Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Ask The Gunwriters .243 Dia Hunting bullet for 6mm ARC vs the rest of the 6mm pack

Living here in South Dakota gale force winds are not exactly un-common. Worked up loads with a number of bullets for last fall. When deer season rolled around there were 2 cup & core bullets that I was able to acquire that were shining brightly for hunting purposes in my bolt action 6mm ARC. I initially opted for the 95 gr gold tip that I picked up as pulled bullet. still shooting MOA and testing proved the best mushroom characteristics I have seen yet from a cup & core bullet.

2nd morning of season was very windy. Had one of the nicest tallest racked Whitetail deer enter the public hunting parcel I was hunting. Deer managed to bed in a area I could not approach without risking being busted so I pulled out & let the brute bed down until evening.

Went home for Lunch & opted to switch loads to a flatter shooting heavier 108 grain Elite Hunter. That evening the opportunity presented itself at a smidge over 250 yards. I was fortunate of acquire an outstanding rest while proper up in a small tree. Went for a high shoulder shot on a moderate quartering away shot. Ended up catching the lower bit of the spine between the front shoulders. Buck was down and out right there.

That shot with the 108 grain Elite hunter caused the deer to expire right now. I fear that if I would have hit the lungs for example the expansion may have been very minimal, potentially may have resulted in a lost deer.

Was fortunate to draw a tag for the same unit for this fall & am strongly considering a all copper bullet. 90 grain CX if it is ever available is up for consideration along with the nosler E-tip. 3rd choice might be the 80 grain CX. Running the numbers It is surprising to recognize the amount of benefit in the higher BC of the 10 grain heavier bullet, provided the barrel is twisted fast enough.

Currently experimenting with the 90 grain E-tip as the 90 grain CX has been unavailable.


Who knows, I may end up using either of my last years favorites or a heavy copper bullet this fall. Don't emagin Ill get an opportunity to top last years deer though. That 4x4 buck grossed 160"

I use the 108 ELD’s in my 6 ARC at 2700. No 160” bucks but it’s a nice combo that should dig deep and also open well at distance.

This is an interesting read, cause I`m getting the feeling the 6 ARC may be marginal for shots at deer over 150 yrds. In my mind, way to many questions on bullet performance. For me, the OP sealed the deal with his experience on the 160 buck, thinking a shot landing a bit lower many have caused a lost animal.
Fearing that posibility, personally, I would go to a bit more cartridge. That question will live in his head, why chance it?

YMMV

Paul, I guess I’d run the numbers of a 243 with a 95 BT started at 2950 compared to the 108 ELD started at 2700 from the ARC. Not saying the ARC is a beast but no one usually claims a 243 Win with a 95 is any less than a 300 yard deer killer.

243 - 95 BT 2950 start

300 yards 2250 FPS / 1068 ENERGY

6 ARC - 108 ELD 2700 start

300 yards 2220 FPS / 1182 ENERGY

And the ARC only gets better from there on out.

I have seen 1/2 dozen or so WT does taken out to 400yds with 108s and 103s from Hornady.

Works fine.

Sorry guys, don`t think I mentioned a .243, or anything else, as the bit more cartridge.

I had a .243 at one time, didn`t kill anything larger than rockchucks with it, and I currently have the 6ARC in a gas gun.


Not to put words in his mouth, but the OP seems very genuine in his concern to KILL what he is hunting, big deer in this case. If I had that concern with the cartridge in question, I would go larger.

As I also mentioned, YMMV.

If a lower impact point would have resulted in lost venison. IMHO the bullet choice not the caliber choice along with shot placement would be seen as the root cause of the non-resulting loss. The accuracy of the 108 grain Elite Hunter proved very worthy. The lacking expansion & wound channel would be seen as a potential weakness based on after the shot observation.

The cartridge the bullet was launched from in this case I see as a positive as opposed to a negative. We always will do well to focus most on shot placement. The ARC & the Elite hunter together did work exceptionally well in the case mentioned due to shot placment.

You seem well satisfied and confident with the 6 ARC. But I still get the feeling it`s not yet 100% as far as bullets go, in particular up to the yardages you may expect to shoot. And yes, totally agree in shot placement. All goes well as long as everything goes well, but there are no guarantees there. In that case, Personally, I`ve found bigger worked better than smaller. Just me, but I want no doubt in my mind that everything will go well, if I do my job.

As mentioned, I`ve got a gas gun in this chambering, and would like to hunt with it, so this thread is of interest.

Thanks

So far in my ARC, Black and Match factory shoot well under an inch. I loaded 29.5 grains of leverevolution under 105's, and shoot under an inch too. At 2.220, my reloads are a touch tighter, but not not enough to matter.
I tried the 29.5 load under 103gr eldx's, set at factory length, and they suck. Went farther from the lands, and I'm at about 1.5 - 2 inch groups. Next stop Varget.
I have 90gr bt's over Varget that shoot great, but are slow. I can't get 95gr bt's to shoot well with leverevolution to save my life.
I have 90gr Speer hot cor's, a favorite in my .243, and 2 boxes of 90gr Barnes originals to try.
Powder availability is slowing progress....
Leverevolution only seems to work with the heavies for me.
I want to try cfe, but I'm not paying over 50 bucks a pound for powder again...

Son killed a nice 8pt. using factory 108gr ELD-M

Son with 8pt. 6mm ARC

I get what you mean now. I was thinking you just meant a bigger cases 243..

Hey..no problem.

I look at my rifles as tools, and try to use the right one for the job. A famous gun writed once said he was highly " skepticle" of the term "overkill". I always keep that in mind.