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Joined: Nov 2003
Posts: 3,874
Campfire Tracker
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OP
Campfire Tracker
Joined: Nov 2003
Posts: 3,874 |
If you use a .243 as your primary whitetail deer rifle, let's hear what load you use and what are the typical conditions in which you hunt.
Thanks, RS
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Joined: Apr 2011
Posts: 69,469 Likes: 26
Campfire Kahuna
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Campfire Kahuna
Joined: Apr 2011
Posts: 69,469 Likes: 26 |
Plain ole cheap ass Factory Remington Core-Lokt 100 gr ammo. It’s cheap, accurate, and kills them DRT. I’ve killed a bunch of TX whitetails and truck loads of feral hogs with it here at the Ranch out to 400 yards.
Sure there’s better ammo. But my old Remington Classic 700 in .243 shoots little tiny groups with it. Did I also mention it’s cheap 🤠
Last edited by chlinstructor; 12/09/19.
"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~
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Joined: Sep 2005
Posts: 9,034
Campfire Outfitter
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Campfire Outfitter
Joined: Sep 2005
Posts: 9,034 |
even cheaper walmart federal blue box 100 grain. timber shots 150 yards or less and open field and food plots up to 275 yard. Shoots great in our brownings and tikkas.
no losses and piles of dead critters
FJB
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Joined: Nov 2006
Posts: 4,477
Campfire Tracker
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Campfire Tracker
Joined: Nov 2006
Posts: 4,477 |
Varget And a 95Gr B.T. Have Always Served Me Well...
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Joined: Jul 2016
Posts: 4,170 Likes: 11
Campfire Tracker
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Campfire Tracker
Joined: Jul 2016
Posts: 4,170 Likes: 11 |
243 isn't my main rifle but i do use one occasionally. Model 70 in 243 3x9 Burris. Load is 95 gr Nosler ballistic tips and a slightly over max load of IMR 4350. works great at up to 300 yds
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Joined: Dec 2019
Posts: 3
New Member
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New Member
Joined: Dec 2019
Posts: 3 |
Remington 700 BDL 243 Serria 85 gr HPBT enought IMR 4350 to achive decent speed works great for me. Shoot across Michigan UP cranberry bogs, down the down the beach of Big Bay DeNoc, in and in the hard woods. Mid Michigan corn fields, wheat fields (new planted) and old logging camp clearings. Use the same load on coyotes and don't have to do much sewing on the hides either. Al
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Joined: Nov 2013
Posts: 3,806 Likes: 1
Campfire Tracker
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Campfire Tracker
Joined: Nov 2013
Posts: 3,806 Likes: 1 |
I've never had anything but good luck with the 243. I use it or something similar (243 AI, 6CM) for most of my deer hunting. 0 to 400 yards, mixed timber or pasture/edges.
I've had good luck with any of the 100 grain cup and core bullets but the hornady is my pick. Also lots of 105 hpbt hornadys and 95 ballistic tips. The last 2 seasons I've used the 90 grain Sierra gamechanger and like it a lot
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Joined: Nov 2015
Posts: 19,271 Likes: 2
Campfire Ranger
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Campfire Ranger
Joined: Nov 2015
Posts: 19,271 Likes: 2 |
I load for my son's and the grandkids 243's. He shoots the 85 grain Sierra HP with W760, and for the grandkids rifle it varies, as I experiment with it. This year they killed 2 bucks, one with the 95 grain SST, and the other with the 85 grain Sierra HP.
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Joined: Nov 2004
Posts: 5,499
Campfire Tracker
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Campfire Tracker
Joined: Nov 2004
Posts: 5,499 |
I have owned 1 243, shot one deer with it. Used the 100 gr Hornady. Dead deer.
I still have a 6mm Rem, shot lots of deer and a few antelope with it. Nosler 95 Ballistic Tip makes it shine. Shot 2 antelope does with it a couple years ago, first at 356, the other about 20 yards closer. Both dropped where they stood.
There is no way to coexist no matter how many bumper stickers there are on Subaru bumpers!
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Joined: Sep 2018
Posts: 1,191 Likes: 1
Campfire Regular
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Campfire Regular
Joined: Sep 2018
Posts: 1,191 Likes: 1 |
Brother uses one at times. I loaded up 100 grain partitions for him. Always worked fine. At one time he used 90 or 95 grain SST. Hit a big doe in the shoulder. Never fount the deer. That is when we switched to partitions
......the occasional hunter wielding a hopelessly inaccurate rifle, living by the fantastical rule that this cartridge can deliver the goods, regardless of shot placement or rifle accuracy. The correct term for this is minute of ego.
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Joined: Feb 2004
Posts: 46,748
Campfire 'Bwana
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Campfire 'Bwana
Joined: Feb 2004
Posts: 46,748 |
Then he didn't hit it in the shoulder.
Camp is where you make it.
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Joined: Jun 2004
Posts: 44,905 Likes: 13
Campfire 'Bwana
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Campfire 'Bwana
Joined: Jun 2004
Posts: 44,905 Likes: 13 |
My friend and his son have used my handloads with the 95 grain SST a number of times and from several angles from quartering away to broadside to quartering toward. Their results have been quite good.
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Joined: Sep 2005
Posts: 7,132
Campfire Tracker
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Campfire Tracker
Joined: Sep 2005
Posts: 7,132 |
95NPT at 3100 with R17. It flat works.
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Joined: Sep 2009
Posts: 42,130 Likes: 11
Campfire 'Bwana
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Campfire 'Bwana
Joined: Sep 2009
Posts: 42,130 Likes: 11 |
I too, love the 95gr SST, but having said that, standard cup & core will get the job done too.
We've dumped a ton of deer with 100gr Blue box federal & 95gr federal fusion outta our butt ugly savage M11 .243 !
Paul.
"Kids who grow up hunting, fishing & trapping, do not mug little old Ladies"
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Joined: Jun 2004
Posts: 44,905 Likes: 13
Campfire 'Bwana
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Campfire 'Bwana
Joined: Jun 2004
Posts: 44,905 Likes: 13 |
That same son of my friend has been taking them out with the 95 grain Fusions since Uncle Mathman's handloads ran out. It is very good factory ammo.
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Joined: Feb 2004
Posts: 46,748
Campfire 'Bwana
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Campfire 'Bwana
Joined: Feb 2004
Posts: 46,748 |
When I start with a new rifle or new to me, I usually pick Federal Fusions. Plenty of times they’re so good I don’t need to try anything else.
Camp is where you make it.
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Joined: May 2002
Posts: 9,541 Likes: 2
Campfire Outfitter
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Campfire Outfitter
Joined: May 2002
Posts: 9,541 Likes: 2 |
I used to shoot deer with .243s a lot.
Two bullets grew to be my favorites. Mostest favorite was the Nosler 95 grain Ballistic tip, and the next was the 80 grain TTSX.
I ended up selling one of my .243s and the other one (a mid-70s Rem 700) ended up as a donor for a very accurate .308 build.
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Joined: Apr 2018
Posts: 8,832 Likes: 15
Campfire Outfitter
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Campfire Outfitter
Joined: Apr 2018
Posts: 8,832 Likes: 15 |
El cheapo Winchester 100gr power points.
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Joined: Dec 2004
Posts: 17,253 Likes: 1
Campfire Ranger
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Campfire Ranger
Joined: Dec 2004
Posts: 17,253 Likes: 1 |
95NPT at 3100 with R17. It flat works. I used to shoot them around 3,000fps and they were always satisfactory. Never caught one in a deer. Very hard to go wrong with the 95/100gr Partition, as you still get good tissue damage but get more reliable exits than with regular cup/core bullets. A little blood on the ground is better than no blood on the ground.
Now with even more aplomb
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Joined: Oct 2003
Posts: 12,664
Campfire Outfitter
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Campfire Outfitter
Joined: Oct 2003
Posts: 12,664 |
My 243 isn't a primary but I've taken several deer with it and my son did too. Our load is a 100gr Corelokt over 41gr of H4350. Most shots were under 100 yards. We never had a deer run over 30'.
The Karma bus always has an empty seat when it comes around.- High Brass
There's battle lines being drawn Nobody's right if everybody's wrong
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