.243 for deer bullet choice

[msoprano]

I've shot roughly 15-20 deer + a coyote with cheap Winchester power points (100 grain). I've had good expansion, and 100% exits. Additionally, they group fairly well out of my ruger m77. Hard to beat for $18 a box at Walmart.

 

[Springfield 1911]

100 grain soft points,I repeat soft points.

This!

 

[Laufen]

I just traded into a .243 Win rifle. I'll use it for deer in the woods where a "long" shot will probably be 150 yards. There is only one spot where a 200 yard shot is possible, but that's it. I got it for its accuracy and the fact that it comes already scoped.

So the question is, when I go buying some ammo for it, at the local gun store or sporting goods "big box" store, how do I know what rounds are made for adequate penetration and weight retention on big game, and which rounds are made to expand and even fragment ASAP?

Can I just go by bullet weight? If the bullet is 55-70 grains, it's a varmint round.
If it's 85 to 100 grains, it's a deer round.
Would that be true, and a useful guide for me to have memorized when I go ammo shopping?

I don't want to limit myself to searching for one particular load. The first store I go to, I want to leave with a .243 deer round in hand. I'm not fussy about brand, or even whether the bullet is soft point or polymer-tipped or hollow-point, as long as it will penetrate well, give me a big bloody exit wound for a broadside shot where no shoulder bones are hit, and stabilize in this rifle's 1:9 twist barrel (22" long).

Thanks!

You could go strictly by grain weight, but that isn't always the best indicator. Your best bet is to learn about the construction and intended use of various types of bullets.

Some soft points use a very thin copper jacket and low density lead for maximum expansion. Some plastic tipped bullets (the 95gr. Hornady SST) use a thick jacket and higher density lead to aid in penetration. Take a little time to learn about the different types of bullets offered in .243, and make your decision from there. There are plenty of really good options for deer from the old stand by 100 grain soft point, to some higher tech bullets that give you a little better performance under a wider variety of conditions.

Generally speaking though, your assumption based on grain weight is correct.