Need a bullet expert

[17Fireball]

Going to use a .243 as a multi purpose gun:

Whitetail Deer
Eastern Coyote
Groundhogs

Decided to use a bullet around 85-90 grains that will kill a deer humanely, not rip a coyote in half, and shoot accurately for groundhogs. Most shots will be around 250 yards. Will go with some type of hollow point or soft point. Is it just a matter of picking the below bullet with the best ballistic coefficeint. What am I missing? The Speer and Hornady looks like my top choices. Help me with your input to confirm my thoughts or disprove my thinking.

Have not been impressed with Berger VLD bullets on deer so although they seem to have a great ballistic coefficient...kinda biased against them.


Horandy
6mm .243 85 gr InterBond®
Details


Features:
Bonded design for deep penetration and 90%+ weight retention.
Streamlined design delivers ultra-flat trajectories.
Devastating terminal performance across a wide velocity range.
Unequaled accuracy and terminal performance for long-range shots.

Details
Item Number 24539
Weight 1.42 lbs
Ballistic Coefficient (G1) 0.395
Sectional Density 0.206

Price: $60.87


6mm .243 87 gr BTHP
Details

Features:
Streamlined design for ultra flat trajectories.
Match grade jacket design provides maximum accuracy at all ranges.
Explosive expansion, even at low velocities.

Details
Item Number 2442
Weight 1.31 lbs
Ballistic Coefficient (G1) 0.376
Sectional Density 0.210

Price: $28.17

NOSLER

90 Grain Accubond Spitzer Ballistic Coefficient .376

85 Grain Partition .315

90 Grain Ballistic Tip .365

SPEER
85 Grain Spitzer BTSP 0.404

BERGER

87 gr Match Grade VLD Hunting​

.243​

87​

0.412​

0.211​

10​

Sierra

Bullet Name
Diameter inches
Weight grains
Sectional Density
Ballistic Coefficients
.243 dia. (6mm) 85 gr. HPBT
.243
85
.206
.311 @ 1800 fps and above
.304 between 1500 and 1800 fps
.285 @ 1500 fps and below
​

Barnes

· 6 mm TSX 85 Grains .333

 

[MudRunner2005]

I don't know jack squat, other than what works for me, so I am in no means qualified to comment as a "bullet expert", but I can tell you what has worked for me in the past. My opinion is simply my opinion, but I have always had excellent results with Nosler Accubonds & Barnes TSX Triple-Shocks over the years on whitetail.

 

[Gerard Schultz]

A hunter recently called to say that he killed an eland at just over 300m with his 243 win. He was using a GSC 69gr HV bullet. He has also killed a zebra (under 200m) and several other game in the 200/300lb weight class. He shoots for the venison market so concern for meat destruction would be a consideration.

KZN Hunters - Hunting

 

[dakota1tn]

I just set up two 243 win. for long distance shooting. Both will shoot under 1/2 in. at 100 yrds. One shoots the nosler 95 grn best the other shoots the berger 95 hunting hollowpoint best. If your gun has the 1 in 9.4 twist it will most likely shoot a 90 to 100 grn bullet best. Nosler is the most accurate bullet I have shot in any caliber on average!!!!!!!! The berger BC with the 243 is .427 and the Nosler is .379. Both will do what you want!I know hornady is cheaper but I only own one gun that shoots them best. I own 12 rifles. I shoot Noslers in all of em except one. Just my experience. Ive only been shooting long distance (600 yrds to 1200 yrds) for 4 yrs. My guns are all factory with minor adjustments on stocks and trigger. Its all trial and error. Bullet depth is most important in my opinion. I also set up guns for other people. Most I have set up shoot better faster than slower!! They have all shot 1/2 or better at 100 yrds. One of these 243s shot 1/2 in at 100. then I went up 1grn on powder and is shot 1/4 at 100.

 

[jkupper]

I used to load several different bullet and powder combinations for my 243. I have ended up only using 1 bullet and powder in the end. I shoot the 87 gr. Hornady BTHP's and they do a really good job for coyotes and deer. I actually tried them because I was looking for something that wouldn't put a softball sized hole in a coyote. The 87 gr. BTHP's put a 243 sized hole in, and at most a 1"hole coming out. Nearly every deer that I have shot with them had the bullet sitting just under the hide on the far side. I does a great job! Combine that with the fact that it shoots 1/2 MOA out of my gun when pushed by 40.7 grains of Win 760 at 3050 fps, and it is definitely a winner. I would try them out!

 

[17Fireball]

I used to load several different bullet and powder combinations for my 243. I have ended up only using 1 bullet and powder in the end. I shoot the 87 gr. Hornady BTHP's and they do a really good job for coyotes and deer. I actually tried them because I was looking for something that wouldn't put a softball sized hole in a coyote. The 87 gr. BTHP's put a 243 sized hole in, and at most a 1"hole coming out. Nearly every deer that I have shot with them had the bullet sitting just under the hide on the far side. I does a great job! Combine that with the fact that it shoots 1/2 MOA out of my gun when pushed by 40.7 grains of Win 760 at 3050 fps, and it is definitely a winner. I would try them out!

Actually, that is the bullet I am thinking of based on a friend who uses it for a multipurpose bullet but mostly long range groundhog. Just wish it had a higher ballistic coefficient for those 500 yard shots on varmints.

 

[Lefty7mmstw]

pitch a 100 grain hornady sp and forget all the bull; I've seen more deer and prarie rats and 'yotes fall to this pill than any other bullet.

 

[Red hunter]

+1 for the 100 grain. I may create a stir but I don't believe BC will matter much inside 250 yards. I use a 100gr SGK zeroed at 200 out of a 20 in barrel. It runs about 1.5 high at 100. It does a great job on deer and yotes.

 

[Gerard Schultz]

One must not lose from sight the parameters set by 17Fireball:

that will kill a deer humanely, not rip a coyote in half, and shoot accurately for groundhogs.

 

[lloydsmale]

Im with lefty on this. Ive shot a few deer and with the 243 and a pile with the 6mm rem and along the way a few coyotes thrown in and allways used 100 grain cup and core bullets like sierra prohunter, speer hot cores, rem corelocks and horndady interlocks and they just flat get the job done. Unless your praire dog shooting with a dedicated varmit gun i dont see a need for a lighter bullet and unless your shooting something bigger then a whitetail i cant see wasting money on premium bullets.

pitch a 100 grain hornady sp and forget all the bull; I've seen more deer and prarie rats and 'yotes fall to this pill than any other bullet.

 

[Lefty7mmstw]

One must not lose from sight the parameters set by 17Fireball:

Who the heck would use a 17 cal on deer?? In most parts of the U.S. if you shoot a deer with under either a 22 or 24 cal (depending on the state) you will take a fine and possibly loose your hunting rights for a year or more. The sub bores don't work well even with mono bullets either. You actually have to hit them with more weight than a housefly doing 4000 fps for a bullet to kill well. Not enough inertia to break bone or carry deep on a raking shot.

I realize this is probably bait, but I don't care; it's simply bad advice.

Are you still with GS custom bullets??

 

[Gerard Schultz]

By Lefty7mmstw: Who the heck would use a 17 cal on deer?? In most parts of the U.S. if you shoot a deer with under either a 22 or 24 cal (depending on the state) you will take a fine and possibly loose your hunting rights for a year or more. The sub bores don't work well even with mono bullets either. You actually have to hit them with more weight than a housefly doing 4000 fps for a bullet to kill well. Not enough inertia to break bone or carry deep on a raking shot.

I realize this is probably bait, but I don't care; it's simply bad advice.

Are you still with GS custom bullets??

17Fireball is the member who started this thread. I gave no advice that one should hunt deer with a 17 caliber. 17Fireball set some parameters for the bullet that he requires, namely: "that will kill a deer humanely, not rip a coyote in half, and shoot accurately for groundhogs. "

Yes I am still with GS Custom Bullets.

 

[lloydsmale]

other then the mistaken 17 comment i think lefty is right on track with this post. At 250 yards bc isnt all that important and you sure dont have to use custom bullets or specialty bullets to do what he wants to do. 100 grain seirras, speers or hornadys would never be a mistake for his intended purposes. Ive shot coyotes and deer at well past those ranges using those bullets and if he wants to stretch out the ranges the heavier bullets out past 300 shoot as flat or as near as flat anyway, hold together better on deer and do less damage to a coyote pelt. If you havent tried it there pretty devestating on prarie dogs too.

 

[Gerard Schultz]

Have you ever used/compared mono copper bullets (69gr) with flat base 100gr lead cores?

69gr monos will shoot a much flatter trajectory all the way to 500, have about the same wind drift as 100gr lead cores but the time of flight is shorter. So, the combined distance from center is smaller and time of flight is shorter. This means that shot placement is easier and that is job number one.

Sure, they are more expensive but it will save meat and pelt damage and, money wise, you will be ahead.