Would you rather use a .243" 105 grain Hornady A-Max at a bit over 3000 fps, or either Barnes 85/80 grain at 3400-3450 fps?

Are you using a 243win?

My favorite factory load so far is the federal barnes tsx 85gr I think it's at 3200fps.

Hornady has a gmx 80gr at 3400fps I think.

The grass is always greener but I'm really happy with the 85@3200 so see little reason to try anything else.

both will work there a small animal. they go down fast

100 grain Hornady BTSPs with IMR 4350 or IMR 4064 will knock em for a loop!

Ya, I'd lean towards the barnes

Barnes. Good luck

both will do the job.

I use a .25/06, but given your two choices, I'd go with the .243. I just love my gun

My .243 will shoot the 85 grain barnes very accurately at very near 3400. I haven't gotten great accuaracy with the 105 hornady bullets, but it gets them over 3000 pretty easily and I plan on spending more time with that bullet to try and get it grouping better. I also picked up a box of 95 grain bergers to try out.

The reason I ask is because I'll be moving to Colorado next month and would eventually like to try for pronghorns. I assumed the .243 would be plenty of gun, just not sure which bullet would be the best. Ballistic calculators show the heavier bullet cheating the wind better than the lighter and faster bullet, but that depends on the accuracy of published ballistic coefficients. The lighter bullet shoots a little flatter at hunting ranges, but that can be compensated for easier than wind.

I used a 100gr Barnes in my 25-06 to take a pronghorn several years ago. It killed it but I don't think i'll use them on such a small animal again. Standard cup and core bullets work just fine on deer and antelope out of the .243Win.
Also depending on your twist rate of your rifle it may not stabalize the Amax very well for you. They recommend a 1:9" twist I think for that bullet. Many manufactures use a 1:10" twist for their rifles. If your rifle has the slower twist I would move down to 100gr or less.