87gr vmax

[screech]

Hi, I've used the 87grain vmax out of my 243 for deer out to 250 yrds with awesome performance. Does any one have any input on this bullet on deer out to 600-700 yrds.

thanks

 

[Jimm]

Screech ,

My input is to not shoot a deer at those distances with a 87 gr. anything .At 3000 fps the energy is less than 300 lbs at 700 yds. You will be wounding animals with no chance for recovery .

Even if you move up to 100 gr bullets at 3100 or so fps your bullet placement will still be critical. Better saved for crows and varmints in my opinion .More knowledgeable folks here I hope will weigh in on this as I think it is an important subject / question .

Jim

 

[screech]

I was thinking that. But I just wanted some opinions. I do believe it could be used for up to 500 yrds. Even though 243 aren't very big I have seen a forked horn puched through the front shoulder and exit the other side behind the shoulder using factory 80 grain bullets at 437yrds. I was personaly impressed with this little cartridge. I definantly under estimated this cartridge until I hunted with a family that all they used was 243 for deer. Since then I have seen a dozen or more deer killed with one shot performance. Two over 400 with factory 80gr bullets. After seeing there deer were dropping faster with the little guns with the same shots as my 300's I soon got one for a light pack around deer rifle. But I figured that it was probably good to limit this cartridge to deer closer than 500. Thanks for your input.

 

[Jimm]

Screech,

Just so you understand , I have a 243AI and before that it was a std 243 and I love them both . I think it is a great cartridge and it is hard to beat for many shooting applications . Even though I have rebarreled to the 243 AI and am using a twist rate that is sufficient for the 107 smks , I stilll won't use it past 600 and that is with a double lung shot . Just my choices and I'm not saying that it couldn't go a smidge further.

Jim