.243 Powder and bullet selection

[bigedp51]

First the rifle is a new Stevens 200 in .243, I no longer hunt and do not shoot competitively. What I want to do is go to the range one or twice a week an "try" and punch little tiny groups on paper. I want to be able to enjoys myself shooting without aggravating an old ruptured disk injury in my neck.

The longest distance I can shoot at is 100 yards at our range so I do not need blistering velocity. In fact what I'm looking for are loads in the starting to mid-range category that are easy on the brass and the rifle bore.

Which bullet and powder combination would you recommend for a mildly "underloaded" .243 and still be able to drive tacks.

Is this possible with a downloaded .243 or should I just shoot my .22 and settle for a kids happy meal? :'(

 

[jonbearman]

You should refer to the new hornady manual and look up reduced loads.

 

[bigedp51]

Below are reduced loads in a .303 British Enfield using a peep sight fired at 100 yards. This "isnt" tack driving.

I will rephrase my question, can accuracy be maintained at lower pressures and loading densities. I still want to be able to hit the fly that lands on the target or if I miss close enough that paper shrapnel will eviscerate the fly.

 

[smokey262]

The 75gr V-Max with Varget has been pretty accurate and easy on the shoulder for me

 

[HillbillySniper]

Try the IMR Trailboss powder. My buddy and I have been playing with this powder and making subsonic loads. Ive loaded my 223AI, 6x47L, 25 WSM and my buddies 243 as well, I think the slugs we was using and the seating depth it worked out to only be like 11 or 12 grains. Theres zero recoil and outta my buddies 243 I shot five rounds all in one hole then my buddy shot three more into the same hole. The noise and recoil is about the same as a 22 mag. After thirty forty rounds the barrel was hardly dirty or hot. try the link below for all the directions very easy!!! Feel free to PM me if you have any more questions.


Hillbilly


http://www.imrpowder.com/PDF/Trail-Boss-data.pdf

 

[Kenny474]

While I don't have any reduced loads myself, I do have a solution for the recoil issue. If the Steven's still has the original plastic stock, remove the recoil pad and fill the stock with lead shot or heavy sand, or even just sand. It won't harm anything and the increased weight will reduce recoil to next to nothing.

You can also epoxy lead into the forearm as well to re-balance the rifle after you add weight to the rear.

With the gaping hole in the butt you should be able to add plenty of weight, definitely enough that the .243 won't hurt you when fired.

Then you can tune your loads with no fear of aggravating your neck and concentrate on accuracy.

You may also want to look into using H4895 as well, as I use that for .308 and 30-06 cast bullet loads with as little as 22grs with no ill effects. I am not positive if it will be the proper burn rate for reduced .243 loads, but it works awesome in the .30's.

IMR SR 4759 is designed for reduced recoil, but high pressure, loads. You may want to try that as well.

I did find these loads on Chuck Hawkes reduced recoil load page. He states that most are actually max pressure loads and should not be increased.

243 Winchester - 80 grain Rem. PSP bullet, 25.5 grains SR 4759 powder, Rem. 9 1/2 primer, Remington case. COL 2.640". MV 2710 fps in 24" test barrel. MAP 51,300 CUP. (Based on the IMR Smokeless Powder Reloader's Guide, April 2004.)

.243 Winchester - 100 grain Speer BT bullet, 29.0 grains H414 powder, Rem. CCI 250 primer, Winchester case. COL 2.635". MV 2270 fps in 22" barrel. (Based on the Speer Reloading Manual No. 13.)

Hornady's reduced loads:
http://www.hodgdon.com/PDF/Youth%20Loads.pdf

 

[bheadboy]

Sierra list for the 70hpbt, h322 38 gr at accurcy load, 3100fps in 22 bbl, you talk of target so the 70 matchking are among the very best

Bob

 

[bigedp51]

Lets forget my neck and real actual reduced loads, I can't shoot 50 to 100 full house rounds out of my Enfield any more, but I can shoot lighter bullets and a rifle with less recoil. (plus the old fart can use a scope with his old eyes)

My question deals with .243 load density, case capacity and maintaining lower than normal chamber pressure and "still" keep tack driving accuracy. Can you drop pressures to approximately 43,000 cup, still keep a decent load density and get good tight groups?

I have Varget and H4831sc and I'm willing to get different powders and bullets if what I'm asking is possible. The reason I'm asking is it always seems that your better groups are at the upper end of the pressure curve near maximum with the powders listed in the reloading manuals.

Some of the loads listed above show promise and I thank you for your help, but again will you pay a penalty for the "extra" air space in your case reducing your loads, and will accuracy
suffer because of it?

I keep looking at the smaller boiler room on the 6mmbr and wondered what what would happen if you lowered the chamber pressure on the .243.

 

[Scott Harris]

Look at one of the flat-based bullets for 100 yard shooting, one less than 100 grains. No point in a boat tail for such a short range and the flat-based bullets will shoot tighter groups...ala benchrest. Not sure what all that Enfield stuff was all about, guess he didn't read your post.

PS. if you are open to changing cartridges, go with a 6PPC....the ultimate in short range accuracy with very low recoil.

 

[hedditch]

Hey, if you can't handle the recoil and I can understand why, put a muzzle brake on your 243. It will feel like a 22.

I have a Cooper 22BR, 6BR, 22-250, and two .243's with a muzzle brakes and they all feel like 22's as far as recoil is concerned. As we get older there is the possibility of retna separation from recoil so another good reason for muzzle brakes plus you can see your tgt through the scope to confirm your hit on that flying prairie dog or ground squirrel.

 

[bigedp51]

I used to shoot 90 grain Berger boat-tails with 44.5 grains of H-4831SC in Lapua brass with Federal 210M primers. A pretty mild load recoil wise even in a less than seven pound Browning A-Bolt. Actually a half grain under Hodgdon's starting load. Shot extremely well in groundhog matches and holds the now-retired club record.

RichBagwell

Thank you, this is just what I want to know and will be my starting point. I have H-4831sc and some 90 grain Nosler Ballistic tips.

Thanks again

 

[bigedp51]

Hey, if you can't handle the recoil and I can understand why, put a muzzle brake on your 243. It will feel like a 22.

I have a Cooper 22BR, 6BR, 22-250, and two .243's with a muzzle brakes and they all feel like 22's as far as recoil is concerned. As we get older there is the possibility of retna separation from recoil so another good reason for muzzle brakes plus you can see your tgt through the scope to confirm your hit on that flying prairie dog or ground squirrel.

My question is multi-faceted, it deals with selling most of my rifles and hand guns off when I had two sons in college at the same time and money was tight. It also deals with getting back into shooting "modern" weapons, and dealing with reloading and shooting surplus .303 Enfields with metal butt plates and short lived brass.
(One is hard on the shoulder the other is hard on brass)

The .243 is a "modern" shooting update for me and I just need to get reacquainted with shooting one again after doing without a "modern" firearm for too long.

I'm tired of warped banana shaped cases fired in a military .303 chamber that's too oversized for our American made cartridge cases. This "brass" and "chamber" phobia with the new .243 might be "Much Ado About Nothing", I just want to take it easy on the brass for now.

Below, a Winchester .303 case fired three times and very close to a case head separation. :'(

 

[moorepower]

75-80 grain fb hollow point bullets, with a mid range imr-4064 loading. 75 Hornady's are cheap and very accurate.

 

[ollie]

I have to agree with hillbillysniper. Try the trail boss powder, NO recoil, barrel stays cool even arter extended strings of fire, cheap, quiet and most important it is verry accurate.