243 rifles and Tikka T3 owners

[12borejimbo]

I am going to be buying a Tikka T3 Lite in Stainless Synthetic 243 calibre. Scope will be a Schmidt and Bender 3-12x50 and I have already sorted a PES T12 Moderator. What I would like to know it what bullets do people mainly use for general all round use. It will be used as mainly as a foxer but I will stalk with it too and be shooting mostly Roe and Muntjac, with the odd Fallow here and there.

Ive been told by a mate who is a keeper to stick with one bullet and use it for everything, I was thinking 100grain bullets or around this weight as to be effective on deer and also hit charles and his chums hard, as if you put a bullet in the right place it will do the buisness.

What bullet weights does everyone use and what does it like? I will be buying factory ammo to start off with and I am learing to reload at the moment so I will be making some homeloads within the next year I would say!

Thanks for the help in advance.

[danimal]

i use nosler 70 grain BT used to use 85 grain sierra game kings which are also good. i like nice flat shooting

[steve_b_wales]

I use 100grn soft point heads. These are mainly used for fox control,and also when deer stalking.

[12borejimbo]

I use 100grn soft point heads. These are mainly used for fox control,and also when deer stalking.

This is what im thinking of doing, no faffing about, so if im stalking and charles comes along I can just sting him ect and use one bullet for all. What ammo brand do you use Steve and what have you tested?

[Blunderbust]

My rifle was very fussy as to what it would shoot well. I like you wanted one bullet to do all. The only 100gr bullet that shot and grouped well were Norma 100gr SP but at £33 per 20 it was a bit on the expensive side. I have now started using RWS Geco 105 gr SP's and they are great, nice tight groups not a huge ammount of damage and they kill every time. The big bonus is that they are only £18 per box.

[12borejimbo]

My rifle was very fussy as to what it would shoot well. I like you wanted one bullet to do all. The only 100gr bullet that shot and grouped well were Norma 100gr SP but at £33 per 20 it was a bit on the expensive side. I have now started using RWS Geco 105 gr SP's and they are great, nice tight groups not a huge ammount of damage and they kill every time. The big bonus is that they are only £18 per box.

That sounds pretty good! Do you shoot a T3?

[pavman]

depends on the twist rate my T3 lite 223 (when i had it) liked 60 gains up (8 twist)

[markbivvy]

I was thinking 100grain bullets or around this weight

Not a lot of factory rifles will shoot this weight .

best buy a few of what you can get regularly and local and start from there.

[njc110381]

A chap I know who shoots a lot of Fallow and a good number of most other things too likes Nosler 95gr BT. I have no experience of them but he's got access to loads of kit and that's what he settled on.

[Dekers]

I run a T3 Stainless Lite in .223 and a T3 Hunter in .243, they BOTH get fed PRVI for general use and the .243 does more than well enough for me in the field with PRVI 90g SP.

 

Just the same it sometimes get fed some Homebrews and performs even better!

[steve_b_wales]

This is what im thinking of doing, no faffing about, so if im stalking and charles comes along I can just sting him ect and use one bullet for all. What ammo brand do you use Steve and what have you

tested?

 

I use home loads, which are Hornady 100 grn heads. I use Hogdon H380 powder, but not sure what recipe I used.

[Underdog]

If it's anything like the T3 I had it will most likely like shooting any bullet pretty dam close to zero any way, good rifles. Trigger is a dodddle to sort out too.

 

The 243 was designed originally around 85grns. Shoots faster and stronger than 100 INME.

 

I used Speer 70grn TNT in mine, for deer though I used Hornady 100grn spitzer BTails and always a case full of H4350 for both bullets

 

Have fun

 

U.

[Scully]

I use 75 grn V-max Hornadys in my T3 heavy barrelled varminter.This is what was recommended for the particular twist ratio for this rifle,and results so far are outstanding.

[garyb]

85grn will suit your needs.

 

No need for 100grn, it's poor on rangey foxing work and probably won't meet UK deer regs for ME in 243win.

 

I run 75grn V-max in mine, and 85grn Sierra's for deer - both shoot to the same POI.

[Blunderbust]

That sounds pretty good! Do you shoot a T3?

 

Yes I use the T3 with heavy barrel and 1:10 twist. You would be better trying them before you buy too many. The Ceco .243 in 105 gr do meet with the UK Deer regs and perform very well and I can take out Fox at reasonable distances with them, +3" on POA at 200 meters gets them every time.

 

MV 2955 ft/sec and ME 2036ft/Ibs

Edited December 3, 2011 by Blunderbust

[provider]

85gr Sierra HPBT for me does the business on roe and fox. My load is 85gr sierra HPBT over 37grains Vit N140 CCI primers.

 

I also get good results with Hornady 87gr SP over the same powder and charge.

 

Prov