243 Winchester Reloading

I have actually shot out 2 different 243s, the first one with over 10,000 rounds through it. Anyway it's tough to go wrong with any bullet between 80-90 gns and IMR 4350 with a CCI 200. I have 5 X 243s right now and the very first loads I try when working up for a new one will be as I said. I have a lot of bulk Winchester 80 gn PSP which are a pretty good bullet and I have shot thousands of 90 gn Speer spitzer flat base, they seem to shoot in everything I try them in.
 
ydg said:
Yep the factory 100 grain soft point grouped around 2" 7 shot, I did not really wait to let the barrel cool either between shots. That's why it surprises me that the extra 5 grains would prevent the bullet from stabilizing that much, but it would seem so. I also suspected at first that there was something off with my scope mounting, so I brought it to someone who found that my front was a little loose so it was contributing to my initial 5" 5 shot group when i first put factory rounds through it.
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Its not so much the extra weight that's the problem, so much as the extra length. Most 105gr 243 pills are striving for high bcs, which means longer bullets that need more spin to stabilize.

If you plan to hunt big game with this gun, get some basic 100gr soft points like Hornady interlocks and try those. If you're just looking for an accurate load for playing at the range then going with a lighter bullet could work too.

For hunting purposes, I am a fan of more weight when available (assuming you can still achieve desired velocity) so I'd go 100gr over 80 or 90gr. The sectional density on a 80gr 243 pill is only 0.194, which is lower than a 130gr 308cal (0.196) whereas the 100gr 243pill has a SD of 0.242, almost what a 165gr 308cal has (0.248)
 
I use Nosler Accubond 90 gr over IMR4831 for deer loads, super accurate.
For varmint/coyote loads, I've had success with 75 gr V-Max over IMR4064, though not as accurate as I'd like.
I'm working on a load with 80 gr Nosler Ballistic Tip Varmint bullets currently. They have identical BC to the Hornady 75 gr V-Max, and work well over H414. 3080 fps out of a Tikka with 1-10 twist barrel gave the best accuracy. The acid test will be what they're like at longer ranges. That rifle seems to be happiest between 3000 and 3150 fps.
It seems to like 70 gr SMKs as well, I've tried both IMR4831 and H414 under them with good results.
Have a look at Berger's website. They have a stability/twist rate calculator that takes some of the guesswork out of what will work and what won't in your rifle.
Most bullet makers have a note in their data that specifies faster than 1 in 10 twist to stabilize their 105-107 gr match bullets.
 
Chilly807 said:
I use Nosler Accubond 90 gr over IMR4831 for deer loads, super accurate.
For varmint/coyote loads, I've had success with 75 gr V-Max over IMR4064, though not as accurate as I'd like.
I'm working on a load with 80 gr Nosler Ballistic Tip Varmint bullets currently. They have identical BC to the Hornady 75 gr V-Max, and work well over H414. 3080 fps out of a Tikka with 1-10 twist barrel gave the best accuracy. The acid test will be what they're like at longer ranges. That rifle seems to be happiest between 3000 and 3150 fps.
It seems to like 70 gr SMKs as well, I've tried both IMR4831 and H414 under them with good results.
Have a look at Berger's website. They have a stability/twist rate calculator that takes some of the guesswork out of what will work and what won't in your rifle.
Most bullet makers have a note in their data that specifies faster than 1 in 10 twist to stabilize their 105-107 gr match bullets.
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3080fps is pretty low for 75/80gr pills isn't it? That's book minimum or lower with most powders...
 
87 gr. V-max, mid to high 40’s with H4350, CCI BR2’s for primers.

Has worked in 2 different .243’s I’ve owned.
Tiny groups.

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Suther said:
3080fps is pretty low for 75/80gr pills isn't it? That's book minimum or lower with most powders...
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Yep, loafing along really. That rifle seems to prefer the lower end of the velocity scale. That's fine with me, a ballistics calculator takes the guesswork out of hold over.
I'm loading them over 42 grains of H414. Nosler specs call for 3200 fps at that loading with a 24" bbl. I'm not getting that out of the shorter-barreled Tikka, however. I can drive them faster but they're not as accurate.
I'm confident in the chronograph results. I fed the numbers into a calculator and longer-range results were spot-on.
The only manual I've used that's given me the listed speed results was the Sierra 5th edition. The 70 gr SMKs were very close to book listings for velocity, slightly higher in some cases.
 
hi I got a h&r single shot rifle in 243 1:10 twist 22 in bull barrel and I shoot 105g nosler rdf whit 37g of w760 powder 2650fps and make 1-2 in grouping at 340 yard is it the bullet or the powder try it and have fun
 
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