243???

Otokiak

Otokiak

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Whats' out there for reloading 243 ... as in what grain bullets are available? Thanks for any help/tips/info ... cheers CGNer's,

Otokiak
Rankin Inlet, NU
CANADA
 
Bullets heavier than 100 grs require a fast twist barrel, but from 55-100 grs 1:10 works well. I suggest you stay clear of varmint bullets if you're after a seal/caribou load. Conventional bullets of 85-100 grs can be had from Hornady, Speer, or Sierra and Winchester or Remington bulk bullets are available too. Barnes 80 gr TTSX and the 85 gr TSX are probably the best 6mm big game bullets commonly available. The .243 seems to prefer slow powders, particularly with heavier bullets, although I've found that 4350 burning rates work pretty well across the board.
 
I use the 55gr ballistic tips at 4000fps, for blowing up small things, and the sierra 85gr HPBT GK's for bigger things.
 
I have taken countless deer with a .243. 100gr Speer & 95gr Nosler Ballistic tips.

I don't bother with 'varmit' loads........ A 95gr BT @ 3100fps works on everything from porcupines to deer......

Also look at a 6mm Remington, same bullets 100 to 200 fps faster.

Cheers!
 
Well, Hornady makes 18 different 6mm bullets. Sierra makes 13. Speer makes 9. Not all are different weights though. As mentioned, there are match bullets, varmint bullets and deer sized game bullets. Match and varmint bullets are not made for deer sized game. Varmint bullets are usually under 85 grains. Deer, 85 and up. There are FMJ's made for hide hunting. Not the same thing as a military FMJ.
The rifling twist matters. Most commercial hunting rifles are rifled for deer bullets. Even heavy barreled varmint rifles.
 
WOW thanks alot for the replies folks. I'm building a shorty M14 in a 243 barrel ... will have to check out the twist?!?! Shall start some reading via google with your guys help with the above info you posted. Thanks again,

Otokiak
Rankin Inlet, NU
CANADA

There are FMJ's made for hide hunting. Not the same thing as a military FMJ.
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I know it's early but I'm not understanding this one? HAHA :D
 
100 grain Nosler Partition or a 100 grain Speer Grand Slam over a stiff dose of IMR 7828 or H1000 and you are good to go for most hunting needs.
 
Otokiak said:
What about FMJ in 243 ... what grain would they be?

I once loaded a 90 gr solid(fmj), thinking it would be good for coyotes...Nope..I had to learn to slow em down, because at high speed, they still ruined hides..
However, like someone else mentioned..55gr Nosler BT's at 4000 are unreal. Super accurrate, and deadly. AND, not much sewing..
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Boomer said:
Bullets heavier than 100 grs require a fast twist barrel, but from 55-100 grs 1:10 works well. I suggest you stay clear of varmint bullets if you're after a seal/caribou load. Conventional bullets of 85-100 grs can be had from Hornady, Speer, or Sierra and Winchester or Remington bulk bullets are available too. Barnes 80 gr TTSX and the 85 gr TSX are probably the best 6mm big game bullets commonly available. The .243 seems to prefer slow powders, particularly with heavier bullets, although I've found that 4350 burning rates work pretty well across the board.
Click to expand...

1:9 twist

Not 1:10
 
58 - 100gr for regular bullets and 95 - 115gr for VLD

The answer: 58 - 100gr for regular bullets and 95 - 115gr for VLD.
If you plan to use your rifle with long range target bullet, you need a least a 1-9" twist to work with 95gr VLD, 1-8" for 105 VLD and 1-7" for 115 VLD.
(Hornady 105gr A-Max work 1-9" but you might have problems in winter if you shot at sea level. That's my case, works in summer but not that well in middle of winter).

Powder wise, I've tried Varget for light and medium weight bullets, and H4831 for heavy VLDs with success. I also tried Retumbo to get maximum performance and only got massive muzzle blast!

Alex
 
kevguy said:
1:9 twist

Not 1:10
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Remington is the only manufacturer to standardize the 1:9 twist .243 barrel, everyone else who chambers the cartridge in an off the shelf rifle uses 1:10. My 1:10 won't stabilize the 107 MK but does stabilize the 95 gr Lapua, when I rebarrel this rifle I'll probably go 1:7 and give those 115s a try.
 
Otokiak said:
What about FMJ in 243 ... what grain would they be?

Otokiak
Rankin Inlet, NU
CANADA
Click to expand...

From the Barnes wesite . . .
Dia. Weight Description S.D. B.C. Cat. #
.243" 75-gr Banded Spitzer BT .181 .341 24375

If you want a FMJ to ensure that your M-14 will cycle properly, this would be a good if rather expensive choice.

As a game bullet, not so much, the long nose section of the bullets means that the base is much heavier and as soon as the bullet encounters a target with greater than air density it will swap ends in short order, this tends to leave a large wound volume which I assume is opposite to what you're after.

I've used 55 gr BTs enough to know that they produce explosive performance on live targets. They loose accuracy quickly with the increase in range much over 300 yards and by 600 the group might 2 MOA or larger, taking it off the target of normal sized game that would be shot with a varmint bullet. Exit wounds, when they happen, are typically messy and large. These little pills are really wind sensitive as well. Despite the high velocity it doesn't take much wind to produce a foot of drift at 100 yards.

If you like the performance of Noslers, the heavier BTs or Partitions would be a better choice given your conditions.
 
Thanks Boomer and others for your advice and info. I would be reloading for my M14 build yes ... hence my post on 243 bullet choices. Thanks again CGNers,

Otokiak
Rankin Inlet, NU
CANADA
 
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