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.243 - 85 grain or 100 grain?
For whitetails/Feral hogs? I have never shot a deer with a .243, but my SIL shot a hog with my rifle with 100 grain Core-Lokt factory loads and said the wound was impressive. I have both (85 and 100) in Sierra Game Kings that I'm gonna load over Varget. I'm leaning toward 100 grain because the rifle is sighted for them and I have no testimony from hunters on 85 grain. This will be fired from a carbine, a Remngton Model 600 Mohawk with a medium contour barrel, if that matters.
Logically, I'm thinking both would be fine, in the 50-200 yard range, but it would be nice for somebody to pipe in with their own experience.
Logically, I'm thinking both would be fine, in the 50-200 yard range, but it would be nice for somebody to pipe in with their own experience.
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Replies
Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives.... now who's bringing the hot wings? :jester:
I do not believe you have such rifle, no photo.
It is a visual medium.
Please. :drool:
cjp wrote: »..... Oh dear God, I've admitted to liking something Limey.I'll never hear the end of this.
Jayhawker wrote: »...But seriously Shush....
All I can say is I had better luck with Sierra 100 grain than Speer. I had a couple deer I know I hit run off and die. I found one a couple days later and it was a pass through. The Game King would go in and expand and hardly ever make it out the other side. For my own experience I cannot say enough about the plain jane no gimmicks Game King. They kill deer and hogs about as good as anything I've ever used.
Now, whether 100 or 85 grain bullets? Back then all the gun writers dissed the lighter bullets, probably justly, because bullet technology left a bit to be desired. But nowadays bullets are just better. They expand but also hold together. And I hear people using lighter bullets a lot nowadays. In fact I have some 85 grain Game Kings for my wife's .243 and I've got some loaded up and they shoot good, so I'm thinking of trying them. But the 100 grain bullets do give me a little more warm feeling at this point. One thing, out of a .243 at about 3,000 FPS a 100 grain bullet is very deadly on deer.
Son that's somebody with nothing to do with his time but keep me in trouble with mom.
DPRMD
This is what the wife has been taking decent sized whitetails since I built her the 243.
After I get done repairing horse and motorcycle I will see if I am alive enough to get the load out of the mancave.
They all died quickly.
The 85gr BTHP-GK has been quite impressive. As has the A-Max.
I can tell you with wholehearted conviction that a 95 Nosler Ballistic Tip over H4350 is a death ray on antelope (even at a quarter mile), and should do just as well on whitetail.
I've also seen some pretty banged up deer shot with a .243 Win loaded with Winchester 100 grain Power Points.
Hogs.....can't tell you, I've never shot one with the 6mm, but I'd likely load up some 100 grain Partitions for them critters.
Mike
KSU Firefighter
That's with a muzzle velocity of 2,820 fps.
34 gr imr4064. Didnt write the fps on this box but I am pretty sure it was right close to 3800
We have already been through this once: http://forums.gunsandammo.com/showthread.php?15124-Not-excellent-condition-but-not-bad&highlight=model+mohawk
No sweat, though. I forgot, also. My defense is that my SIL borrowed it for my grandson to use, and kept it for a year and a half, so I didn't get a chance to 'bond' with it, or work up a hand load.
2800, sorry. I was getting a little punchy. Its been a long week.
If your load is using Varget, please post it. I've got about 15 pounds of it, and I'm determined to use as much of it as I can.
I know it probably doesn't mean much being two slightly different Cartridges, but they must be pretty close because in all my manuals both the .243 AND the 6mm do best overall with either Hodgdon or IMR 4350. If and When you ever deplete your supply of Varget you might give one of those a try. Then there's RL-17.
Son that's somebody with nothing to do with his time but keep me in trouble with mom.
Hodgdon site.
Case: Winchester
Twist: 1:10"
Primer: Winchester LR, Large Rifle
Barrel Length: 24"
Trim Length: 2.035"
Bullet Weight100 GR. SPR BTSP
Starting Loads
Maximum Loads
Manufacturer
Powder
Bullet Diam.
C.O.L.
Grs.
Vel. (ft/s)
Pressure
Grs.
Vel. (ft/s)
Pressure
Hodgdon
Varget
.243"
2.650"
31.0 gr
2,674 fps
42,700 CUP
33.7gr
2,838fps
50,400 CUP
If you are in a hurry, I would toss some together with 33gr and fling them downrange just to see what happens.
Those velocities look to be a little on the anemic side. My Hornady manual list an 87 grain Spire point flat base bullet at 3200 FPS or around that for several powders, however, no Varget, the book's too old.
Edited to Add: So this 2997-3121 FPS is through a 24 inch barrel. It"s my belief that the more overbore a case, the more barrel length effects velocity and a 243 is pretty much on the over bore side. So with an 18 inchish barrel you probably will end up with around 2700-2900 FPS, which is still plenty to kill a deer with at reasonable hunting ranges.
So loadeth and go forth, Varget is your star to follow.......:jester:
Son that's somebody with nothing to do with his time but keep me in trouble with mom.
It may seem like woodland heresy, but I've never shot a thing with the CoreLokt bullet in any chambering. there's no particular reason for that, I just have never tried it.
I know and I did remembered it, I was just pulling your plonker. :tooth:
Thank you and it is still Bootiful. :up:
cjp wrote: »..... Oh dear God, I've admitted to liking something Limey.I'll never hear the end of this.
Jayhawker wrote: »...But seriously Shush....
I load 95 grain Nosler Ballistic Tips in my .243, but would probably switch to a heaver, better constructed bullet if hogs were on the menu. I'd go with 100 grainers.
Gun control laws make about as much sense as taking ex-lax to cure a cough.
Hit him about mid body. I was shooting from a swamp buggy that was parked but idling and shaking and pulled the shot. I initially thought I has missed.
Honestly not sure which was entry which was exit....
Didn't run, just stood there for a moment, and then fell over dead. About 150 lbs.
D
Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives.... now who's bringing the hot wings? :jester:
OK.....be pigheaded.......
In any 6mm chambering, H4350 works much mo' better.
When I had 12 lbs of Varget and only 1 lb of H4350, I sold my Varget at a large loss.
So I could buy more H4350. for my 6mm/.243 thingaagig.
Trust me one this one. I'm not the only one that's been stuck with several pounds of something that was great all-around, but not exactly perfect for anything.
6mm stuff and H4350 is the nectar of the gods.
Mike
KSU Firefighter
At least........in everything I've tried it in.
It just doesn't like me.
Because?
All I want to do is send a 85 or 100 grain bullet at ~3000 fps. The H4350 does not appear to give higher velocities in the recipes I looked at, so what other factors are involved?
PS: I do trust your experience and judgment - I just wonder if your judgment on this subject might specifically apply to the type of use you had for them, and would not matter so much for my own use. This is basically a secondary rifle for limited use at distances under 200 yards.
I probably haven't either, but they are the cheapest factory loads, so I have bought them when I was anxious to shoot and didn't have dies or a load yet for a new gun. Also, people have given me some, so I always seem to have some around.
It seems it likes bigger case capacity cartridges. My 06's like it, it is a favorite in the Garand matches. I tossed some 22-250 together with it and launched a few at 200 that grouped under 1.5 in but I havent played with it much. A friend of mine cant get it to work in 7mm Mauser at all and his 65.x55 doesnt like it either.
In my honest opinion, Factory loaded Remington Ammo with Core Lokt bullet is as good as you can get without reloading. And Core Lokt bullets just work very nicely. Some here even buy the bare bullets and reload em. I did that a couple of times for my .308 back in the day and killed a few deer with it. Never had one fail that I can remember. They always brought home the bacon, er Venison...:tooth:
Son that's somebody with nothing to do with his time but keep me in trouble with mom.