.243 22 inch barrel 1 in 10 twist, what weight of bullet works?

[lewis8144]

A magic load for 10Twist barrels is 41.2-42.2g of H4350, Winchester or 9 1/2 primer with a 100g Hornady BTSP or Flat base if you can find them.

We killed a lot of BIG bucks with the 95g partition shot from all angles coming and going, and this bullet should work in your 10" twist.

If your deer are smallish, the Speer 85g BTSP is a DEER bullet, not a varmint bullet and H or IMR 4350 will do a very good job for you.

Best of luck

The deer i shoot are mainly roe, but i do occasionally get fallow deer. I have shot a fallow at about 90m with a .223 55 gr ballistic tip once, and it worked perfectly. A lot of people here are saying the 4350 is the powder of choice, although i was told that H414 was specifically designed for .243, not sure if you've heard the same or not?

 

[lewis8144]

Here's a good article on the subject:

http://cdn.americanrifleman.org/articles/2013/11/18/an-american-favorite-the-243-winchester/

Gave that article a read, and it was very interesting, thanks. Possibly made me ask more questions than it answered, but hey ho!!

 

[lewis8144]

So I've been trying a few different 95gr bullets in my new Howa 243, also a 10" twist. If you look at Berger's or JBM's twist rate calculators the Sierra Match King, Tipped Match King, and Berger VLD in 95gr are all right on the cusp between unstable and marginally stable. So far in my testing the Sierra Match King looks the most promising. The issue with a 10" twist is bullet weight and length. The higher BC bullets tend to be rear heavy and if a twist isn't fast enough they can destabilize- look for open groups or signs of key holing. I've not had any key holing yet, but the Bergers and Tipped Match King's haven't looked promising. My back up plans if none of these will stabilize are:

95gr bullets with a flat base
Berger 95gr classic hunter
Hornady 87gr VMax
ANYTHING after that will work!

Good luck!

Hi, i'm look forward to hearing how you got on, partly mercenary, as powder and bullets cost a fortune in the UK, but mainly out of interest on what works for you and what doesn't. I must admit the 95gr ballistic tip goes against the grain on a 22" barrel, however, at 100m, my first round is always smack on, its the 2nd and 3rd that go astray. Admittedly, its unlikely i would be having a second and third shot at game here, as after the 1st they normally bomburst and disappear pronto!!! Anyway good luck with your testing, and i look forward to hearing how you got on. What length is your barrel by the way?

 

[uncle-buck]

Thanks for this, as a matter of interest, what length is your barrel as Nosler tested their 95gr on a 24" 1 in 10 twist barrel

The barrel is 22" and it's an original 1970 Parker Hale 1200 sporter. Very accurate for the first two or three shots, and then less so after the barrel gets hot. Plenty good enough for deer hunting though.

BTW, I believe barrel length affects velocity more than accuracy.

 

[JaoeyP]

Hi, i'm look forward to hearing how you got on, partly mercenary, as powder and bullets cost a fortune in the UK, but mainly out of interest on what works for you and what doesn't. I must admit the 95gr ballistic tip goes against the grain on a 22" barrel, however, at 100m, my first round is always smack on, its the 2nd and 3rd that go astray. Admittedly, its unlikely i would be having a second and third shot at game here, as after the 1st they normally bomburst and disappear pronto!!! Anyway good luck with your testing, and i look forward to hearing how you got on. What length is your barrel by the way?

It's a 24" barrel. I'll keep you posted on what I find.

 

[swc123]

Hi, 2.290 is my COAL for the bullet to be resting on the lands/grooves.

Something funny here, typical .243 Win COAL's are in the region of 2.65" - 2.75" with SAAMI spec chambers.
Are you measuring from the bottom of the case head to the tip of the bullet?
Is your caliper zeroed when the jaws are closed?

 

[expiper]

I have found that bullets longer than 1.090" or BC higher than .430 will not work reliably in a 10" twist bbl,,,Roger

 

[Fast14riot]

Something funny here, typical .243 Win COAL's are in the region of 2.65" - 2.75" with SAAMI spec chambers.
Are you measuring from the bottom of the case head to the tip of the bullet?
Is your caliper zeroed when the jaws are closed?

Yeah, I'm also a little confused, 2.290 is what I run my AR15 rounds at, 5.56, 6.8, 20P, etc. Typical 243 should 've closer to 2.8.

Maybe the OP should give us his actual metric measurement for COAL and we can make the conversion. Should be somewhere around 70mm.

 

[lewis8144]

Something funny here, typical .243 Win COAL's are in the region of 2.65" - 2.75" with SAAMI spec chambers.
Are you measuring from the bottom of the case head to the tip of the bullet?
Is your caliper zeroed when the jaws are closed?

Hi,
I had a mate measure it using a coal gauge, he is an armourer in the Army so knows what he is doing, and from measurement that we got this figure for the bullet comparator. This is seating the bullet in the lands and grooves.

 

[expiper]

this is why that when shareing ctg length it should be to the tip of the bullet ,,yes they vary in length a few thousandts but way closer than a vague measurement using a colmenator or "nut" that touches the ojive in some unknow place ,,,usually not where the lands touch,,,Roger

 

[lewis8144]

this is why that when shareing ctg length it should be to the tip of the bullet ,,yes they vary in length a few thousandts but way closer than a vague measurement using a colmenator or "nut" that touches the ojive in some unknow place ,,,usually not where the lands touch,,,Roger

Hi, by using a comparator you get a measurement where the lands and grooves touch, and its generally seems to be more accurate as its a length from the base to the widest part of the round where it sits on the lands and grooves (if that is what you desire) rather than the tip, which does vary, so i believe this method to be the most accurate. However i am willing to be proven wrong.

 

[lewis8144]

Yeah, I'm also a little confused, 2.290 is what I run my AR15 rounds at, 5.56, 6.8, 20P, etc. Typical 243 should 've closer to 2.8.

Maybe the OP should give us his actual metric measurement for COAL and we can make the conversion. Should be somewhere around 70mm.

Hi, the converted metric measurement is 58.266mm, this is to the widest part of the round where the comparator touches, thereafter you have the remaining part of the bullet beyond this. overall length of the bullet is 1.115"

 

[lewis8144]

It's a 24" barrel. I'll keep you posted on what I find.

Thanks very much, Nosler do their .243 95 gn testing on a 24" barrel so you shouldn't have too much trouble. It would seem that 2" does make a difference, in rifles too!!!!!!!

 

[lewis8144]

The barrel is 22" and it's an original 1970 Parker Hale 1200 sporter. Very accurate for the first two or three shots, and then less so after the barrel gets hot. Plenty good enough for deer hunting though.

BTW, I believe barrel length affects velocity more than accuracy.

Ok. I don't know how much it affects the accuracy having a moderator/silencer on. Mine is pretty heavy (.265grms) its an ASE Ultra, although i am reliably informed the barrel on the Haenel should be able to cope with this.

 

[lewis8144]

I've had great success using 90 gr nosler BT's and h4831 sc, I know it's too slow and I'm blowing powder out the end of the barrel but I could hit a golf ball at 300 and it would about rip a coyote in half! Right now I'm in the same boat, I'm starting over. This time I'm going 87gr Berger vlds and going to try RL17 and I have some imr 4831. Trying to use up some stuff I have. Good luck
Oh yeah, my gun is tikka t3 lite stainless 22" 1-10 twist barrel

Hi,
Did you ever try 95gr through your Tikka, and did it work? Is your golf ball accuracy 1st round only or is that 3 consecutively?

 

[243winxb]

Sierra 85g #1530 & Imr4350- 42.0 gr, CCI BR2. Win or Rem brass. Do the flash holes, sort by weight, 3/10 gr sorted from the same lot of new brass. Redding Fl bushing die.

 

[JaoeyP]

Thanks very much, Nosler do their .243 95 gn testing on a 24" barrel so you shouldn't have too much trouble. It would seem that 2" does make a difference, in rifles too!!!!!!!

Okay, I've tried multiple bullets and here's what I've found works and doesn't work in my Howa with a 10" twist.

Hornady VMax 87gr- works best. I haven't shot a ton but did a few three shot group today. Almost all the groups were a single ragged hole, the smallest under .4" edge to edge.

Sierra 95gr Match Kings- I've shot a few more of these. I've gotten multiple 5 shot groups in the half inch range. Very pleased.

Berger 95gr VLD- these have been inconsistent. On a five shot string I'll have three rounds touch and have two flyers. These might do better with different powder.

Sierra 95gr Match King- These have performed a bit like the VLDs, grouping most of the rounds together, with some outliers.

Hornady 105gr AMax- These did not group well at all. I knew it was unlikely they would shoot well but tried any way.

Every rifle is different. Your results may vary!

 

[BrandonK]

Hi,
Did you ever try 95gr through your Tikka, and did it work? Is your golf ball accuracy 1st round only or is that 3 consecutively?

Hey Lewis, never tried 95s. That's a cold bore shot. I'd say .75 moa on avg. This is a hunting rifle that I just tinker with for fun.

 

[Capt. Oblivious]

Had n 23" 1/10 twist sako 243, 87vmax, 87vld and 95BTs shot like crazy. 95BTs were the most accurate bullet I shot in it, shot a couple 0" 3 shot groups with them. Used the 95s in my SLR to firef brass and had n 19 shot group at 109y that I could cover with a piece of 243 brass standing on the hole, they are also very strong hunting bullets at 243 speed.

 

[Camel73]

Hey guys, I've been hoping on some updates on this thread... So, now I gotta ask - how did any of you make out with your loads you were gonna try?

I've had a Mossberg 100 ATR in .243, 22" sporter barrel with a 1/10 twist for a few years now, and I've been trying to do my homework on bullet selection for some smart 600 yard coyotes that I encountered a while back.

Recently I've played successfully out to 600 with 55ers and the rifle/scope combo is capable, so now it's time to step it up a notch.

So... any luck men?