Best bullet for a .243?

W

Woodchuck2

New member
At my local club we shoot 100, 200, and 300 yards. I'm going to try my Rem 700 ADL in .243 Win. in the factory class. I'm wondering about trying the 105 gr. VLDs but think they might be too heavy for a factory twist. There is also the Berger 95 gr. VLD. Does anyone have any other suggestions?
 
No need to go with the 105 only to 300yds. The 95gr Berger should serve you well. Mine shoots the 95 Berger with a stiff dose of H-4831, Lapua brass, Fed 210M primers seated to 2.9" OAL.
 
I shoot the 95 gr. SMK in my 6mm Rem. in groundhog shoots 200,300,400, and 500 yds. If I were shooting 100,200, and 300 yds. I would try some lighter match bullets.
Drags
 
Roger T said:
Or the Berger 88 works well also.
Click to expand...

The Berger flat based 88 called the "LD" is one heckuva bullet, it shoots like a match bullet. I dunno do they still make them. I had two .243AI barrels made up for this bullet back in the day and it's a fine performer, just kinda' "too heavy for light stuff and too light for heavy stuff" IMO.

al
 
I have an ADL of that same flavor, the 70 to 75 gr BTs, SMK, seemed to due just fine for informal matches to the ranges stated. Varget or H 4895 are dandys for powder with those bullet weights.

DR
 
i loaded the 95 for a buds vls. never got anything good. the 88 berger shot great. the 87 horn shot great, the 85 sierra bthp same. I 4064 or varget . lapua brass. 210m or br-2. hopefully you have adjusted your trigger according to the remington crisp directions. and have a fairly high powered scope.
 
I've not tried them yet, but Berger has a new 87gr. VLD made specifically for 10 twist barrels that so many factory .243's come with. I don't see it on their webiste right now, but got a flyer from Berger announcing it a while back. Google it.--Mike
 
I shoot the 80gr flat bases and they are extremely accurate in my rifle but was thinking of the 88gr High BC,s. Has anybody tried these in a 1 in 12 twist, 10 is recommened?
 
Wood -

Howdy !

Sierra 6mm 85HPBTs out-grouped " all-comers " in my 6mm 29" Broughton SS 1-8 "5C"-rifled barrel.

Sierra 6mm 85HPTBs were more consistent on bullet wt per box, than any other factory OR custom bullets I weight checked.
This includes things like Sierra, Berger, Hornady 105-107VLDs, 95 VLDs, 90s, 88LDs et all.

Over three boxes of 85HPBTs checked, I only saw 2 different bullet weights !!
Compare to other bullets/brands that had as-many-as up to seven ) different bullet weights in one box.

The 85s are good for 300yd paper, and also for live varmint; for a true dual-role' capability.

I stopped weighing Sierra 85HPBTs.

Regards,
.357Mag
different bullet weights in each box.
 
Best bullets in .243

There are several factors I would consider with a factory gun. The rate of twist is usually not particularily fast (8) and not particularily slow (14). Most factory guns have a 9 or10 twist. That means they are to fast for light bullets(<70grain) and to slow for heavy bullets (>100 grains).

Flat based bullets tend to shoot better at 500 or less yards and Boattails tend to be better at 500 plus yards.

It doesen't make much difference punching paper about expansion.

Hunting Varmints most like fast expanding bullets. Cutts down on ricochette.

Those who hunt big game like heavier bullets with control expansion.

This is the great thing about the .243 it is a real all around rifle.
Nat Lambeth
 
I wound up getting some from a buddy of mine. They are 85 gr made on a Sierra jacket and a 60 something grain (I don't recall exactly right now) on a J4. They were both made on Pendell dies. I haven't gotten to try them yet though and had to shoot my .204 in last weeks match.

Now I just need to get me a proper rest oh and a few thousand dollars of other stuff and I'll be shootin .1's.
 
in the same rifle as yours, I shoot a 68g Berger with 47.0g of H4350 with a Win primer(very important)bullet touching the lands at 3600 fps. This is the accuracy load for the nosler 70g Ballistic tip in the nosler manual...shoots fantastic in three 700!

If you try the 80g bergers + in weight, be sure to try R#19 with win primers.

At 300 yards, speed of a lighter bullet may trumph bullet weight, your gun will tell you waz up!

Good luck
 
Last edited:
.357Mag said:
Wood -

Howdy !

Sierra 6mm 85HPBTs out-grouped " all-comers " in my 6mm 29" Broughton SS 1-8 "5C"-rifled barrel.

Sierra 6mm 85HPTBs were more consistent on bullet wt per box, than any other factory OR custom bullets I weight checked.
This includes things like Sierra, Berger, Hornady 105-107VLDs, 95 VLDs, 90s, 88LDs et all.

Over three boxes of 85HPBTs checked, I only saw 2 different bullet weights !!
Compare to other bullets/brands that had as-many-as up to seven ) different bullet weights in one box.

The 85s are good for 300yd paper, and also for live varmint; for a true dual-role' capability.

I stopped weighing Sierra 85HPBTs.

Regards,
.357Mag
different bullet weights in each box.
Click to expand...


+2 for the Searra .85 gr. HPBTs. Have been using them since 1971 in a Win mod 70 / 24" varmint wt. factory barrel. Before I shot the barrel out it would group (5) at 100 yds. in the .1s & .2s. I read some where that back then someone was making match grade barrels for Winchester. I must have gotten lucky and got one.

gt40
 
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