243cal reloading need help

[lineman2002]

I have a rem vtr in 243cal and can not get it to group better than 1 1/2 group at 100yrds using Berger vlds 95s I have seated them from 2.700 out too 2.750 and have been using cci primers and IMR 4350 from 38 to 41grs is 95gr bullets the right weight? Should I go too 100gr pills? Or lighter?

 

[backwoods83]

Try seating 5 rounds .010" in the lands, 5 .010" off the lands, and 5 .040" off the lands using a 40grn charge of Imr 4350, see which 5 group the tightest and make small seating depth adjustments, then work on getting your velocity, es, and sd up to par.

 

[daniel brothers]

IMO... seat them .020 off the lands... and do a OCW test... run of at least 15 rounds... loading 3 rounds each... starting near book Max and loading down .3 grains for each group of 3 rounds... and then start shooting first from your lowest charged group... working up... watching for pressure signs... while shooting each 3 round group at one target each... while shooting in a round robin sequence.... low to high... and then starting another round again.... it's the OCW system. Don't look for your best single group... but look for the best three groups that are together... then choose the center group's charge.. and then do it all over again with that same charge, but with different seating depths.... usually the closer to max.. the better they group.

 

[lineman2002]

Let me get this right if the measurement to the lands is 2.900 I need to seat them at 2.880? I've been out school for awhile ha

 

[backwoods83]

Thats correct if you want a .020" jump. its more accurate to measure from base to ogive if you have the equipment.

 

[daniel brothers]

that is correct....

closer to the lands the better in most cases... and usually hotter the better.... BUT.... NOT in all cases.... .020 is just a starting point. BUT... you can also take the earlier advice from Backwoods and try them inside and outside the lands. BUT FIRST.... get the load close... then mess with the seating later. If your into the lands.. pressure will go up... but that can be okay unless it's too hot.

Get the powder charge right or close first...

shoot 5-8 little 3 round groups at 5-8 target spots... but load them different in at least .3 grains different... up to max... but shoot the lower ones first and work up.... and allowing at least 2 mins between each shot for barrel to cool.

Look for your best 3 groups that are side by side... and choose the charge of the middle one.

 

[Rem700]

I believe Berger recommends a their 87gr for your 1:10 twist.

 

[lineman2002]

Does anyone know the twist for sure on a 243 vtr? 1-10 or 1-9 1/8?

 

[roninflag]

I believe Berger recommends a their 87gr for your 1:10 twist.

the remingtons have a 9 1/8 twist. i was never able to get good groups with the berger 95 out of my buddies' vls. try 87 or 88 bergers , 85 sierra, 87 hornady.

 

[Shootin4fun]

Try seating 5 rounds .010" in the lands, 5 .010" off the lands, and 5 .040" off the lands using a 40grn charge of Imr 4350, see which 5 group the tightest and make small seating depth adjustments, then work on getting your velocity, es, and sd up to par.

I have seen this before and don't understand what it means: "in the lands"

In my conception of distance of bullet to lands you are either touching the lands, in which case the bullet can't be moved any further forward, or you are "off the lands", meaning the distance from the lands to the the part of the bullet ogive that would touch the lands if you pushed it forward til it stops.

I use a Hornady OAL guage to determine the OAL required to touch the lands for a given bullet. Once I have the "touching length", I back it off as much as I want until I find an optimum length for accuracy.

Am I missing something here?

 

[lineman2002]

Ya I'm new to all this in the lands back off the lands .10 etc talk the way I measure is take a shot case before resizing and put a slight dent in the neck and color the bullet black and put it in the neck of the case and chamber the round and then measure the over all length but I've yet to back off the "lands" and load one and shoot it but if I want to shoot thes bergers I guess I'm gonna have try it

 

[BMF]

If your gun is a 1 in 9 1/8 twist then the 95s are on the edge of performance, some will some won't. But if you want to shoot bergers the 87s are about perfect. I have a savage with a 1 in 9 1/4 twist ( I think) that wouldn't shoot the 95s at all. I bought some 87s, and wow, big difference. They shoot good at a wide range of charges.

But like roninflag said a lot of the 80ish grain bullets should perform better than the 95s in that twist. When you find a bullet and charge that shoots respectable, THEN try experimenting with different seating depths. On that note an O.A.L. Gauge is a valuable tool for measuring seating depth and not too pricey. The hornady loc-n-load gauge is about 30.00 with the basic comparator set ( good for a bunch of different calibers) is around 25.00. Well worth the money if your reloading.

" In the lands"---meaning you push the bullet into the rifling (lands) when you close your bolt. Without a O.A.L gauge it's really hard to cut even .020(twenty thousandths) so I would stay on or better yet,just short of the lands for safety purposes.

 

[chucknbach]

I use the 87. My daughters gun shoots the 105 Amax very well with a 1 : 9 twist.

 

[chucknbach]

Make 2 vertical slots in the neck of an empty brass, put the bullet in. Then chamber it, carefully eject it, measure it, that's the length you need to get it to the lands, adjust from there.