.243 55-75gr bullets....good powder options

btomlin

btomlin

New member
I have a recipe for my 95gr Nosler BTs that is like lightning already and I'm thinking of now working on a recipe for some 55gt BTs or 58gr vmaxs...may also go to a 70gr option. These would be my crow, random critter, coyote load.

What powder would "probably" be best to try in these lighter bullet weights?? H414 seems to cover a wide range, but unsure if it is best powder to try for these bullets.

I haven't had much time to review my manuals yet, but was just looking form some "real life" options.

also....how many of you "get lucky" and have a couple dif. loads shoot to same p.o.i?
 
the 414 works well, and so does H380 both will give you over 4000fps, at least is does in all our 243s. Been shooting the 55s for yrs and saving furs, they are a great bullet. HAPPY HUNTING
 
I stumbled on a heck of a load when I first started loading for my 243. When I originally got the gun, I bought a box of factory 58 gr Hornady ammo to sight in and it shot superbly, so I decided to try to handload the 58's. I was told to try IMR3031, about 40 gr, but to start low and work up. I use Win or Lapua brass and CCI BR4 primers.

The interesting thing with most 243's is that most are throated long to handle 100 gr bullets, so the short 58's won't be anywhere close to the rifling when seated deep enough in the case. Good thing that the Vmax's like a good bit of jump, at least for me they do. I decided since factory ammo shot so good, I'd seat my handloads to the same OAL. I forget what that measurement is, but I know I have .050" jump, or more, to the lands.

This load shoots about 3500-3600 fps and has shot sub 1" groups at 200 yards for me, and for two other 243's I've tried it in. It is not a barrel burner and is great for groundhogs and coyotes out to about 350, but past that the wind really pushes it around. I use 87 VMax over IMR4064 for long range work.
 
Funny, I was doing some R&D this afternoon with those same bullets! So far my best groups have been with H4895 and the 55 NBT's. The NBT's shot better than the 58 V Max's. I've tried Varget and IMR 4064 with the 70 NBT's, but was less than impressed with the groups My rifle is a M700 ADL that I put in a Bansner stock with pillars and epoxy bedding, trigger at 22 oz, and it has been recrowned. If I get sub MOA five shot groups out of this rifle I consider myself fortunate! The 55 NBT's shot right at 3/4" in this afternoon's breeze and fading light. Charge was a max load of H4895. I've also shot some 8208 xbr and the groups were pretty good, but not as fast as the H4895.
GOOD LUCK!
F1
 
I run 6064 with 75 grain hornady's and get 3425 fps with 42.6 grains.
They shoot about 3/4 moa with some groups under 1/2.
I haven't been able to get 55's to shoot well enough to load them up. 4100 fps
turns the scope pink when you hit something though.
 
I like the 70 GR speer TNTs with IMR 4350 also if ya want to go with a little more weight the 75 sierra and Ramshot hunter is nice also
 
For the 70 grn bullets in the 243 I've had great luck with regular H-4895. At 80-85 I move on to RL-15, after that it's H-4350.
 
I load 65g v-max over I believe 38g H4895 with really good results. Just over 1/2" at 100 yards. should be pushing about 3500 fps. tried them in a friends gun and his group was 1/4 the size he was getting with his factory loads. I loaded them to factory oal with cci large rifle primers. Check Hodgdons website to be sure but I'm almost positive 38g was the starting load.
 
Thanks for the info!!!

I ended up getting some 75gr AccuTip-V's to try.

I'm gonna try to work up a load with imr4350 since I have it for the 95gr BTs that shoot a 1/2"@100 now. If I can't get it to shoot good, I will try some of your recommendations.

Anyone have a 75gr vmax and imr4350 good start load?

It appears by my bud's manuals, a start is 44 and max 46.
 
Thanks Irish.

I don't see a 75gr vmax listed.

We "pooled" data from seirra, speer, lyman, and another manual for a 75gr bullet and imr4350. They were all consistent with mins and maxs. Nosler had info for a 70gr bullet and imr4350, but they don't offer a 75gr.

I'm just getting started, but my buddy has reloaded for close to 40yrs so I'm confident we can get something worked up with the powder....if not, guess be buying different powder.

This PM site is an awesome resource btw!!!
 
If you're new to reloading you are going to chuckle to yourself every time you put those bullets so close together and save a good chunk of money doing it. I've only been reloading for a little over a year so I'm far from an expert but it doesn't take long to learn what accurate is. I see you are in Iowa, if you ever make it down to St. Joseph, mo I know where you can get reloading supplies for way cheaper then anyplace else I've found. They break the powder up into glass lined bags so it is 3 or 4 dollars cheaper per lb and the bullets I buy are at least $2.50 cheaper per box.
 
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