Thread: .243 whats your pet load,

Just starting to warm up enough (-15) to put a few shots, threw the new K95 Blaser .243 barrel,
Going to go with H4350 or R19/22 for a powder, as I have sum in NZ and Canada, with us just submitting for a partner visa, to move back to NZ, moving home is beginning to become a reality.
got quite a few choices, bullet choices, would like to do up two types load, a deer load, 90-100gr, and a goat, wallaby, coyote, small game 75-85gr running hot.
95gr ballistic tip or 100gr Hornady soft point most likely, for a main load, both on hand, as well as a few 90 AB and 90gr eldx.
I also have a few hundred, 85gr Speer boatails, anyone shot them for deer, thinking of these or 80gr TSX or similar for 2nd load.
I cant seam to find any 87gr Hornady and 85gr serria's are impossible to find at present.

Anyhow what's your favorite .243 bullet, that's relatively cheap, easy to source, and gets, the job done.

Ive found varget goes the best in my current 243. Im using a 75 speer and it kills everything I shoot with it

I'm loving the 90gr Sierra Tipped Gamekings with Varget. They have been working really well out to around 350meters

The Norma oryx 100gn is great if you can get any for reloading.....

85gr Sierra 44gr 2209. 95gr Targex 43gr 2209.

87 Hornady HP 40 grains 2209

My lever Sav 99 runs Berger 87gr VLD hunting over a mid range load of W760/H414 for fallow and reds with me and my son or little 58 gr hornady's for goats (low power).
My Dad used to run Hornady 75gr for Fallow and something larger for reds than I can't remember Hornady 87gr?? 1960 & 1970's

Is your 243 one of the new fast twist ones?? I run a 108 gr eldm's over RL26 in my bolt rifle (1:8 twist).
This lets me hold over 1000 ftlb of energy part 500 mtrs.
Z

95 gr Noslar BT with 41 grs 2209 . Does 2945 fps in my 22inch REM

85 Barnes, 44 of 2209.

87 grain Hornady spire point and 42 grains of R17 for the everyday stuff.
85 grain Interbonds and 42 of R17 for the tougher stuff.
Both shoot in the same group at a hundred so no issues with swapping.

2 killer loads I used.

243
95 grn Targex
41.1 grns N550 Lapua cases
41.3 grns N550 Win & Rem cases

243
80 grns speer
44 grns N550

87sp Hornady on 40grns of win 760. Muzzle velocity 3000fps.

Reloder 26 does add a good amount of fps on at least for the heavier projectiles.
If it isn't 1:8" or more then the 95gr sst or ballistic tips work well. If it is 1:8" then the 105gr targex are awesome or the 108gr eldms.

First few shots threw and sighted in to 100m rough enough, on a cold -15 and very windy day, all bullets tried were inch or better, federal blue box 80gr. and 95 bt much better, due to cold and frozen fingers, its a bit hard to tell how good,
pretty happy thus far, going to try again tomorrow,
1-10 twist so limited to about 100gr.

Sierra 85g HPBT Game King over 44.4g AR-2209. 22" 1:10 3150fps