"Lubalox" black oxide.
243 Win. Ammo and loads?
- Thread starter rizbunk77
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md7
Member
Yep. That’s it!
All the conversation in this thread about the coating, and I had to look it up. Lubalox black oxide is what they call it.
Never gave it a lot of thought, honestly.
WisBorn
Contributing Member
I wouldn't be afraid of starting with 100 grain CORE-LOKs. From my experience CORE-LOKs seems to produce ok accuracy from most rifles.
Part of the fun of a new rifle is breaking it in with different loads.
Have fun with the new addition
Part of the fun of a new rifle is breaking it in with different loads.
Have fun with the new addition
357smallbore
Member
My 243 is a 1983 Stevens K series. I shoot 100gr Nosler Partitions for my deer, pronghorn and black bear. For varmint critters I shoot 85gr SP. It really vaporizes them.
Won't shoot past 300yrds on any game animal with my 243.
For that matter, I won't shoot my 06 much past the 300 yard stick. Maybe 350 if a big bull elk presented itself.
Won't shoot past 300yrds on any game animal with my 243.
For that matter, I won't shoot my 06 much past the 300 yard stick. Maybe 350 if a big bull elk presented itself.
What do think about those Fusions and SST? Shoot pretty good and work good on game?
Arkansas Paul
Member
100 grain Partitions and IMR4350
The SST is just a wee bit splodier than the btips IME, but having a flat base, they still penetrate well and are often more accurate that the competitors boattails in some slower twist barrels, would definitely take them over the fusions, not that the fusions don't work, they just work differently. The sst is more likely to look like a grenade went off in the chest cavity, the fusion is better for cracking through a bone or three, if both bullets are used properly, they can work equally well. None of our rifles have hated the sst, but 2 have hated the fusion (slower barrel twists).
FL-NC
Member
My 700 likes the 100 grain Norma white tail. Has done really well on the 2 deer I have taken with it. I was using Winchester 100 grain power point before, but supply chain issues forced me to try the Norma (which costs about the same). I was pleasantly surprised when the Norma ended up being more accurate.
lightman
Member
For Deer size game most any of the 100 grain soft points will work well. Just use what shoots well. For targets I use the Sierra 107 Match King or one of the Bergers in that same weight range. My rifle shoots very well with 4350, 4831 and RL-22.
For what its worth, my rifle has a tight neck chamber and a 1-8 twist barrel.
For what its worth, my rifle has a tight neck chamber and a 1-8 twist barrel.
D.B. Cooper
Member
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Can't believe nobody commented on this. "85 grain and up" isn't exactly correct. You really have to know the rifling twist rate. My Savage 110 (and I believe most rifles in .243) are 1:10. A 1:10 twist rate will not stabilize the 107 grn VLD type bullets; they're too long. So it would be more accurate (no pun intended) to say 85-100 grn.
Regarding ammo, I'm surprised to hear so much praise for the plain jane Remington and Winchester cup and core ammo. Ammo is the cheapest part of any hunt, why skimp there? And, tbh, I've done it, and regretted it. I've taken 4 caribou, ranging in the 200-300 lb class at ranges from 104-312 yards. The only one that wasn't DRT was with Remington core lokt.
My go-to now is the 85 grn Barnes TSX copper solid over a max load of Superperfomance powder. That gets me an avg MV of 3185 fps and a shot groups running about 3/4 moa, give or take. With that velocity, I'm still just above 2k fps (minimum terminal velocity for bullet performance) at 425 yards. I shot that load in a 600 yrd prone NRA Mid-Range match in a lot of wind and still managed to keep everything in the aiming black (which, admittedly, is 3 ft at that range.)
EIB0879
Member
I haven't tried the SSTs on game yet but they are the most accurate out of my daughter's rifle.
My experience with the Fusions on game as they are like a grenade going off in the heart/lung area.
My experience with the Fusions on game as they are like a grenade going off in the heart/lung area.
That's a good point to check your twist rate, and also generally why people will recommend 100 grain bullets of standard design.
A 1-10 will stabilize all of those, even at the 2550-2600 my 6x47Rem could generate
My savage model 11 came with a 9.25, which isn't actually fast enough to get me over 100 grains with VLDs but it worked good with a 95 Bergers.
I actually have some 85 grain x bullets for the 243, I may try here in a little bit. I don't need to penetration they add and I'm usually more willing to add weight than bullet hardness, but since I got em might as was well shoot em.
Was that specifically from the 243?
I've shot them from my 280, and been fairly unimpressed with the destructiveness. I was actually thinking they might be perfect for the smaller calibers just because they didn't seem to come apart as quick as other low cost offerings.
troy fairweather
Member
I did say most 85 and up lol. There's many older 243s that don't like 100 or even 95s. Like I said tho use what shoots good.
EIB0879
Member
Yes. I have used Fusion 180 gr 30-06 and 130 gr 270 rounds and they put the animals down with pretty good tissue damage but not like the 243. Maybe the velocity made a difference.
i have used 165 gr Superperformance SSTs out of my 30-06 and the deer were DRT.
EIB0879
Member
But with a small sample of results my statements are anecdotal.
WisBorn
Contributing Member
I have used CORE-LOKs in several different cartridges on deer. They do work!
You didn't say what your twist rate was? The 1:10 may or may not like the accubonds, I'd definitely run it through a stability calculator before betting on them.
D.B. Cooper
Member
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Never heard of that one, before.
Some folks use berger, I prefer jbm:
JBM - Calculations - Stability
And yes getting the length of the plastic tip makes a difference.....
All my savages have a 1:9.25", I had a remmy barrel with a 1:9.125", and my buddy's 18" remmy has a 1:10, my sister in law has a howa with a 1:10 22" tube, and dad's old Winchester 22" is 1:10, not sure if his 700 is the 10 or 9 1/8" being older I'd guess 10, but it's always been less picky about its food than the Winchester. The 18" is the most finicky, then the howa and Winchester, the other rems and savages? Shoot everything up to 100gr just fine, calculator suggests I SHOULD be able to get away with the 103 elds and the 95 gr vld hunters (which is a project planned next spring hopefully?)... I'm gonna be right on the edge, but it’s close enough to try
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