55gr Nosler BT & the .243

DannoBoone · Nov 15, 2009

Just got a Savage VLP in .243 and shot 70gr Sierra MK's very well first
time out. I also have the little 55gr BT's for loading. For those who have
loaded these, how far do you seat them? No way can they be loaded
anywhere near the lands!

The Hodgdon Reloading Center lists their tests with a length of 2.650".
That only puts about 1/8" of bearing surface of the bullet into the .243
neck. That's less than half the length of the neck in my cases.
Can that work?

Antelope_Sniper · Nov 15, 2009

Start at magazine length and work in. Sometimes short bullets need to be seated shorter so they don't fall out of the case.

DannoBoone · Nov 15, 2009

Antelope_Sniper":9kt0km1z said:
Start at magazine length and work in.

In this rifle, that would leave the bullet about 1/2" ahead of
the case. Don't believe much powder would stay in the case.

Guy Miner · Nov 15, 2009

Yeah, I long-since gave up on the 55's and just stick with 75 gr bullets for most of my varmint hunting with the 6mm Rem.

Believe I do have a box of 55's left here somewhere and some 60 gr Sierras too. I'll have to shoot 'em up sometime. They shot pretty good despite the looooong jump to the rifling... Not as good as the rifle is capable of though. It shoots the heavier bullets better.

Antelope_Sniper · Nov 15, 2009

I guess you could run your brass through your full length sizer about 20 times and try to lengthen it out!

baltz526 · Nov 15, 2009

I would seat the bullet so the boat tail was to the base of neck. Giving it full grip of the neck

remingtonman_25_06 · Nov 15, 2009

If your rifle dont mind the jump, neither will you.

The 70's and 75's dont shoot anywhere near as flat as the 55's, or have the splat factor.

I just did some loads with my stevens 243 and I seated the 55g nbt and 58g vmax to 2.665"

Didn't have any problems, and I was getting 3750-4000fps with .5"-.6" groups at 100 yards.

As long as you have sufficient neck tension, I dont see a problem with the little bullets.

jmad_81 · Nov 16, 2009

+1 with Remingtonman. I shoot them out of my little .243 and they have to jump a mile, but they shoot great and the splat factor is SOOOOOO cool on yotes!