Thread: Best 243 load

Just put my hands on a "new" old R700 in 243, looking forward to try some of the recipes in between 43 and 44gr of 2209… So far i went up to just 42.8gr that gave me about 1" group… I also will seat a little longer for the next loads…
Using Speer 85gr BTSP.

Cheers.

Mac

It depends on the rifle any two rifles exactly the same still may not like the same ammunition
So we can not tell you what your rifle likes
Only your rifle can

Pick a projectile and powder from advice but the rest is up to you
Do a ladder test or optimal charge waight test your rifle will soon tell you what it likes

Originally Posted by Shearer

Best load for a 243?
Get a 243 improved. Commonly known as a 308.

Good choice if you get both. The 243 is all you need out to 250m and the ""243 improved"" is good for twice that distance but for the bush the 243 is a beast! SPs seems to work rather well for bush stalking distances.

Originally Posted by deer243

Good choice if you get both. The 243 is all you need out to 250m and the ""243 improved"" is good for twice that distance but for the bush the 243 is a beast! SPs seems to work rather well for bush stalking distances.

That's bullshit, they gotta be gd for at least 750m, that's what I read anyway

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I little report of "my case"!
I decide i want to go with the 85gr Speer BTSP on my Remington 700 BDM with 1-9" twist (1-9.1/4" twist to be more exactly). As per photos i start low 42 and went to high 43grains with some random results.
Component, Winchester brass, Federal 210 match primers, ADI2209 powder and projectile as above.

First things first, my 100grains Winchester factory ammo shot 1" with easy at 100yd…



My load development from 43-44grains





Sorry i didn't take photos of the lower charges but they were not good anyway…

Second go with the best charge from the start (43gr) and different seating depth. All seating depth measure from the ogive, i haven't work out the length to the "lens" yet…


Very first shot with clean barrel is high(alone) the following 2 are together (43gr @2.270")… All the following shots was with a "dirt" barrel, all the strings had at least 20 minutes wait in between with barrel and suppressor on ambient temperature…





I just preparing my brass for another round of "trying" to find the "thing"… By the way, the 43.5gr didn't work as do in many other rifles…

Mac

Mate, looks like it will certainly kill things!!

Might be worth giving the Sierra 85 a go too... I know Doubleshot waxes lyrical about them.....

Sierra 85 hpbt is the one. 43 - 45 grains 2209 from memory.

Factory barrel Remington 700.
Shoots better than this with 87g v max.
Thanks to MOA Engineering


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Originally Posted by Huk

I run 85gn txs ahead of 40gn 2206h 3000fps 16 inch barrel though like the txs kill well

+1

If you are going to try different powders another good one for the 243 would be AR 2213 sc I used its equivalent in H4831 behind 87 grn Hornady's with good effect.
But if you are going to try a lot of lighter projo's you may be better off with a faster powder.

I have been doing a lot of head scratching lately… Since my loads don't "stack" with the predictions i keep looking for an answer for my "troubles"… I know it is the "thing" about reload… So, since make the rounds longer, i mean close to the "lands", is not working i decide to go the other way, make it shorter… I measure again the "OGIVE" length of my Winchester factory rounds (that shoot quiet well) and loaded another 3 different length going "shorter" than previously till achieve the length of the factory ammo.
I haven't had time to go and shoot it yet but as soon i do i will put an update about it.

Cheers.

Mac

I have only shot goats with a .243 and found that the heavier bullets (100 and 105gr) tended to punch a 6mm hole unless they struck bone and don't mushroom too well. Maybe best for bigger deer? The 87gr ones worked better and shot more accurately in my savage.

Originally Posted by Ginga

Sierra 85 hpbt is the one. 43 - 45 grains 2209 from memory.

Read Graeme Sturgeon's book. This pill tried and proven in the battleground meat hunting in the NW Ruahines.

I shoot 2x 243's.
In a Savage 99 I used to use 75gr Hornady SP for goats. 46 gr H4350 was probably a little hot as the odd one was sticky. Very much a varmint round and left big exit holes at short range.

More recently I have moved to 2 loads.
Short range goats and pests in bush at 10-20 mtr.
Hornady Brass, CCI 200 LR primer, Hornandy 58 gr Vmax, 14 gr trail boss for 22 hornet like estimated 2400 fps.
For longer range bush and North island clearings out to 150mtr
Hornady brass, CCI 200 LR primer, Berger 87 gr VLD, 40.5 gr W760 (H414). I have tested it with up to 42.5 gr but as I don't want to eat out the barrel and don't shoot long range this soft load works very well for me.
The largest I have shot with it is large red Hinds. Mostly it's been uses on goats and fallow.
Zane

My second 243 is a 700 clone with 24" trueflit #3 barrel, 1:8 twist.
in this I have loaded the following;
Berger 87gr VLD hunting, Lapua brass CCI 200 primer & 42 gr W760 (H414). Have tested it with up to 43 gr. No velocity numbers sorry. This round has taken Fallow out to 260 mtr and Tahr at 230 mtr but I would not recomend it for Tahr. Was forced to use it due to an accuracy issue.
Berger 105 gr LDV Hunting, Lapua brass CCI 200 Primer & 46 gr of Win 780 Supreme for a crono'ed 3020 fps. Did work up to 47 gr.

Please note this is a very strong custom action and I used an over length COA with the 105.