My new 7# .243! Now which load?
 

My weatherby ultra lightweight in .243 win just arrived, tips the scales at an even 7lbs with my ziess conquest 4.5-14x44 mounted and all.

It's going to be my ultimate antelope set up, and the occasional coyote or other varmint.

I have 3 loads I'm going to try,

federal 100gr sierra BTSP
federall 95gr Nosler ballistic tip
remington 95gr Accutip

tested em out on some phone books...the 95grainers basically blew apart on impact, though all 3 penetrated the same amount...a good 10" or so.

Wondering how the 90gr scirocco's would do? more penetration? supposedly 80% weight retention from what I've read.

or the 85gr Barnes TSX? near 100% weight retention...

Wondering if either of these would be good for both the coyotes and antelope? Wasn't looking to blow right through either...

Anyone have any experience with any of the above on coyotes? antelope?
I'm thinking the barnes tsx won't expand much andjust blow right through, but maybe the 90gr scirocco's will expand and stay together a bit better, but would they work well on coyotes too? would they blow right through both antelope and a coyote?

RE: My new 7# .243! Now which load?
 

You're forgetting the best factory long range load out there...

Try the Federal Premium 85gr HPBT Sierra GameKing...It's my "bean field" bullet for eastern NC...
When shots start at 150 and run to 350, it's the bullet to use...

RE: My new 7# .243! Now which load?
 

How does that perform on game? I thought that was more of a "target style bullet".

RE: My new 7# .243! Now which load?
 

You may want to give some Bergers a try...

RE: My new 7# .243! Now which load?
 

With Sierra's the GameKings are for game and MatchKing for targets...

Now...I've killed over 175 deer with my .243...Around 35 were with the 85gr HPBT...These bullets are harder and penetrate better than most think...When we hear "hollow point" we think of a fragile bullet...It's not so with the Sierra GameKings...I've killed deer with about 10 of the most popular .243 factory loadings, trust me, that 85gr Federal loading is awsome...

Now, if you are shooting them at 35-50 yards in the woods, stick with a standard CoreLokt, Hornady or Nosler Partition...But for those antelope, if your gun likes them, that's the load to go with...

I sight mine in 2 1/2 high at 100 and I'm only 3 inches low at 300...

RE: My new 7# .243! Now which load?
 

Go to the following link and see for yourself if the TSX will expand. The video shows a .308 cal TSX hitting 10% ballistics gel at 2900 fps. The bullet fully expands in less than 2" of penetration. Barnes TSX High Speed Video

Mike

RE: My new 7# .243! Now which load?
 

I would use a 100 grain Sierra game king loaded by Federal.

Including the 85 grain SGKHP... It will retain more energy than any of the others, It will have less wind drift than any of the others listed, and it would only drop about an inch more than the others listed at 300 yards.

The resistance to the windwould bethe biggest factor to me in a long rangeantelope load and the 100 grainSGK wins.

RE: My new 7# .243! Now which load?
 

Since coyote fur is so valuable, I'd want to use a pretty tough bullet on them to minimize damage to the pelts.

RE: My new 7# .243! Now which load?
 

How much are pelts going for these days?

Every 'yote I've seen shot dropped on the spot, looks like from ballistic tips etc...hollow points, would a tougher bullet still do the job? drop them on the spot? run a little?

I could see a hollow point dropping them on the spot but blowing out the other side of them...?

RE: My new 7# .243! Now which load?
 

I shoot the 85 gr Barnes TSX ora 75 gr Barnes X bullet for coyotes all the timeIn my 243 Winsand 6MM Remboth . The pelt damage is minimaland the shock puts them right down .