.243 Win Powder?

HeathSexton

Handloader
May 12, 2006
1,208
37
Guys, I am going to get to work on my .243 Win Savage 110 22" barrel. I am wanting to shoot something between 75-95grs, I haven't made my mind up on what bullet. I like the NBT's, but I will not be deer hunting with this gun. This is a coyote, ground hawg, long range milk jug gun. I really like the looks of the 87gr V-Max bullet. I love H414 in my 260 and the 243 is awesome with 55gr bullets and H414. Would H414 be a good powder to go with, or should I go to IMR4350, H4350, or something else?


Thanks for the help
 
Heath,

I had real good luck with IMR4895 and 70 gr bullets, IMR4350 and 95/100 gr bullets in the 243 Win.

JD338
 
I haven't shot them yet, but I have some 85gr XLC's over H414 that are supposed to be smoking fast - around 3300-3400 - which I hope to make my dual purpose deer/yote medication. Anyway, a friend who hunts a lot of yotes with his 243 suggested I take a look at the H414, and if it works out like he indicates it has in a couple of his rifles, my only problem will be powder fouling in my Browning BAR and the more frequent cleanings. Oh, well, I'll have to endure that if they shoot good.
 
414 or any of the 4350's should do well in that range of bullets in the 243 Winchester :) Also IMR 4007ssc would be worthy of a try
 
I myself wasn't that keen on 4350 powder in my .243, what I found for a good coyote load was as mentioned preveious 37.5 grain Varget, 80 Nosler bal tip, Nosler brass and WLR primer will shoot less than 1" at 200 yards 3100 FPS and does great on coyotes. The other load I really liked for accuracy is a 90 grain bal tip with H-4831SC, 43.5 grains 2940 FPS with a 26" barrel. It put 5 shots into 1 ragged hole at 100 yards. I will use this load for my son to shoot antelope and deer with and stick with the 80's for my coyotes.
 
h414 magnum primers and 85gr sierra hpbt is what i'm loading. best i have found for my model 70 PF 243
 
42.5 grains IMR 4350 with the sierra bthp gameking is the most accurate combination I have found in my a-bolt 243.
 
I use IMR 4064 with 70 grain Nosler BTs and IMR 4350 with 100 grain partitions.
 
Well, no 4350 at Bass Pro, so I bought some more H414 to try, I have some 4831 to work with if I go heavy. I think I am going to try the 85gr HPBT from sierra first.



Thanks for the help guys.
 
If they don't work, try the 87 V-max, if they shoot good, they will be far more devestating on the groundhogs. I went with the game kings because they are most accurate and shouldn't be horrible on coyote pelts (fingers crossed).
 
Been playing with the .243 and 414, so far 43.8grs H414, CCI 250, 85gr BTSP, WW Brass has been the best performer. My range is short, 60yds, I have 3 3 shot groups, largest is .518, smallest is .390, it will put two in the same hole and one just to the outside opening up the group. I played with the seating depth, .010 is where it shot the best, I went down to .002 and it was terrible, 1.5" group. Should I move the bullet out to just touch the rifling? Should I take it in to .015 or .020"? I was really hoping that moving the depth closer to the rifling would tighten it up, but man was I wrong.


Thanks
 
+ 1 to what JD338 said with the exception I use H4350 with great success in my 243, 6AI & 257's.

But each gun, bullet combo is different.

Regardiing the above post, I suggest go back to .010 shy, and verify/repeat it at a 100 yd or greater range and see what ya got. If I read it correctly your at 60 yds. Honestly, thats not telling you much other than it shoots great at 60yds (most do/should shoot bugholes at that range).

Nodak
 
I agree 60 doesn't say much, but when it's shooting bad at 60 it's easy to throw that one out, which is what I do. They should shoot bugholes at 60, which is my problem, it isn't. If they are not just wadded up it needs work.


I went and tried some IMR 4895, found one that shows some promise, but now I have a velocity problem.
3 3 shot groups

2997, 3041, 2982
2470!?, 3009, 2977
2987, 2472!?, 3054.

What would cause the 500fps drop? The sun has came over my spot and got on the chrony, would that cause it?
 
Yes, a very sunny condition can react that way on a chrony. I would discount those low fps shots as errors, unless you noted a poi difference which you should have if the loads were actually -500fps.

Good luck and hit er again...
 
No, they were right with the others, so I figured that is what it was.

My dummy round shows OAL is 3.297 on my Hornady gauge, so I set my dies to set it at 3.297 and went with the 37.5gr IMR4895 load. This gave me a .2 group, again at 60, now it's time to back up, with an ES of 19. I went up to 39grs and saw no accuracy gain and only a 64fps gain in speed, so I will see what 37.5 will do at 100 in a few days.


I did not try the 414 load pushed out to 3.297 and for the minimal gain in speed I probably won't.


Thanks guys
 
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