Tikka 243 deer bullets - Page 2

stagpanther · September 19, 2018, 11:23 PM

Quote:

I didn't know boxed 7mm-08 came heavier than the 150 Federal hot-core.

I don't know either since I handload all of my cartridges. I do handload the 150 eldx as well but so far I haven't found a combo that works quite as well as the heavier bullet in terms of accuracy. The 162 eldx is an extremely high BC bullet and at nearly 2700 fps I can't imagine why it wouldn't be a devastating hunting bullet except maybe when used at very long hunting ranges. My BLR comes with a 1:9.5 twist and it seems to a good job stabilizing it--though slower twists may have a problem. I also use the same 150 and 162 bullets in loading for 284 win (where it's a bit more problematic due to the far-forward case neck--but still doable).

rms65 · September 21, 2018, 07:55 AM

Thanks all for the responses. I'm happy to say that yesterday I got the Barnes 80 grain TTSX to print MOA or better @ 100. It shot a slightly over MOA group @ 200 when verifying the reticle BDC. I'm totally satisfied with this given the wind conditions. It seems the rifle needed a few more Barnes brand fouling rounds. Expensive rounds to foul a barrel. It took about a dozen rounds before it started to print well with these bullets. I think it has something to do with needing similar metals to foul. Now my girl's gun is dialed in and put away as is for deer season.
Thanks for your time

Saltydog235 · September 21, 2018, 05:28 PM

Killed a bunch of deer with 90grn NBT’s, high shoulder shot pins them quick. Wreck the spine, everything shuts down.

Troy800 · September 23, 2018, 12:11 AM

I bought my daughter a Tikka 243 T3 lite 2 years ago. I went through a lot of ammo to find ones that work. Here is my experience. With the 1 in 10 twist rate it would not stabalize anything over 90gr reliably. I finally found the following 2 that worked for me. For varmit the Hornady 58 gr v-max shot .5" groups. For deer the Nosler 90 gr Accubond shot .8" groups. I probably tried 8 different loads before I found these. I'm guessing the all copper Barnes may be too long to stabilize.

I also free floated the barrel and put an aluminum base plate on. It was hard to keep even torque on the plastic base plate. I did these but don't think you need to do these to get acceptable accuracy from the Tikka.

rms65 · September 23, 2018, 09:10 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Troy800

I bought my daughter a Tikka 243 T3 lite 2 years ago. I went through a lot of ammo to find ones that work. Here is my experience. With the 1 in 10 twist rate it would not stabalize anything over 90gr reliably. I finally found the following 2 that worked for me. For varmit the Hornady 58 gr v-max shot .5" groups. For deer the Nosler 90 gr Accubond shot .8" groups. I probably tried 8 different loads before I found these. I'm guessing the all copper Barnes may be too long to stabilize.

I also free floated the barrel and put an aluminum base plate on. It was hard to keep even torque on the plastic base plate. I did these but don't think you need to do these to get acceptable accuracy from the Tikka.

Thanks! Finally someone with a Tikka 243 answered! Thank God. I appreciate you taking the time to share your findings. I may try those Accubond, but it turns out that I got the Barnes to finally print good. It just took a dozen or so of their bullets down the pipe to foul the barrel with like material. It now prints MOA or better which I'm fine with. The rifle has printed well with <80 grain lead bullets and 95 grain Federal Fusion, but I wanted other recommendations for deer ammo from someone with the same rifle. Now I do, thank you.

Art Eatman · September 24, 2018, 08:21 AM

I found that if I limited my shots to either neck or cross-body heart/lung, the Sierra 85-grain HPBT worked quite well for one-shot bang-flops. No tracking on some two dozen bucks.

5/8" to 3/4" groups at 100 yards, consistently through the decades.

NHSHOOTER · September 24, 2018, 05:38 PM

ART Eatman, I have had 4 1 shot kills with sierra 85gr spbt..and they shoot sub moa at 100yds..I also use 140 gr spbt in my 7-08 Rem model 7..

Roamin_Wade · September 24, 2018, 06:46 PM

I just wanted to jump in here and say that the .243 Winchester round is perfect deer medicine for about 7/8's of all the shots fired at whitetail's in North America. I grew up shooting them and only had to look about 30 yards for one, one time. I'm not ashamed to say that this man loves that sweet little round...

Drm50 · September 24, 2018, 07:37 PM

Going factory, another vote for Rem Core Locs in 100gr. Rifle ammo & bullets have been hyped to sell all kinds of "wonder" bullets, for twice the price. States
like mine, Ohio, had deer shot to extinction with Muzzel loading rifles of less than
40 cal and flint locks. A decent hit on a deer and it's not going far. I have shot
several deer, with several different 243 rifles and use Hornady 100gr and have
never lost a deer.

September 21, 2018, 07:55 AM	#27
rms65 Member Join Date: September 11, 2018 Posts: 75	Update- solution found Thanks all for the responses. I'm happy to say that yesterday I got the Barnes 80 grain TTSX to print MOA or better @ 100. It shot a slightly over MOA group @ 200 when verifying the reticle BDC. I'm totally satisfied with this given the wind conditions. It seems the rifle needed a few more Barnes brand fouling rounds. Expensive rounds to foul a barrel. It took about a dozen rounds before it started to print well with these bullets. I think it has something to do with needing similar metals to foul. Now my girl's gun is dialed in and put away as is for deer season. Thanks for your time

September 21, 2018, 05:28 PM	#28
Saltydog235 Senior Member Join Date: October 20, 2010 Location: Pawleys Island Posts: 1,563	Killed a bunch of deer with 90grn NBT’s, high shoulder shot pins them quick. Wreck the spine, everything shuts down.

September 23, 2018, 12:11 AM	#29
Troy800 Senior Member Join Date: December 25, 2015 Posts: 118	I bought my daughter a Tikka 243 T3 lite 2 years ago. I went through a lot of ammo to find ones that work. Here is my experience. With the 1 in 10 twist rate it would not stabalize anything over 90gr reliably. I finally found the following 2 that worked for me. For varmit the Hornady 58 gr v-max shot .5" groups. For deer the Nosler 90 gr Accubond shot .8" groups. I probably tried 8 different loads before I found these. I'm guessing the all copper Barnes may be too long to stabilize. I also free floated the barrel and put an aluminum base plate on. It was hard to keep even torque on the plastic base plate. I did these but don't think you need to do these to get acceptable accuracy from the Tikka.

September 24, 2018, 08:21 AM	#31
Art Eatman Staff in Memoriam Join Date: November 13, 1998 Location: Terlingua, TX; Thomasville, GA Posts: 24,798	I found that if I limited my shots to either neck or cross-body heart/lung, the Sierra 85-grain HPBT worked quite well for one-shot bang-flops. No tracking on some two dozen bucks. 5/8" to 3/4" groups at 100 yards, consistently through the decades.

September 24, 2018, 05:38 PM	#32
NHSHOOTER Senior Member Join Date: November 26, 2012 Location: Concord NH Posts: 1,002	ART Eatman, I have had 4 1 shot kills with sierra 85gr spbt..and they shoot sub moa at 100yds..I also use 140 gr spbt in my 7-08 Rem model 7..

September 24, 2018, 06:46 PM	#33
Roamin_Wade Junior member Join Date: July 11, 2018 Location: Baytown, TX Posts: 220	I just wanted to jump in here and say that the .243 Winchester round is perfect deer medicine for about 7/8's of all the shots fired at whitetail's in North America. I grew up shooting them and only had to look about 30 yards for one, one time. I'm not ashamed to say that this man loves that sweet little round...

September 24, 2018, 07:37 PM	#34
Drm50 Senior Member Join Date: November 10, 2014 Posts: 1,380	Going factory, another vote for Rem Core Locs in 100gr. Rifle ammo & bullets have been hyped to sell all kinds of "wonder" bullets, for twice the price. States like mine, Ohio, had deer shot to extinction with Muzzel loading rifles of less than 40 cal and flint locks. A decent hit on a deer and it's not going far. I have shot several deer, with several different 243 rifles and use Hornady 100gr and have never lost a deer.