# 243 ???? ammo



## 1eyedjack (Nov 8, 2006)

I currantly have a ruger 243 (old style with tang safety) with a burris 6x18 I tried hand loading years ago for it but never could match a load up for it so i tried the 58gr v-max moly factory loads . Which it shot a very good group with but last sunday it was putting holes all over the target so i tried some old federal 85 bthp a little better but not the group i was looking for . Has anyone tried the 70gr ballastic tip from federal? I don't now why the 58s were so bad? Thanks for any help. :


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## SDHandgunner (Jun 22, 2004)

I have a fairly new Ruger KM77RFP MKII Stainless-Synthetic in .243.

When I bought the Rifle I didn't have any brass so I bought some Federal Premiums (5 boxes of Premium V-Shok with 70gr. Nosler Ballistic Tips and 5 boxes of Premium Vital Shok with 100gr. Sierra Spitzer Boat Tails and 2 boxes of Power Shok 100gr. Fot Points) to aquire a supply of brass to reload.

I am not sure what Federal does but all 3 of these different Factory Loads shot quite well in my .243, with the V-Shok / 70gr. Nosler Ballistic Tips shooting the tightest groups. These leave the muzzle of my 22" Ruger at an average of 3359 FPS and quite consistantly print 5 shot 100 yard groups of 3/4" or slightly less. I buy a few boxes each year to replentish my supply and use this ammo stritcly for Coyotes in my .243. I have been so pleased with the Federal Loading (and I am still adding Federal .243 Brass to the collection) that I have never bothered to work up a Coyote Load for this .243. I suppose some day I will get to it though (when I have enough brass collected).

I have tried loading 55gr. Nosler Ballistic Tips in this .243, and unless I keep the velocity below 3300 FPS the accuracy is horrible. I use a reduced velocity load with this bullets in the summer time for small varmints at a muzzle velocity of 3229 FPS and am quite pleased with the accuracy.

On a different note is you barrel copper fouled? The reason I ask is that Moly Bullets do not always shoot the best in a barrel that is copper fouled when starting to shoot the moly coated bullets. Then again standard bullets may or may not shoot the greatest with moly in the bore from the previous ammo.

If the rifle shot good with the 58gr. Moly Coated V-Max's at one point I would think something has changed with the Rifle ie Scope and or Mounts, Action Screws, Stock Bedding due to moisture and or a Fouled Barrel.

Good luck and I hope you get it shooting again.

Larry


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## Waterspaniel (Oct 10, 2005)

Due to the ballistic co-effcient I have found that anything smaller than 70 grain is a losing battle in the 243. The 70 grain BT shoots the best in my gun.

My best advice for yotes is get yourself a savage 204. Cheap, deadly accurate, no muzzle jump, no fur damage. It is THE yote gun.


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## earlthepearl (Dec 7, 2006)

Only factory ammo my .243 NEF shoots well is Winchester Super X 100 Grains. Rem didn't do well, Fed didn't do well.
The Win. shoots 1 inch groups at 100 yards off the hood of my Suv. I sight it at 2 inches high at 100 yards to get me out there.


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## Centerfire (Jan 13, 2006)

You may want to give the gun barrel a real good cleaning with a copper solvent before giving up. Build up of copper jacket frags in the barrel can really cause accuracy with the same bullet to go erratic very quickly


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## DOGKILLR (Oct 9, 2006)

I have shot a couple of coyotes with the 70 gr ballistic tip by federal. They are not fur friendly at all. As a matter of fact they made exit holes big enough to stick a softball in. Just my experience. I now shoot them with a .223. They do however group well in my .243 Thompson Encore.


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## Fallguy (Jan 23, 2004)

I shoot a Ruger M77 Mark II .243. I have found that the 70 grain Nosler BT are VERY accurate in my rifle. I have only shot 1 coyote with that round and the results weren't ideal but the exit hole wasn't as big as a softball. A lot of it depends on where you hit them, whether you hit bone.

I use the 95 grain Fusions for deer season. This shell acts like a bonded bullet. I am keeping them in my rifle this year as I am curious how they will perform as a coyote load. If I can find a bullet to use all year for whitetails and coyotes that would be nice. They are also extremely accurate in my gun.


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