experiences with different .243 loads?

perkis · January 7, 2007, 09:07 PM

i am going to be shooting some coyote and prairie dogs soon; i was wondering how many grains are optimum for both of these game; i have a savage model 10 in .243 and have been shooting alot of 100 grain soft point but i am wondering if switching to a lighter load will be just as effective; what are the pros and cons of the (a) 100 grain soft point and (b)70 grain nosler ballistic tip; i am wondering about trajectory and speed of both of these; any experiences with .243's and different loads will be appreciated; thank you

Jseime · January 7, 2007, 11:09 PM

When shooting coyotes and smaller game with a .243 you should switch to a lighter bullet.

The heavy bullets 85 grains and up are generally constructed heavier for larger game such as deer. To get the best performance youll have to find a lighter bullet that your particular gun likes.

I shot some 75 grainers in my .243 but it was an old remington model 742 and wasnt quite accurate enough for really small targets at a couple hundred yards.

Art Eatman · January 8, 2007, 12:35 PM

I started out with my .243 with the intent to limit it to varmints. I did a bit of experimenting with the 70-grain Hornady flat-base and the Sierra 85-grain HPBT. Both were sub-MOA for five-shot groups in my Sako carbine.

The deer at my home place near Austin were smallish; the 85-grain bullet worked just fine. I was generally picky about neck shots, though. But, I quit using the 70-grain bullet and over the last umpteen years have just used the 85-grain bullet for anything I'm gonna shoot. It's definitely ruinacious on coyotes.

I've bought some of these relatively new 55-grain bullets, but haven't tried them yet. The word is that they're devastating.

I'd bet that if you're expecting shots out toward 400 yards, the 85-grain would be preferred. But for 300 and in, the lighter bullets would be great.

Speculating, if you load the 55-grain bullet down a bit, and not shoot very quickly over extended strings of fire, you'd get great barrel life with good results on varmints. Say, 3,500 ft/sec instead of 4,000.

Art

dgc940 · January 8, 2007, 01:34 PM

Art I shoot the CT 55's in my .243 and they are up around 38-3900. say with limited fire while hunting 1 maybe 2 shots hear and there how will barrel life be?

NRA4life · January 9, 2007, 02:26 PM

My dad and I got into some p-dogs in MT 2 seasons ago. We had tagged out and were doing some scouting so the only rfle we had with us was my A-bolt in .243. I had 100 gr soft points and I would say they are WAY overkill. Unless, of course, flying p-dogs is the desired end result.

Jack O'Conner · January 9, 2007, 07:28 PM

Sierra 80 grain bullets are very accurate.

FirstFreedom · January 10, 2007, 11:36 AM

most 80 grainers have the best balance of explosive damage, trajectory, and wind-bucking ability for varmints.

Foxman · January 10, 2007, 02:59 PM

Speer 75 gr hollow point( not the TNT one) Rem case, CCI benchrest primer and 48grs ( hodgdon load) of H 4831, sub moa all the time 3300-3400 fps and devastates anything yote size and smaller, I have taken quite few smaller deer with them as well but I prefer a bit more weight for deer sized hunting.

Art Eatman · January 12, 2007, 10:28 PM

Everything I've ever read sorta summarizes that while the "hot" cartridges do wear out the throat faster, life is extended quite a bit by hunting-style shooting, avoiding long and rapid strings of fire.

Apparently, downloading by only 200 to 300 ft/sec below max is "salubrious", as well.

Art

Dogjaw · January 13, 2007, 06:42 AM

Pick the most accurate in a heavier bullet because of wind deflection and learn your paticular bullet drop in your rifle. It can acutally make you a better shot with that rifle, because you will know and have shot the bullet drop for various distances.

UniversalFrost · January 13, 2007, 08:12 AM

For commercial loads I use the Federal Premium loads with 85 grain Barnes X bullets.

Another great factory load is the Hornady Custom Ammunition 95 Grain Super Shock Tip

Either one is great on whitetail deer as well.

Art Eatman · January 13, 2007, 11:27 AM

I've used the Sierra 85-grain HPBT on coyotes and jackrabbits. Ruinacious.

On my only prairie dog hunt, back around Memorial Day weekend last year, I used a .223 with 55-grain bullets. I was getting around four inches of wind drift at 300 yards; clean kills, though. I'd think the 55-grain .243 bullet would work well to 400, once you figure the windage. For longer than 400, I think I'd move back up to the 85-grain. Just thinking out loud...

Art

January 7, 2007, 09:07 PM	#1
perkis Junior Member Join Date: January 7, 2007 Location: south dakota Posts: 11	experiences with different .243 loads? i am going to be shooting some coyote and prairie dogs soon; i was wondering how many grains are optimum for both of these game; i have a savage model 10 in .243 and have been shooting alot of 100 grain soft point but i am wondering if switching to a lighter load will be just as effective; what are the pros and cons of the (a) 100 grain soft point and (b)70 grain nosler ballistic tip; i am wondering about trajectory and speed of both of these; any experiences with .243's and different loads will be appreciated; thank you

January 7, 2007, 11:09 PM	#2
Jseime Senior Member Join Date: December 31, 2004 Location: Canada Posts: 1,775	When shooting coyotes and smaller game with a .243 you should switch to a lighter bullet. The heavy bullets 85 grains and up are generally constructed heavier for larger game such as deer. To get the best performance youll have to find a lighter bullet that your particular gun likes. I shot some 75 grainers in my .243 but it was an old remington model 742 and wasnt quite accurate enough for really small targets at a couple hundred yards. __________________ I love the smell of fresh shotgun in the morning.

January 8, 2007, 01:34 PM	#4
dgc940 Senior Member Join Date: September 15, 2005 Location: Graham Texas Posts: 258	Art I shoot the CT 55's in my .243 and they are up around 38-3900. say with limited fire while hunting 1 maybe 2 shots hear and there how will barrel life be? __________________ Some people say what they think! Some say what they know! Then there's those that think they know what they are saying!

January 9, 2007, 07:28 PM	#6
Jack O'Conner Senior Member Join Date: July 11, 2005 Location: Manatee County, Florida Posts: 1,976	Sierra 80 grain bullets are very accurate. __________________ Fire up the grill! Deer hunting IS NOT catch and release.

January 10, 2007, 02:59 PM	#8
Foxman Senior Member Join Date: August 13, 2005 Posts: 466	Speer 75 gr hollow point( not the TNT one) Rem case, CCI benchrest primer and 48grs ( hodgdon load) of H 4831, sub moa all the time 3300-3400 fps and devastates anything yote size and smaller, I have taken quite few smaller deer with them as well but I prefer a bit more weight for deer sized hunting. __________________ Better the man suspected of being a fool keep his mouth shut, than to open it and remove all doubt.

January 8, 2007, 12:35 PM	#3
Art Eatman Staff in Memoriam Join Date: November 13, 1998 Location: Terlingua, TX; Thomasville, GA Posts: 24,798	I started out with my .243 with the intent to limit it to varmints. I did a bit of experimenting with the 70-grain Hornady flat-base and the Sierra 85-grain HPBT. Both were sub-MOA for five-shot groups in my Sako carbine. The deer at my home place near Austin were smallish; the 85-grain bullet worked just fine. I was generally picky about neck shots, though. But, I quit using the 70-grain bullet and over the last umpteen years have just used the 85-grain bullet for anything I'm gonna shoot. It's definitely ruinacious on coyotes. I've bought some of these relatively new 55-grain bullets, but haven't tried them yet. The word is that they're devastating. I'd bet that if you're expecting shots out toward 400 yards, the 85-grain would be preferred. But for 300 and in, the lighter bullets would be great. Speculating, if you load the 55-grain bullet down a bit, and not shoot very quickly over extended strings of fire, you'd get great barrel life with good results on varmints. Say, 3,500 ft/sec instead of 4,000. Art

January 9, 2007, 02:26 PM	#5
NRA4life Senior Member Join Date: July 26, 2001 Location: WA Posts: 183	My dad and I got into some p-dogs in MT 2 seasons ago. We had tagged out and were doing some scouting so the only rfle we had with us was my A-bolt in .243. I had 100 gr soft points and I would say they are WAY overkill. Unless, of course, flying p-dogs is the desired end result.

January 10, 2007, 11:36 AM	#7
FirstFreedom Junior member Join Date: May 31, 2004 Location: The Toll Road State, U.S.A. Posts: 12,451	most 80 grainers have the best balance of explosive damage, trajectory, and wind-bucking ability for varmints.

January 12, 2007, 10:28 PM	#9
Art Eatman Staff in Memoriam Join Date: November 13, 1998 Location: Terlingua, TX; Thomasville, GA Posts: 24,798	Everything I've ever read sorta summarizes that while the "hot" cartridges do wear out the throat faster, life is extended quite a bit by hunting-style shooting, avoiding long and rapid strings of fire. Apparently, downloading by only 200 to 300 ft/sec below max is "salubrious", as well. Art

January 13, 2007, 06:42 AM	#10
Dogjaw Senior Member Join Date: October 6, 2001 Location: S.W. Michigan Posts: 560	Pick the most accurate in a heavier bullet because of wind deflection and learn your paticular bullet drop in your rifle. It can acutally make you a better shot with that rifle, because you will know and have shot the bullet drop for various distances. __________________ There are three kinds of men: 1) The ones that learn by reading. 2) The few who learn by observation. 3) The rest of them have to pee on the electric fence and find out for themselves..........

January 13, 2007, 08:12 AM	#11
UniversalFrost Senior Member Join Date: February 20, 2006 Location: Ohio Posts: 2,300	For commercial loads I use the Federal Premium loads with 85 grain Barnes X bullets. Another great factory load is the Hornady Custom Ammunition 95 Grain Super Shock Tip Either one is great on whitetail deer as well. __________________ Lifetime member VFW and NRA "Quando Omni Flunkus Moritati" (when all else fails play dead) -Red Green

January 13, 2007, 11:27 AM	#12
Art Eatman Staff in Memoriam Join Date: November 13, 1998 Location: Terlingua, TX; Thomasville, GA Posts: 24,798	I've used the Sierra 85-grain HPBT on coyotes and jackrabbits. Ruinacious. On my only prairie dog hunt, back around Memorial Day weekend last year, I used a .223 with 55-grain bullets. I was getting around four inches of wind drift at 300 yards; clean kills, though. I'd think the 55-grain .243 bullet would work well to 400, once you figure the windage. For longer than 400, I think I'd move back up to the 85-grain. Just thinking out loud... Art