|
Joined: Mar 2007
Posts: 1,044
Campfire Regular
|
OP
Campfire Regular
Joined: Mar 2007
Posts: 1,044 |
I'm setting up a 243 for a friend to use for a antelope hunt this year and probably for deer in the future. I have no experience with the 243/6mm for this size game. Assuming acceptable accuracy, what's your recommendation for factory ammo. Shots would not exceed 250 yards.
Thanks,
Dennis.
Those who call magazines "clips" and cartridges "bullets" ought not to be taken seriously. Jeff Cooper. We might add those who call bullets "boolits.
|
|
|
|
Joined: Apr 2008
Posts: 17,017
Campfire Ranger
|
Campfire Ranger
Joined: Apr 2008
Posts: 17,017 |
Any load besides those designed for varmits. Although I had good luck with 70 grain BTIPS. Bang flops on deer.
|
|
|
|
Joined: Apr 2011
Posts: 68,915
Campfire Kahuna
|
Campfire Kahuna
Joined: Apr 2011
Posts: 68,915 |
I’ve killed a ton of whitetails and feral hogs with the cheap Remington 100 grain Corelokt factory ammo. And the 80 grain version should be fine for Antelope. It’s cheap and very accurate in my 243.
Tons of good ammo out there for 243. I’d highly recommend any of the Factory Hornady ammo also
Nosler’s 95 grain Ballistic Tip works well too.
Last edited by chlinstructor; 08/21/19.
"Allways speak the truth and you will never have to remember what you said before..." Sam Houston Texans, "We say Grace, We Say Mam, If You Don't Like it, We Don't Give a Damn!"
~Molɔ̀ːn Labé Skýla~
|
|
|
|
Joined: Jul 2001
Posts: 59,901
Campfire Kahuna
|
Campfire Kahuna
Joined: Jul 2001
Posts: 59,901 |
Any of the inexpensive factory 100-grain loads, whether Federal, Hornady, Remington, Winchester or whatever.
“Montana seems to me to be what a small boy would think Texas is like from hearing Texans.” John Steinbeck
|
|
|
|
Joined: Mar 2010
Posts: 1,980
Campfire Regular
|
Campfire Regular
Joined: Mar 2010
Posts: 1,980 |
Interesting response Mule Deer, I haven't used factory ammo in the 243 for over 30 years, but did so extensively before then, and found the 100 grainers really average killers of small game, on the other hand the 80s were outstanding
|
|
|
|
Joined: Dec 2004
Posts: 5,102
Campfire Tracker
|
Campfire Tracker
Joined: Dec 2004
Posts: 5,102 |
Good reply by Mule Deer. The same for whitetails.
"The significant problems we face cannot be solved at the same level of thinking we were at when we created them." Albert Einstein
At Khe Sanh a sign read "For those who fight for it, life has a flavor the protected never knew".
|
|
|
|
Joined: Dec 2002
Posts: 32,029
Campfire 'Bwana
|
Campfire 'Bwana
Joined: Dec 2002
Posts: 32,029 |
I really like the 95 grain Winchester/Olin Deer Season XPs for lung shooting. Quick expansion and energy dump.
EDIT: This factory load has also been very accurate in each 243 that I've shot it from, a Marlin XS7 truck gun, an RAR-P, and a slightly more expensive 700 CDL-SF.
Last edited by 260Remguy; 08/22/19. Reason: Added comment
|
|
|
|
Joined: Jul 2001
Posts: 59,901
Campfire Kahuna
|
Campfire Kahuna
Joined: Jul 2001
Posts: 59,901 |
As a general comment, I suggested 100-grain factory loads partly because the muzzle velocity generally isn't super-zippy out of typical .243 sporters, generally somewhere in the 2800's. This is still enough for a middle-chest hold out to 250 yards when sighted-in two inches high at 100, but doesn't tear up as much delicious pronghorn meat as lighter, faster bullets. And there ain't much meat even on a big buck, usually no more than 40 pounds.
Also, how quickly a certain bullet kills pronghorns is pretty much irrelevant. They live on the wide-open plains, not thick woods. So what if one goes 50 yards before dropping? In fact, we often used monolithic bullets for pronghorns. They may not kill as spectacularly with double-lung shots as plastic-tipped lead-cores, but even if they slip into a shoulder (whether due to wind, the shot angle, or shooter error, which would of course never happen to any Campfire members) the amount of meat-loss is minimal.
“Montana seems to me to be what a small boy would think Texas is like from hearing Texans.” John Steinbeck
|
|
|
|
Joined: Feb 2012
Posts: 1,531
Campfire Regular
|
Campfire Regular
Joined: Feb 2012
Posts: 1,531 |
I've had both the 6mm Remington and the .243. I have .243 at present. We have killed deer and hogs with everything from 85 grain SGKs to 100 grain Winchester Power Point. The .243-6mms are very versatile and if you hit a deer or antelope in a vital area with just about any 6mm projectile it's probably going down, fast.
I've always had really good luck with 100 grain SGKs.
What goes up must come down, what goes around comes around, there's no free lunch. Trump's comin' back, get over it!
|
|
|
|
Joined: Sep 2009
Posts: 41,760
Campfire 'Bwana
|
Campfire 'Bwana
Joined: Sep 2009
Posts: 41,760 |
Any of the inexpensive factory 100-grain loads, whether Federal, Hornady, Remington, Winchester or whatever. ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^THIS !^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^ But I do have a preference of Hornady Superformance with the 95gr SST for heart lung shooting !
Paul.
"Kids who grow up hunting, fishing & trapping, do not mug little old Ladies"
|
|
|
|
Joined: Jan 2003
Posts: 2,800
Campfire Regular
|
Campfire Regular
Joined: Jan 2003
Posts: 2,800 |
I have set out, attempted and tried on a few occasions to better the plain old blue box Federal 100gr loads and just really can't do it. They just work.
"Miss Jean Louise, stand up. Your father's passin.'"
|
|
|
|
Joined: Jul 2001
Posts: 59,901
Campfire Kahuna
|
Campfire Kahuna
Joined: Jul 2001
Posts: 59,901 |
“Montana seems to me to be what a small boy would think Texas is like from hearing Texans.” John Steinbeck
|
|
|
|
Joined: Nov 2007
Posts: 46,899
Campfire 'Bwana
|
Campfire 'Bwana
Joined: Nov 2007
Posts: 46,899 |
God bless Texas----------------------- Old 300 I will remain what i am until the day I die- A HUNTER......Sitting Bull Its not how you pick the booger.. but where you put it !! Roger V Hunter
|
|
|
|
Joined: Mar 2007
Posts: 1,044
Campfire Regular
|
OP
Campfire Regular
Joined: Mar 2007
Posts: 1,044 |
Thanks for all the replies! I've ordered 4 boxes consisting of low end 95 and 100 grain Winchester, Federal and Hornady. We'll see what shoots best and go from there.
Those who call magazines "clips" and cartridges "bullets" ought not to be taken seriously. Jeff Cooper. We might add those who call bullets "boolits.
|
|
|
|
Joined: Apr 2006
Posts: 9,399
Campfire Outfitter
|
Campfire Outfitter
Joined: Apr 2006
Posts: 9,399 |
85gn TSX is a superb "Do-All" for the 243Win. They knock the snot out of deer with little meat damage and don't tear up coyotes. I load my own but a buddy uses the Barnes Vor-TX ammo and is very happy w/accuracy.
I can walk on water.......................but I do stagger a bit on alcohol.
|
|
|
|
Joined: Jan 2009
Posts: 942
Campfire Regular
|
Campfire Regular
Joined: Jan 2009
Posts: 942 |
Federal Premium 95 grain Nosler Ballistic Tip.
Alcohol, Tobacco & Firearms should be a convenience store; not a government agency.
|
|
|
|
Joined: Feb 2007
Posts: 16,505
Campfire Ranger
|
Campfire Ranger
Joined: Feb 2007
Posts: 16,505 |
'What shoots best' - is your answer Good hunting.
|
|
|
|
Joined: Jul 2014
Posts: 2,556
Campfire Regular
|
Campfire Regular
Joined: Jul 2014
Posts: 2,556 |
Hornady American Whitetail ammo with 100-grain Interlocks. This is not expensive ammo and shoots great in virtually every caliber that I have seen it used it. I always hand loaded, when I had a .243, but the factory ammo does well. Any of the above-mentioned ammo is good and all you have to do is decide which one works best for that rifle.
You did not "seen" anything, you "saw" it. A "creek" has water in it, a "crick" is what you get in your neck. Liberals with guns are nothing but hypocrites.
|
|
|
|
Joined: Jul 2009
Posts: 9,162
Campfire Outfitter
|
Campfire Outfitter
Joined: Jul 2009
Posts: 9,162 |
I wish there were some way to fully explain the phenomenon of the 243 Winchester, it just works.
|
|
|
|
Joined: Aug 2003
Posts: 1,423
Campfire Regular
|
Campfire Regular
Joined: Aug 2003
Posts: 1,423 |
Wife has had great results from Hornady SSTs, 95gr IIRC and Federal with 100gr Nosler Partition bullets. SSTs are "one ragged hole"/3 shots at 100 yards. Partitions, sub-1" group/3 shots at 100 yards.
Regards,
deadlift_dude “The very first essential for success is a perpetually constant and regular employment of violence.” ----Fred Rogers
|
|
|
650 members (222ND, 160user, 1234, 257 roberts, 1lessdog, 2500HD, 72 invisible),
2,824
guests, and
1,367
robots. |
Key:
Admin,
Global Mod,
Mod
|
|
Forums81
Topics1,187,651
Posts18,399,172
Members73,817
|
Most Online11,491 Jul 7th, 2023
|
|
|
|