I currently use a .223 for a walkabout varmit rifle, and hunt with a .270 for light big game. I am considering a Kimber 84M Montana in .243 to fill both of these roles. I know a light varmit bullet (perhaps a 55 grain ballistic) would replace the .223, but what bullet would use for big game. I usually hunt Oklahoma Whitetails, but have the occasional chance to hunt mule deer, sheep, antelope, and caribou. I am considering the 85 grain Barnes TSX and the 95 grain Nosler Prtition. Which would you use?

Hey Brent, for just Deer and Antelope a Sierra 100 grain bullet works outstanding and in my sons lightweight .243 they are very accurate. Sheep and Caribou are in my opinion a little bit more substantial and would be killed outright with the same bullet but it would be good insurance to use a tougher bullet like the Barnes x or the Partition as you mentioned. In my sons rifle I can get the Sierras to shoot sub MOA and the Barnes and Partitions are about 1.5" groups, may be different for you. Get that .243 you will love it.

95 or 100 grain Nosler Partition

I would go with the TSX

there both great bullets try them both your rifle should show a winner, that triple shock will out penatrate any other preimum out there. regards jjmp

I'm using the 95gr partition in my SS Winchester Featherweight 243 with 36gr of IMR-4064. Works great. The 85gr partition works fairly well with 38gr but the 95 is more accurate.

If I were going to go to a .243, I would use the biggest bullet I could find, probably the 100-grain Partition. But, just a question: why are you considering backing down to a .243? The .270 is a LOT more medicine for the same sized animal...

My Kimber 84M Montana in 243 has become one of my favoite rifles. I shoot the 58 gr VMax in it for varmints and have shot standing deer in the neck with the 95 gr SST. A premium bullet would be better. I would use that 270 for big game however.

I am thinking of getting another Montana duplicate of the 243 just as a back up. This does not have to make sense.

I have read many times about the .243 being marginal at best on deer and if you do use it use a premium(high dollar)bullet. I know a lot of guys that hunt,very few of them reload. The non reloaders for the most part go to Wally world and buy whatever is cheapest. They shoot once a year and get their deer with cheap stuff. But a handloader that probably shoots more often should use a premium bullet? The .243 with a 100 grain bullet well placed turns the fun into work----you have a deer to gut out and pack out. I use cheap Winchester bulk packed 100 grainers. Besides for myself,I reload for my son in law and grandson. My grandson is 16 and this year I gave him a .308----not that he needed more gun--I had a .308 I thought he would like(Win 88,1957 model,2x-7x Leupold,Pachmayr decellerator with an extra magazine and a pouch for it that goes on the sling)he got 2 deer with the .308 and had gotten 2 more with .243 before I gave him the .308. Results were about the same with the .308 as what he was doing with the .243. He had been using the .243 since he was 11 and atleast(usually more)every year. Pretty much one shot,one deer. His dad has had same results. These were all with the cheap 100 grain bullet.