Best lead free .243 factory load?

TripleDeuce660

TripleDeuce660

Active member
Well, after several years of fantasizing about a tikka in a larger caliber to compliment my .223, I just purchased t3 lite in .243. Figured I should jump on it since its being replaced by the t3x.

I have retired the .223 to jackrabbits and varmints, and I will use the .243 for coyote callin' ,hog, deer, and antelope.

I live in CA for now, so I can only use lead free.

I am wondering what factory lead free ammo you all have had luck with so I can make an educated guess on the ammo to test first out of the following.

Barnes vortex 80 gr ttsx

Hornady full boar 80 gr gmx

Federal trophy copper 85 grain ( Not sure this will stabalize in 1:10, but I like a little heavier weight)

Winchester 90 gr 95/5 (This seems to be out of stock everywhere, but maybe it will be available soon for deer season, also not sure it will stabalize)

I am slightly concerned about these bullets not opening on coyote, but there does not seem to be any factory loaded lead free varmint rounds yet. I suspect that might change soon with the entire state now being lead free for varmint and predators. Its also just a lot easier to shoot 1 round for predators and med game.

 
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I've used the .243 Winchester with a Barnes 85 gr. TSX at 3,100 fps for deer and it's a monster killer on whitetails. We have hogs here also and I wouldn't hesitate to smack a hog with that load. It won't bounce off coyotes...
 
Back in the day you had to go lead free. With the ttsx you get to.

I can shoot lead, have been for years. I've swapped everything to the barnes, awesome bullet.
 
If you have to shoot lead free ammo the cost of the factory shells is a great reason to start reloading your own ammo.

I have reloaded the Barnes 62 gr Varmint Grenades and the Nosler 55 gr BT Lead Free Varmint bullets for coyotes and the Barnes 85 gr TSX and the Barnes 80 gr TTSX bullets for pigs and deer.

The 80 gr TTSX bullets shoot tighter groups out of my 243 Win than the 85 gr TSX bullets do.

I reload the Hornady 80 gr GMX Lead Free bullets for a ranch owner and his son and they really like the performance of the GMX bullets in their Win 243 rifles.
 
Originally Posted By: derbyacresbobIf you have to shoot lead free ammo the cost of the factory shells is a great reason to start reloading your own ammo.

I have reloaded the Barnes 62 gr Varmint Grenades and the Nosler 55 gr BT Lead Free Varmint bullets for coyotes and the Barnes 85 gr TSX and the Barnes 80 gr TTSX bullets for pigs and deer.

The 80 gr TTSX bullets shoot tighter groups out of my 243 Win than the 85 gr TSX bullets do.

I reload the Hornady 80 gr GMX Lead Free bullets for a ranch owner and his son and they really like the performance of the GMX bullets in their Win 243 rifles.

I'm never going to roll my own. If I was a reloader, I would of purchased a 260 or 25-06.
 
I got some federal blue box 80 gr SP to get it on paper. Then I got a box of the federal trophy copper and a box of the vortex. We will see what happens.
 
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Got the new Tikka out today! Seems like the gun is going to shoot well. Did not switch to the 100 yard till later in the day. Wind was 5 to 10 mph according to my kestrel.

The blue box 80 gr sp federal shot .9375 avg

Barnes Votex 80 gr TTSX 1.427

The federal trophy copper 85 gr was all over the place. Did not even bother to add it up. Approx 2.5. Shame, I was hoping that one would shoot well.

I was pretty tired by the time I shot the Barnes and the wind was getting worse. I had been shooting 7 hours. Think I might be able to lower that when I am fresh and the wind is calm. Not real happy with the vortex ammo. I will try the GMX and Fiocchi loaded TTSX next time.


 
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Originally Posted By: derbyacresbobThe 80 gr TTSX bullets gave me smaller groups in my 243 Win and 243 WSSM than the other lead free solid copper bullets I tried.

How does solid copper perform in terms of expansion?
 
Originally Posted By: roky0702Try Federal's new Power-Shok Copper ammo.

I like the price but the trajectory is not as good as any of the other ones.
 
Originally Posted By: TripleDeuce660Originally Posted By: roky0702Try Federal's new Power-Shok Copper ammo.

I like the price but the trajectory is not as good as any of the other ones.

I guess I didn't look at that. It is their cheaper offering.
 
80g TTSX is an awesome bullet in the 243 for me also. Wind was probably a big part of your group size, take that into consideration.

I bet your rifle needs a good cleaning.

Since you are now in a lead free state, great time to get into reloading, and I lived in Garbage Grove years ago, where is the range you are shooting at in the picture?
 
Originally Posted By: ackleyman80g TTSX is an awesome bullet in the 243 for me also. Wind was probably a big part of your group size, take that into consideration.

I bet your rifle needs a good cleaning.

Since you are now in a lead free state, great time to get into reloading, and I lived in Garbage Grove years ago, where is the range you are shooting at in the picture?

I do not ever see myself reloading. A better solution is to leave this [beeep] hole. I been looking for a new job in Boise.

The place I shoot is just a spot by el mirage covered in blown up tv's and other garbage.
 
Barnes TTSX all the way. I don't shoot a 243 but shoot the Barnes in my 7mm RUM but I reload all my own ammunition. The TTSX will not open up on a coyote but they are not designed to open up like you might be used to with lead core bullets. I shot 6 plains game animals in Africa a couple of years ago and only recovered one bullet and that was on my Blue Wildebeest and it hung up on the opposite shoulder just under the hide after busting through both front shoulders. Every other animal the Barnes bullet just blew right through and everything dropped in its tracks. I am a big believer in Barnes bullets.
I even shoot the Barnes 36 gr Varmint Grenade in my 220 Swift and 222. I am not sure if they make that bullet for the 243 or not but probably don't factory load it anyway.
 
Originally Posted By: WyoBullBarnes TTSX all the way. I don't shoot a 243 but shoot the Barnes in my 7mm RUM but I reload all my own ammunition. The TTSX will not open up on a coyote but they are not designed to open up like you might be used to with lead core bullets. I shot 6 plains game animals in Africa a couple of years ago and only recovered one bullet and that was on my Blue Wildebeest and it hung up on the opposite shoulder just under the hide after busting through both front shoulders. Every other animal the Barnes bullet just blew right through and everything dropped in its tracks. I am a big believer in Barnes bullets.
I even shoot the Barnes 36 gr Varmint Grenade in my 220 Swift and 222. I am not sure if they make that bullet for the 243 or not but probably don't factory load it anyway.

They make it in .243 but don't load it. 63 gr I think. I would like to see an NTX in .243 factory loaded, and I think they might produce it now that CA is all lead free.
 
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