85 gr hollow points for deer 243

It really depends which HP you're talking about. I've used the Sierra 80 and 85 gr bullets. One is labled as 'varmint'. They both work well. The Sierra 85 gr HPBT GameKings is an awesome deer bullet IME.

Which bullet are you planning to use?
 
If you are gonna use them for deer keep them slowed down a bit. I was shooting 85g grain gamekings @ 3300 fps last year and I had a deer drop then run off. I was sure he had died. But this year I shot the same buck with my bow ans on butchering him I found tiny pieces of the copper jacket all over in the top of his shoulder. I'm completely sure it was the same buck as I have pics of himf romthis and last year on my trail cams. I can't believe he survived that gun shot wound as it 10 toe'd him. But at those speed the bullet distigrated when it hit the shoulder.
 
MPFD I had something similar happen this year. Nice buck at about 75yds,i pulled tight behind the shoulder and pinched it. The bucks back feet came about 4' in the air and he bolted,took out 3 strands of barbwire fence that was about 20' from where he was. We found no blood and 6 of us searched for several hours and found nothing. A week or so later he was out in the field after dark chasing doe's again. My brother was watching when I shot and when he came over he said what I thought,he aint going far. Well he did. I've always used 100gr in my 243 but after reading all the hipe about the 85gr gk on here I thought I would give them a try.
 
Originally Posted By: MPFDIf you are gonna use them for deer keep them slowed down a bit. I was shooting 85g grain gamekings @ 3300 fps last year and I had a deer drop then run off. I was sure he had died. But this year I shot the same buck with my bow ans on butchering him I found tiny pieces of the copper jacket all over in the top of his shoulder. I'm completely sure it was the same buck as I have pics of himf romthis and last year on my trail cams. I can't believe he survived that gun shot wound as it 10 toe'd him. But at those speed the bullet distigrated when it hit the shoulder.

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I use the same bullet FAST and never had a deer take another step. Some shot at 50 yards some at +300 all DRT!!!
AND I'm talking BIG western Mule deer...
 
I never found a drop of blood either. When I cut his up this year it looked like he had been shot with a Vmax. There was copper jacket pieces all over in his shoulder.
 
I think they would be good as long as you stay away from the shoulder area. You are not going to break a deer down with one of them. They are not made for that. But if you punch them through the lungs or heart. They won't go very far. If you are going to try and break a deer down in the shoulder area then you need to go with something that is going to retain more of it mass and mushroom instead of blowing apart. Something like a nosler partition will get the job done.
 
Loaded at 3000 they will (and have) punched shoulders for me...JME.

But, I prefer a lung shot when available. Kind of archery style shooting. I don't mind a little tracking while saving some meat.
 
Few years ago I shot a right many deer with a .243 Win using the 85gr GKHP at ~3150 fps. Never had a problem with broadside (bow style) shots. Deer usually ran ~30-50 yards. The past two years I have shot several deer (we get unlimited doe tags here) with that bullet in a 20" 6BR running ~2900 fps. It has been a great bullet on everything from crows to deer & has even busted some shoulders of a few with no problems. Great bullet.



 
I've used 85 Gr Barnes Triple Shok.

Took a nice 10 pt (190 lbs) three years ago at 165 yards...slightly quartering towards shot, entered front side just behind shoulder, exited back of the ribs. He went like 10 steps.
 
I run the 85g SGKHP in my 6x45 at 2757 fps and it just flat drops antelope to 344 yards (my longest shot with it on them) from 80-300 downs them nicely. All but 3 walked maybe 20 yards and fell over.
IMO the best bullet has been the Nosler 95g HBT, all the antelope I shot with that bullet to 278 yards have dropped on the spot.
 
My daughter shot her deer this year with a Sierra 85gr.hpbt gameking for.243 and dropped that deer one shot. She loves the .243 due to the relatively no recoil versus the .308 she was shooting.
 
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