First: I retired 2.5 years ago and am again living on my farm after moving away in 1980. I live next to the SW corner of a square 40 acre field, so, to the tree at the NE corner is 622 yds. There's another 20 or so acres beyond that, so add another 220 to 250 yds to that, for maximum shooting range on this field. My front porch looks out over this field.

Second: I practice out to 700 yards, and if I didn't do quite well, I wouldn't waste the bullets, primers and powder.

I keep a very accurate RRA Varmint Special AR in .223 Wyld handy to take care of varmints I see from the house. I've been able to pretty consistently anchor coyotes out to almost 500 yds, but beyond that I was getting too many spinners/runners so I quit shooting at them beyond about 475 yds. I use fairly frangible bullets 50 to 55 gr bullets to keep ricochets to a minimum, because there are houses about 1.75 to 2 miles beyond. I do not care about the hides.

The coyotes have wised up, and now most I see are 550+ yards away. I busted a couple with a Ruger 77 in .300 Win Mag shooting 130gr Speer HPs at around 3400fps. But I dont like the kick and roar.

I'm thinking of trying a .243 again. In the early 80's I had a miserable Ruger #1 that I never could get to shoot decently, so I sent it down the road. But a varmint shooting buddy had a Rem 700 that was deadly out to 600 yds or so, sometimes more.

I'm buying a Tikka 558 in .243 from a fellow 'Fire member and am hoping to make it a consistent coyote killer out to around 600 yds or so.

Now, FINALLY, the question: What bullets do you .243/6mm shooters use to make those really long shots on varmints?

I apologize for the long post, but I wanted y'all to understand the specific situation I have here. Thanks

87 grain Vmax is where I would start.

Skeezix,

I use a .243 for my coyote control work out to 600 yards (my farthest one-shot kill so far) using a Speer 75gr HP over 49.0gr Superformance, CCI BR-2 primers, C.O.A.L. 2.640" in my primary working rifle, and mostly Hornady brass.

For consistent LR shots in hot weather (over 90F), I use a 105gr Lapua Scenar-L over 41.5gr of IMR4350, CCI-BR2 primers, and C.O.A.L. 2.775".
If I'm shooting in lower temps, again with the 105gr Lapua Scenar-L, I'll go to 46.9gr Re26, CCI-BR2 primers, and C.O.A.L. of 2.795".

When I know I'm shooting consistently beyond 500 yards, I'll use my 6.5-280AI.

I wish you the best!

Ed

If you can find them, the Sierra 85 grain BTHP is probably the best 243 bullet available for you are looking for. I've killed a number of coyotes with them, and they work.

What twist on the Tikka Barrel? 1 x 9.5---1 X 10---1 x 12 ? The Tikka, might not shoot the 105s but should shoot the 70gr. or 87 gr just fine. both will work, work up a load, and have at it. Rio7

The new production Tikka 243's are a 1-8 twist, but I haven't seen any on the shelves yet. The older Tikka's will be 1-10.

James Jr, Thank You I didn't know that. Rio7

87 V-Max.

The 85 grain Sierra is a good bullet but B.C. sucks and if you're wanting to stretch it to more than a quarter you will end up with a rainbow like trajectory.

If twist allows one of the heavy 103+ grain bullets may be a good choice.

10gauggemag, I agree , i'm a big fan of the 105 Scenar, it kills near and far. Rio7

I don't shoot long distances, but in the accuracy department I never had a VMax bullet out perform the 85 grain Sierra in the 243. Maybe it's just been my limited experience.

OP was asking about long range.

My vote goes to the 87gr. V-Max also.

Try to keep in mind that although they are a ways off, he does have neighbors!

I have had good luck with 87gr Hornady but they might not come apart all that well. What does come apart well for me is the 75gr V-Max! Shooting at 200 yds at paper target on 1 1/2" foam board backer, those 75gr V-Max bullets shed their jackets all over on the ground behind the target. I think in the OP's situation he needs a bullet that will come apart on contact. Neghbors within shot range. How will they do at 600 yds? Haven't a clue. Never shoot at anything anywhere near that far away. Could be in that range the velocity will come down enough to save pretty much any bullet from coming apart. Who knows what could happen then!

It's got 1x10" twist.

What do y'all think of the Tikka T3x in .22-250 with the 1x8" twist? Will it reach as far as a .243?

More about the backstop beyond the ~750 yds of open fields: there's at least 1/2 to 5/8 mile of thick hardwood forest. And we own all of it, so no worries about folks being in those woods.

Check out https://www.ssusa.org/content/six-key-reasons-why-john-whidden-uses-243-win-for-long-range-shooting/

So .. some things to balance. The higher BC bullets are likely to be heavier, lower velocity, so expansion can be iffy / ricochet potential goes up. And yet, they have characteristics you need. I think the answer is to find balance, not to maximize anything. My personal choices would be 75 grain VMAX, 87 grain VMAX, and 80 grain Ballistic tip. I would also consider the 85 grain speer boat tail soft point, the new 90 grain ELD-X, and maybe even the 70 grain ballistic tip.

.22-250 with a fast twist .. kinda the same issues, you get out of true varmint bullets with real thin jackets when you start going up in bullet weight. 60 grain VMAX and Ballistic Tip are pretty much king of the hill for reliable varmint performance. A good buddy of mine built a .22-250 AI with a 1-9" twist as one of his projects in gunsmith school. He went out and shot a bunch of rock chucks with it, 500 yards, 600 yards more or less. He was using the 75 grain AMAX. Results varied a lot. Sometimes it blew chunks of rock chuck all over the landscape and other times it penciled through leaving them to run off leaving a blood trail. I think the 1-8" twist is a good thing for targets, paper or steel, and high BC bullets, but it doesn't add anything over a 1-12" twist for varminting use.

What you should do is look at the on-paper BCs of the bullets you're considering in both diameters, look at the velocities each cartridge will push them to, then see which holds enough velocity for violent expansion the furthest. I don't know which it will be. My gut feeling is it's going to be the .243 ..

After reading the thread, I tend to agree with Ed here, the 75 grain Speer HP. I use H 414 and it'll reach out there... but so will the 75 grain Hornady and Sierra 75 grainer. If no H 414, then Win 760 and Accurate 2700 are pretty much the same powder.

In todays market, If you come across a 1000 round box of Speer 70 TNTs, I'd reach for that... They will reach out there , and if ya miss, they are fragile enough to come apart, and not sending shrapnel in any direction...

other bullets from Sierra and Hornady will work just fine, but the ones I've listed are the ones I prefer, if only for no other reason, that I've used them for decades at those distances and they have never failed to be on target, unless the shooter is not on target... ( that'd be me.. )

I can relate to 600 yds, as that is about as far out as our local range has steel posted.

H 414 has been the most accurate powder out of the several rifles I've used for this type of shooting... but as I said, W 760 and AA 2700 are the same powder.... I've just had a lot of H 414 still around over the years after it was discontinued.

If you can’t find W760/H414 step up to Superformance, it’s awesome in the 243 with the 70 grain Speer HP.

IMR-4064 is never a bad thing for 80 grains and lighter.

I have shot dozens of coyotes with the Sierra 85gr. BTHP's. I still load 42.5 grains of IMR 4350. Great accuracy. I started that load back in 1965.

I've shot a lot of 6mm bullets 70 gr to 105. The 87gr VMax never ceases to amaze me even at distance and it shoots well in a factory 1-10. The 243 shoots well with just about any powder and bullet. I like it.

I have been shooting some 87 V Maxes in my 6 x 45....

It gets pretty darn good velocity, and certainly is accurate and is delivering a punch out to 300 yds, with like 27.5 grains of powder... W 748. out of a 20 inch barrel, its running at 2874 fps MV...

and its a tack driver to boot. it works great out of my varmint Model 70 in 243, but takes more powder. The 6 x 45 is a lot more efficient...

I had good groups with 87gr V-Max and varget, then not leaving well enough alone I tried nosler 70gr and RE-17 and it might be the best shooting combo yet in my 788.

When I had a Winchester heavy sporter, 26 inch barrel it got fed 4350 and a 70 grain ballistic tip.

I’ll cast another vote for the 87vmax. I did just buy a few boxes of the 95 Berger vld hunters. Only shot three groups with them out of my old 6mm varmint special at 100 yards but from what I saw they look like I’ll be shooting some stuff with them soon.

Ive probably shot more varmints with 70BT’s and blitzkings than anything else in 6mm and never had any complaint with either. Once hit a pdog at nearly 900 yards with the 70bk. It worked just fine.