Which leads for 243

[Wlhofer]

Trying to find a load for Tikka T3 243 would anyone have input on a lead that i posted on picture i have quit a few leads i could use
70 gr HPBT Sierra Match
70 Gr Nosler spitzer Ball Tip
60 gr Berger match grade
69 gr Berger match grade
85 gr tsx bt Barnes
90 gr nosler Accubond spitzer

 

[Bigeclipse]

Trying to find a load for Tikka T3 243 would anyone have input on a lead that i posted on picture i have quit a few leads i could use
70 gr HPBT Sierra Match
70 Gr Nosler spitzer Ball Tip
60 gr Berger match grade
69 gr Berger match grade
85 gr tsx bt Barnes
90 gr nosler Accubond spitzer

What are you hunting and at what ranges?

 

[Wlhofer]

reloading for yotes and the odd deer 300yards

 

[Lefty7mmstw]

I'd use a 90-100 grain bullet in the 243 for deer and something in the 4064-4350 burn rate range. We've shot many thousands of rounds through a 243 between my pops and I and the only time we ever went below 90 grains was for prairie dog hunting.

for yotes I'd think of one of your 69-70 grain pills with 4064, rl15, or 4895.

 

[Birdhunter1]

I own a Tikka T3 243 stainless with a laminate stock and my personal favorite load is an 87 gr, Hornady Vmax and 50.4 gr of VitaVouhri N560 powder, Fed 210 match primer. 4 Antelopes in the 250-350 yard range and dozens of coyotes, groundhogs and other varmints from 50-530 yards have been harvested with this load. I didn't like the 55 or 70 gr loads as the 87 gr surpasses them after 150 yards or so in drop, velocity and wind bucking ability. If you choose the 85 gr Barnes TSX I am interesting to see how it does in this rifle. I found the best accuracy with the 87's seated out enough to be jammed HARD into the rifling, th eonly problem I had was in single digit temps if I took a shot and chambered a round the barrel would later cool and grab the bullet hard enough to unseat it. I have since backed it off about .020" off the rifling and while my groups opened up slightly it still shoots very well.

 

[ShootnMathews]

Trying to find a load for Tikka T3 243 would anyone have input on a lead that i posted on picture i have quit a few leads i could use
70 gr HPBT Sierra Match
70 Gr Nosler spitzer Ball Tip
60 gr Berger match grade
69 gr Berger match grade
85 gr tsx bt Barnes
90 gr nosler Accubond spitzer

I have no experience with the Barnes bullets. The Sierra match I would not use on yotes. From my personal experience bergers are extremely picky in their loading. I've tried them in a handful of rifles and it seems like everything has to be perfect every case or it won't fly the same. The noslers however seem to be the opposite to the bergers. Noslers seem to be extremely tolerant of case prep, seating depth and even charge. I can usually find a sub MOA load in a few hours with noslers and refine it to 1/2 MOA or better in a few more. Sierra are also like this but I hear the HPBT pencil thru small game. The 90 grain accubonds should do great over Varget, H4350, or H4831sc.

 

[dkhunt14]

I have found excellent accuracy with the Bergers. I haven't killed any game though. I did kill a lot with the 85 grain HPBT Sierra. It has been a deer killing bullet. I know of 5 bears killed with this bullet and all of them was DRT. One was a 350 pounder at 500 yards out of a 6 MM IMP. Most deer don't take a step. Matt

 

[ShootnMathews]

I have found excellent accuracy with the Bergers. I haven't killed any game though. I did kill a lot with the 85 grain HPBT Sierra. It has been a deer killing bullet. I know of 5 bears killed with this bullet and all of them was DRT. One was a 350 pounder at 500 yards out of a 6 MM IMP. Most deer don't take a step. Matt

The Sierra hpbt do work pretty well on big game, deer, bear and such. But the OP said he was loading for YOTES with the ODD deer at 300. Which tells me his primary purpose is yotes. Most people I have talked to about using Sierra match on yotes say they are not tough enough to cause expansion and the ended up with pencil holes and lost dogs and long track jobs. But I would not hesitate to shoot a deer wih a Sierra match.

 

[dkhunt14]

The Sierra hpbt do work pretty well on big game, deer, bear and such. But the OP said he was loading for YOTES with the ODD deer at 300. Which tells me his primary purpose is yotes. Most people I have talked to about using Sierra match on yotes say they are not tough enough to cause expansion and the ended up with pencil holes and lost dogs and long track jobs. But I would not hesitate to shoot a deer wih a Sierra match.

The 85 grain HPBT is not a match. It is a gameking. It does really open. Kills groundhogs on the spot. Matt

 

[ShootnMathews]

The 85 grain HPBT is not a match. It is a gameking. It does really open. Kills groundhogs on the spot. Matt

I appoligize. I thought you were referring to the match bullet.

 

[Canadian Bushman]

I'd use a 90-100 grain bullet in the 243 for deer and something in the 4064-4350 burn rate range. We've shot many thousands of rounds through a 243 between my pops and I and the only time we ever went below 90 grains was for prairie dog hunting.

I use a 95gn sst with 4064, and also 4350 and its cheap and devestating.

 

[Wlhofer]

I do have H414 any thoughts on using this powder or is it to temp unstable

 

[Punisher]

.for good accuracy, i would take your 69 gr Bergers combine with H4350 (i think i'm using 41 gr) and CCI BR2 primers.

any of those bulets will kill whitetail. but i doubt you'll get a pass through if that is what you like. i kill deer with 75 gr sierra varminters. the bullet explodes and sends shrapnal through the lungs and heart. it will not exit. it has dropped about half a dozen deer in their tracks.

this is where i need to stress shot placement. i gut shot deer may not die for a few days. hit them good and you will be happy with the performance!

 

[dkhunt14]

I get almost all pass through with the Sierra 85 HPBT. my cousin shot one in the brisket and it exited out the rear. I shot two doe with one shot and it passed through both of them. It is not a match or a varmint. It is a game king and has hunting jackets with a hollow point to open it up. we have shot a pile of deer with these and hardly ever found one inside unless you hit a lot of solid bone, They also open up and shock hard. The bears we shot with them never took a step and most deer don't either. 4350 is a good powder and I believe the load was around 42 grains. Matt