.243 factory bullets I need some recommendations please

david1976

Well-Known Member
Next week I will be getting my variation through for a .243 and shortly after I should be picking up my tikka t3 laminated stainless (cant wait).

I would like to know from those of you who use .243 on roe, what bullets do you use that you find perform well? I will be looking to use ones at about the 100g weight no heavier.

I have not used a .243 for about 10 years and to be honest I cant remember the type I used to use so opinions would be greatly appreciated.

I will not use balistic tipped bullets through choice on deer.

Cheers

David
 
Hi David,

The modified Greenhills Formulae recommends that the optimum maximum weight of bullet in relation to twist rate for a 243 is as follows 1:10 85gr, 1:9 95gr, and 1:8 107gr. I read this on this site somewhere?

I use winchester 80gr soft points on roe in my sako 75. I am thinking about trying sako 90gr gameheads to see how they group - I like the gameheads, used to put them through the 308.

Cheers
 
David,
I have quite a few friends that have used the Sako 90g through their synthetic stainless Tikka T3s with very good results. For some unknown reason my Tikka with blue barrels gets on well with Sako 100g s.p. Only use Hornady 100g s.p and Remmington 100g s.p when the Sako are not available.
ATB Paul
 
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My .243 Stainless/Synthetic shot Federal 100gr Power Shok fine, my reloads now match Federal PowerShok, should I run short of any....
 
ive tryed a few different brands of soft points in my remmy 700, norma 100g very good but little over my budget, the rws t-mantels 100g was ok, but i seem to get a better grouping with the winchesters 100g soft points, also using theses on fallow aswell, does the job!

ive also use 80g winchesters soft points on roe/foxy, 8)

think you will have to see what ammo your rifle prefer ;)

Andrew
 
Try, Norma 100gn, RWS 100 gn or Federal 100gn and see what your rifel likes. All will do the job. Worth also checking to see what your local dealer carries and what is his standard stock - thus you have easy supplies for the future. A standard soft point bullet is fine.

I use RWS or Norma 100gn in my 243 on the basis that it is deer legal for any species in Scotland - min 100gn for Red Deer etc. Of the two, the RWS is more accurate, but the bullet is a bit softer, and thus expands more quickly, whereas the Norma has a bit more penetration and probably better for bigger stuff at longer range.
 
I have used the 90g Sako in .243,good groups and worked really well in my Tikka T3 Hunter.
I am hearing a lot of good reports on the RWS ammo as well.

Keith
 
W16OEN said:
Hi David,

The modified Greenhills Formulae recommends that the optimum maximum weight of bullet in relation to twist rate for a 243 is as follows 1:10 85gr, 1:9 95gr, and 1:8 107gr. I read this on this site somewhere?

I use winchester 80gr soft points on roe in my sako 75. I am thinking about trying sako 90gr gameheads to see how they group - I like the gameheads, used to put them through the 308.

Cheers

Cheers,

I had not heard of this before. A quick look on the tikka website shows it to be 1:10 so it looks like I should start around 85 and work up to see how the groupings are affected.

David
 
I have not loaded them, but for my 243 I found the factory federal premium with the moly coated head (blue black in colour) 100g (power shok I think) to be excellent.

The moly coated heads took over 1/2 inch off my goups at 100yds to sub 3/4 inch groups on factory ammo over any other type, even other federal ammo.

As long as I have a stock I probably wont reload my 243.

If you can get the heads, they are worth a try. Like you I only use soft point by the way.

Anyone else know any more about the moly coated heads?
JP
 
Your tikka will handle 100grn bullets with ease, i use hornady sp interlocks and lapua sp's, both will give half inch groups if you can hold her steady.
 
I have been thro a number of different bullets to find a suitable round for my T3 stainless laminate .243 I can honestly say that Winchester Silver tips in 95g were great but costly. Only other round that suited my rifle was 100g Federal soft points. Still using them now. Minimal damage but really accurate. On a different note I had awful experience with said rifle getting accuracy and discovered that there was a 'lug' under the barrel about 1/3 down. With a silencer on this was touching the barrel. I simply removed it and sanded down the stock slightly until could get folded A4 all way down. This solved this awful ongoing problem. Told another member of this forum the same and his rifle shot true after doing same. Not a clue what the 'lug' is for it appears to be from the moulding and serves no purpose as far as I can see.
 
I use RWS 100 grain, pointed soft points, in my .243 Steyr Mannlicher Classic, with 1:10 barrel twist. Three tenths of inch, three shot groups, at 100 yards. They work for me.
 
when i had a 243 tikka t3 , i started off with 100gn federal power shocks with about a 3/4" group , then i went on to norma 100gn soft points and cloverleaf zero at 100 yds :D

cheers lee
 
When I had a .243 I used to use RWS 100gr for hinds. They worked for them, so I'd imagine they'd work for roe also, if your rifle will shoot them accurately.

The bloke I bought it from used to use Remington 75gr ballistic tips for everything (neck-shooting deer, I believe) and indeed it shot these 0.5"/100yds without difficulty. I used to use them for foxes, but as I tend to shoot deer in the chest, this clearly was not the right stuff to use. Especially as I hind-stalk in Scotland.
 
ive tried loads of 243 rounds and the best i have yet to come across is the federal 85grn hollow point.....outstanding round.if i`d of tride this at the beginning i could have saved a couple of hundred pounds.

85grn hollow point federal for me :D
 
David
I have owend several .243 over the years used from 55gr winchester balistic tip to 100gr sako best of the bunch has been 100gr remington core lock.

I have use them for foxing to stags on the hill never let me down yet.
Get a box & give them a try you wont regret it.

Macky
 
243 joke

Well its not just me all the 15-20 odd full time highland stalkers that i help out says no way will they let a man with 243 on the the hill all it is greiff with runners we dont need it is simpile as that no way keep them for fox and fox :confused:
 
Re: 243 joke

wise man said:
Well its not just me all the 15-20 odd full time highland stalkers that i help out says no way will they let a man with 243 on the the hill all it is greiff with runners we dont need it is simpile as that no way keep them for fox and fox :confused:

At the end of the day it's all down to the person behind the rifle. When i shot deer professionally i used a .243 and a .25/06 and I had no problems at all with either rifle on both red stags or hinds nor did the other keepers on that estate.

People can shoot the iron stag perfectly with excellent groupings in the right place but when you take them out onto the hill it can be a totally different story if they get over excitable. I had people out with huge calibres and they left deer like a teabag despite shooting very well on a practise target.

If you take your surroundings into consideration, shoot within your capabilities and hit the deer in the right place you dont get runners unless it's the adrenalin 50 yard dash. simple.
 
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