killer243

dose anyone use this load for deer? what results are you getting?

thanks

USMC PMI

There are two different BST bullets for the .243, make sure you use the CXP 2. Use the 130 gr BST in .270 WIN and love it.

Georgian

I use and have killed 1 deer this season with the Winchester .243 Ballistic Silvertip. It worked very well in my opinion.
The deer dropped right in its tracks, and never moved again. Its a very fast bullet, going around 2,500-3,000fps. Dont know
if I was using the 55 or 95gr, but it sure got the job done.

7mmaniac

I used the 95 BT (same bullet) in handloads to kill 2 deer this year. One at 40 steps in the brisket head on. The deer dropped in its tracks but penetration was minimal (about 8 inches). The other was at 230 yards, broadside and the results were good. Typical BT performace. Next year I'll be shooting a tougher bullet. Nosler Partition.

Opinion: They're a little tender up close and avoid bones at all costs. The BT is very reliable on deer in .270 and above but the smaller bullets are a tad fragile. Just my opinion.

My father-in-law has used the 95 BST to kill a dozen or so with good results but there were a couple that got away due to no blood trail in the thick stuff. pass-thru's would have been nice. These problems occured on out there.... 250+ Powerline cutaway's mainly. Just pick your shot's and hit where you aim.

snipehunter

i shot a doe with the 55g. i hit it just below the ear it took everything off but the nose needless to say the ole girl never moved nor knew what hit it.

gopher slayer

why are the bullets black? are they molly coated?

speedgator

If not mistaken they have a proprietary blend of a coating, Lubalox or something like that.

Description from their website:

http://www.winchester.com/products/c...N0ZXI=&type=32

Supreme® Ballistic Silvertip®: Solid based boattail design delivers excellent long range accuracy. In varmint calibers, the Ballistic plastic polycarbonate Silvertip® bullet initiates rapid fragmentation.

driftrider

The 55gr version is a varmint bullet and should NEVER be used for anything bigger than a coyote! These bullets are designed to and do literally explode on impact, and the small fragments, while VERY deadly on small animals, may not penetrate into the vitals even on a perfect broadside shot. The result could be a deer with a very nasty flesh wound that runs off to die days later of infection. Not worth it when there are MUCH better bullets available. I, personally, wouldn't use a BT even in 95 grains in my 243. I would choose a very stout bullet that will ensure complete penetration through at least the vitals no matter what angle you hit them from. I handload, so I'd choose a Partition or a Barnes X-bullet in the heaviest weight the rifle will shoot well. I'd rather make a slightly smaller hole all the way through than a great big flesh wound that doesn't reach where it counts.

Mike

Georgian

Well, I dont know about you driftrider, but when I shot my doe this season with that Ballistic Silvertip, the deer dropped in its tracks, and there was a clean exit wound out the other side. I hit and broke 3-5 ribs, and as far as I know, there was no bullet shattering/fragments. IMHO, it is a good deer round.

driftrider

Then you were definately not using the 55gr version. Never said the 95gr bullet wouldn't work, it just wouldn't be my choice. I said that MY personal preference would not be for the 95gr NBT, and that I'd choose a Partition, not that the 95gr version was not suited to deer hunting. I'm starting to believe that Nosler has worked out the problems with the CXP2 BT's and they aren't as easily upset as they once were. I think that the Nosler BT's are excellent for deer and smaller in moderate velocity applications which they seem optimized for. I wouldn't trust them in a high velocity rifle like my 7mmSTW where impact velocities could exceed 3000fps, but in a 7mm-08 the same 140gr BT would do very well. Back to the 243, the reason I'd choose a stouter bullet is more because of penetration. It seems yours did well, but I wonder how it would perform on a shoulder shot. I guess I look at it from the perspective of what bullet offers the greatest chance of excellence performance in the worst case scenario.

Mike