243 deer/pig load

[novaman64]

Just starting into reloading. Looking for a good load & bullet for deer/pig hunting. I am wanting a bullet somewhere in the 90-100 grain weights, my barrel is a Remington Varmint barrel that I had shortened to 24", the twist is 1:9 1/8. I am looking to push the bullet around 3100fps. What will be a good bullet, and load to work with it.

I was looking at Berger VLD 95 grain, Sierra Game King 100 grn or a Hornady Interlock 100 grn.

 

[loaders_loft]

open up your nosler reloading manual and use the powder that they list as the "most accurate" for the weight of bullet you choose. Start with a midrange load and work up 0.3 or 0.5gr increments until accuracy falls off. Then play with seating depth on the best powder charge for final tuning.

I killed a small pig last summer with The 85gr barnes TSX, inside 100yds, head shot. Never was too impressed with the groups from this bullet but it certainly is lethal.

 

[novaman64]

So nobody has worked up a load that will shoot 3100 fps using any of the three bullets I mentioned in a standard 243 win?

 

[timkenred]

gun)Hi ; I've been shooting and reloading 243's since about 1974 and I believe I can put you on a good load for a 100 gr.Sierra game king but first there is a few things to consider, start out with good quality brass,I like Nosler custom brass,it is very uniform in weight and wall thickness, and full legnth resize for the first time , after 1 firing you can then neck size because you now have brass fire-formed to your chamber,I like to seat a bullet way out and try it in the gun(don't force the bolt closed) if the bolt won't close put it back in the seating die and push it in a little and so on and so forth until the bolt closes, that way your bullet is being pushed down the rifling and not jumping into it,next use a good primer I like CCI BR-2, don't forget to chamfer the case mouth also ,now after all that ramblings I have had great success with 38.5 grs. of IMR 4350 and the Sierra 100 gr. game king.I hope this has been a help .

Dave

 

[novaman64]

Thanks Dave, ill give it a shot. What length barrel are you using and do you know approximately what your MV is?

 

[panman]

Novaman,it seems that you are all upset if you dont get 3100fps.Dont get all
shook up if you dont get it.Anywhere from 29-31fps is good to go for your perposes.All the bullets you mentioned will kill anything you want.The bullet that you chouse has to go where you want it to.Acc.shot PLACEMENT is the key.A fast miss will get you nowhere.Mabe a LITTLE slower going in the rite place does wonders bringing home the meat,lol.Trust me,speed kills,but,its only a very small part in the final outcome.Now if your goin to go for chucks and PD.i could see the reason for a LOT of speed.Nosler would be my first bullet to try,but if you have the ons you stated than get a good reloading book or better yet as many as you can afford.Nosler lists a number of powders for the 80-90-and100grs.the ones that get 3100fps are all in the specks you want.IMR 3031,IMR 4895 andIMR 4064 are good ones to start out with.Theres a bunch more but you cant go wrong with thouse.Pan. PS,sorry i cant give you any more info,as i gave all my data for the 243 when i sold my gun,but i do know that the powders mentioned shot real good in the guns i had.

 

[Winchester 69]

What size pig are you stalking?

The critical velocity is that at impact with the chosen bullet, and how it reacts to the game at that velocity will determine your level of success. Pigs can be rather belligerent, especially if you're waiting around for one to bleed out. If you shoot a large pig with a cup & core bullet at 3100 fps, it may disintegrate on impact rather than penetrate. If you're serious about that velocity, you'll need a stout bullet. For a big critter, I'd want something heavy enough to break him down.
.

 

[txsendero]

I worked up to max. load in a 22" barrel .243 Win with WW brass, BR2 primers, Hodgdon H4350 powder with 95 gr. Berger VLD. With max load, got around 2975 fps, so you might be able to get over 3000 fps with the 24" barrel.

 

[novaman64]

What size pig are you stalking?

The critical velocity is that at impact with the chosen bullet, and how it reacts to the game at that velocity will determine your level of success. Pigs can be rather belligerent, especially if you're waiting around for one to bleed out. If you shoot a large pig with a cup & core bullet at 3100 fps, it may disintegrate on impact rather than penetrate. If you're serious about that velocity, you'll need a stout bullet. For a big critter, I'd want something heavy enough to break him down.
.

Small Northern Cali pigs. 80-100 lbs....

 

[jesbion]

What size pig are you stalking?
If you're serious about that velocity, you'll need a stout bullet. For a big critter, I'd want something heavy enough to break him down.

And like the man says, hogs, especially upwards of 200lbs or more, are equipped with a "shield" of gristle, which encircles the heart, shoulder area, and it takes a tough bullet to penetrate and cause enough damage to kill..I've butchered hogs that had old bullets and cavities that had healed and not done the job...the shield deflects like a skull, and you have to put enough damage behind it in the right spot, to kill cleanly.

I use the Nosler partition, in 100 gr., and it does the job, consistently...but don't expect 3100...and you really don't need it, just a good bullet in the right spot! Try the Partition in 90 gn. for deer, it's a good one too!

 

[Freebore]

95 grain Bal-Tip

I shoot the 95 Grain Nosler Bal-tip at 3100fps out of my Sako using AA3100 powder. There are a few powders in this range that will give that velocity but accuracy and pressure issues are another thing. AA3100 gave me both w/BR-2 primers but it is at the upper cusp of pressure. Drops the Whitetails and I shoot the hogs behind the ear when I hunt in Tx.

I have not tried the Partition bullet with this load.

I agree about the hogs having that 'body armor' and you would need a stout bullet to pierce that. I have never shot a hog any place but the head.

 

[tbrown9124]

nova you have the right idea with weight and have chosen good bullets and want one with a tougher jacket, i dont know where you live but the pigs here in north texas and everywhere that i have hunted are tough and do not take kindly to not being killed with the first shot so i have always popped them in the head. my 243 AI with a 1in9 kreiger like 100gr partitions the federal 100gr as well as the 95gr vld berger, i shoot the 95gr vld over 42.8gr of rl-22 and get a little over 3300fps with a 26''bbl primers are fed 210m and lapua brass. I would wan a tougher accurate bullet even with my beloved head shot.

 

[tbrown9124]

sorry it wasnt 3300fps with rl-22 that load gets around 3200fps but an 80grainer will hump out of that tube around 3350

 

[dmgreene]

It's not one of the bullets that you listed but you might want to try some Swift Sirocco
90 gr. and IMR 4350. These are some pretty tough bullets with a high BC for their weight. I am getting 3100 fps with no pressure signs out of 22" barreled A Bolt. This is one of "walking" guns and this is my favorite load for this gun.

David