.243 Winchester reloading

[kerreckt]

I just got a Savage model 11 in .243 Winchester. I am not new to reloading but am new to this caliber. I am looking for any advice, experience, do's, don'ts, or opinions anyone cares to share with me about reloading for this rifle/caliber. Many thanks and best wishes...

 

[stubbicatt]

Welcome to perhaps the most versatile cartridge out there.

Unless you are shooting really light bullets, most people like the slower burning powders. I have had really good luck with IMR 4350. I like the 87 grain Hornady hollow point, it seems like a good all around bullet with good accuracy and is relatively inexpensive.

 

[243winxb]

IMR4350-42.0gr-Win or Rem brass- Sierra 85gr hpbt #1530-CCI Br2 primer- Want more accuracy-Berger 90gr hpbt match-IMR 4831 or 4350. The Berger 68gr FB works with IMR4350 near maximum. Sierra's 70gr match not as good, but OK.

 

[Rule3]

I have been interested in the 243 Win. I know it as mostly a hunting round but how is it as a target or range shooter?
Rifles are much more available down here than a 6mmBR and I was looking for something that is super accurate but not beat me up. I shoot 223 Rem and 308 in heavy barrel rifles so it seems the 243 would be in between the two?? I am not in the 6mmBR caliber of shooter.

 

[Grumulkin]

The 243 Winchester is based on the 308 Winchester just like the 7mm/08 Remington, 358 WInchester, etc. It's capable of fine accuracy. Recoil is pretty light.



Shot with a Thompson/Center Encore.



Shot with a Blaser BBF97

 

[Rule3]

Nice shooting! Even better note taking/ data recording!

 

[Arkansas Paul]

Here's a 3 shot group I shot with my wife's Ruger M77. It measured 0.347" IIRC.
The load is a very light one, 30 grains of H4895 and an 85 grain SGK BTHP bullet. There were some low pressure signs (primer backing out a little), so I upped the charge to 31 grains and used a magnum primer and the signs went away. Just as accurate too.

 

[X-Rap]

I just loaded up some 100 gr Speer SPBT with 41.5 IMR 4350, it's at the top of the chart but shoots good in my guns and works well on Muleys and in a pinch it will work on elk.
Got a sleeve of 55gr BT I need to work up a load for.

 

[oneounceload]

When I had my Ruger No1. RSI in 243, it LOVED the Sierra 85BTHP and 4350

 

[dirtykid]

Maybe those posting their experience know more about the Savage
But I would start with asking what twist-rate the barrel is....

Most of these 87-100gr pills wont shoot worth a darn out of a varmint-contour 1:12 twist rate gun

My REM-700 24" VTR barrel with a 1:10 twist , seems to prefer pills between 60-70gr
moving out of muzzle at about 3200fps
I have tried 85-95gr pills before, only to have them "wobble" their way to the 100-yrd mark,,

 

[HOWARD J]

I have a Savage Edge in 243 win
9.25 twist
I use IMR4350 or 4350
When I use Win, Rem or Fed cartridge I get a small bulge at web of cartridge.
I use Privi Partizan ammo or reloads & I do not get the bulge on the cartridge.
I like Hornady 105 gr bullets
Have fun

 

[45lcshooter]

I help a former coworker's son with his 243. He loves 39gr of IMR4895 for his 50 or 55gr(forget off hand) varmint load. Haven't started on his deer loads yet.

 

[allaroundhunter]

My coyote gun is my .243 loaded with 35.8 gr of H4895 and 75 gr Speer varmint bullets. Muzzle velocity is about 3450 fps.

 

[ShortFatHokie]

I love the .243, very accurate and fun to load for.

Here are the first five shots from my X-bolt. The one to the left was the first shot. The other four are after adjusting the scope. Shot @ 100 yards, 100 gr. Federal Power Shok ammo...

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[gamestalker]

Definitely one of the finest cartridges, and a versatile one as well. In the last 30 or so years, I've seen elk, bear, antelope, and deer taken with the .243 win., and it's also an excellent choice for long range varminting.

I've had very good result with RL22 and RL19 with this cartridge, but there are quite a few good powders for this cartridge that will get you what you want out of that chambering. I have personally stuck with RL22 myself, as it fills the case, and produces some of the most consistent accuracy and velocity of the powders I have run. IMR-4350 also does very well.

As for bullets, most .243's have a fast enough twist to work well with most of the bullets available. For deer hunting and other big game, I like 90 - 105 gr. PSP's. Not that I've seen big game get up and run away after being drilled with the 105's, but they do suffer a bit in velocity, in my opinion.

GS

 

[kerreckt]

I should have put this info in the original post. The twist of the barrel is 1/9.25". I believe this should handle heavier weight bullets pretty well but I will wait to hear from people with experience....thanks

 

[david bachelder]

I have an old Remington .243 bolt action 788 (AKA; The Remington Budget Tack Driver). It loves 100 grain Hornady SST's over 35 grains of Varget, measured 2700 fps. I bought the gun from a pawn shop a little over a year ago.

I'm not much of a shot but I can hit a golf ball at 100 yards with it. I took it hog hunting, but unfortunatly the hogs decided not to show up.

Light recoil and very accurate. The .243 is one of my favorites.

 

[mulyhuntr]

My go to mule deer load is a 100 grain sierra gameking over 39 grains of h4350. Dropped a nice 4x3 in its tracks last year with that load out of my tikka t3 lite stainless 1/10 twist.

 

[kerreckt]

Thanks for all the replies. I enjoy reading other folks experiences and advice when I am about to start something new. This has NOT been a disappointment...many thanks and keep them coming.

 

[dodge]

In my 243 and some others that I load for I use 38.0 grs IMR 4064 with a Sierra 85 gr HPBT. From several 243's I have gotten sub moa groups. One of the guys the powder charge is the same but he uses a Hornady 87 gr V-Max. When I go to a deer load I use 40 grs IMR 4350 and a Sierra 100 gr spritzer and get 1" - 1 1/2" groups.

 

[HOWARD J]

50 yards using IMR4350 with 105 gr Hornady bullet.
Winchester cartridge.
As barrel heats up--bullets climb off bullseye

 

[thegiff]

My tactical competition rifle is a 243. It has a 7.5" twist barrel, to shoot heavy bullets. My best group is .24" though if I don't pull any shots I usually get 3/8" groups. Load is 44.0gr H4831SC, Sierra 107 SMK, in Lapua brass. Above book max...

Upside is light recoil, and really good downrange performance with both drop and wind drift. The combination is hard to beat, makes for fast follow-up shots, and the ability to spot your own hits. Even better if you put a brake on it.

Downside is that the barrels usually only last about 1800 rounds. One of the guys in my club shot a much heavier load than me, and his barrel went out at 1000 rounds.

A minor downside is that spotting the hits on F class 1000 yard targets is more difficult because the holes are so small. I got a couple misses called before the spotters found my holes. Was nice to see my wind corrections at almost half that of a 308.

I just passed 1000 rounds through my current barrel last weekend, and like everyone else I know running 243's, have to chase the lands with my load to keep the velocity up, I'm loading .050 longer than when it was new. Last weekend's shooting showed I lost 60fps from my last velocity check 250 rounds ago. My club has a group buy getting started on barrels, I like the cartridge, and will stick with it for a while, so I'm going to get 2 more barrels to have on hand. Barrels to a 243 are like tires to an indy car. Disposable and short lived.

Having said all that, if I were to start over I would run a .260rem or other 6.5mm bore cartridge. Is almost the same in drop and drift, slightly higher recoil which can be fixed with a brake, and barrel life tends to run in the 3500 round range, which means much less chasing the loads.