Which .243 round

[Machias]

Thanks guys!!!

[HighCountryHunter88]

id use a hard bullet for a treed lion, just to pin hole em. and i load 87 or 85 grain hollow point sierras for coyotes in my 6mm

[DBHAWTHORNE]

For dogs I use the Hornady Varmint Express 58 Grain V-Max Moly in my .243.

[RadSav]

I didn't like the BC on the light V-Max in the 6mm(haven't shot the 243).  The 75 grain hollow point was the lightest I could get to shoot sub-MOA beyond 200 yards.

As far as treed cats anything will work.  Problem arises if you want to mount the thing after you are done.  At that range you are sure to be above 3,000fps and all but FMJ's seem to just explode at that distance and speed.  A guide friend of mine in Canada swears by the 22 hornet if you plan on mounting your cat.  If I were hell bent on the 243 I'd probably go Partition as they are usually pretty small going out the other side having blown the front half off upon impact at those speeds.

[Karl Blanchard]

I shoot the 58gr v-max at coyotes pushed by 40gr of imr3031.  Very fast flat and accurate but extremely devestating.  Not gonna be saving any pelts.  I use my a.r for bobcats and shoot factory hornady 53gr v-max. Very pelt friendly load.  Not the superformance but the hornady custom. My last bobcat set I had a large cougar sneak in and out of my set! Kinda wanting a little more firepower now but don't want to blow a bobcat in half with my 243 so I recently worked up a load with some 70gr nosler b-tips.  First loads were too fast and blew very big holes in coyotes!  Tamed them back to 43gr of imr4350 and first dog with them, bingo!  Minimal pelt damage and on a big kitty they should smack em pretty hard! 

[Karl Blanchard]

I have no experience with them but a Barnes varmint grenade in a .223 might work on a treed kitty.  They are supposed to fragment on small rodents and the like so at close ranges they might enter a cat but not exit   Like I said I have no experience with them just a thought that came to me.

[BOWHUNTER45]

I use a 100 gr. hornady interlock in my .243 for deer and a 87 gr hornaday V-max for yotes .. but I had my son try those 87gr V-max on deer and it did well ... lung shot ... not sure what would happen if you hit shoulders?

My .223 I use 55gr V-max and I love them .. had no problem dumping my cougar at about 100 yrds ...turned him inside out right now ....plus the hole coming out was no bigger than a nickel ...Same on yotes ....But I do not load my ammo hot ... I tone them down just a little so I do not blow sheet up ..

[DeerThug]

Federal Powershok (blue box) 100 grain are the best I've come across for .243.  They're cheap, available everywhere, consistently accurate and the most devastating bullet for the caliber.

[Gutpile]

My favorite round for the .223 was 60 Sierra Varminter hollowpoints 25 grns Benchmark. If you ever come to spokane I'll give you a few to try if youd like. I get one hole groups with my Bushy and they simply thwack those dogs. I wouldnt hesitate to shoot a treed cat with them.

I've used the 55 grn B-Tip in the .243 at about 3700 fps. Its pretty hard on those dogs. I've been more impressed with 22-250, 220 swift, and the .223 than I have with the .243. Just too much damage but against a cat I dont know. I think if it exited or splashed you may muck up a nice trophy. That said I have zero experience with cats.

Give me a holler if you want to try out those 60s. I have a lot loaded and would be happy to let you have 20 or so.

[Machias]

I'll have to hook up with you and try them out.  Thanks!!!

[WAcoyotehunter]

i had bad luck on fur with the .243 in almost any factory load.  I would go with the smaller .223 for fur. 

I'm packing my .357 pistol for a cat in a tree.  I also have some .38 rounds if we get a bobcat up.  I wouldn't want to tear up a lion or bobcat hide.

[Machias]

I'll use .22 mag pistol for most of the treed bobcats, or even a .22 long rifle.  I like the .223 for fur and will probably use it on a lion as well, but might use the .243 on a treed lion.  I got a nice little H&R single shot that fits real nice in the sled while pulling the dogs.

[WAcoyotehunter]

had a good chase yesterday- going again on Friday and Sunday if you would like to come along.  I like the .22 for a bobcat, but if I had a lion that I wanted to kill it would be illegal...

[Gutpile]

I'll have to hook up with you and try them out.  Thanks!!!

well Im off in the winter and live right off of pines so just give me a shout and ill give them to you. I also use a lot of sierra 52 grn match hollows which are also outstanding. I just stuck with the 60s because they shot so well. Ill just give you 20 of each to try out.

[Machias]

had a good chase yesterday- going again on Friday and Sunday if you would like to come along.  I like the .22 for a bobcat, but if I had a lion that I wanted to kill it would be illegal...

What time and where?  I'll take Friday off.  I'm already hunting with a guy named Casey on Sat....not sure if you know him or not, he runs blueticks out of the Priest River area.  Maybe we can all meet up for a Sat hunt?