So what's your go to bullet for deer in a Tikka .243
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So what's your go to bullet for deer in a Tikka .243
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95gr SST or 100Gr SGK or Prohunter.
With a stout charge or 2209
Prohunter's and SST for bush, Gamekings for open country.
Depends on the species and size of the deer: for fallow, 100 gr. hollowpoints (tiny hollowpoint)from Belmont, red deer 150 gr. .308 SPs!!
.243 for reds and fallow was thinking SST or ELDX
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85 gr Sierra GameKing
Not a Tikka, but my 243 likes
90gr ELD-X
85gr Gameking
100gr Prohunter
Awesome thanks guys
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But hated the 103gr ELD-X, 1:10 twist couldn't stabilise it.Quote:
Originally Posted by Cigar
85 tsx and imr 3031 16 inch m7
The write-ups on Terminal Ballistics is always a good starting point. Here's their info on the .243
That said, lots of folks on here swear by the 95 grain Targex. I'm about to try some out myself, good to support kiwi made whenever possible :thumbsup:
I use 95 grain targex. Win 760
I have 100 grain Pro hunter to try as well
The factory ammo I have left I use Winchester deer season xp.
I would happily shoot goats at 400 M and deer out to 300.
This is a howa though
I shot dozens with the 95 Targex - they are soft and that's why I guess they are effective on deer but they will also occasionally explode like Amax can. I had that happen on a Tahr but it was an exception and not the rule.
The 3 bullets I have used extensively out of the 243 have been the 95 Targex, 80 grn Speer Hot Core and the 85 grn Interbond. The 85 grn Interbond was out and out the best but there was nothing wrong with the others' either. The Interbonds though are spendy and a bit hard to get to shoot.
My last .243 was a Browning xbolt though and not a Tika.
Awesome thanks TahrQuote:
Originally Posted by Tahr
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savage 243 and 85gr gamekings
Here's that surface sort of blow up with the Targex on a Thar. About 250 yards. Still killed it though. Steep up hill and shot between the shoulder blades.Quote:
Originally Posted by 25 /08 IMP
Attachment 132456
Bloody hell even blew its skin off:O_O::XD: some 243 your using there Tahr;)
Deer, Tahr, Wallabies, the 95 Berger VLD is doing it all for me, no "failures" sacks them on the spot. (Up close at times too) I'll send you some with useful load data if you need. The Targex is essentially a Berger VLD with a rebate boat tail and any number of people using them to kill everything they point at.Quote:
Originally Posted by 25 /08 IMP
Berger 87gr VLD Hunting from a savage 99 20" and 24" bolt action.
I have shot Goats (out to 450 mtr), Fallow and up to Red hinds and yearlings (out to 260 mtr), Tahr at 260 mtr recovered base of bullet under the off side skin. Entered went off and shredded all around 3 vertebra. (Flicked it 6" high and back behind the shoulder so plenty of destruction to allow for a pulled shot.)
Z
What twist rate is your 243 I tried The Targex 95 gr they did not seem to like my 1 in 10 Winchester 243 ?Quote:
Originally Posted by 257weatherby
The 105 gr Amax went through the 100 yard target sideways !
95gr Targex 85gr hpbt Sierra 87gr sp or hpbt Hornady 90gr BT all work well as a number of others will to take your pick really.
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Re twist, the Sav 99 would be 9.5 or 10" and the bolt action is 8" twist. Both shot the 87gr well.
Interestingly I could not get the berger 105gr vld's to shoot that well in my 8" twist but the 108gr eld-m's look to be shooting nicely, now I just have to try them on a goat or deer.
87 gn hornady SPs for fallow and or 100 pro hunters and corelokts for heavier stuff.
I found all this very intersting....im not sure if re loaders are a different breed or some of the people making comments are very mis informed.
Yes, i dont reload but i hunt with a 243 and have shot many big stags, deer, pigs, goats with one and its my go to Cal over a 308 which i have as well.
I bush stalk so ranges arent far, but have shot out to 300m but 95 % under 150m A simple softpoint will so the job very very well. Theres no need to use some fancy projectile, or 5 dollar round etc which
i hear quite often when it comes to a 243.
I use Fed Powershok 100gr sp factory rounds, They are totally awesome and will drop anything.Think they use a speer projectile.
They are overkill on fallow thou, the damage is way over the top(will use a 223 on them now). Yes, ok, if you into longer range being choosy on what you use seems like the go, but
if you using one bushstalking which the 243 is so well suited for a good softpoint and doesnt need to be that fancy will be more than enough
For some people fiddling around with reloads and projectiles adds another dimension to their sport. Some don't. Each to their own.
I know through experience that 80 grain blue box is excellent stuff, but it just isn't "interesting" enough for at least me anyway.
My 243 tends to get used for long range stuff as well, out to 600m at Te Puke earlier this month, and gongs out to 860m last year.
Thats cool, yes, i figured it makes hunting and getting your rifle shooting well far more interesting and can see why people have such opinions on use this and that and talking some fancy projectiles to use.Quote:
Originally Posted by Tahr
Thats more than fine, im sure they work and its all good.
Im just stating thou that for a 243, which many use for shorter range, bush stalking etc so many projectiles will work and a simple, unfancy softpoint will do the job very well and its not total rocket science.
But of cause reloaders are into rocket science so each to their own and im sure theres some more satifaction getting a animal with your own reloads. But for a factory round those blue boxes are totally awesome and cant be beat for bush ranges
It's quite good at that. Relatively economic.Quote:
Originally Posted by Cigar
80 grain Speer Hot-Cor SP
100 grain Hornady BTSP
I have a box of 82 100grn .243 Sierra Pro-Hunters - $40 to your door if interested in giving them a try I find them very effective on both red and fallow but have changed calibers
How did the 243 go at Te Puke, now mine is shooting better I might give it a go up there as well, did it handle the wind Ok?Quote:
Originally Posted by Cigar
Do any of you guys use 55 grain ballistic tips for long range gongs?
It went well, which seemed to surprise the member doing our scoring and coaching. He kept commenting that the wind would push the 6mm around a lot, but several times I had to reduce the windage from what he called.Quote:
Originally Posted by Mooseman
I scored 18/25 at 300yd, shooting over a daypack.
Then I changed to the bipod and scored 24/25 at 500yd, then 20.2 and 23 at 600yd. I came fourth in the hunter class, but only a couple of points behind second.
That was an excellent result, you would have to be happy with that.
Used bulk 100grn remington corelokts for years over 2209 worked really well. tried some 100grn nosler partitions worked as expected but $$$!
Have shot the .243 Win for almost 40 yrs.
What I found time and time again is that after dicking around experimenting, I always come back to a flat base 100gr softpoint. Sierra ProHunter these days. At 2850-3000fps, it’s a very effective bullet on medium game. Just make sure you put it into the front half of the chest cavity.
The other candidate is the 85gr Sierra HPBT GameKing. I’ve had that really flying at above book max loads and come to seriously respect how it flattens smaller deer.
I decided recently that my ongoing 6mm fascination needed a different twist, so now I’ve got a 6mm Creedmoor. Amazing what a 7.5” of twist can do for a calibre...
Do you find that a lung shot or liver is not a quick kill?Quote:
Originally Posted by Flyblown
My 100 grain Winchester ammo punched through the front shoulder of a fallow esisly enough.
Attachment 136090Attachment 136091Attachment 136092
My go to .243 bullet in my Tikka is the 80gr Barnes TTSX loaded miles off the lands, (if you load for a Tikka don't waste your time chasing the lands) with over max load of 2206H this shoots under 0.5" groups all day, have never lost an animal.
Some photos from tests etc is the Hornady 87 gr SP (Spire point) and the 87gr HPBT both bullets shot from 100 yrds into (wet phone books), both held together but the SP weighed more.
Next is a Nosler 95gr BT from 100 yrds (wet phone books)
Barnes 85gr TSX recovered from a Red deer, this was my main bullet before I changed to the 80gr TTSX
Last photo was a Targex 70gr (wet ph books) and last (because it's a good example) 7mm 139gr SST Hornady recoverd from an animal at 325yrds, have used these for years never had a problem even at close range, very accurate in all of my rifles.
