Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Deer Hunting 80 - 85 grain 6MM bullets on deer

I used the 95 grain ballistic tip out of a .243 WSSM for a few years but had the occasional problem with a shoulder shot. Two I remember very clearly, one was a decent mule deer buck in Wyoming, the other a Texas whitetail buck that weighed 170 lbs on the hoof. On both of those deer the first bullet did not penetrate the shoulder. Yes, they still died with follow up shots, but those two made me want a little tougher bullet in my .243 WSSM. I now shoot the 85 gr TSX. I never had a problem with any of the does and younger bucks that I culled, but larger deer gave me the occasional issue.
But I also knew a guy who shot the 55 gr silvertip factory varmint load out of his WSSM and killed a pile of deer. I'm just more comfortable with a tougher bullet, and I like that I can drive them about 3450.

Thanks for that reply, glad they were out yesterday. Probably use Hornady 100 sp.

I don't need exceptionally high velocity and see no need to shoot a deer in the shoulder with any bullet. Meaning at edible meat.

I'll be using an 85 gr. Sierra Gameking HP out of my 6PPC 1-10" twist Encore barrel next year for deer. I've taken plenty with 100 gr. Partitions and that is my number one 6mm deer bullet recommendation by far, but my 6PPC won't stabilize the 100 gr. or the 85 gr. Partition, but shoots sub-MOA out to 300yds with the 85 gr. SGKHP.

the sierra 85 bthp gameking has been my go-to bullet in the .243 since about 1977...
i'm not sure that the game king name had been used yet, in those days, but the bullet has been a solid performer through the years.....

The 85g Speer BT SP is a deer bullet, great BC, also.

My 34-year-old 788 (that I was gifted NIB by my dad)dotes on the Federal load with the 85 gr. Sierra BTHP. As in .5 groups.

Don't hunt it much as I've bought many deer rifles since, but took it out one November in the Clinton years and busted a feral Rottweiler running does @ about 40 yards (bang flop) and an hour later put one through the top of a whitetail buck's heart and the surrounding lungs @ 85 yards (stumbled 5 yards and died thinking it was killed with a .270).

Hit the rottie through both shoulders and it was a bit messy. Deer's vitals looked like a grenade had gone off inside, had caliber-sized entry and exit holes though.

One of my goals this year is to see if Federal's load with the 85 gr. Barnes at the same velocity flies pretty close to the way the BTHP does.

Then the crusty old 788 becomes a certified deer/varmint/elk rifle!

I've had good luck with the barnes 85gr XLC, and when I run out of those I plan to use the 85gr TSX, from a 243.

CC, there was a post awhile back, 243AI IIRC, 85TSX on an elk, yep no problem, shot placement. That bullet rocks.

Most of the problems associated with the .243/6mm and it's use on big game has come from the use of varmit bullets on deer class stuff.
While they will work, sometimes, even much of the time, there are lots of bullets that are designed for big game in the .243 size. There are no good reasons why these should not be used instead. They provide a margin of error that the varmit bullets do not provide.
Out here, most of the guys I know that use the .243 class rds on big game, use the various big game bullets for everything including varmits. Not the other way around. E

I'd say a lot of the problems with the 243/6MM are associated with shooters making poor shots and blowing hot air about how there cartridge/bullet failed them. Then there are those that seem to have some sort of unfounded agenda against the 6MM's and that have never used them. There are bullets out there weighing 80-85 grains that are jacketed plenty tough for deer hunting.

either 95 grain SST's or 100 grain partitions for me, every critter I've ever shot bang flopped with my .243 ruger M77MKII.
its my go-to gun.
I never knew how inadequate they were until I read about peoples opinions on here who have limited experience with them.

I might have gone on killing many animals with one shot out of mine had I not heard from here it was bad to use

I think I'll use it for elk next pushing the 100 grain partitions.