Recommendations wanted for non-toxic .243 factory rounds for stalking

TomDeer

Well-Known Member
Can anyone currently using non-toxic factory rounds for stalking recommend a type I should try?

I shoot a Howa 1500 in .243 with a varmint barrel and, I believe, a 1:10 twist rate. Its current preferred 'fodder' is Federal Power Shok 100 gn SP.

What I'm wanting is a "one size fits all" non-toxic bullet to cover Muntjac through to fallow (and possibly occasionally even reds) - if such a bullet exists. The reason for the "one size fits all" is simply that on my current land it may be anything from a muntjac up to a fallow that may appear so I don't have the luxury of having a different bullets for different species. Whatever is in the chamber has to be able to do the job as effectively as the Federal Power Shok 100 gn SP currently being used does on everything. Ranges are predominantly sub 150 yards and mostly from highseats.

I'm not looking at reloading options as I lack the temperament, skills, patience and time to be able to do it. I'm also really not wanting to stir up the "lead v non-toxic" debate. I'm also not looking to start a debate on whether I should get a different rifle - there is no debate there, of course I need more rifles! :) However, for the time being the rifle in the cabinet is a .243 and that's the one I'm wanting to try the non-toxics with.

Best wishes

Tom
 
IMHO there's no current 100 grain non-toxic bullet that will stabilise in the twist/pitch of 1:10 so I'd buy not more than twenty just to test to be sure. There's plenty of lighter weight non-toxic but in the USA they don't have that 100 grain bullet weight requirement that exists in Scotland. There's no need in England for a different rifle as a 90 grain bullet is lawful and will probably be stable in your 1:10 barrel. So I'd open the discussion to what OTHER weight of non-toxic .243 WCF ammunition others have used besides 100 grain.
 
So I'd open the discussion to what OTHER weight of non-toxic .243 WCF ammunition others have used besides 100 grain.

A very sensible point and thanks for making it.

I really don't know anywhere near enough about ballistics to know whether one goes lower or higher than 100 grain with a non-toxic to achieve good stabilisation in a 1:10 .243WCF twist barrel and achieve my "one size fits all" requirement or even whether it's possible.:-|

Consider the discussion opened up as you suggest! Any thoughts from people actually using them very gratefully received.



Thanks

T
 
Longer the bullet the faster the twist. Which is why those round nose 105 grain .243" bullets work in rifles that 100 grain pointed bullets won't work in. It's length. So non-toxic often have issues as do Nosler Partition in 1:10 rifles in 100 grain weight. I think! It's why the .244 Remington which then was re-launched as 6mm Remington failed to compete with the contemporary .243 Winchester. Wrong twist for the longer bullets (because they were heavier) hunters wanted to use in the USA. Or some such...it's all on the internet!
 
I have a sense of foreboding that I may be straying into areas beyond my levels of understanding and far beyond my pay grade :D

Thanks for the link.
Nothing that will bother you Tom, all very straightforward,when you understand the theory. I've never had a 243 that didnt stabilise a 100 grain bullet and there has been a few..When buying factory made bullets,let them calculate the ballistics and you can concentrate on shooting them.
 
TomDeer. Have you made any progress on this yet? After a lot of online research I also would like to go down the non toxic route. After reading loads of online reviews I would like to give the 80gr Hornady GMX a go. Unfortunately it seems near impossible to get hold of the stuff.
 
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