Best .243 cartridge

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Deerhunter264

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I am looking for a good deer load. I am going to reload so tell me if u have ne good loads. ANd manufactured loads i would like to know about.

I am shooting a .243 Browning Xbolt

Also some varmint loads 2 for ground hogs.
 
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Jseime

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When I had my first .243 I used to use a 110gr Nosler partition on big mule deer. Worked like a charm.
 
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texfar

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Mine is a single roll deer shooter now. I use a 105 Hornady bullet and it will shoot less than 1/2 inch all day. Good knock down round for the deer we have around here.
 
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lev83

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I like Hornadys 100 gr SPBT for Deer out to 220 yds. Seven one shot kills with deer either dropping on the spot or running less than 40 yds after shot.
 
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texfar

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Something you might want to do Deerhunter264 is to load only a few rounds if going up to and over 105 grs. Don't know what the twist of your rifle is, but some just won't stabalize the larger bullets. If I remember correctly, the 105 A-Max recommended twist is 1-9 or faster twist rate. Mine is 1-10 if I remember in my Sako L-579 Forester, but staying below max loads, it is a tack driver and terminal effect is they don't take a step. I guess I have now take 10+ dear with this load and with the accuracy provided, 98% have been neck or head shots with 0 lost meat. I was given the box of the 105's and was glad my rifle likes them.

I don't have my reloading data with me across the pond, but let me see if I can find a target pic with varmit load. I just remember that my Sako will shoot within 2 inch or so at 300 yds prone off pack. Let me go look for pic.
 
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texfar

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Deerhunter264, I found the 105 A-Max load on my external drive.

Load date: 12/11/05
Case: Win
Primer: Fed 210
Powder: RL-19
Grns: 43.1
Trim length: 2.035
Cart. OAL: 2.785
Crimp: Lee factory Crimp

This worked for me in my rifle, me loading. Use at your own risk. I worked up to this load without any indications of overpressure.

I will load up the target for you when I get it up to photobucket. I will add that this load was where I settled. Shortly after that, I bedded the rifle, sorted cases by weight, checked concentricity with my Nico set-up, hand selected bullets by weight. Changed primer to match. With all of that the load does not shoot greater than 1/2 inch and most of the time, 3/8th groups. This rifle has a thin whip barrel so you can't pour the rounds out if it quickly as the poi changes a bit with the barrel heating up. Until I built my 7mm STW, this was my most accurate, cold bore rifle. The varmit rounds were the same accuracy if not better. This is a Sako forester, L-579 rifle of age.

Found it....

IMG_2406.jpg


Looking on other drive for other loads.
 
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gak

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The best .243 load is a 7mm-08 :) More versaility, not enough more sturm und drang to worry about, but still "less of a big deal" vs the .308 that's parented all of these.
 
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texfar

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You might quite right gak, but the question is there. It is deadly in the right rifle, and is inherantly accurate, but so is the 7mm.
Ken
 
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crowbeaner

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If I buy ammo, I usually get the WW 100 grain PowerPoint so I have the brass to reload. Right now I'm using the Hornady Interlock 100 grain BTSP and 44.0 of IMR 7828. Groups run right around 3/4" for 5 shots at 100.
 
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ken22250

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i shoot 38.8gr of IMR 3031 w/ a cci BR-2 primer and 60gr sierra HP, and 35.0 gr of IMR 3031 w/ cci BR-2 primer with 100gr sierra SBT Gameking, the 100gr is SUB MOA and the 60 gr is SUB 1/2 MOA
 
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dodge

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For groundhogs I use 38.0 grs IMR 4064, CCI 200 Large rifle primers, and Sierra's 85 gr HPBT with Federal brass. I have also used this load with Remington brass. Sure does a number on those deadly groundhogs.
 
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Loader9

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If you put any faith in the writings of Parker O Ackley, Parker stated that for any given bore diameter, there is an optimum bullet weight. For the .243 bore, that bullet weight is 87 grs. I had a very lengthy chat with him back in the 70's about it and I'm still shooting a Speer 90gr SP in my 243 although he pressed me to use the Sierra 87's. I would say use what ever brings the meat home. Some have had good luck with the heavier bullets and I've brought home deer using a 70 gr from my 6mm. There is no substitute for a well placed shot. Like my stepdad used to say, "what good is a bullet at 4000' ps and 5000lbs of energy if you can't hit anything with it". So pick a bullet of good construction, get it to shoot very accurate out of your gun, sit back and enjoy the hunt.
 
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butta9999

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My pet loads

I use a 100gr Hornady Interlock with 41gr of 2209, great pig stopper.

Varmint load 70gr sierra blitz king with 43gr of 4320. Its a wild load accuracy is awesome too.
 
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MeekAndMild

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I've been happy with the 100 grain Winchester silver boxed Super X, i.e. what was the Wal Mart special in the early 2000s. (The last of these I bought was in 2004 and I have about a box and a half left.) Both Little Meek and I have harvested deer with them, all one shot kills. I'm not using the .243 this year but if I was these would be the ammo.
 
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kirpi97

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I never could find a factory round that my .243 really liked until I discovered Federal. But since Federal has the government contract, they have been harder to come by here in the sticks. So I horde a box or two when I find them.

As for the groundhog, I find my .222 stops them dead in their tracks. However since moving from Virgina to Oregon, I haven't seen to many of them. But I keep my skills ready by using ground squirrels as target practice should one migrate up this way.

And I noticed the MeekandMild has the same quote. Guess I will have to go out there get me a new one. ha ha
 
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