Best bullet for the .243 other than the sst
 

Hey guys, I will be hunting deer with my Tikka T3 .243 this year since I have not used it in years. The last bullets I used were the Hornady 95gr SST. I took a young buck as well as an antelope with it. I can't really remember any issues with them. I was on the internet looking at reviews and a lot of people complain about them exploding on impact and lots of damage. I was wondering if any of you like them or not and if there is a better choice out there.
Should I stay with them ? I do reload.
Thanks for the help.

Do not use the hornady 100 grain interlock had problems with not expanding just punched and pencil size hole right through. I have use the 95 and 85 grain partition with great success work every and I want to try the 95 gr. Ballistic tip yet if I can get them to shoot

80gr TTSX.

Its been a killer so far!

95gr. or 100gr. Nosler Partition's

Plastic tips give rise to rapid and violent bullet upset on impact, there's no surprise there's reports of lotsa wasted meat. If it isn't a bonded core to jacket bullet, stay clear of the plastic tips.

All that glitters is not gold.

The 90gr Accubond performed well on the deer that I saw it used on.

Hornady 100gr interlocks, the little pill that will kill!:)

I have used these and 90gr Ballistic Tip interchangeably in my .240 WBY. Same load yields same POI.

LC

Partitions. If your gun groups these well enough for the type of hunting you plan on doing, there really is no need to look any further.

Isn't an accubond a plastic tip

It is a great bullet for sure

And of bonded construction.....

boolits
 

.243 ...100 grn partions equals right hand of god ...lol

I just picked up some Sierra GameKings

X2, they have been very accurate and produced quick kills.

Good old 100gr. Speer Bt. Have never let me down.

Another vote for 80 gr TTSX here.
Load them with IMR 4350 at around 3300 - 3400 ft.sec or so and you will not be disappointed .
The only thing with them is that at this speed even grass or small brunches if touched before it hits the target would get them tumble very easily .
Not a bush load.

:party0052:

You probably wanted to say something Xbolt77mm:)

My nephew has used the 100gr interlocks without issue. Can't see how a 100 gr projectile would not expand when fired at 3000 foster from the muzzle. A FMJ sneak into the hunting ammo?

win ballistic 95gr my t3 stainless lite loves them, buddys t3 varmint 243 also

I think that any bullet will deflect with grass or small branches.

I got some factory loaded hornady interlocks for under $30 a box. They shoot good enough I don't plan on reloading for it.
How much a box will your reloads be?

I think that any bullet will deflect with grass or small branches.

Sure, you are right .Any bullet will deflect , but the amount of deflection might make quite a big difference between kill, miss or wounded animal.
I don't usually hunt with 243 because prefer different calibers, but when was developing load for my 12 years old daughter found that Barnes 80gr TTSX was very accurate 0.6.-0.7 inch at a very good speed 3300f.s so I had to give it a try and take some animals with it.
Shot a nice mule at 260 yds and really liked the performance . The shoulder was hit and exited on another side. I would say almost no meat damage .Deer run 30 yds and expired .Could not expect better then that.

Shot another deer at 60 yards in a bushes .Deer ran like nothing have happened... Followed her and had to shoot her again to finish in the neck 200 yds away from the place she was shot the first time.
The first bullet made a hole through the guts which did not make me happy at all.
We inspected the place where she was shot and saw a little brunch that was cut by the bullet 6-7 yards before it hit the deer.
It was around 1 foot from the aim point , this is how much the bullet was deflected.
This bullet could also hit high, low, left , right or whatever after hitting this brunch , so I got the deer but consider this as a miss .
Had similar situations usually with 30 cal heavy bullets and did not see for example 30 cal 180 or 200 gr bullets deflect as much as light and fast like that one .
In my personal opinion the bullets for 243 due to very high speed and relatively light weight have to be selected according to the terrain we are hunting very carefully .
Its just my opinion:)

Although I have not owned a 243 in about 10 years, I do have a 6 mm rem. I recommend the SST in the 6 mm and by default the 243 chambering. I have had a disaster with the SST with a 300 WM at close distance but don't think that this will occur at the energy of a 243 even at close range. My nephew did drop a nice whitetail buck at at dead run from 35 yards with my 6 mm rem last fall and the 95 grain SST performed fine. Stick to what works.

Correct.
The type of material in the tip has nothing to do with how the body of the bullet performs.
If it did then a hollow point would not open up at all.
I've seen some styles of plastic tip over penetrate.

I think any modern bonded or monolithic bullet should be fine. If I were using a 243 Id probably run a Barnes TSX/TTSX.

x 2

Over penetrate? Laughing.

I use Winchester 95 gr. Ballistic silvertip. Extremely accurate and works great on medium size game. The largest game I have taken with them are 2 zebra at 293/ 307 yds both (legitimate) 1 shot kills. PH couldn't believe how deadly these bullets were! Have tried the 95 gr. Berger and they are the worst preforming bullet I have ever used?
No experience with the SST's!
Good luck

I agree...like deader than dead?

LC