Thread: 243 load research/development

Mossberg patriot 1:10

95gr SST 44gr 2213sc @ 100 65mm 5 shot group
95gr Partition 42gr 2209 @ 100 20mm 5 shot group
95gr TMK 44gr 2213sc @ 100 25mm 5 shot group

SST OAL 2.630"
Partition OAL 2.650"
TMK OAL 2.700"

Work up your rifle may be different.

This is the data from my notes, I had tried 2209 and 2213sc with all the projectiles and these were the best groups I could get. From memory these could have been fine tuned but I was just after a hunting round for the rifle quick. I didn't have the rifle long so the load development did not progress.

lot of good options in 243 with bullets from 85-95 gr. I'm never been a been a fan of the older 100gr loads in the 243 but at short range they are deadly.
Serria Gameking 85 grain HPBT, been around forever and kills stuff
Hornady 87 gr HPBT also been around for ever.
Both of these are old school and being a bit smaller you can get good velocity.
Or the more modern Boat tail types, ELD-?, Nosler, Serria TGK, Berger etc etc
Z

Originally Posted by John Duxbury

You are making this too complicated and are obsessing over things that either are unimportant out to 300m range or are not true.

For a .243 out to 300m or so, any of those bullets will work fine. My recommendation is to just go and buy a box of 90 grain Ballistic tips, or an 90 grain ELDX and use a max charge of 2209. Use whatever shoots the best group at the fastest velocity. Or if you want cheaper, a standard Prohunter or Interlock. (I dont use SST's because they blow up too easily at any range and because they are recommended by Nathan Foster who says ignorant things about .243's.)

Forget about energy measurements as an indication of anything. They aren't. Forget about boat-tails versus flatbase bullets; out to 300m it wont matter, and you seem to be assuming that one design is measurably more accurate than the other. (The only difference I have seen in the performance between boat tails and flat base, is that I have observed that boat tails might tend to end up in more funny places after hitting an animal than a flat base, but that might be my imagination.)

Look, dont get caught up in marketing and assuming progressive means better. Just because one bullet is the latest thing, does not assure you that it will shoot well in your rifle anyway. I had one rifle that shot 90 grain ELDX's quite well. I shot deer with the .243 from far away (far away for me means 250 metres or so) in to 10 metres, and the bullet worked fine, cant complain about it. But its nothing that an old Sierra Prohunter wouldnt have done either; meanwhile, my Sako will not shoot the 90 grain ELDX, it absolutely hates them, but will shoot the 90 grain Ballistic Tip and others fine. You still have to try them and see if you rifle will handle them.

Meanwhile I am still using the ancient 85 grain Sierra HPBT at 3200 fps in the Sako. Because it still works.

Steady on old chap!
whether I'm making this too complicated or not is a very personal pov, some, like me, are detail orientated, some aren't. Nathan recommends a whole slew of projectiles, not just the SST, so don't be bringing your personal dislike to the conversation, it doesn't forward anything AND there's a whole bunch of assumptions in some of your reply I'll not speak to, it's all over there with you.

I do take your point that this load development is something where I need to trial and error, much like your rifle hating ELDX, mine despises Fiocchi 100gr, grouping all over the place so my OP was seeking others experiences to maybe give me some walls to walk between with developing my own loads and in the boattail vs flatbase, it is well documented that they are measurably easier to get consistent groupings from over boattails over a certain range, mostly it seems because flatbase projectiles are more forgiving of factors outside of the actual round

Originally Posted by inglishill

Mossberg patriot 1:10

95gr SST 44gr 2213sc @ 100 65mm 5 shot group
95gr Partition 42gr 2209 @ 100 20mm 5 shot group
95gr TMK 44gr 2213sc @ 100 25mm 5 shot group

SST OAL 2.630"
Partition OAL 2.650"
TMK OAL 2.700"

Work up your rifle may be different.

This is the data from my notes, I had tried 2209 and 2213sc with all the projectiles and these were the best groups I could get. From memory these could have been fine tuned but I was just after a hunting round for the rifle quick. I didn't have the rifle long so the load development did not progress.

That's some good data, cheers, out of interest, because I just can't give it up, what shape base on those and why did you use the 2213sc for SST/TMK as that's a slower burning powder than the 2209?

Originally Posted by ZQLewis

lot of good options in 243 with bullets from 85-95 gr. I'm never been a been a fan of the older 100gr loads in the 243 but at short range they are deadly.
Serria Gameking 85 grain HPBT, been around forever and kills stuff
Hornady 87 gr HPBT also been around for ever.
Both of these are old school and being a bit smaller you can get good velocity.
Or the more modern Boat tail types, ELD-?, Nosler, Serria TGK, Berger etc etc
Z

There's a few to choose from that's for sure, my experience of 100gr with this rifle is that it doesn't like them, even zero'ing at 100m they didn't go where I was pointing, whereas 95g is definitely the sweet spot, although I've not tried lighter......hmmm, food for thought

Originally Posted by Zedrex

Steady on old chap!
whether I'm making this too complicated or not is a very personal pov, some, like me, are detail orientated, some aren't. Nathan recommends a whole slew of projectiles, not just the SST, so don't be bringing your personal dislike to the conversation, it doesn't forward anything AND there's a whole bunch of assumptions in some of your reply I'll not speak to, it's all over there with you.

I do take your point that this load development is something where I need to trial and error, much like your rifle hating ELDX, mine despises Fiocchi 100gr, grouping all over the place so my OP was seeking others experiences to maybe give me some walls to walk between with developing my own loads and in the boattail vs flatbase, it is well documented that they are measurably easier to get consistent groupings from over boattails over a certain range, mostly it seems because flatbase projectiles are more forgiving of factors outside of the actual round

When I throw a dog a bone, I don't want to know what it taste like.

Originally Posted by Zedrex

That's some good data, cheers, out of interest, because I just can't give it up, what shape base on those and why did you use the 2213sc for SST/TMK as that's a slower burning powder than the 2209?

Slower burning powder is better for heaver for calibre projectiles. They are all boat tails.

When I say better, less pressure for more velocity. I openly admit that I did not chronograph these loads so can not verify this for you

Originally Posted by John Duxbury

When I throw a dog a bone, I don't want to know what it taste like.

That is a very curious series of words you have strung together there

Originally Posted by inglishill

That is a very curious series of words you have strung together there

It means, for a chap who asked for advice, and who really doesn't know what he's talking about, he's an ungrateful little fucker. I mean that in a kind way. I mean that in a helpful way.

Originally Posted by John Duxbury

When I throw a dog a bone, I don't want to know what it taste like.

Probably as you've chewed all the substance off it, you already know

Originally Posted by John Duxbury

It means, for a chap who asked for advice, and who really doesn't know what he's talking about, he's an ungrateful little fucker. I mean that in a kind way. I mean that in a helpful way.

If you want unquestioning adoration, may I suggest a puppy

Originally Posted by Zedrex

If you want unquestioning adoration, may I suggest a puppy

If you're a rank beginner and want help from other people, I suggest not being an annoying cunt.

Go on, tell us some more about what energy means, and how boat tails are compared to flat base, what difference your 1:10 twist rate makes and other things you've discovered; in as much detail as you can.

Originally Posted by John Duxbury

It means, for a chap who asked for advice, and who really doesn't know what he's talking about, he's an ungrateful little fucker. I mean that in a kind way. I mean that in a helpful way.

There we go, bet that felt a lot better

Originally Posted by inglishill

There we go, bet that felt a lot better

You know, I do feel better.

Originally Posted by John Duxbury

If you're a rank beginner and want help from other people, I suggest not being an annoying cunt.

Go on, tell us some more about what energy means, and how boat tails are compared to flat base, what difference your 1:10 twist rate makes and other things you've discovered; in as much detail as you can.

At no point have I claimed ANY experience, I've asked questions about advice that's been given, as I said if you want unquestioning adoration, get a puppy.
Or if you can't handle your information being questioned, in order to seek clarity, look to yourself and your insecurities, because sure as eggs is eggs, your attitude reeks of small dick syndrome

Also, the only CUNT in this whole thread is you, no one else has got their knickers in a knot, stumpy!