Bone smashing .243

[SKULLANDCROSSBONES65]

G'day. I'm looking for a .243 projectile that will penetrate the skull of large cattle out to about 100 meters
The local gun shop has Nosler 95 gr ballistic tips & Sierra 90 gr FMJ. They also have an Australian made "Taipan" brand 75 gr soft point.
The typical range will be 30-50 meters and always head shots.

 

[kodiakbeer]

If those are your only three choices, I'd avoid the ballistic tip. I'd guess the FMJ's would be best. They'd certainly penetrate a cow skull.

 

[wingman]

I would expect any 243 round placed just back of the ear will do quite well.

 

[Fat White Boy]

"Large Cattle"? ***? Long horns? Buffalo? Holsteins?

 

[FrankenMauser]

Remington Core-Lokts (soft points) have done some pretty impressive bone smashing for me (including some of the 100gr variety in .243 Win).

The Ballistic Tip isn't a bad bullet, but FMJs will probably be the cheaper choice.

 

[bamaranger]

Rem 100 SP

I've had good experience w/ Rem 100 gr SP also, breaking deer shoulder blades and shoulder knuckles and holding together, recovering some on the off side, some pass through's. Not sure how that relates to shooting cattle. You don't mention them as an option in your post though.

Guys in my area are shooting deer w/ the .243 B-tips, (95's) They are a "soft" bullet and designed for expansion in deer size animals. These guys tell me the internal damage is substantial, but frequently don't get exits on our medium to smallish whitetails. (100-125 lbs)

I guess from your choices, I'd pick the FMJ's, since head shots are your intention. Are you shooting feral cattle or something similar? Sounds interesting.

 

[SKULLANDCROSSBONES65]

G'day.

Long horns? Buffalo? Holsteins?

Various breeds, this is a beef cattle property for the export market. They are probably headed for the US burger market.

FMJs will probably be the cheaper choice.

Balistic Tip = $37.00/100
Sierra FMJ = $39.00/100

Are you shooting feral cattle or something similar? Sounds interesting.

The cattle are for consumption by visiters and staff at the property. They have just started doing some mustering and needed to stock up the coldroom.
He has used the gun for shooting feral brumby as well as cammel occasionly, so that may also be a requirment for these projectiles.

 

[N.H. Yankee]

Yes, avoid the ballistic tip, nosler partitions should do the job as well as FMJ which may be the better choice.

 

[Bigjfb]

I get great weight retention and penetration from 100gr Sierra game kings and Barnes x bullets



We kill our beef with a .22 wmr, but we are shooting at about five yards

 

[Water-Man]

100gr. Nosler Partition

 

[Daryl]

For what it's worth...

I would not use a pointed FMJ. The reason is that they'll be more prone to ricochet off of a slanted surface (like a cow's forehead) than a soft point.

A plain ol' soft point would probably serve pretty well, but...

the Nosler Partitions are good bullets. They have a fairly soft "tip" ahead of the dividing partition that expands/fragments very easily. The base will hold together to penetrate pret ty well, but the bullet's weight is going to be reduced when it loses the tip.

That expansion won't really do you any good on a cow's head.

Personally, I'd go with a 100 grain Speer Grand Slam. They'll expand well, but the entire bullet is designed for controlled expanstion and deep penetration with good weight retention. For what you describe, that's what I'd choose.

They're not cheap, running pricewise about the same as Nosler Partitions, but they're better bullets IMO.

Daryl

 

[Art Eatman]

To a hundred yards? I'd bet that any 90- to 100-grain hunting bullet would likely do as well as any other.

 

[Water-Man]

Daryl...For what it's worth, the Partition PENETRATES before it expands.

 

[Scorch]

Wow! Never thought I'd see the day when someone used "bone-smashing" and "243" in the same sentence.

IMO, just about any good hunting bullet will penetrate a cow's skull. Aim just above the cowlick in the middle of the forehead or halfway between ear and eye from the side, and touch it off. Then get the knife sharp and get to work.

 

[troy_mclure]

cows skulls are fairly weak away from the horns.

ive seen cows killed for butcher with a .22 pistol.

just above the eyes(front), or just behind the eyes(side). most of these were on angry cows at 30' or so.

 

[Jack O'Conner]

I've been hunting with the same Remington 760 slide action since 1968. It's a .243 of course.

Try searching for PMP South African 100 grain ammo. I bought several boxes about a year before the huge price hike. This bullet features typical soft nose but has a thicker jacket at cannelure than Remington core-lockt. This ensures that mushroom shape does not tear off when bones are struck.

Good hunting to you.
Jack

 

[srkavanagh6621]

Should matter what you use with the .243 it should do the job. Soft point FMJ whatever you have or whats the cheapest! back home when i would butcher cattle with my dad we just shot them with .22's and if you hit them right they will go down everytime! my dad always says line up the eyes with the ears and thats where to shoot!

 

[kodiakbeer]

Guys - he named the three loads available to him. Dragging in loads he can't buy (like NP's) is not very helpful.

 

[SKULLANDCROSSBONES65]

G'day.

Never thought I'd see the day when someone used "bone-smashing" and "243" in the same sentence.

Just trying to think of a title to get peoples attention.

ive seen cows killed for butcher with a .22 pistol.

I bet you've seen smaller animals shot with bigger calibers & run off afterwards.

Guys - he named the three loads available to him. Dragging in loads he can't buy (like NP's) is not very helpful.

Thanks for pointing that out for me. Other projectiles are available, just not readily available. (mail order etc.)

 

[ZeroJunk]

I think if you shot a cow in the head with any 243 and the cow doesn't drop like a rock you made a bad shot. From the side, a shot in the ear canal is a straight line to the brain for most animals. From the front, a shot in the eye or between the eyes is a straight shot to the brain for most animals. I think if you shoot the animal low in the jaw, or high above the ears you will have problems. A cows brain is not all that big. Same as the reason I have never been too keen on the idea of head shots for deer. Works great when it works, but if you are off a little you have a horrbly wounded animal.

If you make a good shot, all those will do the trick. As the other poster said, I have killed many domestic hogs with a 22, but the target is about the size of a quarter at best.