Author Topic: your guys' favorite bullets for the .243 (Read 2805 times)

henry1 · « **on:** January 03, 2007, 02:03:44 PM »

Hey put your fave. .243 bullets down. Has anyone ever tried the 55gr ballistic tips? I just loaded some up last night. Cant wait to hit the range! 60 grners have also done me good. IMR 4350 has been my main source of powder but im going to try some Varget with the 55 grners soon. Ne way, put em down and share em with everyone! Thanks!

wncchester · « **Reply #1 on:** January 03, 2007, 02:38:54 PM »

For deer, Hornady 100 gr spire pt. For varmits, bulk Remington 80 gr. PLHP.

My rifle should kill everything on a hill side with the little ballistic tips, it shoots them into an acre or so at 200 yds.

shaner · « **Reply #2 on:** January 04, 2007, 08:14:56 AM »

for a couple of years there i used alot of the nosler 55gr ballistic tips and the 58 gr hornady bullets, they shot really well out of my 243 handi i had then, used varget powder underthem , i think yu will enjoy them ,

superhornet · « **Reply #3 on:** January 04, 2007, 08:37:31 AM »

100 grain Hornady Interlock flat base over Varget...

DWPR6284 · « **Reply #4 on:** January 04, 2007, 08:55:18 AM »

I'm very partial to Sierra's 85 gr. B.T. - H.P. Game King bullet for use in many of the various factory and wildcat 6mm chamberings....

millwright · « **Reply #5 on:** January 04, 2007, 11:45:28 AM »

I use Sierra 85gr hpbt over IMR4350. My friend uses 87 gr Hornady over IMR3031

backstrap · « **Reply #6 on:** January 04, 2007, 02:34:33 PM »

henry i wouldnt use the balistic tips on deer size game they blow up on impact would be great for varmits use a soft nose bullet for deer

henry1 · « **Reply #7 on:** January 04, 2007, 06:56:04 PM »

Wow! I didnt think that i would get that many responses! Thanks guys! Hey millwright, how were your groups for your load of an 85gr hpbt sierra bullet over IMR 4350? How many grains did you put in for that load? Just curious, I was looking for a load for an 87gr hornady bullet, but i couldnt find one. but it did make my mind wander to the 85grainers. I absolutly just love my .243! I cant beleive how accurate it is. my NEF handi in .233 was ok but i never woulda thought that the .243 would outshoot it in groups. I hope that i can say that those 55gr noslers fly good or at least half way decent. thats all i can do for now untill i get my rear in gear out to the range. Hopefully i will get back to you guys within the next week on that. Thanks to all of you for sharing your data.
Henry.

Mac11700 · « **Reply #8 on:** January 04, 2007, 07:00:16 PM »

My favorite bullet...95 grain Combined Technologies Silver Ballistic tip...and reloader 22...

Mac

Thebear_78 · « **Reply #9 on:** January 04, 2007, 07:22:02 PM »

Sierra gamekind 100gr SBT definately most accurate, and deadly on whitetails. The 85gr HPBT is a great wolf bullet.

quickdtoo · « **Reply #10 on:** January 04, 2007, 07:50:41 PM »

Henry, what powder do ya wanta use with the 87gr Hornady? Hornady doesn't show IMR 4350 or Varget with it, they show H4895, AA2520, IMR4320, IMR4064, RL15, Viht N140 & 160, Win 760, H4350, IMR4831 and RL19. Hodgdon shows Varget, but not the the 87gr.

Tim

http://www.hodgdon.com/data/rifle/243win.php

henry1 · « **Reply #11 on:** January 04, 2007, 08:17:58 PM »

Ya thats what stopped me in the first place. The only ones i have right now are Varget and IMR 4350. Im not sure whitch one i would choose. I want it to be flat shooting and accurate. but the only problem is is that the only way to figure out which one is the most flat shooting and accurate would be to test all of them out and compare. I wish i had the time and money to try this out but I dont. What do you think? Thanks for everything fellas!
Henry.

quickdtoo · « **Reply #12 on:** January 04, 2007, 08:27:20 PM »

The Lee manual lists Varget at 34gr start and 36.5gr max for a 90gr jacketed bullet with a min COL of 2.625", no brass of primer recommendation. The Lyman 48th lists IMR4350 at 40.5gr start and 45gr max for a 90gr jacketed FMJBT with a min COL of 2.650", rem brass and 9½ primer. Use the start data for either one of those loads and work up slowly.

Tim

243tom · « **Reply #13 on:** January 05, 2007, 11:35:08 AM »

The thing I found with my Ultra, is as most here find, the long throat......so I tried loading mine longer with the lowest powder listing in the book (hornady) to allow for pressure possibilities. I finally ended with a load that will shoot all three 87gr Hornady bullets into a 2 inch target at 100 yds.
I'm using 39.8 grs of H4350, Winchester primers with any of the 87gr bullets (vmax,hp,sp) and seating to a col of 2.75. The first vmaxes I fired I had 3 touching, I was a happy shooter to say the least, so I tried seating them all that way and it seems to work in my barrel.
I had another poster on the board tell me give up on the 87 grainers, but I had to stick with it and it worked out. I don't shoot the 243 that much but now I have the confidence with what ever 87gr bullet I choose.
Loading lighter powder weights and giving up velocity beats having a shotgun pattern and the agravation of a poor grouping rifle. At least for me.

millwright · « **Reply #14 on:** January 05, 2007, 02:29:56 PM »

Henry 1 I started with 43 gr of 4350 and got groups of 1 1/2 at 100. Have now bumped the powder up 1/2 gr and moved the oal to .015 off the lands. Have tried a few shots, but not off the bench. Looks good will let you know more as weather permits.

Blammer · « **Reply #15 on:** January 06, 2007, 03:52:05 PM »

IMR4350 with 85 gr HPBT

IMR 4320 with 85 gr HPBT

billy_56081 · « **Reply #16 on:** January 06, 2007, 04:43:57 PM »

I've used the 55 gr BT they are devestating. I've also used 87 grain VMex and they really shot nice, have a very high BC of .400 and really kill coyotes well too.

Jal5 · « **Reply #17 on:** January 07, 2007, 06:58:46 AM »

Don't mean to hijack this thread, but what about suggested factory loads in 243 for those of us who don't reload? I just bought the rifle and picked up a box each of Federal Powershok 100gr soft point and Fusion 95gr. The Federals were 1/2 price of the Fusion thought I would try each and see what works best. I will be using this rifle on coyotes and if we go hunting for hogs. Thanks for any suggestions.
Joe

Blammer · « **Reply #18 on:** January 08, 2007, 02:30:42 PM »

I have found very good accuracy with the winchester western silver box with 100 gr bullets.

mitchell · « **Reply #19 on:** January 09, 2007, 02:40:53 AM »

mine shoots in the .2's with 55 grain c/t's and 4200 ish fps it will flaten anythiing it hits

camsdaddy · « **Reply #20 on:** January 09, 2007, 04:27:12 AM »

Mine likes the 95gr Fusion bullets. We loaded 55ct bt and with 37.5 of varget it is shooting about 1 1/2" we have adjust the powder rate but plan to I think this will be a pretty good bullet for coyotes just want to get the holes closer

camsdaddy · « **Reply #21 on:** January 09, 2007, 04:40:27 AM »

correction that is 45.2 gr of varget under a 55gr ct bt.

Lone Star · « **Reply #22 on:** January 09, 2007, 06:22:55 AM »

Quote

mine shoots in the .2's with 55 grain c/t's and 4200 ish fps it will flaten anythiing it hits

Dang, take that rifle to a benchrest match right away - with that kind of consistent accuracy you should clean up over all the shooters with their $2000 BR guns.

Back to reality - I used to shoot around 43 grains of IMR4350 and the 87 Hornady with great accuracy. My best accuracy, oddly, was from the 55 Noslers. Using W748 or Varget they exceeded 4000 fps and agged in the high .6s (not just one or two groups).

They shot flatter and had similar wind drift to ~400 yards than any other non-VLD varmint bullet out of the .243.

BTW, the "hunting" BallisticTip and CT bullets work great on deer. Thousands of hunters can't be wrong.

.

Mac11700 · « **Reply #23 on:** January 09, 2007, 06:43:40 AM »

Quote

Back to reality

With that barrel and him shooting it...it is a reality...and this isn't just off 1 or 2 (5) shot groups...I know..I had the barrel before he did...With the CT SBT 95 grainers..I got it to shoot in the high 3's low 4's when taking my time with it..and would shoot under a 1" shooting as fast as I could load,set and pull the trigger..The pic I posted is of just doing that during load development ....It is the 1 barrel I wished I never sold...

Mac

Lone Star · « **Reply #24 on:** January 09, 2007, 09:59:15 AM »

Oh, I believe you - but as any accuracy shooter knows, shooting high .3s and low .4s is a FAR CRY from shooting .2s. And 55s are not the bullets which shot well for you. Show me a 20-shot aggregate and perhaps I'll believe it. Sorry.

PS - I assume we are talking 100 yard, 5-shot groups.

.

mitchell · « **Reply #25 on:** January 12, 2007, 07:05:13 PM »

look buddy as a sniper in the cav i kinda know what i'm doing when it comes to load development and shooting yeah i lucked out and my $250 rifle happens to shoot just as good as my $1500 rifle and my M14 , but wait i forgot i'm a newbie to this board and my honesty is defiantly something you should question, i mean damn if the lives of 26 guys in my platoon depend on my shooting there shouldn't be anyway on hell that i could put a bullet where i want it off a bench with a gun that i've spent weeks in fine tuning.

i find it funny when a old fart who thinks he's gods gift to shoot try to trash talk anybody who just might shoot a bit better then they do by calling them a liar , i hate texASS even more every day that i'm here.

stimpylu32 · « **Reply #26 on:** January 13, 2007, 05:16:58 AM »

Come on now guys , play nice !!

cattleskinner · « **Reply #27 on:** January 13, 2007, 05:19:50 AM »

Hey Mitchell, try Washington D.C., you definately would think that Texas isn't too bad. By the way, did you ever get to shoot those jack rabbits at Ft. Bliss?

mitchell · « **Reply #28 on:** January 13, 2007, 09:10:19 AM »

nope never made it over there, i didn't get to do much hunting this year. up until christmas i hadn't been home since april , i havn't had a lot of time to myself latly besides the NCO's i'm the highest ranked soldier on two tracks so i get craped on alot when it comes to taking care of new soldiers . i've only gone to a personal range a few times in the last couple of months, and i just got moved to driver on my brad so my time is going to get even less, up until just before i deploy

stimpylu32 · « **Reply #29 on:** January 13, 2007, 09:37:47 AM »

Mitchell

At least you don't have to worry about a parking spot with your new ride .