.243 / 55gr. Ballistic Tips meet Crows

S

SD Handgunner

New member
With all of the working on the house, and then being in the hospital, I never did make it out shooting Prairie Dogs this summer. At any rate, I have been busy shooting though. I worked up a NEW Varmint Load for my .243 Savage Striker Handgun. I have been searching for the perfect load that would provide me with the desired velocity, good accuracy, and yet provide the least amount of muzzle blast & flash possible.

I have tested 7 or 8 powders in this handgun with 55gr. Nosler Ballistic Tips. Most all powders provided good accuracy with the prefered charge, but some suffered in the Velocity department. ALL were horriblly loud, and not fun to shoot at all. Well I finally found the right combination. IMR-4198 in the .243 Handgun. Muzzle blast & flash are unbelievablly mild, velocity is quite good, and the accuracy is great.

Well Crow season opened here in South Dakota on October 1st, so some field testing with my new Varmint Load was in order. I am shooting the 55gr. Nosler Ballistic Tips out of my 14" .243 Savage Striker Handgun at 3100 FPS. At ranges from 100 yards to a tad over 330 yards, the results have been the same, Crows litterally torn in half. Generally at the shot there is a huge cloud of feathers, and when I go to look at the carnage, it is always the same, no matter the range.

How is this bullet going to perform on a Coyote? DO I need to step up to a 70gr. Nosler Ballistic Tip? (I tested these bullets also, and they achieved 2950 FPS from my Handgun, with equal accuracy, and muzzle blast & flash.)

I have shot over 400 rounds through this handgun searching for the right load with this bullet, and it seems as though it has all been worth it. I now have everything I was after, Great Accuracy (3/8" 5 shot groups at 100 yards), Decent Velocity (3100 FPS), and very mild Muzzle Blast & Flash.

The Prairie Dogs better beware next summer.

Larry
 
Larry,
I would try the 55 grainers. I would think that at the velocity your getting, the 55 grainers should work just fine.
Like I have said before, I have never had a coyote come back and complain that it wasn't dead enough! I have to admit though, the 70 grainers are nice, but I like the speed.

MP

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http://www.predatormasters.com
 
Hello,
I am in the beginning stages of working up 243 loads for my rifle, and I think I will try to use one of the thicker, controlled expansion bullets, the logic being that they are meant for deer and such, and they should do less damage to a coyote than a comparible BTip/Bking/Vmax.

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Safety,Ethics, Accuracy, Velocity, Energy-I am On the Way to the Arizona Predator Hunt!!!!!!
 
I have two loads loaded currently. One with the 55gr. Nosler Ballistic Tip, and one with an 80gr. Speer "Hot Core" Spitzer that I plan to use for White Tails. May end up trying both while calling just to see what the difference would be. But then I have to call something in before I can shoot it.

Thanks guys

Larry
 
SD Handgunner, I shot a coyote last year with a Winchester 55grn. ballistic tip. They are loaded at 3910. I hit him a bit low on a frontal shot. The bullet splashed on impact and continued to open him most of the way back. I went back to a slower more solid bullet. I would be curious what it will do a little slower.

Bob
 
Hopefully I will get the opportunity to find out. If and when I do, I will be sure to post the results.

Larry

PS, Even at only 3079 FPS they sure do explode Crows & Jackrabbits.
 
I have used both the 55 and 70grainers on prarie dogs and with the lighter bullet it turns them into PD Pate, the 70 just turn them into smitherenes of whirling flesh.
Bye the way how is your dog coming along?
 
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