243 Win with H4895 (Reduced Load)

D

Dooger

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Hodgdon is showing a MAX powder charge of 39.5 with H4895 and a 70 SPR SP. 60% of that load would be 23.7 gr of powder.

I'm thinking about subbing a 70 gr Nosler Ballistic Tip bullet instead (I have a few). I'd probably start at 25+ gr of H4895. Maybe even 30 gr.

Any thoughts? Should I step up my powder charge even further?
 
I've not played with reduced loads, but have read some on them. IIRC, most will use a powder that fills the case more for a better burn. Going to little on any given powder can be a bad thing.

Hopefully somebody will chime in shortly..
I love reading the info, but if I don't put it to use , I forget..lol
 
Depends on what you want to do with the reduced load. You should be safe all the way down to the 23.7 gr. load, but 25 would be a good place to start depending on how much speed you're going to need. That would leave you some room to go up a lot or down a little to find the velocity you want with groups that shoot good.
 
25.0 h4895 should be fine
I've loaded for several cartridges using the minimum of 60% of published loads with 4895 sometimes it is fun to shoot the reduced loads
 
Originally Posted By: Tim NeitzkeI've killed a pile of stuff with 70 NBT.

Running at the fast end, they work on deer and sent p-dogs to the moon. grin...

Yeah, I've loaded them pretty fast for coyote. Haven't had a chance to shoot one with it though. Don't get too many chances up here during calling season and when I do, I usually have the 17 Rem.

I bought the 243 for my wife two years ago. In that time, we've had two kids (19 months apart). So, she hadn't gotten the practice she's wanted. She just topped it with a VX-3 3.5-10x40, so she's a ichin'! I don't want her getting too flinchy right now. Gonna shoot a 223 a bit too, but I want her to become intimately familiar with her 243 more than anything.

I hear ya on the red squirrels. Got a CZ 455 22lr for that though!!!
 
Get it dialed in and she can shoot those pesky UP red squirrels !

Rem 700 , 243win, Leupold 3.5-10... hard not to love that !

Grat's on the kids ... I guess those long UP winters are good for something..
grin.gif
 
Yes, I've used the 'Hodgdon 60% rule' with 4895. I have never had a problem. I also don't go right to the lowest limit. I stay up a bit, still plenty reduced.
 
Well, loaded them at 25 gr tonight. .010 off the lands. Wish me luck. Pulling the trigger Thursday night! I'll report back...hopefully. It's the most nerve racking hand loading I've done yet. Makes me nervous.
 
If you need something slower than the 60% of H4895 look at trail boss. We have played with it right much & it works great. You can get the 243 down near 22LR velocities & up to near 30/30 speeds..

My buddies son killed several deer with the 80gr Blitz (Sierra) and enough TB to push them ~1800fps (chrono'd) before he was able to step up to real loads. VERY mild recoil (& soft report) & no deer went further than 60 yards...
 
UPDATE:

Pretty impressed! Shot 1" groups at 100 yards. They fell a 1/2" low/left of 100 gr factory loaded Core-Lokt's. Recoil and noise is similar to a 223, maybe even quieter. I'll probably load 50 up for my wife to burn through pretty soon. Love it!
 
Can anybody run some numbers and give me a speed estimate? I don't have a chrono yet.

39.5 grains supposedly gets 3477 fps from a 24" barrel.

36.0 gets 3286.

Thanks
 
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