Lowly .243 goes the distance this year

[vonb]

See all of the talk of large magnum needs and as we come to an end of another year of hunting, I thought I'd shares my experience this year with the .243. I have always hunted with a .30-06 up to about 8 years ago when I switched to a .260 due to the '06 recoil. I love my .260 but decided to try something new this year....

Wal-mart was running a special on Remington 700 ADLs for $297 (plus $35 rebate) with a cheap scope back in October. I bought one for my kids to use but decided to try it. I replaced the scope with a Nikon ProStaff 5 3.5-14x40 with the BDC. I then decided to try some loads I had previously loaded which were Sierra GameKing 85 gr HPBTs with 37.0 gr of IMR4064. This load, while not a tested load for this rifle, shot 3-shots into a little larger than 1/2 MOA @ 100 yards (.646 I believe). Knowing my load's muzzle velocity (verified with chronograph), I took the time to learn the BDC using Nikon's Spot-On website.

With that said, I've never shot a deer with a rifle over 100 yards until this year. This year, I harvested 3 deer with this little setup. I took deer at 280, 350 and 410 yards. This setup has made a believer out of me in that you do not need a magnum to make a clean harvest. If you take the time to practice, learn your rifle and put 'em where it counts, any centerfire caliber will work. I don't know that I'll ever replace my .260 but I now have confidence that the .243 works where I was skeptical in the past.

 

[JoninTN]

That's a great story and it also goes to show, some $300.00 rifles will out shoot $1,000.00 rifles IF you get a good one and put good glass on it...

 

[Deer Assassin]

nothing like a rem 700

good shooting

 

[GOODWIN]

Impressive. Great shooting. I've too put my 7mm mag aside for awhile after getting frustrated with trying to get it grouping well.

Interested in how that 85 game king performed at those ranges. My tikka 243 will shoot them about .6 moa as well. I've had good results at closer distances with them but nothing over 50yds.

 

[GOODWIN]

What MV you getting? 22" barrel?

 

[sll]

That particular bullet is wicked in a 243.

 

[280longshot]

Great to see it perform at 400 yards.

 

[Jcalder]

6 shots. 243. 85gr sgk. Pushed around 3200.

 

[vonb]

The 37.0 gr of IMR 4064 I mentioned in my first post is pushing them 2950 fps out of a 24" barrel. Here's the interesting part. The 410 yard shot was a complete pass-through on the shoulder. I figured it to be running around 1800-1900 fps when it connected. The 280 and 350 yard were behind the shoulder and did not pass through. I wish I had looked for the slugs but did not.

I bought some 95 grain Nosler BTs to replace the 85 gr GameKings but am second guessing that thought now. The BC on the 85s are not that great but you could have fooled me.

 

[280longshot]

I have some experience with the 100gr gamekings... at around 230yrds .. they leave a big wound I never would have thought.
Of course the deer didn't even run far...
If the 85gr gamekings performed at 400yrds that's probably pushing the envelope I'm sure.
I'm setting up a compact savage in a youth for my daughter in 243.
Sure would like to see the damage the 85gr did...

 

[Jcalder]

That's what I found left of a deer I shot. Messed up the first shot and hit him way too far back. Ran toward about 30 yards so I hit him again. Quartered to me and hit him just in front of the shoulder. Hope these pictures show the damage

 

[280longshot]

Pretty impressive for 85grs.
I know the 100gr did massive damage also.

 

[vonb]

This is the 3 shot group @ 100 yards with the loads I used:

I have not tested it for accuracy but plan to soon. I'm also very interested in how the 24" 9.125 twist barrel shoots a 105 AMAX. I'm thinking H100V or Win Supreme 780 should help get velocity up to help in stabilization with the slow twist.

 

[Jcalder]

I've got some 100gr speers I wanna try. Gonna try to get 3000fps with imr4350. Not sure I can. I have a 1:9.25 twist savage

 

[Jcalder]

Nice shooting btw

 

[mr.big]

I had a Rem VLS 6mm Rem with the 9.25 twist and the 105-107 bullets wouldnt shoot very good,,it would drive the Hornady 100 BTSP to warp speeds though and it was very good deer killer,,the 85 Sierra was also,,Lesa killed a 4 point with her Model 7 6mm this year and the 95 Berger Classic Hunter did a number on it

 

[PillsburyDoughboy]

Other than Ballistic "Silvertips I am not sure there has ever been a better bullet than the game King.


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[Lost Lake]

The .243 is a fine deer round.

 

[MUP]

Congrats! Good shootin'!

 

[wsm]

Congrats on the set up ,gad it worked for you.

 

[7mminatree]

I absolutly love the 100 gr. Seirra Gamekings push by a full charge of IMR 7828 at over 3100 fps. Killed a 9pt. back in 2007 on a power line easement at 367 yards, double lung pass thru, DRT.

 

[DaveB]

The use of IMR7828 in a 243 may surprise you but it works very very well.

The 100 grain Partition on top of Nosler book max 7828 was my goto load for years. Killed piggies on Catalina & Hunter-Ligget, mule deer doe, and the funniest looking spike I had ever seen. Every deer was bang flop.

 

[Gravey]

I don't reload but my 30-06 hasn't seen daylight in probably close to 10 years since I bought my first .243.

 

[7mminatree]

Just be careful when using the SSC version of 7828, you can go overpressure quickly.

 

[DaveB]

Yep I keep forgetting.

IMR7828 has a problem in that it bridges a bit worse than other powders-I think it is the worst at bridging of any powder. Hodgdon decided to fix this by cutting the extrusions into smaller pieces (SC short cut and SSC which is super short cut). Now all the data sheets and so on make no distinction between the powder types but caution is recommended.

If you have been loading IMR7828 and are going to try IMR7828 SSC, you should do what you always do when you change a component in your loading process. Start at the lowest recommended level and move up, watching for over-pressure signs such as cratered primers and sticky extractions.

 

[mike243]

Cool. I have used several different bullets in mine but most have been 100g. Been shooting the fed loaded with 100g Sierra btail and is supposed to keep 1000lbs to 400y.

 

[Kimberman]

I have killed deer with 85 and 100 gr Partitions, and see no reason to change, both are very effective.

 

[Deer Assassin]

if i was force to own one

95 nbt or 85 partition or 90 e tip

 

[gunhuntr]

vonb..., good post, glad to hear you had success with "lowly 243". I too hunted for over 20 + years w/ an '06, shot a mess of deer w/ 150g & 180g bullets or various types.

I never personally used the 85g sierra GK but have seen them used w/ good results. I used the 100g sierra GK and 100g hornady interlock with good results.

Someone mention the nosler 95g ballistic tip, I heard that's suppose to be one heck of a good 6mm bullet.

I even hear that the 243 works on larger body antlered animals.....dare I say...... like "elk"!!!!

 

[vonb]

Thanks for the comments. I'm looking forward to next year.