Reduced recoil bullet selection

[WildWill]

Working up a reduced recoil load for my boy and his 243 and wondering what I should do for a bullet. The only reduced recoil loads I've made were for my wife and her 7mm-08 using 120gr Hornady SST bullets that performed well. I currently have a pile of 100gr Partitions and a couple hundred 80gr TTSX bullets for the 243 or I could order some 95gr SST. What would you do in my shoes?

 

[kiwi hunter]

Speer 85 gr don't, n buy a heap so that you can spend a bit of time behind the but. Also down load the load a bit, should work well like min starting point.

 

[VAspeedgoat]

I worry the other two won't open up and perform well. I used to use Remington's reduced recoil loads and I didn't think they did very well. Switched to Hornady and was shocked at the on game performance.

 

[Laelkhunter]

Reduced recoil also means reduced velocity. I would stay away from the Barnes TTSX. They need speed to perform properly. A cup and core bullet might be the best choice. The SST would probably work fine, but I'm not familiar with them. If they shoot in the rifle (accuracy wise), they might be the way to go.

 

[Fire_9]

I know this isn't what you asked but is there any chance you have a .223 laying around? I would just drop down in caliber before I started making reduced recoil loads

 

[HighDesertSage]

Working up a reduced recoil load for my boy and his 243 and wondering what I should do for a bullet. The only reduced recoil loads I've made were for my wife and her 7mm-08 using 120gr Hornady SST bullets that performed well. I currently have a pile of 100gr Partitions and a couple hundred 80gr TTSX bullets for the 243 or I could order some 95gr SST. What would you do in my shoes?

What kind of game are you after, or just target shooting? FYI ttsx needs speed.

243 is a very low recoiling rifle as is. If Was after deer/lope and maybe even elk I’d push the partition to 2800-2900. That really should be a manageable recoiling load.

 

[Wind Gypsy]

Partitions or SSTs should work. I'd probably lean SSTs. A 90 grain ballistic tip would be another good option.

 

[WildWill]

I know this isn't what you asked but is there any chance you have a .223 laying around? I would just drop down in caliber before I started making reduced recoil loads

Some of the Texas and Oklahoma controlled hunts we will be going on have a minimum caliber of 243.

What kind of game are you after, or just target shooting? FYI ttsx needs speed.

243 is a very low recoiling rifle as is. If Was after deer/lope and maybe even elk I’d push the partition to 2800-2900. That really should be a manageable recoiling load.

These rounds will be used for hunting deer here in SE Oklahoma and Texas not those big Midwest bruisers. Also will be keeping our shots inside 150 yards for now preferably half that if I can help it. We've already shot the gun with factory ammo and he did fine so I know he can handle it. But I'd also like to start getting my daughter involved shooting with it at least. She's 40 pounds lighter then him and was just thinking something on the slower end would be better. Just not sure how the heavier Partitions would perform going slower compared to the ballistic tips.

 

[Bonasababy]

I worry the other two won't open up and perform well. I used to use Remington's reduced recoil loads and I didn't think they did very well. Switched to Hornady and was shocked at the on game performance.

I have both old remingtons and new Hornady's for my 08. The remingtons shoot better, not that the hornady's are bad but just don't pattern as well. It's like that for individual guns, I'd try multiple options if you can.

FAIK only Hornady makes these in factory these days so handloading experimentation would be a good way to get started. The hornady factory loads aren't cheap.

 

[Sheltowee]

I'd go with the Partitions or SSTs, depending on which has a impact velocity/expansion threshold. From personal experience, though, the SSTs are hell on deer-sized game.

 

[yakimanoob]

IMHO, we wayyyy overthink the "reduced recoil" thing. I don't know your boy; is a minor reduction in recoil actually going to make a difference in his ability to shoot accurately enough at 150 yds?

On the terminal performance note, I don't think you have anything at all to be worried about out to 150yds.

If you want to minimize recoil, pick a light-ish bullet that's still designed for big game (i.e., not one of the varmint grenades that are made in .243 caliber), load a book minimum charges, and have fun hunting with your son!

 

[MTLabrador]

SSTs or ballistic tips. Definitely not copper if you’re dropping velocity.

 

[BAKPAKR]

I loaded 90 gr Hornady ELD-Xs with H4895 for my daughter to use in her 243. They have worked well on the couple of deer she shot with them.

 

[yakimanoob]

SSTs or ballistic tips. Definitely not copper if you’re dropping velocity.

90gr E-tips leaving the muzzle at 2700fps (minimum published velocity and a full 10% slower than the factory 243 loads) will still be going 2200 fps and carrying 1k ft-lbs of energy at 200 yds.

80gr CX at 2900 MV (factory loads go 3200) will be moving 2275fps at 200 yds.

80gr Barnes TTSX at 2900 MV (factory loads go 3350) will be going 2360fps at 200 yds.

There are no concerns with mono bullets in this application.

 

[std7mag]

My buddy's mom takes 1-3 deer a year with her Win model 70 Featherlight in 243 Win.
Her bullet of choice is the 85gr Nosler Ballistic Tip.

 

[Bonasababy]

IMHO, we wayyyy overthink the "reduced recoil" thing. I don't know your boy; is a minor reduction in recoil actually going to make a difference in his ability to shoot accurately enough at 150 yds?

On the terminal performance note, I don't think you have anything at all to be worried about out to 150yds.

If you want to minimize recoil, pick a light-ish bullet that's still designed for big game (i.e., not one of the varmint grenades that are made in .243 caliber), load a book minimum charges, and have fun hunting with your son!

You can't shoot well if you are thinking about recoil. Saw it many times when I was helping with gun safety training range days. Young kids already dealing with a flinch. Often the bigger boys, too. Girls routinely shot better. Lighter recoil and good ear protection are a must to get them started. Doesn't have to take long to move up but start them right.

 

[yakimanoob]

You can't shoot well if you are thinking about recoil. Saw it many times when I was helping with gun safety training range days. Young kids already dealing with a flinch. Often the bigger boys, too. Girls routinely shot better. Lighter recoil and good ear protection are a must to get them started. Doesn't have to take long to move up but start them right.

I don’t disagree on any particular point. By saying we overthink it, I’m mainly getting at the idea that factory 243 loads are already light on recoil, and reduced-recoil hand loads are going to be only a minor change.

If he’s flinching with factory 243 loads, some practice with a 22wmr or 223 might better serve. Obviously if you don’t have easy access to those, then by all means load away with the least recoil you can achieve.

 

[kiwi hunter]

Speer 85 gr don't, n buy a heap so that you can spend a bit of time behind the but. Also down load the load a bit, should work well like min starting point.

Auto correct sends stuff off on a tangent. Should read Speer 85 gr spbt

 

[Sheltowee]

Auto correct sends stuff off on a tangent. Should read Speer 85 gr spbt

Am I right with the impression Aussie/Kiwi hunters tend to go lighter in cartridge for like-sized game relative to North American hunters? Seems like I hear a lot about .220 Swift and .243 from y’all and rarely a mention of a .300 RUM or some other whiz bang thunder f*cker.

 

[Jbotto]

My vote is the 80gr TTSX. I feel like even a light load will carry that pill past its minimum expansion threshold. Disclaimer: I looked up no data on this. And have only loaded the 85gr TSX near max in mine for the past ten years.