243. Win first time loading

[matt_3479]

Hey everyone. I am still new to reloading and have only done it for 300. Winny. Tomorrow I'm going start load development for my 243. Win as well. I'm going try berger 105 grains and new some help with data.

Everyone seems to like h-4350 for powder but was curious if there was anything else that is recommend. I have RL-22 as well I was going give a whirl. Any help or suggestions on the 105 load data would be greatly appreciated

 

[backwoods83]

For starters if you do not have a 1:8-8.5" twist 24" barrel don't even bother with the 105 Bergers, if its a remington barrel with a 9.125" twist the only 105 you may stabilize is the amax. Personally H4831 is the fastest powder I would use, I like a stout charge of H1000 with a CCI250 or a stouter charge of Retumbo with a 215M and the bullet jammed. RL22 is ok as it is right there with H4831 but RL22 is horrible temperature swings and is inconsistant as hell from lot to lot.

 

[243Lapua]

make sure you know your twist on the barrel. 105 grain bullets will perform best on a 1-8 twist. And I use 40.5 gr. of H4831SC powder.

 

[roninflag]

Matt- what rifle/scope?? lapua brass, 210m and any number of powders ; I4064, varget, h-4350, h-1000.

 

[matt_3479]

I have a remington 700 chambered in 243. Win. Started barrel and rifling of 1:9 1/4 so I don't think I'll stabilize the 105's. I have seen the odd guy been able too and was hoping for it! I might give them a tr still. I aslso have the 87 gr vmax I'm excited to try. Matching the bc of the 90 Bergers yet a 1/3 of the price

I am waiting for more powder and primers to come into my shop, but right now I have RL-17 and 22 to try using. 87 grain vmax, waiting on some fed primers so stuck with Winchester primers.

Load suggestions for the 87 would be great! Or any loads using these powders

 

[westcliffe01]

My Savage was a 26" 1:9.25 and while the 95gr Bergers did go through the target point first, not sideways, the group sizes sucked. 105's at my altitude (1000ft asl) would of course be totally out the question.

I got a 26" Shilen 1:8 with an Ackley Improved chamber and I have been shooting 95 and 105's and it works great. I use H100V from Hodgdon since I had so much trouble getting the recommended powders and so far that too has been working out great. It shoots 0.5 MOA for me with the 95's. I do not have enough brass fireformed yet for 105 loads so have only done initial load development. I will say that the 105's are much fussier regarding the "jump" dimension than the 95's.

I also have superformance powder but have not tried it yet. Its burn rate is slower than H100V if I recall.

 

[backwoods83]

With the 87grn vmax, go 2.725" and start with 42grns of rl17 or H4350 with the WLR primers. Rl17 will give you the speed, likely over 3400 but H4350 will likely be more accurate and consistant and only about 50-70fps slower. This is with a 26" barrel of course. The remington 9 1/8 twist will nomally stabilize the 105 amaxs if you can find them, and they are a very good choice as well.

 

[matt_3479]

Finished off making some rounds to test! made just a couple to test. I loaded up 3 at 42grs of RL-17, 3 of 43gr's of RL-17 and 3 of 44gs of RL-17. Did not get a chance to Chrono any of them as i don't have a Chrono.

42gr's of powder was only okay. Measured from outside to outside and it looked to me just around .7-.8". 43 grs of powder was awesome! sitting at .386" and the 44 i pulled one but was looking promising and was round .5!

Id love to chrony them and step back to 300 and test again!

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[backwoods83]

Matt measure your group outside to outside and subtract the caliber of your rifle, so it looks to be about .150" and probably about 3300fps.

 

[matt_3479]

Matt measure your group outside to outside and subtract the caliber of your rifle, so it looks to be about .150" and probably about 3300fps.

I have never heard about doing it that way! makes it sound better then .386" .

This is the 87gr vmax not the 105's by the way. and my first attempt at the 243. win so im very pleased.

87gr vmax behind 43gr's of RL-17 and my guess was about 3300FPS as well. COL= 2.735

 

[backwoods83]

Matt that is THE correct way to measure, outside to outside at the largest point minus the caliber of the bullet, gives you the true center to center. IBS, NBRSA, and several other types of benchrest use this method for scoring group size. Btw I figured it was the 87s since you are still typing after going up to what 45grns.

 

[matt_3479]

Oh I see most people measuring from outside to outside and that's it. That's why I got the measurement I did.
I don't think I'll go up anymore unless velocity is slow for some apparent reason and there is no pressure. But I'll probably work up and down by .1 grs seeing if I can shrink it at all!

 

[matt_3479]

How about the 95gr vld's? Have they been working in standard remington barrels. I'm happy with what's showing now, hoping il test at 300 yards but wouldn't mind better bc

 

[roninflag]

Matt- i loaded 95's for a buddy in a VLS. we never got anything good groups . went through a whole box. Don't know what...... tried different powders .... primers ect.