Bullets for deer

[Mr.Snerdly]

Is a 75 grain too small for a 243? The Hornady 75 grain is pretty accurate in my gun but I know it isn't really designed for deer. I have tried heavier bullets and anything over 105 doesn't seem to be nearly as accurate. Any recommendations?

[J.Baker]

I'd say too light - and more importantly, wrong bullet design/type. The Hornady 75gr V-Max is a varmint bullet and as such has a very thin jacket to allow the bullet to fragment (explode) on impact which isn't what you want in a deer bullet. Most factory hunting loads are using 90-100gr cup and core or bonded bullets that feature a thicker jacket and either a spire-point or ballistic tip at the nose. The thicker jacket makes sure the bullet stays together and the tip styles ensure good expansion.

In terms of stability/accuracy of a given bullet from a given barrel, bullet weight isn't as much of a factor as bullet length. Those 105gr and up 6mm bullets are typically VLD-style bullets designed for long range use and will generally require a faster 1-8" twist rate than the factory 1-9.25" twist. Most popular hunting bullets aren't as long/pointy as those VLD-Style bullets and as such don't need as fast of a twist.

The exception would be the newer solid copper bullets which are longer than their lead core counterparts do to copper being less dense. For solid coppers you would want to stick in the 85-90gr bullet weight range.

In the end, you really can't go wrong with a proven old reliable like the Nosler Partition or it's younger sibling - the AccuBond in a 90-95gr 6mm bullet for hunting.

[Mr.Snerdly]

I misspoke. It is a Speer bullet but probably what you said would go for the Speer as well since it is a varmint bullet too. Is a 95 grain about the lightest suited or would an 80 or 85 work if it was the right type of bullet? Plenty of time before the season opens to find something that will work and get the rifle set up for the bullet.

[Harry Pope]

What size deer and at what range? The 75-grain varmint bullets would be a poor choice except under very unusual circumstances. You don’t need sub-moa groups to kill deer very well. As stated above, bullets over 100/105 grains need a tighter twist or a lot more velocity to be accurate. The best choices are among hunting bullets from the 85 grain Nosler Partition, the 90 grain Speer SP, the 95 grain Nosler Partition or about any of the 100s. I used a number of different bullets in my 6mm Remington on deer and goats, I settled on either the Speer or Hornady 100 grain softpoints.




.

[8mm RUM]

I use an 80 GR Barnes ttsx for all deer. I shoot a 6mm rem I also reload and get very close tp 3700 fps.
Even out to 450 yards I have NEVER had a deer walk more then a step or two. The Vast majority crumpled where they stood. That said in my 243 savage I use an 85 gr spear, slower of course but the same results.

Read this:https://www.thetruthaboutguns.com/gear-review-barnes-243-win-80-gr-ttsx/

[Mr.Snerdly]

[QUOTE=Harry Pope;491863]What size deer and at what range? The 75-grain varmint bullets would be a poor choice except under very unusual circumstances. You don’t need sub-moa groups to kill deer very well. As stated above, bullets over 100/105 grains need a tighter twist or a lot more velocity to be accurate. The best choices are among hunting bullets from the 85 grain Nosler Partition, the 90 grain Speer SP, the 95 grain Nosler Partition or about any of the 100s. I used a number of different bullets in my 6mm Remington on deer and goats, I settled on either the Speer or Hornady 100 grain softpoints.

I am far from knowledgeable about deer but I think from 140-180# would catch most of them. I am really not much of a hunter but have always been interested in rifles but I would like to get a deer this fall. I think it would be easy enough since there is a watershed dam across the road from me and every year that is where every deer hunter wants to go but this year I may save that for myself. Every year that I can remember there has been at least one deer taken there, usually by the neighbor about a half mile from me.

I think I will do a little research on 80-90 grain bullets since it seems the lighter ones seem to work pretty well in this gun. It is about a 5/8-7/8" gun with the lighter bullets and I think 1 1/4" would be plenty good enough for what I want to do. I doubt the range would be over 200 yards, most likely less.

[wbm]

I doubt the range would be over 200 yards, most likely less.

Sierra 85gr HPBT

[hamiltonkiler]

Loaded question. Our deer are 100#s
The eater ones anyway. I only doe hunt with a rifle. Coming from a bow hunter, I neck shoot deer with a .223 77gn smk.
They don’t move.
If I was hunting hunting with a rifle I think a .30cal bullet does better.

On our small deer 80-100# my buddy shoots .223 varmint bullets in the chest and double lungs. His deer don’t go far. Usually little to no blood but the deer don’t go far. It really blisters them.

Cheers


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[Wildcat]

Depends. Bullet construction, size of the deer, distance, expected shot placement, and how you desire the bullet to perform can all factor into your choice. The primary function of the bullet in hunting is to provide a quick, humane kill. That generally happens by one or a combination of the following three ways ---- blood loss, destruction of tissue and vital organs, damage to the central nervous system (CNS). Your bullet choice may influence the shot you are able to take in the field. Some hunters desire complete pass through for a larger blood trail, others prefer the bullet to penetrate to the central body cavity and blow up thus destroying internal organs. I'm not going to say one way of thinking is better than another. In my opinion, as long as you deliver a quick humane kill, you have fulfilled your obligation as an ethical hunter. The Nosler Partition, Barnes, and Sierra recommendations already provided are all good choices. I have also used and had success with Nosler Ballistic Tips and Accubonds (90 grain) on deer. I have seen a lot of deer fall to the Sierra 85gr HPBT mentioned by WBM. I have also seen a lot of deer fall to the 25 caliber Barnes 100 gr from a 257 Roberts.

You started off by asking about the 75 grain Speer and mentioned your rifle prefers lighter weight bullets. One option not already mentioned is the 70 grain Hammer Hunter. It is a solid copper lathe-turned bullet designed to function in the 243 with a 1 in 10" twist barrel. It also matches up well with existing load data so if you currently have an accurate 70 grain load, you can reduce it appropriately and you have a starting point for load development. A possible downside to using Hammer bullets is that they are not inexpensive but in my experience they work great.

Hope I have helped and not muddied the waters in your decision making process.

Respectfully

[Mr.Snerdly]

Thanks for the replies. I have been checking various outlets and 243 bullets are extremely hard to find. Scheels does have a 90 grain Sierra that probably is not too heavy for my rifle. I believe I will order some tonight. It is amazing how fast some of the things are sold out. I got 100 52 grain Hornady for my 223 and they seemed to work decently. I am skeptical of Hornady bullets since the 60 grain V-Max and their 68 grain match bullets were terrible in my guns and not just one of them, the Remington, Axis and I also tried them in the 22-250 with no better results but I have to admit the 52 grain do OK. I would prefer Sierra but you have to settle for second choice sometimes. Anyway, I thought maybe I would order some additional 52 grain Hornady and they are all gone now.

[wbm]

I am skeptical of Hornady bullets since the 60 grain V-Max and their 68 grain match bullets were terrible in my guns and not just one of them

If you are referring to the the 223 60 grain V-Max's, they are outstanding in three of my Savage rifles. One in 22-250 and the other two in 223. Perhaps the problem is not with Hornady.

[Mr.Snerdly]

Could be but but both the Remington and 22-250 shoot the 52 grain Hornady pretty well. The Axis simply will not shoot a light bullet, at least mine won't. I tried cheap Winchester ammo tonight and the Remington had a 7/16" group but I admit it had a 13/16" group too but I didn't expect great results with the cheap ammo. The Axis was about 2" or a little more. 22-250 will shoot below a half inch if I tend to business, sometimes 3/8" with the 52 grain Hornady. I bought the cheap ammo mainly for the brass and as hard as primers are to get I may break down the bullets, save the powder and reload with the 52 grain Hornady.