# .243 80 gr. Hot Cor



## Big A (Mar 28, 2008)

I dont get to shoot my 15 inch Encore enough and I was hoping to put together a single deer/predator load. Looking for opinions pro or con regarding the Hot Cor bullet. I do reload so any powders preferences would also be of interest. Thanx in advance for your thoughts. A


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## iwantabuggy (Feb 15, 2005)

Never tried the hot cor, but I think you are on the right track if you want a one gun one bullet load for deer and predators.


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## southdakbearfan (Oct 11, 2004)

They are listed by speer as a big game bullet. I don't have any experience with the 6mm, but used the 87gr 25 cal in my 257 ackley on varmints and coyotes with spectacular results, that being said, with the performance I saw on yotes with it, I probably wouldn't have shot them at deer. They seemed a bit more explosive than the 100 gr ballistic tips I shot for deer. Many yotes shot inside of 200 yds had no exit wounds.


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## FullClip (Jan 22, 2007)

Ive reloaded my .243 with speer 85gr SPBT and they have been awsome. Im useing CCI large rifle primers, IMR4831 i believe not sure on the weight. But Ive had no exit wounds on the 3 yotes ive shot with this load yet all shots were between 75-200 yards. Im shooting them out of a Ruger M77 with a 20inch tube if that helps.


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## SDHandgunner (Jun 22, 2004)

.243 Speer 80gr. Hot Core Spitzer for Whitetails & Coyotes ? = Excellent choice in my opinion.

In fact that is the exact bullet I used in a 15" .243 Winchester T/C Encore to take two Whitetail Does at over 200 yards in one afternoon. In fact it was January 1st, Opening Day out of our Anterless Season in 2007.

It was a few minutes after sunset (we can hunt till 1/2 hour after sunset in South Dakota) when I spotted 2 nice size Whitetail Does walking down a trail. I hadn't ranged the trail from my stand but guessed it was slightly over 200 yards (I later stepped it off and it was 250 of my steps).

I shot the back Doe first. When the crosshairs of the 2x6x32mm Bausch & Laumb 3200 Elite Handgun Scope settled mid way top to bottom on the chest right behind the front shoulder I touched the trigger. That doe dropped in her tracks and never moved, DRT. At the shot the lead doe sprinted a few yards and stopped to look back at the doe I had shot. When she did I was ready (having reloaded the 15" .243 Winchester T/C Encore Handgun). Just as I started sqeezing the trigger the doe started walking and I ended up hitting her a bit far back. She ran about 100 yards and stopped by a small Russian Olive Tree. Now I was comitted so I again steadied the crosshairs mid way top to bottom on the chest right behind the front shoulder and touched the trigger. At the shot she dropped in her tracks and never moved, DRT.

In the .243 Winchester T/C Encore Handgun I settled on H-4895 as the powder of choice. The load I settled on averaged 2920 FPS out of the 15" Handgun and 5 shot 100 yard groups from the bench were generally around 3/4". I had fully intended on using this single load for all of my varming / predator / deer hunting needs with the .243 Winchester T/C Encore Handgun, but in a fit of stupidity I ended up selling the Encore.

I have also used the .243 80gr. Speer Hot Core Spitzer out of a T/C Contender Handgun Chambered in 6mm-223. Muzzle velocity of the .223 case necked up to 6mm with the 80gr. Speer Hot Core Spitzer out of the Custom 14" T/C Contender Handgun was right at 2650FPS. At this velocity level the .243 80gr. Speer Hot Core Spitzer was a little tough and expansion was minimal unless I hit bone. I also shot a few small varmints with this bullet in the 6mm-223 with good if not spectaular results.

Larry


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