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Joined: Feb 2011
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OP
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I have a fresh SS Tikka T3x chambered in 243 win on its way. 1-10 twist. I've got plenty of brass and primers.
This is going to be a dual purpose rifle. Coyotes and deer. What bullets are you using to hammer whitetails with your 10 twist 243's? I've got a bunch of 95 grain Nosler BT's, and was thinking about the TTSX. Any others? Good powder recommendations too!
Ive got good 223's, 6.5, and .308's. figured the 243 might be fun!
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Joined: Jul 2011
Posts: 732
Campfire Regular
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Campfire Regular
Joined: Jul 2011
Posts: 732 |
90-95gr Nosler BTs, loaded to nosler book length with 43.0gr of IMR4831 is tight in my .243 Tikka T3x.
Also, the cheap Federal Whitetail 100gr shoot single hole in that gun as well.
Last edited by Jwood1284; 02/13/20.
-JW
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Joined: Feb 2011
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Campfire Tracker
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OP
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I might have some 4831 in the shop. I have a ton of Varget and H4350.
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Joined: Nov 2017
Posts: 425
Campfire Member
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Campfire Member
Joined: Nov 2017
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One of the best cartridges of all time. My buddies son dumped a northern AZ cow elk a couple falls ago at 160 yards with an 80grn TTSX out a ruger american compact (18" barrel), complete pass through. I bet Varget or H4350 would be perfect for those 80grn TTSX. I have an old M77 varminter from grandfather that shoots ragged holes with 37.0 of Varget and 87grn Vmax. Wouldn't be a good deer load but that load will blow the wheels off any coyote you can see.
Last edited by bmoney; 02/13/20.
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Joined: Feb 2011
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Campfire Tracker
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OP
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One of the best cartridges of all time. My buddies son dumped a northern AZ cow elk a couple falls ago at 160 yards with an 80grn TTSX out a ruger american compact (18" barrel), complete pass through. I bet Varget or H4350 would be perfect for those 80grn TTSX. I have an old M77 varminter from grandfather that shoots ragged holes with 37.0 of Varget and 87grn Vmax. Wouldn't be a good deer load but that load will blow the wheels off any coyote you can see. Sweet! I'll be looking at load data tonight!
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I have a buddy that has that rifle and has done well shooting the Fusion 95 grain ammo with it. Accurate and works well on both deer and antelope.
"Rather hunt Mule deer than anything else" "Team 7MM-08"
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Joined: Apr 2011
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Campfire Savant
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Campfire Savant
Joined: Apr 2011
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I load the 80 TTSX for grandkids and my 99’s. The grandkids haven’t lost an animal yet. I’ve killed a few pigs with 99’s. DRT. I would consider the TTSX
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Joined: Dec 2002
Posts: 27,692
Campfire Ranger
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Campfire Ranger
Joined: Dec 2002
Posts: 27,692 |
95 grain NBT and 4350 are a match made it Heaven for a .243.
Member: Clan of the Turdlike People.
Courage is Fear that has said its Prayers
�If we ever forget that we are one nation under God, then we will be a nation gone under.� Ronald Reagan.
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Joined: Jan 2010
Posts: 8,036 Likes: 6
Campfire Outfitter
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Campfire Outfitter
Joined: Jan 2010
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I have a Tikka 243 (LH). For deer I shoot the 80 TTSX. 39.0 of Varget at 2.700" is how I run it. They shoot plenty accurate for what that bullet needs to do. I clocked that load at 3221 fps. Hammers the heck out of deer. The first time I used it on a deer, it seemed like it was hit with a much larger bullet, based on performance and blood trail. I have put a few through heavy bone, and not one has stayed in a deer. Works great on turkeys and coyotes as well.
The best accuracy load I have is the 70 grain Berger hollow point over 40.5 grains of Varget. That will stack as many bullets in one tiny hole as you want to.
I have loaded the 87 grain Vmax, but it really didn't do any better than the lighter bullets. I recently loaded some of the 65 grain Vmax and those shoot extremely accurate as well at 3385 fps. Everything I load in it now is over Varget. The 87s were H4350, but I won't be loading any more of those.
Now BS will come on here and bitch about the "retard" twist rate and that fact that you can't shoot 137 grain bullets loaded to 3.58976543" out of a Tikka. I can't, I'm glad I can't, and there is absolutely no need to.
Last edited by KenMi; 02/13/20.
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Joined: Oct 2013
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Campfire Ranger
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Campfire Ranger
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You want to use one bullet for coyotes and deer?
The last time that bear ate a lawyer he had the runs for 33 days!
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Joined: Apr 2011
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Campfire Outfitter
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95gr Partition over an upper middling load of Varget.
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Joined: Jan 2005
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Campfire Tracker
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You want to use one bullet for coyotes and deer? Sierra 85 gr GameKing will work for both, I haven't shot a lot of coyotes with it but the few I have died right there with minimal hide damage, and it sure as heck is a good deer bullet. drover
223 Rem, my favorite cartridge - you can't argue with truckloads of dead PD's and gophers.
24hourcampfire.com - The site where there is a problem for every solution.
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Campfire Tracker
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OP
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You want to use one bullet for coyotes and deer? Looking for two different loads. Probably going with the 95 ballistic tip and the 80 TTSX testing for deer. For coyotes, a lighter v max, or something like that.
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Joined: Feb 2011
Posts: 5,463
Campfire Tracker
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Campfire Tracker
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I have a Tikka 243 (LH). For deer I shoot the 80 TTSX. 39.0 of Varget at 2.700" is how I run it. They shoot plenty accurate for what that bullet needs to do. I clocked that load at 3221 fps. Hammers the heck out of deer. The first time I used it on a deer, it seemed like it was hit with a much larger bullet, based on performance and blood trail. I have put a few through heavy bone, and not one has stayed in a deer. Works great on turkeys and coyotes as well.
The best accuracy load I have is the 70 grain Berger hollow point over 40.5 grains of Varget. That will stack as many bullets in one tiny hole as you want to.
I have loaded the 87 grain Vmax, but it really didn't do any better than the lighter bullets. I recently loaded some of the 65 grain Vmax and those shoot extremely accurate as well at 3385 fps. Everything I load in it now is over Varget. The 87s were H4350, but I won't be loading any more of those.
Now BS will come on here and bitch about the "retard" twist rate and that fact that you can't shoot 137 grain bullets loaded to 3.58976543" out of a Tikka. I can't, I'm glad I can't, and there is absolutely no need to. Good info here, thank you!
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Joined: Dec 2001
Posts: 2,251
Campfire Regular
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Campfire Regular
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I’ve had excellent performance on Southern Whitetails with the Berger 87 grain VLD. It’s a killer!
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Joined: Jun 2016
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Campfire Outfitter
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I've got box of 90 Sierra tipped gamekings that I plan to try to use year around. If they act up, I'll simply go back to 70 NBT for 11 months 95 partitions for a month.
Plain vanilla?? My 243 is a used 700 ADL synthetic that I bought on the cheap for a donor. Shot it before tearing it down & it became part of the clan.
Not one of my favorites 30 years ago, but with the constant introduction of bullets the 243 becomes more versatile every year. A good one.
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Campfire Outfitter
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70gr Nosler Ballistic Tips over 42.0grs of Varget. 4 shots. Didnt want to shoot 5 so I didnt screw this up. It's a 1980's era Remington Varminter HB.
Last edited by splattermatic; 02/13/20.
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100 grain partition for deer, best bullet I've found.
guns to me are like legal crack
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You want to use one bullet for coyotes and deer? Sierra 85 gr GameKing will work for both, I haven't shot a lot of coyotes with it but the few I have died right there with minimal hide damage, and it sure as heck is a good deer bullet. drover ^^^THIS^^^................I've never had a 243 that would not shot this bullet accurately. For an "all around" bullet for the 243, you cannot find one better.
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