55 grain Nosler in 243 Winchester.

J

Jimeswa

New member
I recently purchased the Nosler 55 grain FBHP I am using varget cause so far it hasn't let me down. I am seating to 2.510 per Nosler themselves. My question is has any one tried this combo at max loads and seen any over pressure signs? I have seen lots of talk about different powders and even some about varget. Nothing I've seen talks about pressure issues at 4000 fps. I had to research to find the seat to dept and ended up calling Nosler to get that.
 
Their max is usually conservative. It's a fast bullet in .243/6mm without seeing too many flat primers. 4000-4200 is kind of normal.

It's fun to watch the chrony get into the 4 handles, but think about backing off a bit for hunting loads. That bullet explodes just as well at 3800.
 
Ive been loading the 55gr nosler for 2 months now...no problems....I hav nt reached the Max on my grains....but do not see any pressures signs as I'm climbing...I love the bullet and have decided this is my varmint and dawg load.
 
For a simple way to help with bullet seating depth, the hornady lok&load OAL guage & modified case are hard to beat. I've had good luck with Berger 65grs being pushed with Reloader #15. For the 4000fps I would use your reloading manual starting load, & work up slowly watching for pressure signs.
 
243 Winchester...I'm about in the middle with my grains....Col is 2.035...cci primers...760 powder and seating the bullets to a total of 2.650...fps is just about 3800...what powders are you useing...you seats seem alittle deep....Rusty
 
I use 760 and CFE with them. You don't need a book to tell you what your rifles chamber & throat are; you just need calipers.
 
58 gr V max Hornaday bullet in .243, Rem 700 with 47.4 gr of W760 gives about 3700 fps ( according to Winchester on line question and answers) and the bullet completely disintegrates inside a coyote out to 175 yards.
Usually there is no exit hole. All the energy is inside the target. Most drop right there (unless bullet placement is off). Skin em out and there is shrapnel everywhere.
Group size is 1/2 inch at a hundred with day scope, about 1 inch with the night scope.
The above load is very close to Hornadays commercial v max 243 standard ammo ( NOT superformance...that is 3900 fps and accuracy is poor in my rifle).
Every rifle is different, but 58 v max is worth looking at. My tests show it blows up better than the "grenade" or nosler bullet. IMHO

BUT 55gr V Max in 223 does not have enough velocity to totally disintegrate.
 
I don't have load notes handy, But in MY rifle the "hot-weather" load runs about 3700, and the next accuracy node is just shy of 4K. In either case I have had no trouble getting the Vmax to punch clear through a coyote.
YMMV
 
That is interesting if your 58 gr v max does exit the coyote. There must be more variables here that I am not considering. Perhaps you shoot further than 150 yds or perhaps your coyotes are smaller. Anyway, at 150 yards on an average eastern coyote ( 30 to 45 lbs) it is common for the bullet to not exit. This seems to be a good thing as it puts all the energy into the target. Do you know the weight of an average Washington coyote?
 
I just posted another thread I'm new to all this form stuff sorry fellas its a savage 110 bought it for the wife and she didn't like not having a recoil pad so she gave me a reason to but another one for her with a recoil pad. I tried the 58 grain Hornady and they were making no exit hole but a 1.5 Inch entrance hole so I ain't using them no more. I was seating to the recommended depth by Nosler. I slowed the load and am at 43.5 grains Varget the load is coming together but I'm way under the 4000 fps which is where I wanted to be.
 
I just posted another thread I'm new to all this form stuff sorry fellas its a savage 110 bought it for the wife and she didn't like not having a recoil pad so she gave me a reason to but another one for her with a recoil pad. I tried the 58 grain Hornady and they were making no exit hole but a 1.5 Inch entrance hole so I ain't using them no more. I was seating to the recommended depth by Nosler. I slowed the load and am at 43.5 grains Varget the load is coming together but I'm way under the 4000 fps which is where I wanted to be.
 
I have Savaage 110 .243 I have worked up several loads for that I am very happy with. One in the Nosler 55 gr.with a avertage Veolicty of 4124. with no pressure problems. My average groups were well under 1 MOA. I think I still have the test targets in my log books as well as the data I used. I loaded several hundered and have been shoting them for Yotes and varmits since. last year i shot a little Cull buck white tale thru the eyes with one @ 100 yards. If you like I can look up the info tommrow.
 
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