.243 Win. Load 105amax - Expereinced Suggestions Needed??

[Rmitch223]

I just recently got into reloading about 6 months ago. During that time all I have loaded for is my .243 Win.

Over that time I have put together a fairly accurate load.
105amax
40gn of IMR-4350
Federal 210M
Seated at 2.800" OAL .020 off the lands.
Lapua Brass

I'm looking to get away from IMR-4350 because of its temperature sensitivity.

What powder(s) would be best for this load?
H4350?
H4831sc?
H1000? with a magnum primer?
Retumbo? with a magnum primer?

Another powder not listed?

Or stay with the IMR-4350 because my load wont have any pressure spikes come summertime(90 degree plus temps here in Oklahoma)? I understand that IMR-4350 is temperature sensitive, but since I worked up this load in the winter months would I have a pressure issue in higher temps or is it not that temp sensitive?

Here is my latest target with my current load, the two impacts in the upper right were sighters. I had just put on a Vortex Viper PST. The impacts in the center is a five shot group at 100 yards.

The Rifle - Rem. 700 SPS Varmint - 26" 9.125 twist barrel.

Any opinions would be appreciated.

Thanks,

Ryan

 

[jasent]

I dont have experience with that bullet or powder, I shoot 95g noslers with imr 7828 or 4064. seams every powder I've tried so far has temperature issues. My suggestion is watch it for pressure signs as temperatures rise. That's a nice group by the way.
I just got a vortex viper on my 300wm, loving it.

 

[Damascus]

I've developed three different .243 Win loads for three customers of mine. One has a 26" barrel, another a 22", and last a 20". All of these loads were developed with the 105 A-Max, except customer 3, where I loaded for the 107 Matchking - which should be very similar.

The 26" Rem 700 SPS Varmint that I loaded for customer 1 shot best with:

105gr. A-Max
Federal brass,
Federal Gold Medal Match Large Rifle primer,
44.2gr. RL-22
3020 fps
C.O.L. 2.288"

22" bbl #2
R-P brass,
CCI LR primer,
44.1gr. N160
2905 fps
C.O.L. 2.85"

and last, 20" w/ 107 SMK
Fed brass
Fed GMM LR primers,
36.1gr. AA-2495
not chrono'ed yet.
C.O.L. 2.81"
I wouldn't use magnum primers unless I were using heavy loads of Win 760, Win 780, H-380, or another ball powder... just my opinion.

Work up something trying RL19, RL22, or 4831 SC. I think 4064 will be too fast for your 26" bbl, but again, just a prediction, rifles can like weird things sometimes... Like a .30-06 I used to have that shot it's best groups using heavy bullets (180+) with RL-15... I never would've expected that!
I haven't tried H-1000, but hear great things about it.

If you are happy with the performance of IMR-4350, try H-4350 - from my experience with these, H-4350 is usually a tad bit slower burning, and seems to be less temp sensitive. A good friend of mine who hunts with a .243 almost all the time, swears by Win 780, however I've never tried it.

EDIT: I recently picked up a couple pounds of IMR 4007 SSC, which has a burn rate between 4320 and 4350, and I am getting stellar groups with it from a .300 WSM 22" and a 7mm-08 20" - and I'm predicting it will work excellent in .243 as well! Since powder is so hard to get right now, 4007 SSC is known so little, it'll probably be easy to find!

 

[Freebore]

I use VV-165 with the A-max in my .234-AI 1-9 with Br-2 primers Lapua brass.

My Sako (early) .243 Winnie I shoot the 95 bal-tip over AA-3100. I went to that because of better velocity accuracy. This is my Tx whitetail rifle. However, 3100 is in the realm of H-4831 which is much better for temp consideration. My experience is to just back off the load for temps above 85.

Ya gotta give 'em what they like.

 

[Beelzebub]

The picture below was shot from my 700 VLS 26" 243. The gun has never been taken apart, except for taking the bolt out. So I call it an out of the box rifle.

I've had it about 4 years and have shot it bout 100 times with Speer 85 BTSP, Sierra 100 BTSP and the Hornady 105 AMAX's

This particular group was with the 105 using 45.5 grains of 7828. OAL was standard book 2.795". RP cases trimmed to 2.040" and Winchester LRP's. Nothing special bout the gun or laods. Rounds were extrapulated to ab out 2900 fps. Shot on the left was first shot and the group of three on the right is my corrected shots. 45.5 grains of 7828 is a little over most books, but I think I found this load in www.thereloadersnext.com there is a lot of great info on any gun you can dream up.

Good luck. Shoot straight or shoot often!