Pelt Friendly .243 Win bullet?

SeekingTradDeer

SeekingTradDeer

New member
I am afraid to use the VMAX or ballistic tip type bullets on yotes cause of how the explode apart. I'm not sure if the Interbond that stick together would be a better projectile for less damage? Any bullet recommendations? Might even use the bullet on rare occassion for deer also but first use is coyote.
 
I've only had a .243 for a short while, but have shot two coyotes with it. I'm currently loading the sierra 85gr. bthp gameking. Both coyotes died instantly with exit holes about the size of a quarter. On through both front shoulders and the other quarting away through the ribs. I was afraid that it would do much more damage than it did.
 
A .243 on coyotes is risky if trying to save fur...

I have had better luck with heavier bullets no doing quite so much damage. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grinning-smiley-003.gif

The thing about a .243 is you might shoot 5 in a row with a neat, clean, small exit...& the next one gets blown in half. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/confused1.gif
 
I ordered a box of the 75 grain Hornady hp tonight and the Federal Barnes 85 grain tripple shock. We shall see how these shoot. So far Hornady VMAX has shot the best but I think they will explode the yotes...

The 85 Sierra should be close to the 75 Hornady HP on order. I could live with a quarter sized exit hole.

Thanks for the input. Keep it coming everyone...much appreciated!
 
Quote:
Best fur saver for a .243 is a .204... lol


I believe you meant 17 Remington /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grinning-smiley-006.gif
 
I've had very good results with 58 grain hornady v-max on both coyotes and bobcats in factory Hornady varmint express.

More times than not, there was no exit.
 
Have taken my onlyl 2 coyotes with my Rem 700 BDL in .243. Load is IMR 4350 with Honrady 75 gr V-maxes. First one didn't exit and the second one entered behind the right shoulder and exited in front of the hip on the left side. Both holes were smaller than a nickel.

My .02...
 
I loaded for my buddies 243 last winter the 65 grain Vmax (velocity unknown) he took a 43# male at 158 yards, this was a quartering to him high shoulder hit. Entry was the size of softball with fragments reaching into the chest cavity. It spun around and ran over the hill, we found him and a finisher was needed. I use the 75 grain Vmax out of my 257 AI at 3552 fps, to date I’ve taken 3 coyotes with it. The 1st a direct frontal chest shot at 58 yards, 25 cal entry no exit [bang flop]. The 2nd snuck in on me and was broadside at 28 yards shot behind the right shoulder this produced a 4” entry hole with no exit [bang flop]. The 3rd one was broadside at 165 yards, 25 cal entry just behind right shoulder with a small fragment exit on left side of neck. Based upon my results with the 75’s out of my 257 they seem to do well when there is a bit of distance between yote & shooter. With that I plan to use the 75’s out of my 244 AI with more zip.

B..
 
You have so amny target variables you shoot somthing like a V Max just hit soft tissue and never get an exit, till the one time you hit a rib then you have a fist sized exit with lung hanging out. The harder less explosive bullets are just as bad they will drill right through and give you a runner. Then you have to factor in the time of year, cold mid winter months the fur is heavier and usually matted mid summer not so heavy or matted that really can make a differance in bullet expansion. Personally I would go with the 87 Grain V Max I have had very good luck with them but you most likley will get some damaged fur. And occasional large exits.
 
We had good luck with when shooting a 700 in 243 with 42.3g of H or IMR 4350 in a Rem or Win case with a Win primer loaded with 100g Hornady BTSP with the bullet just kissing the lands. The yotes shot with this load did not have any large hole at all, in fact it reminded me of yotes shot with a 17 Mach 4. There was just a little tiny trickle of blood on the off side, not very much at all. This load has shot less than 1/2" in several Remingtons.

The 85g Barnes Tripple shock produces the same type of exit wound as I saw from the 100g Hornady BTSP, very tiny exit wound with massive internal damage.

Both of these bullets produced DRT kills.
 
I've been using 60gr Sierra HPs with great success. Out of 100 plus dogs I've shot with that load now, I've lost maybe 1 or 2 due to damage is it.

I also have had goodluck with the 75gr Hornady HP, after they opened 'em up a lil bit, the first ones I used about 5-7 years ago, didn't have much of a cavity, and would destroy pelts, almost as bad as the Vmaxs.

Here is an entrance wound of the newer 75gr HPs on a shoulder shot of a quartering away running coyote. There was no exit.

IMG_1844.jpg


IMG_1837.jpg


This was probably my worst exit last season with the 60gr HPs, about the size of a golfball right under the off side shoulder.

coyote4sitting.jpg
 
There is no magic fur bullet unless you are shooting a .17 Rem. in my opinion. If you are experiencing entrance wounds the size spoke of here the bullet is running faster than constructed for velocity wise and is starting to open up on impact. .243 is not a fur friendly round in most cases anyway but it seems some folks here have pretty good success.

Generally, any type of soft point bullet or ones with thicker jackets will produce smaller entrance and exit holes. The other route is one that enters but does not exit. These lighter bullets are generally a hit or miss thing. They either do what you want or blow huge holes in pelts.
 
The experiences I've had with 58v. V-max have shown good results. I got a bobcat @ 70 yards in the front shoulder with no exit. Bullet was running 3800 fps.
 
I used to use Nosler 85 grain Partitions. Always an exit, but usually about quarter sized. Accuracy wasn't that great, but it was acceptable, minute of coyote. I've used the 60 grain Sierra HP's, super accurate, and they work most of the time. When they don't, you've got a mess. I don't save pelts anymore, so that doesn't matter. Nowadays the .243 only comes out on real windy days using Berger high BC bullets. Most of my coyotes are shot with a .204.
 
The last two deer I shot with the Nosler Ballistic tip sent the deer on the death run with several organs actually hanging out of the deer. Since then I have gone to the psp in the 30.06 and been pleased. I'm just shy of exploding bullets from those Nosler experiences.

Thanks for the input guys...keep it coming.
 
Quote:
Here is an entrance wound of the newer 75gr HPs on a shoulder shot of a quartering away running coyote. There was no exit.




Wan't much pelt to worry about damaging on that one. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/wink.gif
 
Quote:
Quote:
Here is an entrance wound of the newer 75gr HPs on a shoulder shot of a quartering away running coyote. There was no exit.




Wan't much pelt to worry about damaging on that one. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/wink.gif



Yep, didn't have to worry about that ones pelt! One of the nastiest coyotes I've run across there! /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif
 
I think we all have our magic pill that we hurl at coyotes and with many differing results. The foremost objective has to be claiming the coyote first, i.e, killing it DRT or there is no pelt to claim. Second, where you hit it and at what angle of penetration makes a great deal of difference on pelt damage. I've blown holes in coyotes with my .22 hornet and 40 gr HP's, the size of softballs. I've also shot coyotes with my .243 where I had a hard time determining an entry and exit wound. I personally don't like runners, so I choose the 75 gr HP from Hornady and it does a great job putting them down, and my fur guy works around some of the excessive holes - but at least they were recoverable and dead. you also need a bullet weight and design that your gun likes and you know is accurate, otherwise confidence is an iffy component in your setup. I say sling some lead and let them lay.
 
Back
Top