85 gr. Sierra Game King Hollow Point, 243

243Sniper

243Sniper

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This is my load at the moment in my M70 Coyote. I've only killed 1 yote with it so far and it was not a fair test on pelt damage because it was a chest shot and exited out the spine. It left a big hole to say the least.

I now have been set up with a source to sell my pelts. I'll be selling yotes, lynx and wolf and hopefully a cougar or two. I need a bullet that will handle all and not leave too much damage. Head shots will be preferred but will take what ever shot I have on the more rare species.

Anyone kill enough with this bullet to give it a fair evaluation?

I'm thinking of going to a 85 gr Partition or maybe even a Barnes X.
 
I like the bullet and have killed coyotes with it. Stay away from bone such as the shoulder blade or spine and it's a very good compromise bullet. Compromise as in a go between from varmints to larger deer size game. I know quite a few guys who use it for deer with excellent results. I have no experience when you start talking wolves and cougar, however, I would tend to think this would be an excellent choice for game that large with fur damage in mind. I mean you have to have enough to kill cleanly through penetration and internal damage and I think this bullet would be a top choice for this.
 
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Compromise as in a go between from varmints to larger deer size game.



I like the term. This is exactly what I have to consider, and have from the beginning. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/wink.gif
 
The Sierra 70gr. HPBT Match bullet is recommended for target shooting but I use it for hunting,damage to fur is very little.
I use the Sierra 70gr. match bullets for hunting deer, hogs and coyotes.
 
I was eyeballing the 55 grain 243 bullets, but I think I'll actually try the 70 grain match Boat Tail Sierra's. I had worked up a "one-holer" load for that years ago, so I think I try to do'er again.
 
Hate to say it but I fixed my 243 fur bullet problem with a 204 ruger.

The closest thing I found was the 60 grain seirra HP but that was at the end of season last year so only one fell to it so that's not too reliable. The 70-85 I tried all gave fist sized holes either entry splashs or exit wounds, a couple were not even worth skinning.

The slow deer bullet has good potential but it needs to be stiffer, the 85 sierra HP is a soft deer bullet, I have seen no good fur report from that bullet. A stiffer bullet would give you a controled exit wound 1" is better than 4 or 5"

If you hunting for fur the 243 is just too big, unless you like sewing.
 
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If you hunting for fur the 243 is just too big, unless you like sewing.




You will never see me shooting a Wolf or MT Lion with a 204 Ruger. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/crazy.gif
 
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Very true, on those larger predators the 243 is perfect and even the 85 gameking hp on the bigger animals it would give adequate penetration and still likely not exit. But that does leave you in a pickle handling the big stuff and not shredding the coyotes.
 
I really like the 85gr. GK...but I like the 100gr SBT GK better. Better penetration with less of an exit hole and very accurate out of my savage.
 
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Very true, on those larger predators the 243 is perfect and even the 85 gameking hp on the bigger animals it would give adequate penetration and still likely not exit. But that does leave you in a pickle handling the big stuff and not shredding the coyotes.



A pickle indeed. I've excepted that there will be a exit hole in the pelt when I don't head shoot. It comes down to the size of the hole.

I almost had an opportunity today to see first hand after calling in a triple but I blew the shot on the poor yote and think I hit his leg. I tracked him and he never slowed down. There was blood and after about a mile, there was no longer drops but just a bloody foot print in his stride. I can only assume it was just running down his leg to his foot.
 
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I like the 85 grain TSX. It's tough enough to handle 100+ pound predators and won't blow those big hole on soft tissue shots.



It's on my list of considerations. At the moment, my rifle is all dialed in for the bullet mentioned. I just need to see some results.
 
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