White tail cartridge for Savage Model 11 .243 ?

[chowder]

Jeez, went in to refill the boys paintball tanks a couple weeks ago and there's this awesome looking Savage .243 w/ the accustock and accutrigger marked way down on mid summer clearance and for some reason I've never owned a .243, so...

Anyway, buddy had a Leupold VX-3 4.5-14x40mm getting dusty & needed some $ so I got this thing ready to start dialing in! It's a super nice feeling package that might have to be my 'carry' rifle now that the boys seemed to have claimed my .270 and the 7mm mag. If I can get this to do white tail duty it might be a good gun for an farmer w/ a tired shoulder. I'm starting out w/ the Hornady 100 grain BTSP and I'd like to hear from anybody who has a favorite .243 cartridge for white tail in the 50-120 yd range, especially if you use a Savage/ Stevens model 11. Thanks, -Andy

[blacksquirrel2]

I have been loading for the 243 for years with good results. Both my boys started with a 243. I used the Sierra 85 BTHP for deer and liked it. Recently while rigging up a deer gun for my grandson, I switched to some of the newer bullets and couldn't be more satisfied. The 95 nosler ballistic tip, 90 swift scirocco and the 85 hornady interbond all are great bullets for deer. IMR 4350, IMR 4831, IMR 4064, H Varget and H380 all are good powders. I use mag primers for all my hunting loads just in case of extreme cold conditions, not a necessity but it gives me piece of mind. We have taken numerous deer with these components with no problems.