243 85SPTZ/BT Speer

George, I've shot the Sierras. I didn't like them as they kinda made a mess of the deer I was killing with them. In my opinion, the Sierra bullet is a little on the explosive side for animals you intend to put on the table. I have not shot any of the Speer 85gr at all. My "go to" bullet for our Texas deer using a 1972 243 Remington ADL is the Speer 90 Spitzer. While the claim is out there, I know, but in all of the deer that I've shot with this Speer bullet, none, zero, have ever taken a step. They drop right where they were hit. I'm loading just below max using IMR4320, FWIW. The rifle shoots 3/4" groups with this bullet/powder combo. At one time, I was filling tags for 6 people here. The place we were hunting was 19,000 acres and the rancher considered deer a menace to the grass his goats needed. Worked out great for the family as we filled freezers every year. Might take a look at the Speer 90 Spitzer. I swear by them for deer size animals.

I've got several 243's.

I've used a lot of different bullets trying to find the one that wouldn't bloodshot our Mule Deer & Antelope. Speer "Hot Core" Bullets are pretty good and I tried Nosler Partitions but I finally settled on the 100 gr. Hornady Interlock as the bullet that mushrooms and holds together the best without ruining meat as much as others do. If Hornady comes out with a 100 gr. ELD-X bullet, I will be first in line to try it.

Trapper, I killed one buck with a 90gr Speer back in '78 and that was the only one, I don't know why I didn't use the bullet more. Another good bullet in those days was the 87sptz Hornady, a lot of people liked that bullet. I have mostly used the Hornady 100gr Interlocks and Sierra 100gr bullets.

Tough 6mm bullets

I have not had very good luck with Speer bullets to much of a weight variance when i have checked them.For whitetail 90gr Nosler Accubond work best in my 6mms except my 243 Catbird it likes 100gr partitions or Hornady 100gr SP.All good tough bullets for deer.YMMV