I need some powder options for 243 PLEASE!!!
- Thread starter AROKHUNTER
- Start date
Webopper
New member
Originally Posted By: SmokelessObvious, not a .243win by bullet selection.
What cha shoot'n?
Oh yeaaaaa, forgot which thread I was in there for a minute.
I do shoot a .243 and will be looking to see if I can find a load with the 8208 for the Hornady 75g HP's, but I have a Rock River E-hide that should be here on Thursday that I'll be workin some loads up for.
Hoping the 8208 is a versitle as I'm hearing and that I can find good hunting loads for both.
What cha shoot'n?
Oh yeaaaaa, forgot which thread I was in there for a minute.
I do shoot a .243 and will be looking to see if I can find a load with the 8208 for the Hornady 75g HP's, but I have a Rock River E-hide that should be here on Thursday that I'll be workin some loads up for.
Hoping the 8208 is a versitle as I'm hearing and that I can find good hunting loads for both.
So far my most accurate load out of my 243 is with 70NBT's and about 48.1 of Reloader 19 using CCI BR-2 primers at 2.620". That one shoots sub 1/2" at 100 yards - consistently, but is only traveling at about 3,275 fps. (This is all with a Tikka T3 Lite, floated extra, trigger adjusted down to 2 lbs or just slightly under, and with a 20x44mm scope on top. Pretty heavy duplex cross hair, not a target gun - this was a cheap, accurate, durable 2in1 hunting outfit I had put together trying to convince myself that I'd never even have to look at 204 or a 22-250 then. But I still bought a 250 a year later - and no regrets on owning either of these fine calibers!)
I tried IMR-4064 powder early on, with Sierra 85 HBPT's and 80 SBT's. It was just OK. (Got up to like 39.8 using CCI BR-2 primers with the 80's at around 3,375 fps.)
Tried Varget with the 70NBTs first, got up to about 42.7 or .8 at 3,500 fps. But whether at softer charges, or this one which was definitely approaching MAX LOAD in my gun, Varget just wasn't consistent enough for me. Same story in another buddy's 243 with Barnes bullets. Just OK, although I still think this is a great powder... less temperature sensitive, very forgiving on the high end in terms of pressures, not real dirty,.. and Varget has been tops for me in my 22-250.
I am in the process of trying H414 now with the 80SBT (my favorite varmint bullet still in 243win - blowup is amazing!, holds tight at distance with its respectable BC, plenty heavy enough in wind, doesn't get taken off course in brush quite as fast as the poly tips,... and just looks like a good 'ol classic caliber bullet ought to look!
)) Anyway, was pleased with what I saw last time out as I got up to 45.2 with a Fed210 primer, so I'm going on up to at least 45.5 next range session. I also have some Sierra 70BK's that I've loaded up to 45.5 of H414 - these should be moving! H414 is a harder powder to work with, where I measure out my charges one at a time, but whatever works.
For heavier bullets, I'm still liking the 95NBT - again, with Reloader 19. I haven't tuned this one yet but it shot great my first day out compared to Barnes 85 TSX's which I just haven't been able to get to shoot at all out of this Tikka. Tried 80 TTSX's also, horrible results! I did just load some of the Berger 87 VLD's with 4064 and 210M's seated way looong, with 4064 powder (37 - 37.9 grains). Expecting great things with these, but you never know. I've learned not to get my hopes up too early on in the process. The gun will tell you what it likes, what bullet, what powder, how long, how hot. Guessing is rarely rewarded.
My next experiment is probably going to be with IMR-4350 powder and the 70's. All of my initial research - before even buying the 243, kind of pointed me in the IMR-4350 direction but I couldn't find it initially, and so am just now getting back around to it (next season probably at this point). Worked great for me though in a 25-06 with 90gr BlitzKings, and I've seen some scary fast loads with 70's in 243 listed using this powder so I plan to just start low, take my time, and see if something as good as my RL19 load can come together - at higher velocity. Would like to see a 70 back up at the 3500fps level, shooting as accurately as my current 70NBT/RL19 formula.
Oh and yeah, I tried working up a 75 V-MAX load too with RL15 earlier this season. Got it up to 3,450 which was super speed I thought, but wasn't a "one holer", so I'll just keep looking. I think RL15 is too close to Varget so if your gun doesn't like Varget, like my 243 really hasn't, well - I'll just continue to use this with Varget in my 250.
Picked up some 75 Speer HP's the other week also, coming back up the I-81 corridor from vacation. $10.95 for 100, had been on the shelf for quite some time! Figured for that price I couldn't go wrong.
Half the fun is just trying stuff out. So jump in, you'll love the 243 win. It can definitely put critters down with authority.
I tried IMR-4064 powder early on, with Sierra 85 HBPT's and 80 SBT's. It was just OK. (Got up to like 39.8 using CCI BR-2 primers with the 80's at around 3,375 fps.)
Tried Varget with the 70NBTs first, got up to about 42.7 or .8 at 3,500 fps. But whether at softer charges, or this one which was definitely approaching MAX LOAD in my gun, Varget just wasn't consistent enough for me. Same story in another buddy's 243 with Barnes bullets. Just OK, although I still think this is a great powder... less temperature sensitive, very forgiving on the high end in terms of pressures, not real dirty,.. and Varget has been tops for me in my 22-250.
I am in the process of trying H414 now with the 80SBT (my favorite varmint bullet still in 243win - blowup is amazing!, holds tight at distance with its respectable BC, plenty heavy enough in wind, doesn't get taken off course in brush quite as fast as the poly tips,... and just looks like a good 'ol classic caliber bullet ought to look!
)) Anyway, was pleased with what I saw last time out as I got up to 45.2 with a Fed210 primer, so I'm going on up to at least 45.5 next range session. I also have some Sierra 70BK's that I've loaded up to 45.5 of H414 - these should be moving! H414 is a harder powder to work with, where I measure out my charges one at a time, but whatever works. For heavier bullets, I'm still liking the 95NBT - again, with Reloader 19. I haven't tuned this one yet but it shot great my first day out compared to Barnes 85 TSX's which I just haven't been able to get to shoot at all out of this Tikka. Tried 80 TTSX's also, horrible results! I did just load some of the Berger 87 VLD's with 4064 and 210M's seated way looong, with 4064 powder (37 - 37.9 grains). Expecting great things with these, but you never know. I've learned not to get my hopes up too early on in the process. The gun will tell you what it likes, what bullet, what powder, how long, how hot. Guessing is rarely rewarded.
My next experiment is probably going to be with IMR-4350 powder and the 70's. All of my initial research - before even buying the 243, kind of pointed me in the IMR-4350 direction but I couldn't find it initially, and so am just now getting back around to it (next season probably at this point). Worked great for me though in a 25-06 with 90gr BlitzKings, and I've seen some scary fast loads with 70's in 243 listed using this powder so I plan to just start low, take my time, and see if something as good as my RL19 load can come together - at higher velocity. Would like to see a 70 back up at the 3500fps level, shooting as accurately as my current 70NBT/RL19 formula.
Oh and yeah, I tried working up a 75 V-MAX load too with RL15 earlier this season. Got it up to 3,450 which was super speed I thought, but wasn't a "one holer", so I'll just keep looking. I think RL15 is too close to Varget so if your gun doesn't like Varget, like my 243 really hasn't, well - I'll just continue to use this with Varget in my 250.
Picked up some 75 Speer HP's the other week also, coming back up the I-81 corridor from vacation. $10.95 for 100, had been on the shelf for quite some time! Figured for that price I couldn't go wrong.
Half the fun is just trying stuff out. So jump in, you'll love the 243 win. It can definitely put critters down with authority.
Carolina Coyote
New member
I have tried a lot of powders in my 243 and finally settled on H4350, most accurate and fastest FPS of all in my rifle.
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