Best 243 bullet for deer hunting?
07-24-2018, 05:04 PM
#12
Giant Nontypical
Join Date: Nov 2004
Posts: 5,425
I'll try to keep this short... 
From 1980-2016 I owned one centerfire rifle, a 1980 M-77 Ruger in .243...I bought it new, with a Bushnell Scope and later upgraded to a VX-II 3x9x40 Leupold in the late '90s...I've killed over 300 deer with this rifle...Now, realize that I live in NC, with a gun season that lasts from October until January, we own 3 farms and must keep the population in check...
From 1980-2000? all I used were 100gr Remington CoreLokts and had no problems...I got a wild hair and decided I wanted to try every factory ammo suited for deer and see the difference...Frankly, the lower priced Remingtons, Federals and Winchesters killed as well as the so called premium bullets...In fact, on center lung shots, the deer went down quicker...Sure, the premiums would usually get an exit but they did a bit less internal damage so instead of dropping 40-60 yards from the hit, they might go 75-100 yards...
After a few years, I went back to the 100gr CoreLokts, my hunting buddy settled on the 100gr Hornady InterLocks...One bullet that did stand out was the Sierra GameKing 85gr hollow point that Federal loaded at that time...It was fast, flat shooting and penetrated much better that we thought it would...Of course, Federal quit loading it a few years back...
During this same time my brothers, nephews, friends, etc were using larger cartridges and the wild thing was, on lung shot deer, theirs would run as far as the ones I hit...On high shoulder shot deer they all fell at the shot...On one hunt, my brother and I were hunting on the ground together, a bevy of does came out, we tried to time our shots at the same time, well, we both hit the same doe...Him with a .270 and a 130gr Sierra GameKing soft point, me with a 100gr CoreLokt, both in the lungs...That deer taught both of us a lesson, she still ran about 60 yards, made it out of the winter wheat field and fell in the woods...
So, find what the rifle likes, hit them right and you won't have any problems...
From 1980-2016 I owned one centerfire rifle, a 1980 M-77 Ruger in .243...I bought it new, with a Bushnell Scope and later upgraded to a VX-II 3x9x40 Leupold in the late '90s...I've killed over 300 deer with this rifle...Now, realize that I live in NC, with a gun season that lasts from October until January, we own 3 farms and must keep the population in check...
From 1980-2000? all I used were 100gr Remington CoreLokts and had no problems...I got a wild hair and decided I wanted to try every factory ammo suited for deer and see the difference...Frankly, the lower priced Remingtons, Federals and Winchesters killed as well as the so called premium bullets...In fact, on center lung shots, the deer went down quicker...Sure, the premiums would usually get an exit but they did a bit less internal damage so instead of dropping 40-60 yards from the hit, they might go 75-100 yards...
After a few years, I went back to the 100gr CoreLokts, my hunting buddy settled on the 100gr Hornady InterLocks...One bullet that did stand out was the Sierra GameKing 85gr hollow point that Federal loaded at that time...It was fast, flat shooting and penetrated much better that we thought it would...Of course, Federal quit loading it a few years back...
During this same time my brothers, nephews, friends, etc were using larger cartridges and the wild thing was, on lung shot deer, theirs would run as far as the ones I hit...On high shoulder shot deer they all fell at the shot...On one hunt, my brother and I were hunting on the ground together, a bevy of does came out, we tried to time our shots at the same time, well, we both hit the same doe...Him with a .270 and a 130gr Sierra GameKing soft point, me with a 100gr CoreLokt, both in the lungs...That deer taught both of us a lesson, she still ran about 60 yards, made it out of the winter wheat field and fell in the woods...
So, find what the rifle likes, hit them right and you won't have any problems...
Last edited by nchawkeye; 07-24-2018 at 05:15 PM.
08-01-2018, 09:19 AM
#13
Super Moderator
Join Date: Nov 2007
Location: Choctaw, Oklahoma
Posts: 1,347
That is what I am using in my 7 mag and my 308. They work great and there is a reason that is the bullet that everyone trys to compare itself too. However in my 243 I have fallen in love with the Sierra game king bullet. It is a BTSP and does a number on the deer. Usually drops them where they stand and at 100 yrds I have the holes touching. The rifle is a Remington 710 with the factory rings and scope still on.
08-19-2018, 05:52 AM
#16
Typical Buck
Join Date: Jul 2017
Location: WI&UP
Posts: 751
I agree with shooting before buying bulk. I got 2 30-06s with same length and twist. One shoots Hornady interlocks the other partions 1MOA, and they shoot the other brand awful.
I don't hunt deer with with my 243. But I did read an interesting article in a Lyman manual from late 90s. They got some formula to base weight of animal and range and rate calibers. Granted I a skeptical a bit, but I get speed and energy. They rated the 243 higher than 30-30. Now many people the big metplate of lever actions have knock down power. 243 obviously will have longer range though.
I don't hunt deer with with my 243. But I did read an interesting article in a Lyman manual from late 90s. They got some formula to base weight of animal and range and rate calibers. Granted I a skeptical a bit, but I get speed and energy. They rated the 243 higher than 30-30. Now many people the big metplate of lever actions have knock down power. 243 obviously will have longer range though.
08-23-2018, 06:45 AM
#17
Nontypical Buck
Join Date: Feb 2003
Location: NC
Posts: 1,284
When my daughter was using a .243 she used the Nosler 95gr BT. It was accurate in her rifle and she harvested several deer with that bullet. I know several others in our area that currently use a .243 and they too use the Nosler 95gr BT with good results. Mike
