Got a good .243 Win load to share?

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CBS220

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I'm looking for an interesting load for the .243 Winchester. I haven't been really happy with the performance of some of the 100 grain factory PSPs at longer ranges on whitetails, and most of my reloading experience with the cartridge is for fly-weight varmint bullets like the 55gr SBK.

I'd like to try a 95 or 100 grain bullet. Preferably a polymer point style, but I'll admit (unlike many shooters :neener:) that I really just like them because they look cool.

This load will be intended for whitetail at ranges from 50 to 200 yards and will be fired from a single-shot break action rifle with a 22" barrel and a 3-9 power scope.

I'll share my fave load for the cartridge, which is a 55gr Sierra Blitzking, 45 grains BLC2, Remington brass, CCI 200 primer, loaded to 2.7" (Just barely enough to get that stubby little bullet in the case, it seems!). It's pretty accurate and comes out to about .220 Swift velocities. Very light recoil and a nice fireball to boot.
 
I am shooting Hornady 100 gr BTSP with 41.1 gr of H4831. Have been able to consistently achieve sub-moa groups out of my Ruger M77.
 
I am shooting Hornady 100 gr BTSP with 41.1 gr of H4831. Have been able to consistently achieve sub-moa groups out of my Ruger M77.
Click to expand...

Same bullet with 39 grains of 4350 is a oneraggedhole load in my BDL, and kills deer easily at 25, 40, 80, 120, 160, and 230 yards:cool:
 
I'll give both of those a try, then. I've always held Hornady's bullets in high regard.
 
Yo Badger !

Would that be a middle of the road H4350 load at 39.0 grs or a HOT IMR4350 load with that 100 gr. Horanady ??? I have a CDL I would like to try that load in.

Thanks, 10 Spot
 
"...single-shot break action rifle..." What rifling twist? The .243 prefers a fast twist with heavy bullets(85 grains and up). 1 in 9 or faster. Slower twists work better with light varmint bullets(under 85 grains). 1 in 12 or slower. Most commercial hunting rifles come with a fast twist. Even heavy 'varmint' barreled rifles.
In any case, load for the bullet weight. Whether it has a polymer point or not doesn't matter. Hornady's 95 grain SST, a Nosler 90 or 95 grain BT(if you insist on a plastic point) or their 100 grain Partition(pricey things though) will do nicely.
A Speer 105 grain SP will work too. My .243 loves 'em. They'll very nearly turn a ground hog inside out. IMR4350.
 
42g H4831SC with a 95g Nolser Balistic tip out of a Remington 700 ADL has worked well for my sons.
 
I use 38 grs. of IMR 4064 with a Sierra 85 gr HPBT and a friend uses the same load but with Hornady's 87 gr V-Max. Both loads shot very well out of their rifles.
 
.243 loads...

I'm with Sunray--my .243 likes IMR 4350, pushing a 95 grain Nosler Ballistic Tip. I use Lapua cases and CCI BR-2 primers. My chronograph says this goes 2960 fps out of my Ruger M 77 Mk II Target rifle.
 
"...single-shot break action rifle..." What rifling twist? The .243 prefers a fast twist with heavy bullets(85 grains and up). 1 in 9 or faster. Slower twists work better with light varmint bullets(under 85 grains). 1 in 12 or slower. Most commercial hunting rifles come with a fast twist. Even heavy 'varmint' barreled rifles.
In any case, load for the bullet weight. Whether it has a polymer point or not doesn't matter. Hornady's 95 grain SST, a Nosler 90 or 95 grain BT(if you insist on a plastic point) or their 100 grain Partition(pricey things though) will do nicely.
A Speer 105 grain SP will work too. My .243 loves 'em. They'll very nearly turn a ground hog inside out. IMR4350.
Click to expand...

This is a 1:9. I suppose I should have mentioned that :eek:

I've wanted to try the Speer 105 (the Hot Cor, I presume?) for a while. And I've always had good luck with NBTs...

You people are the reason I'm so broke all the time :cool:
 
My Model 70 for some reason does not like fast or medium burning powders. I get sub-moa groups with 4831 and 4350. Nosler partition 100 grain bullet has taken at least a dozen deer and none have run more than 50 feet from where they were hit.
 
Norma Brass
Federal GM Match LR Primer
Sierra Gameking 100 grain BT Spitzer #1560
42 Grains: Vihtavuori N550
OAL: 2.69"
This is a TOP load so all the usual applies.
Sublime through my Steyr Pro-hunter stainless.
300yd Sika Stag anyone?
 
rws brass
41.5g nobel rifle powder #0 (now vectan tu7000)
cci primers
hornady 2450 100gr interlock psp

excellant accurate and deadly. through my ruger 77 mk2 with an 18.5 inch barrell
 
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Way back in 1964 when I bought my new Model 70, I was developing loads using many of the medium burning powders that were recommended at the time (3031, 4895, etc.). Nothing would group under 2 1/2 inches at 100 yards. Frustration.

I had about five pounds of surplus 4831 that I bought at a local gun store that the owner scooped out of a 50 pound barrel and sold in a paper sack for 65 cents per pound. I decided to use the "junk" powder to make up some fouling loads for my next range session thinking that maybe my poor groups problem was because I was shooting from a clean barrel.

Well, the old junk powder fouling shots went into a 3/4 inch group.

Been a 4831 user for the .243 ever since. Works with all bullet weights.

Sure wish I could find some more at 65 cents a pound.:D
 
I'm currently working up a load for a 22" Rem 700. The gun was sighted in with factory ammo and when I tried IMR 4064 with 100gr Hornady Interlock bullets, all my shots were about 3" low and did not group very well. I tried IMR 4831 and it made a big difference in both consistency and velocity. I need to refine the load for my rifle, but I would imagine it will land somewhere between 41gr IMR 4831 and the maximum (42.5gr per my memory of Hodgdon's data) for the 100gr bullets.
 
100 gr jammed into the lands [2.725"] 43.5 gr H4350 no primer pocket degradation after many firings, 24" barrel, 3050 fps.

87 gr Jammed into the lands [2.57"] 45 gr H4350, no primer pocket degradation after many firings, 24" barrel, 3140 fps
 
"...Hot Cor, I presume?..." Likely. The bullet box I use for a sewing kit has long since lost the label. When I started loading .243 there wasn't much bullet selection. No match grade bullets and 100's or 105's only larger than 90. Went to a 90 grain FMJ after seeing a fox that didn't know I was there. Had visions of hide hunting. Haven't seen one since. Haven't looked very hard either though.
Those 115 grain DTAC bullets have been calling me. Mind you, so has a .243 WSSM.
 
Winchester nickel case, WLP, H4350 40.0 grains, Combined Technology (Nosler/Win) 95-gr Ballistic Silvertip.

Not a one-hole load, but easily under 1-MOA from my Ruger 77 Mk-II and a $100 scope and a stock trigger.

Plus it looks fantastic! :p
 
Put my .243 varmint rifle in the hates "fast-ish" powder column. Never got very good groups with 4064, or 3031 with very light bullets. Switch to H4350, IMR 4831, or H414 and it's like magic. Load density is good with all of them, and H414 meters like silk. If I had to choose one it would probably be H414 and magnum primers.
 
I've always used a 95 grain Nosler Ballistic Tip backed by 44.0 grains of IMR-4831 with Federal 210 primers and Winchester case. Always been deadsy on deer and accurate as can be. Chronograph readings with this load out of my 20 inch barrel M-70 was 3020fps ave.
 
Hornady SST 95 grain over 42.0 grains of IMR 4350.

My Tikka Whitetail Hunter loves this load, I get 1 inch groups at 200 yards.

This load has dropped a nice mule deer buck and two antelope with one shot each. One antelope was taken at 346 yards. None of the animals ran more than 10 feet - but with the .243 I wait for a broadside shot.
 
For several years I have been harvesting Whitetail Deer with a NEF single shot chambered in .243 Win.
Here is the load I have been using.
75 gr. V-Max bullet over 45 grains of IMR 4350 with Win. LR primers. All deer I have shot with this round have been DRT.
 
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