Range Report .243 Experience anyone?

[Garvey]

My bro is about to buy a .243 and put a Bushnell Elite 4200 MIL/MIL FFP on it, after having fingered mine on my .308. Neither one of us have any experience with that particular cartridge, just know it's a good coyote, bobcat, hog, whitetail round. His point of buying the rifle is to reduce the various number of calibers he has right now and get down to one badass rifle.

My question is what kind of range can we expect the .243 to perform to (ladder test will be peformed at 300-500yds)? The rifle is a Savage 22" barrel with a 1:9 1/4" twist rate, so what's a good grain weight Sierra Game King Spire Point to start? With that twist rate I would think 100gr. but not knowing for sure, I thought I'd ask.

 

[Rob01]

Re: .243 Experience anyone?

Try some 105 AMAX or the new Hornady 105 BTHP if you plan on shooting it out to 1000 which it will do. About the heaviest bullet you can load with that twist and even then sometimes it's a tad too heavy to stabilize. Only trying it will let you know.

 

[blksno]

Re: .243 Experience anyone?

yep, give it a whirl. might as well try Berger 95VLD's while your at it, but the 105 AMAX says 1:9 is good to go.

with the game king, I'd test all three in the .243. your twist should be able to handle them.

.243 dia. (6mm) 85 gr. HPBT GameKing
.243 dia. (6mm) 90 gr. FMJBT GameKing
.243 dia. (6mm) 100 gr. SBT GameKing

Depending on the velocity you're going to send them and your elevation/weather, you should still have plenty of energy at 800m and still be supersonic beyond 1000m

 

[Garvey]

Re: .243 Experience anyone?

Thanks for the info. Now I have a place to start as far as bullet weight goes. I've spent months and hundreds of rounds working on my .22-250 and .308 Now I get to start all over working on his .243. Fun stuff!

 

[Garvey]

Re: .243 Experience anyone?

The bullet with the highest BC is, most likely where I'm going to start. He has never hand loaded a single round. Nor has he had what we would call a precision rifle with custom loads. So I told him lets find a consistant, fast as possible, high BC load, re-zero for it, chart it, affix it to the rifle and stick with it. Again as small as bobcats up to whitetail deer is the mission of this rifle.

 

[blksno]

Re: .243 Experience anyone?

i know what you're saying. I'm trying to get a better big game load for my 243WSSM AR and its a bitch. i've tested 95 VLD's, 105 Amax, 105VLDs, 95 Noslers, and 85 Game Kings all with 2 different kinds of powder. Still the only thing that will stay tight are 75Vmax with varget...and i'm running a 1:9 24"
by the time i find a big game load, it's going to be time to re-barrel and start over haha.

 

[BOLTRIPPER]

Re: .243 Experience anyone?

DRAM40A1 took an off the shelf bull barrel .243 and with hand loads was banging steel @ 1000yd by the second round.....small steel....in the wind.

 

[Dagsta]

Re: .243 Experience anyone?

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: Rob01</div><div class="ubbcode-body">Try some 105 AMAX or the new Hornady 105 BTHP if you plan on shooting it out to 1000 which it will do. About the heaviest bullet you can load with that twist and even then sometimes it's a tad too heavy to stabilize. Only trying it will let you know. </div></div>

Rob I didn't see this round on Hornady's website!! Is it that new?

 

[blksno]

Re: .243 Experience anyone?

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: Dagsta</div><div class="ubbcode-body">
Rob I didn't see this round on Hornady's website!! Is it that new? </div></div>

Hornady New Match Bullets

105 BTHP

 

[Dagsta]

Re: .243 Experience anyone?

Oh OK thanks I thought he was talking about loaded ammo!!

 

[paul T]

Re: .243 Experience anyone?

Big jump with amax prices, Interesting how no bc data available with the new amax and match bullets yet.

 

[Dagsta]

Re: .243 Experience anyone?

Rob since you are close to Hornady's ear, have you thought about suggesting they load Super performance Match 243. Seems to me lots of folks would take to that caliber in Precision Rifle disciplines if quality loaded ammo at more than reasonable prices was available.

I would be hard pressed to believe their SP lines are not at this point very successful for them.

Just a thought, would make my life a lot easier with my 243 build decision!!

 

[MTETM]

Re: .243 Experience anyone?

Has anyone heard a date for 105 Amax's to be available again? There haven't been any available for several months...

Is there a proposed release and availability time line for the new 105 HPBT.

I sent an email to Hornady inquiring about 105 Amax availability and have not received a reply yet, granted it has only been a few days...

 

[Rob01]

Re: .243 Experience anyone?

I will bring it up next time I talk to them. Not a bad idea at all.

Paul I am sure it's nothing sinister that the BCs aren't out yet. They might still be testing. I am sure they will be soon.

 

[Dagsta]

Re: .243 Experience anyone?

Great!! I can't see that not being a winner for Hornady. Especially if you guys have some input to keep it in the right direction!

In spite of all the whiners about the 308, my experience has been very good with it thus far.

243 with performance to get to 1K. No brainer for my little brain! lol

 

[42769vette]

Re: .243 Experience anyone?

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: Rob01</div><div class="ubbcode-body">I will bring it up next time I talk to them. Not a bad idea at all.

Paul I am sure it's nothing sinister that the BCs aren't out yet. They might still be testing. I am sure they will be soon. </div></div>

might want to mention the 208 amax aswell. i sent them a email a month or 2 ago about them and got no responce

 

[Rob01]

Re: .243 Experience anyone?

Already brought it up a couple of weeks ago. You guys aren't the only ones waiting on them. I got a 300WM that hasn't been fired for lack of bullets.

 

[esorensen]

Re: .243 Experience anyone?

You might want to take a hard look at the 87 VMAX. It isn't stellar in the BC department at .400 or so, but it is very consistent, cheap and will flat out kill anything you mentioned. I've used them for years, along with H4350. I've used it on everything from prairie dogs to antelope, all with similar results. Unless you shoot past 400 often, the heavies won't do any better.

 

[Garvey]

Re: .243 Experience anyone?

I take your word for it bro.

My brother and I have had less than stellar results out of ballistic tips on coyotes. In my and his.22-250 and his .204 they fragmented and caused us to have to track the animals. Of course they weren't Hornady bullets but they were good name brand bullets that made us shy away from them. He mentioned once we (insert I) get his rig put together, loads worked out, and some practice he may try his luck as some simple matches. So that's another reason for trying to stay around 100gr. bullets.

 

[esorensen]

Re: .243 Experience anyone?

I'm just sayin'... They have worked PHENOMENALLY well for me. And no, they are not ballistic tips. I'll send you some, I'll give you the recipe, and you shoot something and see for yourself. I did extensive testing on them before I hunted antelope with them to make sure I wouldn't lose an animal to a poor bullet choice. I wasn't wrong. Both the antelope I killed with the bullet, were passed through with no recovery of the bullet. Wound channels were extensive and appropriate for caliber and weight.

I was thinking of using a couple of other bullets, but the 87 just about has the best BC for the weight class, and they are plentiful and cheap, as well as accurate and consistent. Shoot them and you will be surprised.

Another option you might try is the Swift Scirocco. in 90 gr. A tougher bullet yes, but in my opinion, that does not directly equate to lethality.