Apologies of this ha been done to death elsewhere.

But some background. A little simplified but her's the basic issue:

Here in UK our "game laws" specify for most deer a minimum calibre of .240". So effectively 6mm Remington or 243 Winchester.

Additionally in Scotland on deer that bullet must as well as being a minimum of .240" weigh a minimum of 100 grains.

My hunting will be taking shots at sometimes thirty yards and sometimes one hundred and fifty yards. At deer.

I've used conventional "cup and core" 100 grain bullets and at 6mm Remington or full throttle 243 Winchester velocities at thirty yards these do a lot of meat damage.

So would I be better to use one of the premium bullets. And if so in 100 grain which expands at long range but will not "blow up" at short range either!

I've heard of Nosler Partition but am not sure of the "core wipe" effect. And expansion and weight retention seems only about 60% and accuracy isn't that good from what I hear reported.

And with a 6mm/243" you've got to be as accurate as you can get!

So how good are the bonded core 6mm/243" bullets in 100 grains such as the Remington Core-Lokt ULTRA BONDED and others such as that type?

I don't like plastic tipped bullets if they can be avoided!

And just to remind the only weight that I can use in Scotland is minimum of 100 grain. So the best of the best of the best of any 95 grain bullets in this 6mm/243" size are useless to me!

Many thanks in advance!

Care must be taken with 6mm bullets to determine the reason for their manufacture. Many are primarily varmint bullets, and the 6mm/243 is also a popular target caliber, so there are many bullets available that were not designed for hunting. I would try the following bullets, all available in 6mm/.243 in 100grains:
Hornady Interlock
Speer Grand Slam
Remington Core-Lokt Ultra bonded
Norma Oryx
My preference based on your description of conditions would be the 100gr Speer Grand Slam, provided they shoot well in your rifle.

Enfieldspares--You are 100% correct with .243/6mm you have got to be as accurate as you can get. You know what--that's true of their big brothers. The ol hit em anywhere with a mag just aint true--easter bunny and tooth fairy ring a bell? With .243 I do think 100 grainers are the bullet. I read all time in here that the .243 is wimpy--marginal at best and if used use a premium bullet. Those posts are written by someone that aint been there done that. I use cheap Winchester bulk packed which are comparable to the Rem core loks and they work just fine--put em in proper spot.

I'm not aware of any 100 grain bullet in .243 diameter that isn't a deer hunting bullet!!!

I really like the interlocks and have recently used Remington's bonded corelokt....great bullets.

Deer are not really big game.....they are actually big varmints.....it don't take a lot to kill them except that one has to hit them and hit them correctly.....they then tip over within a short distance.....often in their tracks! Any 100 grain bullet will do!.....but I still like Hornady's interlock!

Enfield, I'd say Biebs gave you a a really good list of bullets to work from.

It sounds to me like you are really concerned about maximum weight retention, and preserving meat on the close shots, and don't expect any really long shots...and no plastic tips....I think I would try the Norma Oryx....

Call me old fashioned, but I still like the Nosler partition in either 95 gr or 100 gr weight. Obviously, the 100 gr would be what the OP would be required to use.

Nosler PT's are great and the Winchester XP3's are very good as well; a lot like the Barnes MRX's

I have used the Nosler 95gr Partition a lot, a very good 6mm bullet for deer sized game. I have used the 100gr less, but it is just as good a bullet and meets specs...

troy

The 100 grain minimum is a real (deal) killer.

Seriously, I've had very good results with the 85 grain Sierra BTHP Gameking on smaller Texas whitetails. A Barnes TSX or Hornady GMX in 85 grain would also likely provide great results too. But you can't use them......

I've shot the 100 grain Remington CoreLokt Ultra in my Browning .243. It was very accurate. 3/4" or better from a sporter weight barrel, but I have not shot any game with it. As one poster said, any 100 grain .243 bullet is a deer bullet. I'd just see what shoots best.

LWD

quote:

I've shot the 100 grain Remington CoreLokt Ultra in my Browning .243. It was very accurate. 3/4" or better from a sporter weight barrel, but I have not shot any game with it.

Thank you! That is very helpful as it may just be that little bit more accurate than the Nosler Partition which have a reputation for not being as accurate.

For what it is worth. I have shot about 10 head of game , deer and hogs with a 243. The Remington 100 grain corelocks in factory ammo works very well...

I have always gotten great performance on whitetail deer from 100 gr. Nosler Partitions in 6mm Rem. The front portion expands fully and the rear section holds together and penetrates deeply, usually passing completely through the animal. They also give groups as good as other game-type bullets.

Do not rely on "reputation". Try things out for yourself. What works for some may not work for others and vice versa.

EZ

quote:

Originally posted by enfieldspares:

quote:

I've shot the 100 grain Remington CoreLokt Ultra in my Browning .243. It was very accurate. 3/4" or better from a sporter weight barrel, but I have not shot any game with it.

Thank you! That is very helpful as it may just be that little bit more accurate than the Nosler Partition which have a reputation for not being as accurate.

quote:

I've heard of Nosler Partition but am not sure of the "core wipe" effect. And expansion and weight retention seems only about 60% and accuracy isn't that good from what I hear reported.

But they work. Losing the front end with a backend that pushes through has been working for 60+ years. It's what they are designed to do. If they shoot in your gun, go for it. The partition with backend piece may give better performance than a traditional cup and core bullet. I.e. won't blow up.

LWD

I have shot Win. super x 100 gr. bullet's and killed some nice deer with them, i can't match there ballistics with reloading. So do what you think is good.

Once upon a time there was an exhaustive test of 6mm hunting bullet in Handloader Magazine. The test was complete with photos of multiple bullets of each manufacturer shot at varying velocities into an expansion medium. The 100grn Power Point Winchester bullet turned out to be the best by a good margin.

quote:

Originally posted by enfieldspares:
I've heard of Nosler Partition but am not sure of the "core wipe" effect. And expansion and weight retention seems only about 60% and accuracy isn't that good from what I hear reported.

What you've heard is not exactly accurate, no pun intended. I've had better success with Nosler Partitions than I ever had with Remington bullets of ANY kind, and also better than Sierra bullets. You said 150 yards would be on the long side. That is NOT FAR when you are talking about a high power rifle. You can get really poor groups of 4-5" at that distance and be just fine.

There is no reason you can't get 2 inch or less groups with partitions in any decent shooting rifle.

With what you are looking for, I'd highly recommend the nosler partition and stop your searching. You won't be sorry. Try one of the 4350 powders.

Sako gameheads are pretty good if you need 100gr bullets presonally I use 70 gr ballistic tips exclusively in my 243.

You would be better off looking at a more suitable calibre such as the 25-06

I've got some 105gr Speer sp bullets loaded for my son's Tikka in 243. Gonna shoot them this week, I'll let you know how they group. If they shoot halfway descent, I'm sure they'll do the job. My property only allows for 150 yard shots, so I won't be too fussy. My second choice would be the barns TSX bullets, but I believe they only make an 85 grain bullet. I have heard wonderful things about the TSX in 243, I will probably get some when my Speer supply runs low.

http://www.sierrabullets.com/i...um=1560&bullettype=0

Have a look at this link and look no further! I've seen a pile of deer fall to this bullet from my brother's .243. Federal loads these as their VitalShok line, and they aren't all that expensive if you buy factory.

And they're a darn sight cheaper than premium bullets for reloading as well.

I have not shot deer with a 243 Win since I was a kid (30 years +), but I did shoot a small pile of them back then. I used to use the Sierra's, loaded by my uncle, before he gave me the setup to load my own. If I recall correctly, I used the 100 gr spitzers for all.

That being said, I can't think of a single bullet, in any weight out of a full throttle 243 that won't make a mess of a deer at 30 yards. It's not the weight, or the construction that's gonna make the sausage. It's the velocity.

I've not tried it (they're not legal for game in my state-AZ), but I would think even a full metal jacket bullet would make sausage at 30 yards.

I can't tell by the OP if you already have the rifle, and the caliber is set or not. You refer to both the 6 Rem and the 243 Win.

So, what about something a bit slower than either. Is there also a velocity minimum to your hunting regs?

The first thing I thought of when I read your post was, "That sounds like a perfect job for a 6x45 or 6x47 with a fast twist barrel.

Get the fast twist barrel to spin the 100 gr bullets, get the mild report of the smaller cartridge case, and get the reduced velocity to not make sausage out of the close shots.

If you're only shooting to a max of 150 yards, I don't see a down side.


If you already have the rifle, and the caliber is set, what about just a reduced powder charge to bring the velocity down, and use a regular cup and core bullet.

?

quote:

Originally posted by Slowpoke Slim:
If you already have the rifle, and the caliber is set, what about just a reduced powder charge to bring the velocity down, and use a regular cup and core bullet.

?

Was gonna edit my post to add the above info, but slowpoke beat me to it.

Enfield,
I have had excellent result's with 100 gr BTSP from Hornady. Killed a semi load ,Baled, of deer with that bullett!!!!!!!!!!!

I already now have the rifle a Parker Hale M81 Classic in 6mm Remington. I had a 243 Winchester BRNO ZKK 601.

It is with the BRNO I was not too pleased with the terminal effects using Hornady Light Magnum (which uses the standard Hornady Interlock 100 grain).

Too much bloodshot meat and the inside like liquid at 30 yards.

So the hope is that these premium bullets will expand (or rather in fact not fragment) less.

Our game laws vary from England and Wales to Scotland but effectively specify a minimum of 240" with a minimum 100 grain bullet at the rather low minimum velocity of 2450 feet per second.

They were framed around Holland's 240 Apex (weight and calibre) and the venerable 303 British for velocity.

A starting load of Varget, around 32.0 grs should get you just under 2600 fps in the 6mm Rem. with a 100 gr bullet.

Or, a starting load of H-380, around 33.0 grs should give you 2550 fps or so.

If they'll group well in your rifle, you may try that as a reduced load.

I think at full velocity, even the "best" premium bullet is gonna make sausage at close range. It's the speed that makes the bruising and hydrostatic shock to the tissue.

quote:

Do not rely on "reputation". Try things out for yourself. What works for some may not work for others and vice versa.

Ahmen, Brother ..... some of my absolute Hole-in-Hole loads are composed of Nosler Partitions; like 165 grainers in the .30/06 Sprg.

quote:

Seriously, I've had very good results with the 85 grain Sierra BTHP Gameking

Me, too! They're the bullet I take to the UK every year to shoot Chinkies, Muntjac, Roe & Fallow Deer. They work to perfection as I load them in a .243 Winchester. Like any other bullet you gotta hit 'em right - small Deer like that don't do well when their shoulder blades get in the way; it's gotta be a right behind the Elbow through the ribs shot.

quote:

Originally posted by DJM:
Sako gameheads are pretty good if you need 100gr bullets presonally I use 70 gr ballistic tips exclusively in my 243.

You would be better off looking at a more suitable calibre such as the 25-06

I had a rake of problems with Sako bullets about 11-12 years ago failing to expand and leaving me with runners to clear up, so have never used them again. I'm not a fan of BT's for deer hunting either.

I have always had great results with Sierra bullets loaded for best groupings rather than maximum speed.

My vote goes to the 100 grain Remington Core-Lokt. I load mine to 3050 fps over a stiff dose of Reloader 22 an it shoots MOA.

I've shot some large boars with it and lots of medium sized hogs, managed a bunch of goats between 50lbs and 150lbs.

Only taken 2 x smaller deer and they were both DRT. Highly recommend the Remington bullet for hunting medium game.

I have a Rem 722 in 244 Rem.
I tested several differnet bullets, two of which were the 95gn Nosler Patitions, and Nosler's 100 gn Partitions. The rifle's barrel has a 1-12" twist, and that may explain why I got bad accuracy with the 100 gn Partitions, but the 95 gn bullets shot exceptionally well.

IIRC, I used IMR 4350 for the load that shot well. Got bad accuracy with Sierra's 85 gn bullets, and I don't what to blame that bad accuracy on.. Maybe the rifle's operator..

i shot a lot of game(deer and antelope and couple black bear) with the 95 nosler partition. works OK but i think not great. small wound channel and deer run further than id like. unless you enjoy wading in the powder river in late november. i used the 95 balistic tip and found it to penetrate very well and a quicker killer. Ray Atkinson used to say the same thing about the smaller partitions. the 100 hornady and sierra have all been more accurate and better /quicker killers. i loaded a bunch of 95 partitions for my cousion to use on Kansas whitetails and he hated them. went back to the 80gr factory load in 243 cause the deer ran off so far with the 95 noslers. just my experience.

quote:

i used the 95 balistic tip and found it to penetrate very well and a quicker killer.

That is a very common report.

Barnes bullets work very well for me.

Different people want different performance from their bullets. Just as people don't agree on cartridge choice they don't agree on bullet choice either.