I have a 243 I going to hunt varmints with. and I can't decide what grain of bullet I should use, a light one would have better ballistics, but the heavier one might have better wind bucking abilities. and what bullet would the wind have less affect on? A lighter one would go faster so the wind might not have as much time to drift it but a heavier bullet would have more weight to move. Because I want to start shooting at long ranges.
skinner

My Mauser Sporter loves anything in 87 grn. either IMR 4350 41 grns or Winchester 760 40 grns.

My friend has a .243 and he swears by the 80 grain varients little extra wind bucking while still giving good ballistics, I reckon it is more of a longranger thana 22/250.

I'm thinking prairie dogs now: The 80 grain Sierra SBT does well for me, but is not nearly the performer that the 70 grain Nosler Ballistic Tip is. The extra velocity of the 70 will pretty much offset the higher sectional density of the 80. The Nosler is the one I turn to when the wind is howling.

I have just tried some 55 grain Nosler Ballistic Tips from the bench, and they are impressive in velocity and accuracy! Haven't tried them in the field, but will withing the next month. My guess is that out to about 400 yards, they will show similar drift to the heavier bullets, but at 500 or so, may begin to act like a tailing fastball.

I haven't tried them, but suspect that the Sierra Blitz Kings and Hornady V-Max will shoot well, also.

I find my 243 likes the 65 grain Watson benchrest bullet. That very accurate FBHP bullet gives me what I want in a varmint bullet. I limit my shots to around 300 to 350 yards. Effective long range shooting requires cartridges like the 6.5 X 284. The 243 is not known as an effective long range cartridge. Light weight bullets start out very fast but also shed velocity very fast. Wind will give fits to any short stubby bullet, even a light cross wind. Short stubby bullets just will not hold velocity or retain enough energy to perform well at very long range. The bullet must remain supersonic to produce tight groups at long range. The bullet must be long and sleek to retain velocity and striking energy, namely the HPBT. Trying to make a long range rifle out of the 243 is just wishful thinking. The 243 will not group well past 350 to 400 yards, and hits past that mark are pure luck.

I take issue with Reloader 66. I have used a .243 Win. since 1957 for long range varmints so I at least have a "senior" opinion.

The .243 will be very effective at long range with almost any bullet that will expand at that range and has a good ballistic coeficient (it's drag or lack of that thru the air).

Like everything there are compromises. Some of these are wind drift, richocets, cost of the bullets, trajectory, the mentioned expansion and foremost will that particular bullet group at long range in your specific rifle.

So download the free exterior ballistics program "Point Blank" (at "Steves Reloading Pages") and compare the trajectories and wind drifts and remaining energies.

In general a hollow point bullet is not the best choice as the shape of the nose is not as efficient but they do ok.

Wind drift is important and it is still calculated (for you now) by the "delay" factor or by how much the bullet is slowed. So light bullets with mediocre shapes don't do as well.

In my view two of the best bullets are the Sierra 80 gr Blitz and the Sierra 70 gr Blitzking. Buy a box of each.

Big Stick is a member here who suggests the new very light bullets for the 6mm's such as the Nosler 55 gr and the Hornady 58 gr with the plastic noses. These bullets have very high ballistiic coeficients for their weight and can reach velocities of about 4000 fps.

In my old .243 Win barrel these light bullets will not group so I have not got off the range with them.

But the .243 Win is a long range caliber if long range is 600 yards and that's long, long range to me.

I like the 85 gr.hpbt by sierra with IMR 4350. They work great for me on crows as well as whitetail deer. I've tried other brands and weights with out much sucess, other than the Noslers bt's but they cost some what more than the sierras.

I agree with alleyyooper the 85gr bullets work quite well. I my Rem. the Nosler 85gr works the best with Sierra's bullets running a close second. I push them down the barrel with IMR 4064.

Happy shooting....cjw3

I use the 80 gr serria bt blitz in my 243 for p dogs have no trouble sending them to the red mist club.