Home Forums Reloading Varmint Rifles Pet loads for the 243

I have been reloading for several years now but have for some reason never owned a 243. In the last couple of months me and my brother have bought one. His is a Savage in a 1 / 9.250 and mine is a T/C Icon in 1/10. I've decided to try 85 SGK, 95 Berger VLD hunting, 100 SGK, and the 105 Amax just to see if I can.Does anyone have any pet loads for these bullets they would be willing to share? I have several powders on hand that I chose not to list because if I'm lucky enough to get replies I don't want what I have on hand to limit my selections of loads. Thanks in advance for any replies.

Yep...got a load I'm shooting in an Icon..
Speer 85 gr. BT..40.0 gr. of 4064..69mm COAL
Amazing....
Before you rush out any buy boolits, Id try the same thing with Sierra GKs that you have...I bet it'll work..

Ingwe

I bought my first 243 a couple of years ago, and discovered that I couldn't make a bad load for it so far. I threw darts at the reloading manual and came up with 40 grains of Varget under the 80 grain Ballistic Tip. It makes a fine red mist when used on prairie dogs, and went all the way through an antelope on a broadside shot at around 300 yards this year.
Royce

In a Ruger all weather 100gr corelokt and 100 gr SGK shoots the same basic little group. 42gr IMR 4350
Kevin

Now Fred, everyone knows the BTs don't penetrate....


Ingwe

IMR or AA--I've got the IMR on Hand throat is pretty short on both of our rifles. Neither of us can load the 85SGK's to Minimum COAL but we have good measurements on what we can get by with.

I've got a ladder test loaded up with Varget for the 85's I hope to run this week.

Giving me ideas.....other bullelts will be here Tuesday.

In .243, I load the 85 SGK over 38.0 grains of IMR 4064 and shoot it in either a Sako Hunter Mod 75 or my Ruger VT. I took a nice 5x5 mule deer several weeks ago with the Sako and this load at about 200 yards. He dropped like a brick. Shot was a bit high in the back. I backboned him.

I also use the exact same load out of my Ruger for varminting.

I use the Barnes 85gr TSX and the Barnes 80gr TTSX in my .243s and they work great. I use 38/38.5 grains Varget worked up for each of the four. They kill deer very well. Velocity runs about 3200 out of 24 inch barrels. I will be using those bullets in the future for coyotes too based on the small exit holes they make in a deer's hide.

I love 12-14 grains of Blue Dot and Varmint Grenades for general pest whacking. It's quiet and accurate. Vaporizes chipmunks most of the time. At about 2000 FPS it should still handle coyotes at 100 yards.

Ingwe
Yea, those Ballistic Tips suck! (Is ground shrinkage something I can blame on them?)

Royce

I use a ladder test thats a little different. I load enough to repeat on a follow up day to see if result compare. I've had loads on one day out shoot everything the next time out. Got more brass coming to check out the 4064 and had the Varget already loaded. If you have some of the same loads and don't put them in because they are here, jump in, a repeat is confirmation they work. I'm sure there are more than me interested in this, the IMR 4064, Varget, AA 2520, and RL-15 are all pretty close in speed. Looking to see if they are any out there with a little slower burning powder. I want to try out some RL-19. Got Retumbo, h100V, and H1000 I was looking at, also. See a lot of loads out there with the heavier bullets in these slower powders. Would be nice to come up with enough loads for a sticky for this little speed ball. May have to find me a heavy barrel and see what this caliber is all about. Been playing with the 30's to long and about wore my 223's out I've shot them for so long. This has energized me to play once again.

Enios...good question on the 4064...I asked JB about that one and he assured me they were identical...so I use both! Can't tell a difference..

Ingwe

With the 85 Sierras I use 3031 with great effect. Varget shoots good too, just not as well.

At least in the two .243's I've loaded for, they both like Varget under a 75 gr v-max.

I found with bullets heavier than 75 gr, that I get better accuracy with H-4350 than with Varget, so would suggest sticking to the slower powders for 85-105 gr bullets.

I have a box of 87 gr v-max and need to work up some loads in my sons .243. I can't see them not shooting well.

Enios: Are you intent on using your 243 for Hunting medium size big game or Varmints?
Your post leaves me the impression that medium size big game is your quarry - I have loads for both so I will wait til I hear back from you to send along suggestions.
Hold into the wind
VarmintGuy

May pop a deer with it at some point in time, but will be working with some of the lighter stuff later. Right now I'm hunting the most accurate hunting loads I can come up with in a high BC bullet, hence the 95 Burgers, and then I'll play with Varmint loads. I've got the 223 set up for one and the 308 for the other. I wanted this for which ever I may choose so I can take one rifle and 2 boxes of rounds..... I shoot a lot more paper than anything just honing my skills.

for bigger stuff, 85 grain sierra hpbt with 40 to 43 grains h4350 or 36 to 37.5 grains varget.

for little stuff, sierra 60 grain hollowpoint with 40 to 42 grains varget.

those powder weight ranges always found me a tight grouper.

I also use the 75 gr V-Max over Varget for sub-moa from my Tikka T-3 Lite. I used factory 90 gr Remington SPs for javelina, just because I was given a few boxes of them.

This site is excellent for dealing with loading data:


http://www.centerfirecentral.com/rifledata.html


Good Luck!

http://www.reloadersnest.com/frontpage.asp?CaliberID=5

Of the sites of that nature this one is better they check their loads and if they haven't they have those loads in a different place and note they haven't been checked . First load I looked at there was 2 grains over a published max which the guy said be careful it's a hot load. They also have over 300 loads.

Haven't finished the Varget testing yet but 36.5 with the 85 yielded 3065FPS and a .263 5 shot group. I got up to 3200 fps but groups opened up to an inch. Got to retest Sat. when it's colder.

I'm running coated Berger 95gr VLD w/42.5 H4350 in the lands out of my tikka t3 lite .243

Yields 2980fps and shoots 1/2" 3 shot groups @ 100yds when I do my part.

Also run 85TSX in front of 45grains of H4350 for 3280fps.
These are also coated and not touching the lands. Shoot 3/4 to 1" @100 yds (killer deer load).

[/b]***Work up to these loads as they may not be safe in your gun***[b]

For coyotes and bucks,55 grain BT, 52.5 grains H414, right at 4grand, stupid accurate in the 4 243's I shot them in. For bucks and bulls,45.5 grains 7828, 100 grain partition @ 3100, sub moa in my 660. Later

Still going to work more loads for the 85 to see if I can beat what I've come up with with the Varget but It may be hard to beat. 39 grs of Varget with the 85SGK HPBT's yeilded this 5 shot group at 100 this morning at over 3200FPS.... not the best group but the best was 3064 and only beat it by .064

you KNOW i am not surprised.

Varget is good stuff. good shooting btw.

ditto Judman's load of 45.5 gr. 7828. In my case I use C&C bullets and they shoot very well. I was never sure whether this load worked so well because of the over 27" barrel on my 40X. Come warm weather I'll have to chrony this one to see what velocity I'm getting.

Jim

I'm starting to expect groups out of this rifle like this. It will shoot under a half without much trouble with factory stuff in the Hornady 95 SST and the first 5 shots after break in grouped like the target above.

Shot this mule deer @334 yds caught both lungs left a quarter size exit. That's a 3006 recovery gun in the pic as the deer went into a wooded bottom and I didn't know if it would get western or not. My bolt gun is a 700 remington with a Shilen 26" barrel. The whitetail was @ 245 yds bang flop with a neck shot. My load is 42.7 IMR 4350 behind a 85gr Sierra BTHP. Got it down to a 1.15 group @ 200yds. The .243 is a great caliber for any North American game with a well placed shot. It doesn't matter how fast or how big a bullet is if it doesn't hit the mark.

38.0grs of IMR 4064 and a Sierra HPBT is awsome. I have taken 50+ deer in Florida with that load, All but a few were DRT.

Groups? Hard to measure such a small hole after five shots.

I shot a ruger #1 in 243, Not much lived to tell about it after meeting me with that rifle in the woods. Oh, those were the days!

I have had really good luck with ramshot Hunter in a couple of 243's I have worked with , both were savages. They really liked 42.5 gr of hunter with 100 gr hornady bullets, 44 gr with speer 90 gr and 45 gr with Sierra 85 HPBT. Both Seemed to prefer a little hotter primer with the WLR working well. My daughters have used the 85 gr Sierra HPBT on lots of deer with very good results.

Working with a load I got from the Sierra people I use 43.3 gr of IMR 4831 and shot a 5 shot group that was .460 Saturday but if you take out the first shot that fired after a quick clean on the bench I had a four shot group of .150 at 3143 fps. Got to load up a batch to see if it holds up but the two on either side was around an inch. Also have one with the 95 Berger's that measured .444 for a 5 shot group and if you take out the first shot on it I had a four shot group of .134 with 42 grains of the same but I was concerned with the speed at 2895 fps but it's going to get another test, too. I had 4 groups under 1/2 while working up to this load but the second best was .277 at 2810 fps.

My results mirror yours.

I shoot a 1:9 twisted 700 remington ADL thats bone stock and has had nuttin done to it,my pet load is 38 grains of IMR-4350 with a 100 grain Sierra sitting atop,I fired a 3 shot string last week that measured .210 CTC as this rifle does this every time I take it out,its a keeper...........

I'm trying 40 grains of RL-17 behind a 95 grain BT and also a 100 grain Hornady BTSP. I'll report back after I test fire.

My Remington 700 BDL 243win I load 41.0grs. of RL17 powder with a Barnes 80gr. TTSX bullet seated 2.620" COAL. Using Remington cases and a Federal 210 GM primer. Get a 3-shot group at 0.300" center to center of bullet.

Try a Hornady hpbt in 87gn with 45.3gn 4350, or the same load with a 87gn Vmax. I'm using Hornady brass. They both shoot nice and flat. The 85gn Sierra hpbt is a great bullet, but goes through a goat at 50yards like a dose of salts, still dead though. Also trying the 90gn Nosler BT with 45gn 4350. Rifle is a Model70 Featherweight.

I was given two 243 varmint rifles. The load data my friend has is 38gr of IMR 4895 and 85gr Sierra HPBTs. Very accurate in both rifles. H4350 is a good powder for the 243.

We have a Savage Model 10 w/22 inch barrel,plain Jane bought new about 14 years ago. It has been free floated and had its 7 to 8 pound trigger lightened up to about 3 pounds. It shoots 100 grain Nosler Partition sub-minute with a load of IMR 4350 x 42.4 grains. This load will be right around 3000fps in warm weather. Has killed numerous deer and Russian Boar hybrids at our farm. My daughter killed the biggest hog we,ve seen, a Russian sow weighing every ounce of 500 pounds, also predators wishing to harrass our livestock. It also shoots an 87 grain Hornady 87 grain BTHP sub-minute with 36 grains of Varget. I have no idea the velocity of this load. Probably could load it hotter but it shoots so well I don't want to change. The 87 grain load is an excellent predator load also. The hogs are here to stay. We've killed about 400 in the last 12-15 years.

45.0 grs of RL-19 with a Barnes 80gr TTSX, deadly and shoots out of 6 of my 243's

So this is a revived thread that is 7 years old...

I wonder after it runs its course if it will be revived once again, in another 7 years.... 2023?

back on topic... bonked a buck last year with a 100 grain Sierra in front of 38 grains of 4064....ADL..

Guess it is still relevant though....

I've found it hard to argue with an 85gr Sierra HPBT GK on the lands over H4350. Good load for seeing if a rifle will shoot.

Well heck, its hard to argue with 25 grains of SR 4759 with any 6mm bullet to see if a 243 will shoot.... even when the barrel's shot out...it will still shoot SR 4759 to more than minute of whitetail....

but then you knew I was a load bench rebel anyway....

4350 is a good powder, hence too boring....
but I admit to using it when I'm in a follow the herd mood...

I load for 4 different 243's, all Remington 700's. I have found that W760 works very good in all of them. I've tried other powders, and IMR4350 and IMR4064 give good results, but overall 760 just works better. All of those rifles will shoot the 85 grain Sierra HPBT extremely well, and if I could use only one bullet, that would probably be it. But, I also use the 58 grain VMax, 65 grain Berger, 70 grain Sierra HP, 90 grain Nosler BT, and 95 grain SST's. For some reason, I can't get 100 grain bullets to shoot anywhere as consistently good as lighter weights shoot. I'm going to deer hunt this year with my 700 LVSF, using a 90 grain Nosler BT with 44.6 grains of 760. It's scary accurate.

I've tried that 90 grain BTip behind 44 grains of H 414... same powder as we all know...

not only scary accurate... if ya like velocity, it gives that in spades also...

Good choice, unless the weather is a little on the hot side..

I've not found the time to chronograph it, but it's a very flat shooting load out to 300 yards, which is as far as I usually feel comfortable shooting deer with the 243. As far as hot goes, there are no signs of pressure, although I wouldn't load it any hotter.

higher pressure will only rear its head, if the outside temps get up in the 90 degree range or more..

I've known people who have taken game at much further distances than 300 yds with that combo...

Good optics help of course...

It would be a very rare occasion for me to be shooting in temps that high. The longest shot I ever witnessed on a deer, was my brother shooting my Remington 788 in 243, many years ago. It was at a measured 485 yards. Now, given his shooting ability, I'd say it was mostly luck. But, the 243 will kill a deer at ranges longer than 300 yards, that's a given. I just try to keep my shots at that distance, mainly because that's the distance of my shooting range, and I know where my rifle shoots at that distance.

I shot deer at the 600+ yards range with my 243AI using Hornady 105gr HPBT. Dont know why a regular 243 wouldnt work at 300 yards.

Ruger 77 Mk II - for deer I load IMR 4831 45.0 grs. with the Sierra 85 gr. HPBT.

The first shot matters the most.But under a half at 100 is good.You can't toss the first shot when out in the field.I hunt with a dirty barrel.Your results may differ.

Most of my friends use a 100 grain bullet for deer. Either a Sierra or a Nosler. Both over a case full of 4350. My 243 is a custom with a fast twist barrel. It shoots both 95 grain Sierras and Bergers and 105-107 Sierras and Bergers equally well. 4350, 4831SC and RL-22 all work great.

My Rem 700 CDL likes 70g Nosler BT over an abundance of W760 for wonderful accuracy and some impressive speed. The trajectory on this round aids in the longer range varmint work especially in the wind.

I have used 55g. Nosler BT on an average size mule deer buck at 4050fps. Wow is one word to describe the performance at about 285 yards.

Tag

My load is 44.5 grains IMR 4831 with Sierra 85 HPBT, shoots less than an inch at 300 yds. from a ole Savage.

I have loaded for a lot of .243s. starting in 1968.i have had great results with 4064 and varget and 85s , also 88 grain bergers. I 4350 and 100s. and i4350 and 95 partitons. the 95 grain bergers shot poorly out of the sakos and remingtons we tried. for long rnage hunting we us re-26 and 95 partitons in sakosand Remington. I have never tried the 105 Hornady out of anything but my 8 twist 6mmbr with Krieger barrel. of course they shoot very very good as do the 107s.

IMR 7383 - a pull down powder (used for the .50 spotter) from GI Brass. Same close burn rate to 4350 and verified with a chrono.

With this rifle its Vel. is 2970 fps.

39 grains

Winchester brass

Win L. Rifle primer

Speer 85 grain boat tail soft point.

3/8's of an inch at 200 yards out of a Savage/Stevens 200

Scope is a SWFA SS Fixed 12X MIL/MIL.

A neighbor wanted my help working up a load for his Savage 10 in 243. He wanted to shoot 100 Nosler Partitions. I grabbed the Varget first and we could not find a decent load. Next up was H4831, and 42 grains was the magic load.

Varget is a bit fast for the 100s. 4831 or 4350 etc are the ones to pick. 41 grains of h4350 is the sweet spot quite often.

Yes, 41 grains of h4350 is the pick for most .243s I have loaded for.

Going to be loading .243 for deer hunting for a Tikka compact that will go through many young hands at deer camp....and probably a few old hands too. I used Barnes TTSX 150gr in my 308 this year and was super impressed/happy with the performance so I think I will load the 80gr TTSX in .243.

The Barnes data recommends Superformance powder. I use Varget for 308 and currently for 7mm-08 but understand that a slower burning powder would be preferred for .243.

Anybody have any experience loading 243 with Superformance?

Has anyone tried StaBALL in this round? Burn rate is pretty close to 4350. From what I've read it's temp stable and a high performer.

I have a can and will check it out in the 6.5 Creed and 7-08 after deer season. Data looks good.

Don't have a .243.

DF

Are you ancient if you still use 4064 with a 100 grain bullet in the 243?

38 grains gives me 2950 fps out of a 22 inch barrel...and is real accurate...

of course that is with an old Sierra SMP, or Hornady 100 SP, or heaven forbid a Remington Corelokt...

or for Varmints, 42.5 grains of 4064 and an 80 grain bullet from any of those 3 companies also works pretty darn good..
both fast and accurate.... same charge goes for 70, 75 and 85 grain bullets also.....

why do these ancient powders continue to be available and still work so good?

Inquiring minds want to know...

Ancient?

Well maybe, but you’re in good company.

Ha!

DF

Well after a Game Changer Failure last season...

I used the same load with a 90 grain Ballistic Tip this season... and put the bullet pretty much in the same spot...

the deer just laid down and died....

so old stuff works for us old guys.......

h

sierra game changer are a disappointment, arent they, I went back to the Sierra 85gr HPBT, old bullets for me, a old guy

If I could only have one bullet for the 243, that would be it.

For me the Sierras 85gr HPBT Gameking

Hey, you old geezers, how hard can you push the 85 grain Sierra GK?

How about sharing those details.

I don’t have the Game Changer, wasn’t looking to get any. Just curious.

I do like the SGK BTHP and the NBT.

DF

The .243 is my choice for culling Whitetails, over the tears I have tried just about every bullet and powder combo,that I've read about, some are ok, some are good, a very few are great. out of my 3 .243's all are 1x8 twist 21 1/2" barrels, H-4350 and 105 gr. Scenar, KIlls like lighting, from close to far. long range 1000yrds plus the 107 gr.SMK and Retumbo, is very accurate, We kill about 350 Whitetails every year, and a few semi loads of pigs, plus more than a few exotic's, and predator's, the .243 is KING, kills way above it's pay grade. Rio7

in a 243, 22" barrel 3358fps. 26" barrel 3614fps, 240 why, 26" barrel 3872fps

The above picture it the last 2 day's work with my .243 Rio7

I shot 2 deer with the 90gr gamechanger out of a 243, they acted like a FMJ bullet, hole in hole out, didn't look like they expanded at all, big doe at about 50 yards and 8 pointer at about 200 yards. Doe went down in about 20 yards, buck went down the hill crashed, went down and he got up and took off again then shot him in the neck.

that's stepping right on out there. I guess there's no worry on running them too fast, then...

I know a couple of guys that run them out of the 6mm-06. dont know there fps but it should be about the same as my 240 wby

DF,

just put Seafire and the Sierra Game Changer in the search box, for last years season, 2018...

I got massacred by the usual crowd.. that excel in that endeavor....what I should have done was just ignored them...
live and learn I guess....

its a good bullet, but just needs to be pushed real hard.... called Sierra's Tech guys when I bought a box and they gave me bad info on the bullet
after the failure I called them back, and their lead tech guy told me that many of their own staff didn't fully understand what the bullet was designed for..
originally they told me it was a Sierra Alternative to a Ballistic Tip.. it ain't...
so I took it afield, with a load of 30 grains of 4198, for an MV of roughly 2500 fps..
the bullet just penciled thru a blacktail and never opened up....

it staggered off into a ravine that was hard to recover, that time of the day, with the sun falling fast in a very mountaineous area..
went out with a friend, the next morning with his jeep and a winch on the front, to recover the animal
got real flamed over that also...in typical campfire fashion...

if you ever try the bullet for hunting... a fast pushed velocity out of a 6mm Rem or a 240 Weatherby would be the best choice in using it.
since then I've read a few others who have experienced the same performance of not opening up..and penciling thru...

if I had been hunting somewhere like Nebraska or Kansas where everything is flat, it would have had a better outcome...
the deer died, due to shot placement, but it wasn't a bang flop, that's for sure...

pushed hard,its a good elk bullet.. according to Sierra, which is kind of what they had in mind when developing it...

I've not used them in anything but a 243, but without taking the time to look it up, that's about the velocity that I'm getting with a 22 inch barrel. I use W760, 45.5 grains, and have never experienced what I thought was high pressure with that load.

in the 243's and the 240wby I don't have pressure signs at all. I'm using RL17 in my 22" barrels, RL19 in the 26" barrel and 240 wby

Reloder 26, 95 nosler btip, 3150
Reloder 17, 85 sierra hpbt, 3175
Imr4064, 55 btip, 3800

Gun- tc icon

From what I have heard on this forum and other shooting site, on the Sierra Gamechanger, it sounds like the Army might buying them up and uses them as their new AP bullet.

I used a max load out of a Nosler book (green). I believe it was 40 grains of 4350 and the 70 BT. my rifle had a 26 inch barrel, they were smoking. That Winchester is one rifle I regret trading off.

Listening to guy's talk about this bullet and that is entertaining. Everyone trying the latest and greatest looking for the perfect bullet! It doesn't exist and it never will!

I'm using a fast twist with 105 AMAX's and RL22. Need to load some for a slow twist Rem 700 and may try some 85 TSX's in that. My son had some good kills on does with the 85 TSX in his 6mm-250.

Still liking the 105gr Hornady HPBT in my factory Remington barrel. 3,000fps from a 21.5” tube with RL26.

Just ordered 10 boxes of HSM 95 Gr SP from Midway on clearance for $12.66/box. Free shipping with code. I'll shoot that in the Rem 700 SPS.

https://www.midwayusa.com/product/1021632084?pid=365100

Ramshot Hunter shoots awesome. I love tac and x-terminator for 5.56. Decided to try more ramshot powders. After using Hunter in .243 and .270 I'm hooked.

Gonna drag this one back up...

75gr Speer HP (the flying tuna can :D), 49.0gr Superformance, CCI-200, COAL 2.640".

Looking for a good load for the Speer 70gr HP. Looking at Varget and Superformance for that bullet, too. Any load recommendations?

Using these for coyotes from kissing distance out to 400 yards.

Ed

I switched to Nosler 70gr BT and 4350 max charge way back.
Used to run the 75 gr Speers and 4895 back in college.
Whopped em good it did, but I think the change gave more zip.

That 70 grain Ballistic Tip is one hell of a coyote bullet. Works pretty good on Midwest whitetails too.

Ed, I buy those in the 1000 bullet box...70 gr TNTs

I run 4064, IMR 4895, 3031 and RL 15 for high velocity loads...my source: http://stevespages.com/243_2_70.html

with 4064, velocity load is 42.5 grains...I've ran it to 44 grains with NO issues...

super accuracy load, is 3031... 41.5 grains...

as an alternative, I also use the same data for the Nosler 70 gr Varmaggedon...

I haven't loaded for the 243 for around 20 years and was rummaging around looking for some 243 data and stumbled on this thread. In typical Campfire fashion, the guy with the most experience with the 243 gets ignored while a guy that shoots one deer a year and had a "bullet failure" holds court.

Good grief...

Very well said Brad.

I need to try the 105 Scenar. I've had so many good experiences with the Hornady 105 bthp in a 243 that I don't need any other bullets for hunting, even for elk, but I like to try others.

After this season anyone blaming bullet performance for lack of killing with a .243 is pretty much commenting on their marksmanship.

My dad who is a fairly poor shot filled both his tags this year with his 243 Marlin XS7 using his varmint grenade loads. One shot kills on both.

I do no recommend using varmint grenades on white tail, and my dad did have 95 gr ballistic tips loaded and ready to go. Why he thought the "hollow point" loads were his ticket is beyond me.....

I’ve used the Hornady 105’s for the past 4 or 5 years. I really like them and thought I had plenty. Well between ordering one of those howa 6creed barreled actions and reloading components being what they are now I ordered the 105 scenars. I’ve wanted to try them anyway and now that the Hornady 105’s are sold out seems like the perfect time to give them a go.

Kaleb, what twist barrel are you using the Hornady 105's? Will a 10 twist stabilize a 105? The Hornady 100BTSP in my 10 twist Model 70 shoots great and have taken deer out to 230 yards but wanted to try a heavier bullet but am concerned that they might not stabilize.

The 6 creedmoor I’ve been shooting is a 1-8”. The other one is a 1-7” but I haven’t got started with it yet. Some factory Remington barrels shoot 105’s but those are 1-9.25”. I don’t think your 1-10” will spin them because of the length. I use 95gr ballistic tips in our 1-10” 243’s and think very highly of that bullet.

Decided to play with some 55 gr. Ballistic Tips I got a good deal on. Had IMR 4895 on the bench so just decided to start with 2 grains under the Hodgdon website max. I know my bad but it turns out my luck is holding and 42.0 grains of it under the short BT with it's cutsie soft purple colored tip is an easy 3 shots for 1/2 inch load out of my Savage 110. I have plans to destroy a couple of coons and a coyote or two with it before I go on to something else.

Hunting load for Howa 1500, 243 Win, shoots consistent 1 MOA out to 300 yd. 100gr Speer BTSP with 35gr IMR4320. To date have taken 5 mule deer with this load.

Update, I found two loads for the Speer 70gr TNT

1. 41.0gr Varget, CCI-200, coal 2.625" = 0.625" 5-shot group with four of those going into 0.257" on my first time out with them.

2. 46.4gr H-414, CCI-200, coal 2.625" = 0.78" 5-shot group, nice round group on the same day.

I have also found the 105gr Lapua Scenar-L to be extremely accurate and acts like a premium hunting bullet on game, not a target bullet.
41.5gr IMR-4350, CCI-200, coal 2.775" gets it done in my rifle with 5-shot groups averaging 5/8" @ 100 yards.

Ed