Buffalo Bore .243

[Ruark]

Still no luck finding any of that Federal .243 85gr BTHP GameKing ammo.

I emailed with a guy at Buffalo Bore and he happens to be a huge .243 fan. Turns out BB is planning to start producing six different loads of .243 ammo after this "ammo-buying frenzy" calms down a little more.

He knows about the popular 85gr BTHP being discontinued, and apparently one of their new loadings will be comparable. It might even use the same Sierra bullet. So cross your fingers and hope it'll be soon!

Buffalo Bore makes mighty fine ammo. I use their +P and +P+ ammo in my CCW guns, and nothing else even comes close.

[JW]

Still no luck finding any of that Federal .243 85gr BTHP GameKing ammo.

I emailed with a guy at Buffalo Bore and he happens to be a huge .243 fan. Turns out BB is planning to start producing six different loads of .243 ammo after this "ammo-buying frenzy" calms down a little more.

He knows about the popular 85gr BTHP being discontinued, and apparently one of their new loadings will be comparable. It might even use the same Sierra bullet. So cross your fingers and hope it'll be soon!

Buffalo Bore makes mighty fine ammo. I use their +P and +P+ ammo in my CCW guns, and nothing else even comes close.

That 243 is a different animal with that 85 BTHP vs a 100 grain soft point on deer...

[Coach W]

Why the great love for the 85 grain over 100? Federal still had the same bullet in 100 gr last i checked. Is that trajectory that much better? B/C? (honest question I've never looked into the 243 that way i just shoot 100 grains to 100 yards, to save money)

FWIW, I've never had a problem with the 100 grain federal blue box specials. They perform and group extremely well.

[az2tx]

The 85 grain is deadly accurate in some rifles, I've got several 243's and mainly shoot the 85 gr and 95 gr VLD's depending on which one i'm shooting

[viper3853]

hmmmmmm ive been folloing the threads of people not being able to get there hands on teh 85gr. My rifle loves the Hornady 100gr BTSP. might have to see if i can get me a box of 85's and try them out.

[Ruark]

Why the great love for the 85 grain over 100? Federal still had the same bullet in 100 gr last i checked. Is that trajectory that much better? B/C? (honest question I've never looked into the 243 that way i just shoot 100 grains to 100 yards, to save money)

FWIW, I've never had a problem with the 100 grain federal blue box specials. They perform and group extremely well.

The 85 has about 250 fps higher velocity, which makes it better with smaller game like foxes and yotes. I shot a small fox with one last winter and the exit hole was 3 inches wide. The 100 grain, being bigger and slower, is more likely to "pencil hole" through a smaller animal.

At the same time, it has enough mass and power to penetrate and knock down a big whitetail. It's a perfect all-around bullet.

Also, my gun's already sighted and tuned for it. Put a dime sized dot on a target 100 yds. away and I'll put shots through it all day.

I found one box of them, which gives me a total of 46 rounds on hand. Once those run out, I'll probably start reloading them, depending on what Buffalo Bore comes out with.

[JW]

The 85 has about 250 fps higher velocity, which makes it better with smaller game like foxes and yotes. I shot a small fox with one last winter and the exit hole was 3 inches wide. The 100 grain, being bigger and slower, is more likely to "pencil hole" through a smaller animal.

At the same time, it has enough mass and power to penetrate and knock down a big whitetail. It's a perfect all-around bullet.

Also, my gun's already sighted and tuned for it. Put a dime sized dot on a target 100 yds. away and I'll put shots through it all day.

I found one box of them, which gives me a total of 46 rounds on hand. Once those run out, I'll probably start reloading them, depending on what Buffalo Bore comes out with.

When I was a guide I noticed a lack of run distance with it on Whitetail vs a 100 soft point also. Now someone is gonna tell me every deer they have shot with a .244 was a DRT!


No science to back me up here so this is an educated guess. The .244 projectile is small as we all know. Adding that speed "Could" be possibly causing more disruption in the form of shock to the vitals the same way a 257 Roy does over the 25-06. Not exactly apples to apples but I think yall get what I am meaning.

[bboswell]

When I was a guide I noticed a lack of run distance with it on Whitetail vs a 100 soft point also. Now someone is gonna tell me every deer they have shot with a .244 was a DRT!


No science to back me up here so this is an educated guess. The .244 projectile is small as we all know. Adding that speed "Could" be possibly causing more disruption in the form of shock to the vitals the same way a 257 Roy does over the 25-06. Not exactly apples to apples but I think yall get what I am meaning.

This is interesting. Between me, my wife, & my 2 boys many critters (deer or hogs) have died via 243 but all were with either 100g Coeloks or 100g Partitions. I never considered stepping down to 85 g....

Sorta similar, I did notice that my 7mm shooting 160g Partitions resulted in longer blood trails while the same bullet in 140g showed much better results in deer. Little more speed = little more destruction which is great so long as you still get an exit wound.

[BBReezen]

My 243 is not a fan of anything in the 95-100 gr range. 75 gr HPs and 85 gr Barnes are its favorite candy

[duckmanep]

ive killed many a deer with my 58 gr hornadys. speed kills.

[diamond06]

ive killed many a deer with my 58 gr hornadys. speed kills.

Killed a many with 55gr ballistic tips. Wanting some 75-85 grain though

[noflyzone]

Why the great love for the 85 grain over 100? Federal still had the same bullet in 100 gr last i checked. Is that trajectory that much better? B/C? (honest question I've never looked into the 243 that way i just shoot 100 grains to 100 yards, to save money)

FWIW, I've never had a problem with the 100 grain federal blue box specials. They perform and group extremely well.

I haven't shot a bunch of different types but the federal 85 grain game kings shoot a three-shot cloverleaf at 100yds in my browning A-bolt.

Winchester 95 grain xp3 shoot very well in the same gun.

[JW]

This is interesting. Between me, my wife, & my 2 boys many critters (deer or hogs) have died via 243 but all were with either 100g Coeloks or 100g Partitions. I never considered stepping down to 85 g....

Sorta similar, I did notice that my 7mm shooting 160g Partitions resulted in longer blood trails while the same bullet in 140g showed much better results in deer. Little more speed = little more destruction which is great so long as you still get an exit wound.

I had very old old gunsmith tell me years before that, that 85 hp's were much more deadly than 100's out of a 243. I kinda passed it off as I have always liked heavier bullets. Then I witnessed it many times. I thought, I'll be ****!

[ckat]

The 85 gr. Sierra BTHP actually does well at slower speeds, too. I have taken several deer and pigs with my 6x45mm (6mm-223) and the GameKing. Muzzle velocity is 2705 FPS and the results have been very impressive on all animals. The "Bulletsmiths" have a crown jewel in this bullet!!!

[Ruark]

ive killed many a deer with my 58 gr hornadys. speed kills.

Duckman, those Hornadys are coming out at about 3800 fps. What kind of shot were you making on those deer, and at what range? Popular wisdom would be against it, saying they're too likely to just crater on the surface instead of penetrating. I agree - speed kills.