243 Bullets

C

cmabbott04

New member
Hello,

Have several posts in reloading just trying to find what is best, so want to ask some questions to you guys on the .243...

I am looking for a bullet that could take down predators (and hots with an ear hole shot) without blowing out the fur on the back side in case I luck upon more bobcats. I am considering the following bullets:

Sierra 55 Grain Blitzking (item 1455)
Sierra 60 grain HP Varminter (item 1500)
Nosler 55 Grain spitzer Ballistic tip varmint (39565)
Barnes 72 Grain Varminator (30210)
Barnes 62 Grain Varmint Grenate (30214)
Berger 69 Grain FB Varmint (Part 24313)
Berger 87 Grain VLD Hunting (Part 24524)


Or another answer may be... use my 22-250 vs the 243?
 
Most of the time it was a small hole in and no hole out. Sometimes I would get a small exit hole the size of a dime. But it all depends on shot placement. They will blow up on bone, but it didn't seem to be as bad as the vmax or ballistic tips.
 
I actually just asked this in another thread, but what is proper placement? I understand "dont hit shoulder", but after that for me it seems like mostly luck to not hit a rib. Are you just behind the shoulder hoping for no rib?
 
Any 243 bullet will be rough on a bobcat. You are asking a lot of a bullet to cover from hogs to bobcats. Yeah, they will both be dead but the results may not be to your liking.
 

For bobcats I prefer to shoot them straight on, just below the throat. For coyotes right below the throat, or just above the shoulder. Jay is right, the 243 really isn't optimal for cats. But I have shot them with it, and have had good results.
 
Interesting.... I just hit a fox 2 times the other night with 62 grain ttsx and it punched right through, ended up with friend putting down with 243 while i thought i missed, further examination proved different. I do love barnes though
 
Originally Posted By: cmabbott04Hello,

Have several posts in reloading just trying to find what is best, so want to ask some questions to you guys on the .243...

I am looking for a bullet that could take down predators (and hots with an ear hole shot) without blowing out the fur on the back side in case I luck upon more bobcats. I am considering the following bullets:

Sierra 55 Grain Blitzking (item 1455)
Sierra 60 grain HP Varminter (item 1500)
Nosler 55 Grain spitzer Ballistic tip varmint (39565)
Barnes 72 Grain Varminator (30210)
Barnes 62 Grain Varmint Grenate (30214)
Berger 69 Grain FB Varmint (Part 24313)
Berger 87 Grain VLD Hunting (Part 24524)


Or another answer may be... use my 22-250 vs the 243?


I have tried at least a dozen bullets on coyotes out of my .243’s.

Nothing over 70grs ever we’re fur friendly.

On your list I found the 55 gr SBKs, 60 gr Sierra Varminters and 55 gr Noslers (Varmageddons and BT) to be the best on furs at around 3700fps.

I do not know about the Barnes, they may be ok.

I use the 55gr SBKs and I can tell you that they NEVER exit. I think they are the perfect coyote bullet for the .243.
 
60 gr Sierra go would be my choice for a do all from coyotes through hogs. I would venture to Geuss ackleyman is going to come along here any minute and write a LONG post about the 60 gr Sierra in 243. He swayed me to go that route and early returns have been promising.
 
Originally Posted By: FairChase9360 gr Sierra go would be my choice for a do all from coyotes through hogs. I would venture to Geuss ackleyman is going to come along here any minute and write a LONG post about the 60 gr Sierra in 243. He swayed me to go that route and early returns have been promising.
There was a member that posted something like, 'If A-Man said Easter was going to be tomorrow morning, I would get up and start boiling some eggs right now'!
i am currently trying his Coyote remedy Old Number 80 grainSierra varminter in my 243. No takers yet, but Im still trying!
 
I have used the 80 grain sierra bullets, and was getting dime to quarter size exit holes. I am currently shooting 58 grain vmax bullets, and have not experienced any exit holes yet. I did shoot a bobcat with both bullets. 80 grain bullet was around 80 yard shot with a quarter size exit. The vmax was a 50 foot shot with no exit believe it or not.
 
70 gr. Nosler Varmagedon seem to work great. I am pushing them around 3600fps out of an ar-10 with a 24" barrel. The thinner jacket that Nosler uses seems to be great and typically doesnt exit.
 
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