.223 53 grain Vmax,..what .243 bullet offers the same aerodynamics?

Pack_Wolf

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The 53 grain Vmax is a good accurate hunting bullet that offers long range stability.

What .243 hunting bullet offers the same? The mathematical equivalent is about 58 grains. But what bullet out there does work as well.
I'm thinking hunting, long range, and accuracy in a 1-9 twist.
I have shot 70 and 90 grain Sierra with fair results,..But maybe some one knows another better bullet. Thanks.

Pack
 
Originally Posted By: Pack_WolfThe 53 grain Vmax is a good accurate hunting bullet that offers long range stability.

What .243 hunting bullet offers the same? The mathematical equivalent is about 58 grains. But what bullet out there does work as well.
I'm thinking hunting, long range, and accuracy in a 1-9 twist.
I have shot 70 and 90 grain Sierra with fair results,..But maybe some one knows another better bullet. Thanks.

Pack

The scaled up equivalent is 73 grains.

There are several - the 70gr BlitzKing, the 70gr Speer TNT, the 75gr V-Max.

All will deliver the goods for you.
 
Long range shouldn't be more than 4-500 yards. I have had several kills at 350 with .223. In fact Tim, If you were selling 53 grain VMAX a while back I'm the one that bought them. They really performed well.
I only hunt coyotes and occasionally can find a PPD town.
I hurriedly worked up a load last January for the PM egg shoot and I was successful in the first round of hitting the first egg. The time that it took to go through the shooters, allowed the wind to really crank up. The second round, the bullet was drifting with the cross wind badly. I couldn't tell where to hold and as I kept holding into the wind,..The three shots allowed were not enough to hit in the second round. It took the two shooters in the shoot off 7 attempts before a winner was declared. Windy!
So I sit around thinking what could my .243 have done in that wind. Now I need a bullet with similar ballistics. As I have said I have shot several bullets with different results.. All of them good enough, but If I were to start another windy cross wind egg shoot,..What bullet should I try? Something similar to the 53 grain VMAX I suppose. The egg shoot isn't the big thing,..it is the realization that the bullet drift can really affect performance. Kind of like leading a running coyote,..it is surprising how much you have to lead.

Cat shooter,..I am unfamiliar with a scale,..I just ran a simple proportion. The ballistics would be different due to the diameter/length.
 
Originally Posted By: Pack_Wolf
Cat shooter,..I am unfamiliar with a scale,..I just ran a simple proportion. The ballistics would be different due to the diameter/length.



It is not a simple proportion - it is the different in boresizes to the third power

(0.243/0.224)³

The 70gr BlitzKing, the 70gr Speer TNT, the 75gr V-Max, all have BC's that are close to what you are shooting.


 
I have switched between the 223 with the 53gr running 3300 and the 75gr VMax in a 6mmDTi running the same and the wind holds at 500 yards are 10-12 inches less with the 6mm. With a .243 you could improve on that with the additional velocity obviously.
 
Pack..
Glad they worked for you !

Like the guys said 70-75 gr if you want the speed. If you want more bullet a 95 gr VLD might be work a look. 9 twist is on the edge for the VLD ,IIRC.
 
I like the 70 NBT in my 243 also. .310 BC and they shoot as well as anything I've tried.

I like the 55 NBT in my .223's better than vmax, but I haven't tried any sierra BK. The Noslers seem a little less explosive than vmax out of my .223 in my limited experience. No splash so far.
 
Originally Posted By: Tim Neitzke If you want more bullet a 95 gr VLD might be work a look. 9 twist is on the edge for the VLD ,IIRC.

This is where the 95 gr Classic Hunter will work...just to add options.

Otherwise, I'd go with a 70 Bk or Speer TNT
 
Originally Posted By: Anton ChigurhI like the 70 NBT in my 243 also. .310 BC and they shoot as well as anything I've tried.

I like the 55 NBT in my .223's better than vmax, but I haven't tried any sierra BK. The Noslers seem a little less explosive than vmax out of my .223 in my limited experience. No splash so far.



the nosler is indeed a little tougher bullet.

the sierra blitzkings are more explosive than the noslers are
 
As far as a Varmint bullet goes a 75 gr V- max is tough to beat out of the 243 win/ 6MM rem Cals. Has been my go to for a few years, can be tough on fur though but it is nice to reach out there when needed.
 
I really like the 75gr Vmax out of my 243W. I went about 33-34 coyotes straight without any pelt damage, distances were from about 20yds to about 400yds. In fact, only one Vmax exited and that's the one with damage, all others stayed inside.
 
Originally Posted By: Tim NeitzkePack..
Glad they worked for you !

Like the guys said 70-75 gr if you want the speed. If you want more bullet a 95 gr VLD might be work a look. 9 twist is on the edge for the VLD ,IIRC.

95 grain VLD's will really reach out there and shoot through the wind. I had trouble getting them to shoot, but once I found the right load, they're really cool. The price is hard to swallow, however, so I don't get them out unless I'm shooting 300 plus.

Can I also suggest you try the 58 v-max? You can make them go real dang fast, 3700 MV is real world attainable. That little bullet hitting a p-dog ( or anything really) going that fast is flat out cool. Prairie dog vapor. Full cokes at 300 yards almost disappear. I don't know how it works on a coyote, but I imagine it would be very, very dead.
 
I would look at the 95 berger vld as others suggested. less wind drift than the bullets in the 70-75 grain range. I have had good luck with that bullet stabilizing in 1 in 9.25 and 1 in 9 twist. The 87vmax and 87 berger look promising as well, although i don't have personal experience with those bullets.
 
Originally Posted By: csiI would look at the 95 berger vld as others suggested. less wind drift than the bullets in the 70-75 grain range. I have had good luck with that bullet stabilizing in 1 in 9.25 and 1 in 9 twist. The 87vmax and 87 berger look promising as well, although i don't have personal experience with those bullets.


Wind drift is not the only consideration - terminal performance is critical, and one area that Bergers often come up short in.

Berger varmint bullets do not open and expand anywhere close to the TNTs, BlitzKings or V-Maxs...

... and the Berger VLD Target bullets might as well be ice picks at long range.
 
catshooter,
i do agree that the berger vld hunting bullets do not open up to the extent of blitzkings, vmax, and tnt of course...but i have killed a fair amount of coyotes with them and have found satisfactory terminal performance. They typically exit with quarter to half dollar exit holes. I have had more issues with vmax bullets splashing and creating ugly surface wounds. I have experienced this to a lesser extent with blitzkings and have never used the tnt bullet.
 
Another good option is Sierra 80gr sbt blitz. It is a great performing bullet that shoots flat and has been very accurate in all of my .243 diameter bores. I use this bullet the most for hunting.
 
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