95 gr. Ballistic Tips in the .243 ?

[Ruger # 1]

Anybody used the 95 gr. BallisticTip or the 95 gr. Hornady SST in a .243? Preferably, has anyone taken deer or antelope with these bullets? What was your impression of the bullet performance? I've worked up a good load w/ the Ballistic Tip, but I've not shot anything with it yet.

Thanks.

 

[cntryboy1289]

I have used them

I have killed 2 deer with the ballistic silver tips. Both dropped in their tracks, but I shot high and hit both shoulders on each shot. I now load the Barnes triple shock in 85 grain. I thought they would be too light a bullet, but after talking to the sales rep at barnes, I tried them. I have only shot one since and it ran a few yards, but the bullet exited the far side. I have shot many deer with the Hornady light magnum, but haven't used the SST except in my muzzle loader. They perform very well in the Savage 10ML, both of the deer I have shot with them dropped very quickly. Hope this helps.

 

[Tarkenton]

It was a

95 grain BST that dropped my eight point buck at 230 yards this season. Deer went about 50 feet and dropped, bullet impacted the vitals.
They'll go in my gun next year.

 

[Ruger # 1]

Thanks for the input!

Did either of you get exit wounds on the deer you shot with the Ballistic Tips?
CNTRYBOY, I've also thought of using the 85 gr. Triple Shock, but I've been a little nervous about it expanding well enough. Was the exit wound small, or more importantly, was there a very good blood trail? What was the wound channel like?

Thanks again for the imput. I definitely plan on using the Ballistic Tips in the future.

 

[cntryboy1289]

about an small fist exit wound

My exit wound was about the size of a small kids fist and the blood trail was excellent. I wouldn't hesitate to use them again. The bullet is designed to retain about 95% of its weight where the ballistic tip will not and a 100 grain bullet of most manufaturers won't as well, but some will. I didn't have any problem with the bullet expanding. It is desigend to expand and hold it's weight without peeling all the way back to nothing being left. The ballistic silve tips expand violently, but I think they would do better if they held up a little better. I load the BST with 41.5 grains of H4350 and the Barnes 85 TS's at 43 grains of H4350. Barnes carries the 85grain XLC that has a higher B.C. than either of the two. I think I may switch to it. I have heard all my life that the .243 wouldn't kill big deer, but I have learned better. You hit him right and he will go down, just do like I do and wait for the right shot.

 

[TooTech]

Dropped a mule deer and an antelope with .243 handloads using the Hornady 95 grain SST, both one-shot kills. The mule deer at 50 yards, the antelope at 345 yards. The mule deer took one hop and died, the antelope fell right over. Both bullets exited, but the exit wounds were not sizeable.

Of course, both shots were perfectly placed heart shots

These bullets deliver sub 1/2 MOA accuracy out of my Tikka.

 

[Tom Matiska]

One 90 yard broadside shot with Mr Nosler's 95 gr BT. Doornail dead, couple inch exit wound, good damage without an excessive amount of purple jelly. I'd use it again.

 

[Jseime]

hi

i have a .270 which i used 130 gr. SST bullets in for a while and was quite impressed with them but i really like nosler partitions when i had a .243