.243 white tail bullets: Scirocco vs. Partition vs. Barnes Triple Shock

[Matthew T.]

Does any one of these three bullets have an advantage over the others for mid-western white tail at around 100 yards? I don't trust myself to try head or neck shots from anything but point-blank range, so we're looking at heart/lung shots here.

The only one of these three I have experience with is the 95-grain Partition, but it sounds like the Scirocco might have better expansion.

Opinions?

 

[Art Eatman]

And here I thought 100 yards was right at point-blank!

Any of those bullets oughta work, since I've never had a problem with the little Sierra 85-grain HPBT.

Any bullet that can go through some seven prickly pear leaves and still manage to kill a buck has gotta be a good bullet. (Well, OK, the impact was right in under the ear...)

Anyhow, I'd guess that most any 95- or 100-grain bullet would have a heavy enough jacket to get good penetration.

Art

 

[Hawken50]

deer are not armor plated. any expanding type bullet will put them down if you do your job.

and just to play around, since i just started using Point Blank, a .243 100grn psp with a BC of .275 @ 2800fps zeroed at 245 yards gives you a point blank of 285 yrds.

 

[AStone]

& which rifle?

Not to i'jack the thread, but maybe add another dimension to it...

Since rifles & bullets got together like (any number of analogies), which rifle would you recommend firing said recommended bullet to best pull down a whitetail...and why? (Asks one who is still considering a deer rifle, but not sure he wants to go with .30.

Nem

 

[Hawken50]

i probably should have mentioned in my first post that i'm an idiot. i have about as much woods sense as a parking meter. however i would say with the upmost confidence, any rifle that you can shoot well. i don't think any particular type of bullet matches up with any particular type of rifle. it's more a matter of what type of bullet will match up with your rifle. so buy a rifle that you like and can shoot good, and then choose a bullet/load that goes good with that rifle. i'm sure you could go around buying rifles untill you find one that shoots the bullet/load combo that you like, but i think that might get a tad expensive. to try and sound philosophical about it- rifles are a platform for firing bullets, not bullets are a platform to be fired from a rifle.

but then again, consider the source... me... and i'm an idiot.

 

[deadly50bmg]

Try some Sierra Game Kings. Good hunting bullets

 

[mtnbkr]

I 2nd the call for Sierra Gamekings.

I put a 140gr SPBT 6.5mm from my 6.5x55 into the heart and lungs of a Va whitetail at 50yds last year and she barely made 10yds before she collapsed. The bullet penetrated a rib going in, the lungs (clipped the heart), a rib going out, and the offside leg. Once she dropped, she thrashed for about 2 seconds and was still. I never found the bullet (it buried itself too deeply into the ground), but the exit hole was 1.25" or so in diameter. That's not bad performance considering it's supposedly a soft bullet and all that bone it hit.

Chris

 

[kimbernut]

Back to .243

Each of those listed is quite capable of doing an excellent job with proper shot placement.Personally I prefer the Speer 105 gr. Spitzer soft point in my Ruger 77MkIIRL. It appears to be the rifle's preference too. (.775 MOA)

 

[Matthew T.]

over analyzing

I'm (obviously) a newbie hunter with a tendency to over analyze things like bullet selection. I had gotten the impression that you needed a good bonded bullet to reliably take white tail unless you limited yourself to head and neck shots. From what you guys have said, it sounds like any good hunting bullet in the 100-grain range will do (for broadside shots).

Thanks for the input.

For the record: my first deer was a 60-pound nubbin buck at about 75 yards, shot last month in Oklahoma (I thought he was a small doe when I took the shot). My 95-grain Partition in front of 41.5 grains of H414 took out 1/4 - 1/3 of both lungs and about 1/3 of the heart. He ran 40 - 50 yards, stumbled, and fell over. The bullet went through ribs coming in and going out. Couldn't find any fragments.

I guess I'm just looking for the fastest, bestest, wonder bullet around (with the exception of the new polymer-tip, tungsten-core Triple Shock - I shudder to think of the price).

 

[mtnbkr]

For the record: my first deer was a 60-pound nubbin buck at about 75 yards, shot last month in Oklahoma (I thought he was a small doe when I took the shot). My 95-grain Partition in front of 41.5 grains of H414 took out 1/4 - 1/3 of both lungs and about 1/3 of the heart. He ran 40 - 50 yards, stumbled, and fell over. The bullet went through ribs coming in and going out. Couldn't find any fragments.

Why not stick with that? Sure, he ran fairly far, but it was just one of those things. Unless you make a CNS hit, they can run remarkable distances even with a perfect heart/lung shot.

Chris

 

[AStone]

I'm (obviously) a newbie hunter with a tendency to over analyze things like bullet selection.

Matthew, IMO, you're not over analyzing here. I think you are asking reasonable questions about ammunition. You (and me) will l get lots of opinions here about that - and I can't think of better forum than THR for seeking those opinions - then you can make decisions based on that.

Hawken, idiot or not (and I suspect not), your advice is good. But, again with apologies to Matthew for broadening the scope of his thread a bit (I'll leave and start a new thread if you'd prefer, but just thought since this one is about .243 specifically), I'll clarify my question about rifle to match the bullet a bit. (It could be that I'm the idiot, but here goes...)

From reading many other threads while trying to make a decision about a future deer rifle (I've spent my gun budget for this year on a pistol, revolver & shotgun), I'm aware that .243 is on light side of the range of rifles folks use for deer (with .308 & 30-06 being on the upper end).

Given that, I'm wondering if people who use .243 tend to recommend bolt actions for that extra umph, rather than, say, a pump.

I'm strongly considering a Remington 7600 in .243 since its action is just like my Rem 870, and - given that I will own only a few guns - I think I'd like to stay with an action for my rifle that I'm already familiar with.

Also, will the bullets that Matthew is asking about - and .243 in general - work also with mule deer, or do folks recommend a larger caliber for mulies?

Thanks all,

Nem

 

[scubie02]

IMO its a common misperception that you see promolgated on alot of boards that you need premium very stiff african game type bullets and only 100 grainers if you're going to use a 243 for deer. This just doesn't match up to my experience. I've seen a number taken with calibers like 222's and 223's with 50-55 grain softpoint bullets that dropped like stones, literally on the spot, to worry that something like an 80-85 grainer out of a 243 won't do the trick. I personally use the 85 grain Sierra BTHP's that someone mentioned earlier, and it's more than enough. Actually, if you call one of the fine folks from Sierra and ask for a recommendation, that's what they will tell you works best for deer of their bullets over the heavier, stiffer ones. Put it where it should go and you're all set. If they don't happen to shoot out of your rifle (you never know) there are the 95 grain (I think) Hornady polymer tipped ones that are nice too. One fellow I know swears by the 70 grain TNT's I believe it is.

 

[kimbernut]

Quote-"I guess I'm just looking for the fastest, bestest, wonder bullet around (with the exception of the new polymer-tip, tungsten-core Triple Shock - I shudder to think of the price)."
Mattew T.-
Pricewise I think you're already there ; none of your three selections are in the economy class - top notch no doubt but a bit of overkill for whitetail.The already mentioned Rem.PSPCL,Speer Spitzer,and Sierra & Hornady pointed soft points will do all you require admirably.

Nema.870-
The only difference in umpf! (provided same barrel length)is the tendency of bolts to be more accurate than pumps . The .243 is the smallest caliber I would recommend for any deer and for larger deer would recommend .270 as minimum. Just too many horror stories from close friends on .22 caliber episodes.

 

[Matthew T.]

prices

Quote-"I guess I'm just looking for the fastest, bestest, wonder bullet around (with the exception of the new polymer-tip, tungsten-core Triple Shock - I shudder to think of the price)."

What I meant was that Triple Shocks are expensive enough as they are, without added features. You're absolutely right though, bonded core (or pure copper) bullets sure aren't cheap.

 

[ThreadKiller]

Nosler Partitions have been the gold standard since '48. There's a reason. They work.

 

[Mr. Chitlin]

Matt,

I have a friend that hunts South Arkansas and has for years. He uses an old Savage bolt gun in 243, and the ammo is the Remington 100 grain Cor-Lokt bullet factroy load. He has tagged out for 25+ years, and never lost a deer with this bullet. Most never take a step, some run up to 50 yards or so. Those are tried and proven bullets that'll just keep bringing the venison home. I have been the expensive bullet route, and most of what I shoot now are Cor-Lokts and Ballistic Tips. They do just fine on these Arkansas whitetails.

 

[Matthew T.]

Speer Hot Cores

I took everyone's advice and ordered some 90-grain Speer Hot Cores. It will be fun working a load up with these bullets. Plus, it'll be nice to use one bullet for armadillos and white tail.

 

[ken B]

that sounds like a good bullet...

I tend to shoot 100 grainers, and that is only because I get the best groups from that weight in my Vanguard. and I shoot those cheap Remmie Core-L's as well. I've tagged out every year with this rifle that I've had it (inheritied 5 years ago) with the farthest one ran was 17 steps (always lung shots). Farthest shot was 132 yards, measured with a laser range finder.

I think that weight you're working with will work gangbusters, but remember that you as the shooter is the big part of the equation on game animals (IMHO). even if you figure rifle, ammo, operator as 1/3 each..that's a big third on whether or not that trigger breaks or you hold off on the shot

just my .2
Ken B