems I may have read somewhere that they beefed up the jacket a bit like they did with the .284 120BT, but don't hold me to that.

I've killed a dozen or so deer with it with no complaints - I can't remember any that didn't exit, but these were smallish Central Texas deer - usually does, with a fair number of those killed being neck shots.

I have loaned my 243 with those bullets to several kids and ladies on first hunts with good results. Was guiding a boy years ago who shot a 150lb sow at over 200 yards with the 85HPBT - he slipped it just behind the shoulders and I was impressed that it exited. She left a blood trail you had to see to believe - she ran down a road with a fence next to it and blew blood out the exit side all over the ground and fence for about 150 yards before she piled up.

The 85HPBT's are tougher than they seem like they should be, but I don't recall drilling shoulders with them and getting an exit, so I haven't really given them much of a test. I would probably go with something like the 85 TSX if I were after bigger deer or big hogs, etc.

DJ

I am with DJ that to be sure and have the best bullet available in case you have opportunity to drill a shoulder or two or maybe even a hip bone on a departing wounded deer that 85gr TSX or TTSX would be the way to go. Give them a try, I will be quite surprised if they do not give you excellent accuracy. As per my now quite long post in this forum, load them kinda short to start out with and then lengthen as needed until you get the accuracy you want but it is not uncommon for the first really short loaded ammo to shoot well right from the get go. I have shot some big bodied Mule Deer with the older Barnes X bullet in .243 diameter and they are a lightning bolt killer on even our big guys out here.

DJ: FWIW:

Sierra manual, 4th Edition:
pg 75: Referring to the HPBT GameKings:

"We also produce .224 diameter 55 grain, .243 diameter 85 grain and .257 diameter 90 grain
HPBT's which despite their GameKing nomenclature are intended for
varminting"

Tx: what is on page 75?
I don't have the 4th edition?

ff: the following quote is printed on pg 75:

"We also produce .224 diameter 55 grain, .243 diameter 85 grain and .257 diameter 90 grain
HPBT's which despite their GameKing nomenclature are intended for
varminting"

sorry for the confusion...

thank you :looks like noslers for me in 95 grainers