Thoughts on Winchester Power Points

[thetoad45]

For those of you using the .243 Winchester how many of you have tried the Winchester Power Points? This is my first "small" center fire rifle. I was thinking of using premium bullets but ran into a fella who has hunted southern Arizona his whole life and when I grilled him about what he used in his .243 he said "any old cheap 100 grain soft point. Don't take much around here." So, I started thinking about brands I can find in my local Walmart. The Winchester Power Points are fairly cheap. Anyone use them? I am hoping to try them on javalina and on the tiny deer here.

 

[Abel]

Power Points are great bullets for a 243 on medium sized critters. But try two or four brands like Federal Fusion, Federal Power Shok, and Remington Core-Lokts. One may deliver substantially better accuracy than the others.

 

[thetoad45]

Thanks for the reply. I was thinking the 100 grain might be overkill for awhile. I don't think I've seen a deer over 100 pounds since I moved here.

 

[Abel]

100 grains is perfect for 125lb Deere.

 

[Kachok]

Of my five rifles only one of them shoots worth a darn with Power Points and that gun shoots EVERYTHING well. Not my first choice in bullets. If they do shoot well for you though by all means use them, they expand faster then most in my experience, hence penetration might be a bit shallower but on tiny deer and javalina that is not likely to ever be a problem.

 

[jmr40]

Use standard bullets as long as you are using the gun for the purpose it was designed and it will do just fine. If you start shooting deer at 700 yards or using it for elk, then the premium bullets will not be a bad idea.

On the other hand if you want to use premium bullets, there is little downside to it. They do cost more, but you don't use them for a day of plinking at the range. Use the cheaper bullets for that. Or a .22.

I handload. The cheapest .30 cal bullets I buy run $.25-$.30 each. Premiums run $.45- $.60 each. After all the money I spend on licenses, gas, boots, guns, scopes, and all the other gear needed to hunt another 15-30 cents for the bullet isn't that big of a deal. Even if I need 3 shots to kill something, the savings between premiums and standard bullets won't be enough to pay for a Coke at a convience store.

 

[Kachok]

Use standard bullets as long as you are using the gun for the purpose it was designed and it will do just fine. If you start shooting deer at 700 yards or using it for elk, then the premium bullets will not be a bad idea.

If you start shooting deer at 700 yards or shooting elk a larger caliber is not a bad idea either. 243s lack the BCs for radical long ranged hunting (unless you have a custom 1:7 twist barrel and some 115gr VLDs laying around) and up close it is a marginal choice for larger game even with premium bullets, from what I understand some states have a .270 cal minimum for elk.
Yes I have seen the video of the elk getting spine shot at 688 yards by the 243 too, and please notice I never said it cannot do the job, just that it was a marginal choice for the task, I think a good 180gr 30-06 would be head and shoulders better for any game upwards of 500lbs.
Premium bullets such as the Partition or TSX make for deeper more consistent penetration in general thanks to their higher weight retention, though some cheap bullets will really surprise you like the Hornady Interlock and one of my new favorites the Speer Deep Curl which despite being a relatively cheap bullet has weight retention numbers that run neck and neck with the Partition. Such focus on penetration is simply not needed on "tiny" deer but thicker bodied deer might warrant a premo bullet especially in something as small as a .243 cal. For the thin skinned stuff my favorites are Sierra Game Kings, Hornady SSTs and Nosler Ballistic Tips they are all great shooters and fast expanders.

 

[jim243]

I like the Remington Core-Lokts for my 243.

Jim

 

[adelbridge]

basically the same design as core-lokt. I shot a roughly 100 lb hog in the vitals with one at 35 yards and it was carnage, made a terrible mess and blew out sternum but he still ran 70 yards. I do prefer a premium bullet design for piece of mind when hunting deer but that decision may be OCD. FYI i have shot bigger hogs with wal mart blue box Federal power shok and it doesnt open up much. I recovered a .270 130 grain put through skull and into neck head on and it barely opened up.

 

[thetoad45]

I have three boxes of the Winchester shells. I'll sight in with them and see how they do. I keep hearing stories of peoples bullets "blowing up" and such. All these years I have always hunted with basic soft point bullets and never had that happen. (?) I picked my shot and the old plain Remington and Winchester soft points just dropped them. That was the only ammo available to us where we lived. The biggest buck I ever shot was with a 140 grain Core Lokt out of a 6.5x55mm. The bullet did separate and send pieces in various directions. Deer died with authority. I have never shot a deer in the shoulder as seems popular with some of todays hunters. I've never even thought of shooting an animal in the shoulder actually. I've always waited until I had a clear shot through the ribs. As a kid that's where I was told to shoot them. 30 years later I still do. Perhaps that is a better area for the older design of bullets? Anyway, I hope my barrel gets here soon. E.R. Shaw told me it could be awhile. They are pretty backed up. I have a 24" with 1:8 twist coming and will put it on my Savage 11. If the Winchesters don't shoot well I will use the empty brass to reload some Hornady Interlocks.

 

[jmr40]

Kachok,

I wasn't advocating shooting deer or elk with a 243 at 700 yards, just using that as an example to illustrate that plain old bullets work fine in normal situations. Premiums are helpful in "extreme" situations. While few, including myself, would advocate shooting at these ranges, it has been done. And is as good an example of "extreme" shooting as any. With the right bullet, and at reasonable range, elk with a 243 is not "extreme". Elk at 700 yards with a 243 is, and it has been done.

I also didn't specify any particular bullet. And while you may not need a premium bullet, they certainly don't hurt. The extra cost is a tiny fraction of the overall cost of hunting and a good argument can be made for using 1 quality premium bullet for every application instead of having 3-4 different loads for different uses.

For the OP's initial question any standard bullet that shoots well in his gun will be fine most of the time. But there is no downside to using a premium if you want to do so. They are better bullets, and might give you a slight edge if you happen to find yourself having to take an unplanned shot at an odd angle, at longer ranges, or while hunting game larger than deer.

 

[thetoad45]

I was sitting around thinking about bullet design. Not an expert or an engineer but I had a couple thoughts. A modern bullet is basically lead with a copper jacket. Now people say their bullet separated and supposedly that's a bad thing.. Why? Bullets of old were plain lead. People controlled the hardness or softness of their bullets by the way the mix was. My brother does it all the time. So, we have a bullet that intended for high velocity. Pure lead doesn't work all that well unless it's really hard or has a copper cup/base on it. A super hard lead bullet won't expand very well. A modern bullet has a copper jacket that engages the rifling and keeps any lead from stripping off and filling your rifling. Good idea. But normally the copper jacket is pretty thin. It is designed to deform on impact and aid in shock value. Some people want it to provide penetration.... Ok... I am not of the thought that a bullet MUST go clear through an animal. I want the bullet to reach the vitals and destroy the organs. That's what kills the animal in my book. This requires a determined and accurate shot. If the jacket separates and the lead core and copper jacket continue on and the animal dies is that a bad thing? If one shoots into heavy shoulder bone and something happens to the bullet then it's the bullet's fault? Hmmmm. My brother shot three deer with his .243 using Gameking and Hornady bullets. Two broadside shots and the deer dropped like a stone. The third was a 100 grain Gameking and he shot it in the shoulder. The bullet hit heavy bone and blew up. It came nowhere close to the organs but the organs were turned to jelly by the shock. The animal went a short distance and died. He admits it was a poor shot. An extra two seconds and he would have had a better shot. So, I see no real purpose for a bonded bullet if one picks their shots as we all should. On dangerous game I can see a heavier bullet and the ability to knock the animal down. But on a deer? I have been fortunate enough to never having had to shoot an animal twice. I confess that I am nowhere near the greatest shot in the world. Far from it. But I always prided myself in the fact that I made a classic shot and the animal died quickly. I have toyed with the idea of using bonded bullets. Those that do and like them I think is great. But are they for the average hunter that hunts deer? Probably not. Matching the gun and bullet weight are just as important as a clean shot. This is the hunters responsibility. So I guess I'm done. Just a few thoughts. Not an expert. Have hunted more than a few times so I guess my humble opinion is as good as anyone's.

 

[Lj1941]

Win PP

Winchester Power Points are tack drivers in my. 223 Remington. I don't know or really care about their performance on game since I have no intension of
using them on anything larger than a groundhog or possibly a coyote.

 

[Kachok]

Kachok,

I wasn't advocating shooting deer or elk with a 243 at 700 yards, just using that as an example to illustrate that plain old bullets work fine in normal situations. Premiums are helpful in "extreme" situations. While few, including myself, would advocate shooting at these ranges, it has been done. And is as good an example of "extreme" shooting as any. With the right bullet, and at reasonable range, elk with a 243 is not "extreme". Elk at 700 yards with a 243 is, and it has been done.

I also didn't specify any particular bullet. And while you may not need a premium bullet, they certainly don't hurt. The extra cost is a tiny fraction of the overall cost of hunting and a good argument can be made for using 1 quality premium bullet for every application instead of having 3-4 different loads for different uses.

For the OP's initial question any standard bullet that shoots well in his gun will be fine most of the time. But there is no downside to using a premium if you want to do so. They are better bullets, and might give you a slight edge if you happen to find yourself having to take an unplanned shot at an odd angle, at longer ranges, or while hunting game larger than deer.

Oh I know what you meant, I was just clearing up. 243s can be loaded with some premium mono-metal bullets and get 30" of penetration on close ranged shots, that is impressive for such a small caliber, that is deep enough for hunting big game if you can pick your shots. Still kind of a small hole for my liking but putting a bullet through the vitals is 1st and foremost and no doubt about it the 243 can reach.

 

[Patocazador]

I don't buy Winchester bullets because of the results I've had with them shedding their jackets. They wind up in pieces rather than intact in many cases.

Others may have had different results but I now shy away from them.

 

[T.R.]

I've been taking game with my .243 since 1968. I've tried many bullets but most super accurate is (for me) the Speer 80 grain Deep Curl. But I've also had very good luck with 95 grain Nosler Ballistic Tip.

Power Points have always been deadly becuase they produce wide and ghastly wound channels. Even when jacket separation has occurred for me the animal didn't get away. In my opinion, 100 grains is a little heavy for .243 only if truly longe range shooting is the norm. But at typical woods ranges, the 100 grain choice is a good one.

TR

 

[avs11054]

100 grains is perfect for 125lb Deere.

LOL...It will be plenty since the deer in Southern Arizona don't even get that big. I think 100 lbs is a big coues deer.

 

[03Shadowbob]

Winchester PPs are very accurate in 35 Remington for me and have had great wound channels on deer and big hogs alike. My 30-06s don't do as well with the PPs so I use core-lokt in them with pretty good results.

 

[Sav .250]

Power Points are great bullets for a 243 on medium sized critters. But try two or four brands like Federal Fusion, Federal Power Shok, and Remington Core-Lokts. One may deliver substantially better accuracy than the others.

Good advice...........

 

[Lloyd Smale]

ive got a cheap sps rem o6 that just loves 150 power points. Its probably one of the most accurate rifles in my safe. I wont even brag on group size because many just wouldnt beleive it. Ive used that combo to take many whitetail and it hammers them.

 

[brainwake]

Power Points are great bullets for a 243 on medium sized critters. But try two or four brands like Federal Fusion, Federal Power Shok, and Remington Core-Lokts. One may deliver substantially better accuracy than the others.

I agree that you should try different stuff and see what works best in your rifle. But it sure is a tough pill to swallow. It's like spending $100 to see what your gun likes. Too bad you can't buy bullets 3 at a time.

 

[.455_Hunter]

My first elk was taken with a .30-06 220 gr Power Point with excellent results! Great bullet!

 

[flipajig]

I'm not impressed with them I don't shoot a 243 but I do shoot a 06. I've seen deer shot with them inside 100 yds they seem to she'd there jackets and waist alot of meat. You use a soft pointed bullet or a Remington coreloc the deer are just as dead with alot less damaged meat.
Flip

 

[wkuban]

The Power Point will be fine for the game you're talking about If they are accurate in your gun. If not try Rem. core locks, either bullet will work fine on small deer. I'd choose the cheapest 100 gr. Rem. , Win , Fed, Hornady, that was accurate in my gun. If none of these were accurate, try the higher end loads. I like Ballistic tips in my .270 hand loads but be advised they are going to shed the jackets at close range. I wouldn't use them on anything larger than deer. They are more accurate in my rifle than PP or cl but both are accurate enough for deer hunting in my rifle if I needed ammo in a pinch. In the .243 I use an 85 gr Speer spbt at approx 3000 fps. I've killed several Mason County white tails with them. None ran off.

 

[sixgunner455]

My Savage 11 .243 runs well with 100gr Hornady Interlock BTSP.