Loads for 100 gr Speer SPBT in .243?

[papaairbear]

My son has asked me to work up a hunting load (Northwestern Blacktail; Coast Range and western Cascades) and I need to ask you folks what works best for you.

He's shooting a Remington SPS with a 24" bbl and I bought some 100 gr Speer SPBT and some Hornady brass, but I'm finding conflicting load info for this bullet. Speer shows 33gr IMR 4065 as max load where Sierra (same bullet weight and style) lists 36.2 gr as max load.

Speer is showing a COAL of 2.710 in a Ruger M77 with a 22" bbl; Sierra is showing COAL as 2.650. I'm going to seat till the rifleing marks the bullet, then deep enough to not mark the bullet. Pressures need to be under 52,000.

What do you who use this bullet weight use? Have you chronographed it? And what is the average group size?

 

[Huckelberry75]

I use the Berger 95grn VLD-H and it shoots wonderfully small groups from a re-barreled Mauser with 41.5gn of IMR 4350. Runs about 3000fps, and is also listed as the most accurate load in Nosler's current reloading manual for the 95gn Ballistic Tip.

It may not be the right load for you, but its very pleasant to shoot and accurate as needed out to 300yds.

 

[JimKirk]

Speer 100 gr BTSP data at this link...

http://data.hodgdon.com/cartridge_load.asp

Jimmy K

 

[Sin City Shootist]

My last few trips to the range with my R700 243 was about 2" @ 400y. 95gr SMK 41.0 Hybrid 100v, I believe that they chono'ed out at 3000fps. I find that the 243 is pretty non picky about powder. I think the 85gr gameking is a better round of the twist of the remmy.

 

[papaairbear]

Thanks gentlemen!

Sin City Shooter: Thanks for the info! Glad to hear it's not powder picky. I have quite a bit of IMR 4350 so I think I'll start at 40gr and work towards 42 (Sierra 4th edition, page 264). seat to his rifle, and load up the best. It'll be sub 3K and if I can get 3" groups at 200 y then I'll be satisfied....we'll see what he thinks!

2" at 400y! Good job!

Fun site for gadget guys
http://stevespages.com/page8e.htm

 

[Huckelberry75]

The 85gn and 95-100 gn are both great bullet weights, but for whatever reason the 90 gn bullets just will not group worth a hoot in my rifle.

Historically, it seems, the 90 grain bullets have been "hit or miss" on accuracy.
(no pun intended)

 

[Sin City Shootist]

2" at 400y! Good job!

I'll probably never do it again. It's all the rifle, not the shooter.

 

[Funshooter45]

I have had my best loads so far when using Hunter powder with 100 gr bullets. Somewhere around 42 gr as I recall, but I'm not at my bench and reloading log right now. I had good results with W-780 Supreme as well. They are pretty close to the same burn rate, so that's not surprising. The 95 gr Hornady SSTs also gave good accuracy with those 2 powders as well. It took more effort but I was finally able to get decent accuracy with the 75 gr Sierra HP using the Hunter powder. The next project is to find a good combo with the87 gr bullets.

Both the Hunter and 780 powders are really close to 4350 in burn rate, so I'm sure that would work pretty well also.

 

[41 Mag]

Like a few others I have found better accuracy with the medium slow type powders.

Currently I have loads for 100gr bullets with H-4350, Imr-4350, AA 3100, Ramshot Hunter, and Hybrid - 100V. They all shoot well within an inch at either 100 or 200yds, from the particular rifles they were developed for.

I would look at the seating depth as what will fit and function best from the magazine and go from there. I have found that most of the loads I worked up with the above powders were found in about the last 1/3 of the range of being at the top end of the load data. I use Win cases, and Win primers on 95% of these loads, and the only other exception has been CCI-BR2's, which seem to be liked by one particular Sako.

Good luck with your loads and your son's hunting.

 

[shaggy430]

My .243 prefers 85-87 grain bullets. I can't find a 100 grain load that will shoot regardless of which powder I use.

 

[Huckelberry75]

My .243 prefers 85-87 grain bullets. I can't find a 100 grain load that will shoot regardless of which powder I use.

Not really uncommon, but there is probably one out there. just may take more digging than you want.