.243 Ackley build & load workup

[STOMP442]

Build Specs:
Ruger M77 MK II pillar & glass bedded in factory stock
24" Shilen #4 8 twist (suppressed)
Leupold VX3i 6.5-20x50
Berger 105gr Hybrid @ .025" jump (3046fps)
46.0gr H-4831sc
Win Brass
CCI LR #200

I got bored and basically put this together with stuff I have had laying around. I had about 60 pieces of once fired Winchester cases and two boxes of some old 95gr Hornady SST bullets that I picked up from an estate sale a couple years ago. I had also picked up a Shilen barrel at Midway on clearance just had it propped up in the corner of the safe next to a Ruger chambered in .308 Win that I haven't shot in years either. I figured what the heck, just as well put something interesting together. So I spun up the barrel with a plain jane solid pilot Manson Reamer I picked up on Brownells. I loaded up some cases with 42gr of Ramshot Hunter under the 95gr SSTs and set out to fire form and break in the barrel. Fireform loads all shot 1" or less at 100 yards and expectations were high. After break in I Ioaded up some 105 Hybrids and and three charge weights of 45.0, 45.5 and 46.0 grains of H4831sc and headed back to the range the next morning. I shot these groups left to right letting the barrel cool between each group. The 46.0gr load produced a velocity of 3046fps and a SD of only 2. I didn't see any pressure signs but I think I will stop right there pending some long rage testing.

 

[ballisticxlr]

H4350 will probably give you a solid 100fps more, RL23 will give you the same but there's no need to chase velocity that close to 3100fps. Looks like a nice mild load that'll give nice barrel life and it shoots tight. One of my favorites. You'll like being under 7mils at 1000yrds.

 

[STOMP442]

H4350 will probably give you a solid 100fps more, RL23 will give you the same but there's no need to chase velocity that close to 3100fps. Looks like a nice mild load that'll give nice barrel life and it shoots tight. One of my favorites. You'll like being under 7mils at 1000yrds.

H4350 was going to be my first choice. After reading the .243 Ackley Cartridge guide on the site I decided to try 4831sc first since that seemed to be the most commonly used and what I actually had the most of at the moment. I have one pound of R17, N560, and R23. I really wanted to try the R23 and N560 but I was afraid it would shoot fantastic and who knows when I would ever be able to find anymore so I stuck with what would last me awhile.

 

[Bill Norris]

The .243 AI was definitely a good one to choose. It's fast & accurate. My 1 - 7.5 Tw. barrel has shot it's best groups with the 107 gr. Sierra (new tipped version) POWDER 42.0 GR. H-4350 PRIMER CCI BR-2 @ .010 OTL but the Berger 105 & 108 gr. both are really close as well. Been working on a load with the 95 gr. Bergers but not had a chance to shoot it yet. Coming soon.

 

[STOMP442]

The .243 AI was definitely a good one to choose. It's fast & accurate. My 1 - 7.5 Tw. barrel has shot it's best groups with the 107 gr. Sierra (new tipped version) POWDER 42.0 GR. H-4350 PRIMER CCI BR-2 @ .010 OTL but the Berger 105 & 108 gr. both are really close as well. Been working on a load with the 95 gr. Bergers but not had a chance to shoot it yet. Coming soon.

Nice group! I picked up a 500 count box of the 107 Sierras as well just haven't tried them yet.

 

[Bill Norris]

Hope they shoot well for you. I did not chrono mine yet so not quite sure about speed but I'm thinking close to 3100 or a little better.

 

[ballisticxlr]

I rand 45.5gr of RL23 with 108 ELD's and 115 DTAC's and got 3180fps from a 25.5" barrel. This is with winchester primers or CCI LRP and Hornady brass. Ridiculously nice load.

 

[STOMP442]

That's movin. How was the accuracy at that speed? I might have to give that R23 a try.

 

[ballisticxlr]

It was brilliant. 10-shot groups from .5-.7" @100m, 5-shot groups from .2-.5" @100m. I got 1800 rounds before the chasing of the lands exceeded mag length but it was still grouping. Could have made easily 2k by accepting a little longer jump but the season was over and it was time to start the next barrel anyway. It loved .010-.080 jumps but went wonky at .120 jump. Temp sensitivity of RL23 is even lower than H4350 in my experience which really helped since my matches are all in the desert where we can start at or under 50F and end up over 90F on any given day.

 

[AckleymanII]

AA2700 sure gives longer barrel life, check the Heat Index chart, one of the coolest burning powders made.

 

[STOMP442]

It was brilliant. 10-shot groups from .5-.7" @100m, 5-shot groups from .2-.5" @100m. I got 1800 rounds before the chasing of the lands exceeded mag length but it was still grouping. Could have made easily 2k by accepting a little longer jump but the season was over and it was time to start the next barrel anyway. It loved .010-.080 jumps but went wonky at .120 jump. Temp sensitivity of RL23 is even lower than H4350 in my experience which really helped since my matches are all in the desert where we can start at or under 50F and end up over 90F on any given day.

Thats good to hear. I don't intend to use this for anything except some long range Coues Deer hunting with maybe a few range trips in between. Barrel life should last me a good long time.

 

[JLT]

For sheer speed, RL-26 will make your head spin in the .243 AI. It is temp sensitive, so it's a no-go for competition. It'll break your heart with vertical toward the end of a string - ask me how I know . . .

But for hunting loads it delivers a lot of speed and it shoots with remarkable precision in my barrel. 48.8 grs. with a 105 Hybrid gets me over 3,300 fps in my 26" barrel (Lapua brass) with very low ES and SD and no pressure signs. 5 shot groups in the 2's and 3's are the rule, not the exception. Just don't get the chamber hot. For medium game in open country, I know what I'll reach for.

 

[STOMP442]

For sheer speed, RL-26 will make your head spin in the .243 AI. It is temp sensitive, so it's a no-go for competition. It'll break your heart with vertical toward the end of a string - ask me how I know . . .

But for hunting loads it delivers a lot of speed and it shoots with remarkable precision in my barrel. 48.8 grs. with a 105 Hybrid gets me over 3,300 fps in my 26" barrel (Lapua brass) with very low ES and SD and no pressure signs. 5 shot groups in the 2's and 3's are the rule, not the exception. Just don't get the chamber hot. For medium game in open country, I know what I'll reach for.

I won't even bother with 26 anymore. I messed with it when it first came out and had similar results as you except that after five rounds it would build enough pressure to blow primers at even start loads in a 6.5 Creed and .260AI I was trying it in.

 

[STOMP442]

Worked up some loads with R23 this morning. These are five shot groups at 44.5gr 45.0gr and 45.5gr. Conditions were far from optimal this morning with a pretty stiff wind from 9-12mph. I am still pretty happy with the results. 45.5gr definitely ran the best and came in at 3135fps from my 24" barrel. Looks like I will have to keep my eyes peeled for some more R23. I want to try some in the .260AI as well.

 

[JLT]

Worked up some loads with R23 this morning. These are five shot groups at 44.5gr 45.0gr and 45.5gr. Conditions were far from optimal this morning with a pretty stiff wind from 9-12mph. I am still pretty happy with the results. 45.5gr definitely ran the best and came in at 3135fps from my 24" barrel. Looks like I will have to keep my eyes peeled for some more R23. I want to try some in the .260AI as well.

View attachment 1268731

Look between 45 and 46 gr. in the .260 AI with your favorite 140. It'll go faster, but I found excellent results on target at 45.7 and 45.9. Does great in the .260 AI.

 

[STOMP442]

Awesome good to know.

 

[spaniel]

I've got a 24" 8 twist. With 105s I get 3200fps reasonable pressure Re22. I can get 3280fps, same pressure signs, with RE26. Re22 performed well in long strings (actually shot this hunting rifle in F-Class), never tried RE26 in long strings. But for hunting I'd have used it for the velocity. Accuracy...well, what can I say, I shot F-Class with it starting out at the discipline and the errors were horizontal mostly. So I can't complain about the round.

Re23 is supposed to be a more temp stable version of Re22, I expect I'll try to switch over all my RE22 loads as powder allows. Been using Re22 for 15 years...

 

[stacy]

MY 243 ACKLEY LOVES IT SOME H-1000 AND THEM 105GR BERGERS 8TWIST AND IT SHOOTS 87GR VLD'S WITH H-4350 AMAZINGLY WELL