243 loads

[firstcoueswas80]

i got my little brother a .243 for christmas. i have brass here and dies on the way. i have 0, nada, zilch experience with the .243, i have never even shot one! i know it is a good round and am looking for load data that you all have expcerience, just general powders and bullets that you have had succes with. he will use this rifle on small game such as coues deer, javelina and coyotes, if he hunts elk it will be with the 270. i want to use lighter bullets for the lighter recoil because he is TINY!!!!! i do not even know what bullet to use! i wish they had a accubond, interbond or scirrcco for this gun! please help! thanks!

 

[bailey1474]

I've loaded alot of .243 rounds using the 55 gr Nosler BT and the 105 Amax. Neither one of these seem to fit your application, but I would try the 70 NBT or the 87 gr Vmax. The 87 gr may be a little heavier than you are wanting but that would be my bullet of choice, especially if the rifle has a 10" twist. If it kicks to bad maybe you could load it down a bit.

 

[CPorter]

Been shooting .243 for a long time. My favorite bullets are the Nosler Ballistic Tips and the Speer 70 gr TNT. Also had good results with the standard Remington CoreLokt. The ballistic tips will work for all the game you mentioned with proper shot placement for the bullet selected. The 55,70, & 80 grain ballistic tips are varmint bullets as is the Speer TNT. As such the are designed to blowup after passing through thin skin. Great for coyotes and the coues deer. Not sure about the javelina but think they will work fine since I use them on wild hogs.

Good powders for .243
IMR 3031
IMR 4831/H4831SC
IMR 4350/H4350
Varget
N160
and several more I haven't tried yet

My best loads so far for Rem 700 VLS (26" barrel 1:9,125 twist) are
55gr NBT, Rem brass, Fed210M primer, 37.2 gr IMR 3031, seat to 2.678" OAL ~3500fps

70 gr NBT, Rem brass, Fed210M primer, 45.7 gr IMR 4831, seat to 2.710 oal, ~3360 FPS




reloading info for .243
http://www.geocities.com/MotorCity/Track/9062/shooting/index.html

 

[300winnie]

Swift makes the Scirocco II in the 90 grain guise for that caliber. I would think that would be the cats meow.

Try some IMR 4350 or IMR 4831 with it and see what turns up.

http://user857371.wx7.registeredsite.com...gory_Code=SC6mm

 

[screech]

I second Bill Bailey on the 87 grain vmax. I Use My 243 alot for ground squirles. I also started using it alot for deer to. This little cartridge is awesome for what it is. The 87gr vmax ate up a few deer this year from me and frieds and family. It also has accounted for a few head shot grouse. If it has the 1 in 10 twist I know this bullet will work for deer and ground squirles. I use reloader 19 for mine and it shoots them very well. If it has the slower twists, 1 in 12 or 1 in 14 I would go with the 55gr to 70gr ballistic tip. I doubt it will have the 1 in 14 but it might have the 1 in 12. So I would try a box of 70 grain ballistc tips or the 87gr vmax.

 

[41mag]

IF you have the 1-10 twist then your good to go with most bullets from 70 - 100grs. In the many years of loading for mine as well as several others rifles, I found that for weights up to 85grs, IMR-3031 worked well. Once I got past the 85's I went generally went with the H-4350 and it shot great in most rifles.

You mentioned your brother being on the light side, I worked up this load for a friends son several years back that was awesome on deer sized game out to 200 yds. It was as follows,

41.5grs of AA-3100, CCI-200 primers, and the 95gr Nosler BT seated to 2.745" for his particular rifle.

This is a very mild recoiling load and shoots about 2800fps out of a standard 22" barrel. At the time I believe the boy weighed in about 70# drippin wet, and he shot it like there was nothing to it at all.

There are a ton of good loads out there for the 243 and it is a fairly easy round to get shooting. Good luck on your loading and good shooting. Shoot me an e-mail if you need more help.

 

[keithcandler]

We have had great success with a 100g Hornady on yotes and big Kansas deer with 42.3g of H4350 using rem brass and a win primer. Good luck!

 

[Dan B]

I use RL-19 and the 75gr V-Max (seated just off the lands) in reformed LC Match .308 Winny brass...shoots MOA to 500yds (my longest range available).

 

[300winnie]

I thought the VMax was a varmint bullet, not a deer bullet. Am I confused.

 

[Tim Behle]

I use 39 grains of Bl-c 2 and the Berger 68 grain MEF bullet. I've only used mine for coyotes. No kick, I can see the impact in my scope. But it is NOT a fur friendly round. It is a good round to learn to shoot running coyotes, as even a poor hit will stop the coyote at least long enough for a second shot.

 

[bailey1474]

[ QUOTE ]
I thought the VMax was a varmint bullet, not a deer bullet. Am I confused.

[/ QUOTE ]

They are listed as varmint bullets. The Amax and SMK are listed as match bullets as well /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/shocked.gif!!

 

[Derek M.]

[ QUOTE ]
41.5grs of AA-3100, CCI-200 primers, and the 95gr Nosler BT seated to 2.745" for his particular rifle.


[/ QUOTE ]

I found a great load but with different primers as the one above. All else the same.

Scirocco-90 grain available
Barnes TSX-85 grain available

VV165 works well in this caliber too. H4350 is my go to powder, however.

My friend killed an antelope at a modest 234 yards with his 243 I loaded for him using the 95 grain btip and a max load of VV N-165. The factory Remmington Accutip shot better than 1" also, same bullet wt.

 

[remingtonman_25_06]

The Varmint weight BT's or VMAX will still kill deer. They aren't the best tool for the job, but I have seen many mule deer, mostly small forky's, drop at 300-400 yards with 40-55g bullets out of 22-250's and .220 swifts.