243 loads for tikka t3

[jreedtn]

Just ordered a tikka forest in 243. I've never loaded for a 243 and wanted to know if anyone has any pet loads or has one of these guns they would share some data. I picked up a box of 90 gr accubonds for deer and 87 gr v maxes for varmint. What do these guns seem to like? This is going to be a carry rifle for deer and longer coyotes when I need a little more horsepower than my tikka 222 has.
Thanks,
John

 

[370bc]

Just ordered a tikka forest in 243. I've never loaded for a 243 and wanted to know if anyone has any pet loads or has one of these guns they would share some data. I picked up a box of 90 gr accubonds for deer and 87 gr v maxes for varmint. What do these guns seem to like? This is going to be a carry rifle for deer and longer coyotes when I need a little more horsepower than my tikka 222 has.
Thanks,
John

In general, if you look up 1-10 243 Win loads w/ur Bullets, RL22 comes up w/87 Vmaxes. H4831 comes up w/90 grainers.
Among others of course.
The first things I did after getting my Tikka T3x was get a YoDave trigger spring.
I start w/fed210’s w/OCW Test, then primer test. My kimber 1-12 shoots almost no vertical @ 200 yards w/CCI BR2’s. I didn’t find that out until after my OCW & then tested w/WLR, Fed215’s, Rem 9 1/2’s.
The factory stock is the elephant in the room, at least for me. And for all the aftermarket stocks that are available, the manners is the only one that appeals to my personal taste and in reducing recoil which I need for my 270 when TX 3.
I will be very interested in hearing about your progress. I am seriously considering trading in my 270 in for a 243. Good luck!

 

[jreedtn]

I ordered my 222 in the forest version with the walnut stock. I love it! I've always been a fan of sako rifles and the forest version reminded me of them. It shoots unbelievable. Hope my 243 does as well!

 

[Gary in MD]

A lot of different powders will work, but If you have any IMR 4350 then you are all set. It is tough to beat in the 243 Win.

 

[K22]

I have several 243's including a Tikka T3 Lite. Been loading and shooting the cartridge since the late 60's. Here's my experience of the best combos:

Powders: Bullets 85 grains and under: IMR 4064, Varget, IMR 4895; Bullet over 85 grains: IMR 4350

Bullets: Varmints & Predators: 80 Sierra Blitz or 80 Nosler BT; Deer: 100 Sierra Pro Hunter or 90/95 grain Nosler BT

My favorite general purpose combo for the 243 is the 85 Sierra BTHP with IMR 4064 or Varget. This bullet shoots like a match bullet and is effective for varmints / predators and deer just avoid shoulders shots on deer with this bullet.

 

[sbranden]

The Tikka in 243 is great, I love mine. Didn't need anything special in terms of the trigger - was able to adjust it down to a nice crisp 2lbs, which is about perfect in my estimation for a good field carry hunting gun. I've shot 58, 70's, 75, 80 (the SBT from Sierra), 87 VLD's, 95 NBTs, and yes of course the 85HPBT's which I agree is about as good a dual purpose bullet as any. I cranked the 70NBT's up to 46.5 of IMR-4350 for about 3,385fps as I recall. Seated them looooong... max magazine length which was .005 off. My gun also seems to like Reloder 19. 48.1 with a short 2.615" OAL on 70's is a nice mild varmint load, 45.6 of RL19 with Barnes 85 TSX's is my current deer load, and the 85HPBT's were flying pretty great right around 46.1 of RL19 too. I'm going to try to turn the crank another time on the 85's with RL19, and then try both them and the 87 V-MAXs with H4831sc also. I found an unbelievable accurate load with IMR-4350 and the 95NBT's, but it was slow. Anyway, enjoy - sounds like you will soon have 2 great classics.

 

[jreedtn]

Well I took delivery of my tikka last Tuesday. I was pleasantly surprised with an absolutely gorgeous piece of walnut on it. 100% figure throughout the entire stock! I think someone accidentally put a piece of Sako lumber in the Tikka pile! Lol. After admiring it for a day or so I topped it with a vortex viper hs 4-16 x 50 scope in a set of talley med rings. We were blessed with a beautiful 60 degree day yesterday and I got to go out and test some loads. I started with IMR 4350 pushing a 90 gr accubond. Something I have never seen before is all 3 loads from 42.5, 43, 43.5 gr all shot with the same poi. The worse group (42.5) was about 3/4" with the best (43.5) stacking 4 in a bug hole with the 5th opening it up to about 1/2" I was amazed! I have no idea how fast the load is and really don't care. Lol. I would also like to try some 4064 with some sierra 85gr game kings I have laying around. I have no idea why because those accubonds were unreal! Im really excited to take it on a deer hunt! What an awesome rifle!!!

 

[sbranden]

Here's that IMR/95NBT load that works in mine - each gun is a little different, and a .1 grain change can mean a lot in the reloading biz. Good luck!

 

[jreedtn]

Here's that IMR/95NBT load that works in mine - each gun is a little different, and a .1 grain change can mean a lot in the reloading biz. Good luck!

Have you used that combo for game or just paper punching?

 

[sbranden]

Have you used that combo for game or just paper punching?

Just paper punching so far. I always heard the 90/95NBT's were more like big game bullets, and I had had such a great experience with the accuracy of the 70NBT's, that I wanted to try a heavier bullet in my Tikka T3 Lite which shot factory 58 V-MAX's incredibly well right out of the box too as I was first breaking it in. The plan was to use the 95NBT's for crop damage work - I just haven't gotten back around to doing any more of that yet.

 

[jreedtn]

I'm sure the 10 twist wouldn't stabilize them, but I wish I could shoot 95gr berger vld or sierra match kings.

 

[sbranden]

Here's my 70NBT load. I think the 95 load is 1.4 grains over book max according to Hodgdon's Reloading Data Center, and similarly this one is probably about 1.5 grains over another source I had, maybe Lyman's 29th - I can't recall just now (although I shot up to something like 47.0 or even 47.2, and was still OK for pressure in my gun with the 70NBT). But be careful - start lower, and work up in YOUR rifle. The other thing to note about this particular load is that 2.800" OAL / max magazine length, is just .005 off the rifling in my specific gun. That's when OAL goes out the window and the only measurement you want is a good, really accurate, comparator measurement. But this one gets it done for me wayyyyyy out there on ground-hogs.

 

[Zero333]

Thanks for the update.
My brother was talking about getting a new hunting rifle with a wood stock.
I'll recommend him the tikka for sure.