Home Forums Reloading Big Game Rifles .243 95 BT

Nothing iffy about it – it'll flat-out work.
The only IF is whether you're big on saving meat and would rather not work through strawberry jello when processing.

90gr Accubond and 95 LRX is what I've gone to in the .243(s) for deer – due to the above.

I agree. I stopped using BT's in anything over 2700 fps due to the shock damage from the higher velocities. They will definitely do the job but my main interest is in saving as much meat as possible and the the damage caused can easily be prevented by using a different bullet. Accubonds or mono bullets are all I use for big game hunting now. I find POI almost identical for accubonds and ballistic tips so use the BT's for target shooting and sighting in and the accubonds for doing the killing.

I've seen that Jello mix a few times. The bullet does a great job killing critters.

Skane,

Are you using the 95 LRX in the 243 Winchester? If so, what twist does your rifle have? I'm curious if that bullet will stabilize at 3000+ fps in the 1:10 twist barrels.

Cookie has used 85 grain slugs in her 6 mm for deer and pronghorn. Longest was a small buck at around 400 yds. No complaints from the animals at all. Should be fine with a 95.

There were lots of complaints initially of ballistic tips blowing up on game in all calibers, but they were designed tougher as a result, some supposedly extremely tough.

From what I understand, and John Barsness and Steve Timm would know better and can correct me if I'm wrong, but it's been said that Gail Root, former ballistician at Nosler was given a free hand to design the 95 grain Ballistic Tip bullet in .243 caliber, the 243 Winchester being his favorite cartridge and that he designed it tough enough to work on big game up to and including elk.

Steve Timm has also remarked here at the Campfire that the 120 grain Ballistic Tip in .284 caliber is an extremely tough bullet despite being a lighter option in that caliber.

I have yet to recover one from somewhere around 18 deer so far. No complaints from me. I stocked up on these and partitions and so far have never felt the need for the partitions. I will have to shoot some to compare. One place has a hog on it that is well over 300 lbs. that would be a good use of the partitions.

This hog has knocked over feeders that had three "T" posts holding them down, he bends the legs and the "T" posts then eats the entire barrel of corn sometimes pushing it over 100 yards away. His tracks are almost the size of a steers.