I hope to go deer hunting with my daughter this fall, in far northern California. She would almost certainly use a .243 Win. I want to buy or load a premium bullet, hopefully in 100 grain, since I believe the .243 is in more need of them than a heavier rifle.

I have been using Accubonds in my 7mm mag with good results, but as far as I can tell no-one makes a 100 grain bonded bullet for the .243.

Federal loads 100 gr partition and 85 grain TSX (I assume this is because a 100 TSX would be too long to stabilize properly in a standard twist barrel.)

Any suggestions on bonded bullets for a .243?

I think Hornady started making an 85 grain Interbond in .243. Hornady Check their website to be sure. But I'm working up a load for the 85 gr TSX in mine. The 168 TSX in my 06 is an absolute killing machine, and I expect the 85 gr will be the same.

Otherwise, you'll find many people have been quite happy with the Sierra, Hornady and Speer 100 grain bullets. (Speer also makes a 105 grain that gets great reviews.) Use Midway's website as a source of bullet reviews.

LWD

Just my 2 cents but why a premium for deer. The good old .243 100gr Sierra BT is accurate and hits like a hammer. "Premiums" are really no better, they just cost more and get better marketing hype. Given the performance I experienced with the Sierras, I just do not buy into the idea of premium bullets.

Barnes 85 grn TSX is wicked. That is what my daughter uses and it works exceptionally well on deer.

i have killed a number of deer with a 6mm Rem, using 100gr BTSP from Hornady. Killed a 185lb 7pt at 230 yards with one, went it one shoulder, through the other and stop just before exiting the skin. Find one that shoots good and let em rip.

I'm impressed by the factory Hornady Light Magnum with the 100 grain interlock bullet. I agree on your choice of the 100 grain bullet. Have you also considered the 105 grain option?

Thanks for the comments. I will put some loads together and see how they shoot.

I had not considered 105 grain, since I was under the impression that bullets heavier than 100 gr would not stabilie properly in a standard barrel. She has a rem. 700.

85 TSX and varget is all you need...

If she is recoil shy I would try the 85 interbond instead using a reduced load. TSX need speed to expand, I wouldnt want them to impact at much less than 2200fps. Interbonds should reliably expand at lower velocities.

hey corax; i been tagging deer from 130 -250# in mo,wv &ky with rem mod 700 243 useing sierra 85 gr hpbt,imr powder@36.5 grns.very deadly&flat shooting.my last deer was in MO ON 11-22-O8 @ 246# out app 190 yds. neck or head shot is my choice so don't have track,but a heart or lung will work. it really helps if the shooter will shoot several times a year to stay in the groove,get fixed to the rifle.my two cents.

My personal experience with the 243 is that the Hornady 100 BTSP Interlock actually works better on deer than the Nosler 100 Partition.

What rate of twist is your 243. That will determine what bullets you should shoot. Anything slower than a 9 twist should not shoot bullets over 85 grains. To shoot 90 to 105 grainers I suggest a 1:8 twist barrel.
Longshot

quote:

Originally posted by Longshot:
What rate of twist is your 243. That will determine what bullets you should shoot. Anything slower than a 9 twist should not shoot bullets over 85 grains. To shoot 90 to 105 grainers I suggest a 1:8 twist barrel.
Longshot

The 1:10twist is entrely adequate for 100gr or even 105gr projectiles.
a 1:10" twist is the standard for the 243Win.

the standard twist for the 6mmRem is 1:9", but only because the 1:12" twist of the 244Rem was such a disaster.... but had 85gr Nosler partitions been available in factory ammunition back then it would have been a non-issue.

Premium bullets allow for unforseen circumstances or less than entirely favorable shot angles.

One FORSEEN circumstance is the likely eventual banning of bullets containing lead in California.

And it would be annoying for you to have to start all over again, frankly I recommend using whatever Barnes is making in an 85gr or 90gr Tipped TSX and then concentrate on what propellant to out behind it.

a "Premium Bullet" really doesn't cost all that much more than a non-premium bullet

Considering the number you actually wind up using.

If you Start with the premium bullet
instead of expirementing with all the
NON-premium bullets you actually spend less money than you would otherwise.

AD

My son and I have had fine luck with the 95 and 100 grain Nosler Partitions in my 243 hunting farm country whitetails in MN and ND. Double check the CA regs to see if you need a non-lead bullet. I've only used Barnes X-bullets in 22 and 30 calibers but I'll wager their 24 caliber bullets will prove sufficient.

Disclaimer: I'm not a fan of ballistic tips, generally speaking. I have seen enough fail to be very skeptical of them. However I've killed 2 animals recently with the 6mm 95 gr ballistic tip, and was impressed. First one was a 150lb 7 pointer. I shot it with a short barreled .243 win. Both should blades punched and an exit hole. DRT

Yesterday evening I shot a 210lb boar hog at 50 yds with a .243 AI. The bullet absolutely disintegrated the heart into a 12" string of tissue. The bullet exited. The bullet penetrated at least 12" of dense, tough hog tissue & rib bones. Again, this was out of a .243AI. I would not hesitate to use the 95 gr ballsitic tip on whitetails, especially at .243 win velocities.

IMHO you need the premium bullets at close range, not at distant ranges. Hornady and Remington have failed me, disintergration and core separation, at less than 25 yards. Barnes and Nosler (in the 243 and 300 win mag) have not yet! This year one deer at 20 yards and the other at 35 (a long shot for me).

Once bullets slow down they all seem to work.

My son used his 1 in 10" twist .243 on Blesbok and Impala with RL-19 and 100 Partitions without any drama whatsoever.

He will use them on fallow this April as well.

FYI-Myself and several others have not been able to get the 85 Hornady Interbond to shoot worth a damn. It should be a good bullet for the 243 in theory, but no one I know can hit anything with it.

quote:

IMHO you need the premium bullets at close range, not at distant ranges.

I 100% agree. Deer aren't tough to kill, but calibres 27 and under do make fearsome holes at close range.

I haven't killed a deer with my 6m/m Remington, but my Roberts will make humongous holes when using bullets weighing less than 100 grains, and I see no reason why its little brother wouldn't do the same.

quote:

I have been using Accubonds in my 7mm mag with good results, but as far as I can tell no-one makes a 100 grain bonded bullet for the .243.

Any suggestions on bonded bullets for a .243?

I have been using the 100 grain Remington ultra bonded corelokt in a short barreled .243 Remington 600 this year.....two shots.....two dead deer.....and let me tell you....the mess inside the last one was horrible.....sorry....no photos as both the bullets exited as I want them to do.....

While I can't say that I wouldn't have killed either or both of those deer with any other 100 grain bullet, I can say that they shoot quite well and kill well...and I'm sticking with them......and even though they may not be needed.....I just like shooting the best bullets I can get!