243 win test loads - where to go from here

[wbm]

We are shooting almost identical Savage 243 rifles. Mine is also sporter weight on Boyd's varmint stock, same trigger, and Nikon Monarch 3-12.

First, the 85gr Sierra HPBT is an outstanding bullet in 243...the H380 powder? Not so much.

IMR 4831, IMR 4064, H414, N160, RL-19, are better choices.

One load that I used for years was the Sierra 85gr HPBT with 43.5gr H4831. Not the fastest but very accurate and deadly on coyotes and deer.

Personally. I wouldn't worry about how many "thou" you set or pillar bedding the Boyd's right now.

 

[stork]

We are shooting almost identical Savage 243 rifles. Mine is also sporter weight on Boyd's varmint stock, same trigger, and Nikon Monarch 3-12.

First, the 85gr Sierra HPBT is an outstanding bullet in 243...the H380 powder? Not so much.

IMR 4831, IMR 4064, H414, N160, RL-19, are better choices.

One load that I used for years was the Sierra 85gr HPBT with 43.5gr H4831. Not the fastest but very accurate and deadly on coyotes and deer.

Personally. I wouldn't worry about how many "thou" you set or pillar bedding the Boyd's right now.

Spot on.
Favorite load in mine was H4831sc with the Sierra 85HPBT. Never did try any N160, but would add H4350 to your list also.

 

[David Milisock]

Shooting a Savage 110 sporter weight rifle in a Boyd's varmint stock, with a Rifle Basix trigger. Glass is a Nikon 6.5-20 Monarch. Playing with 85gr Sierra BTHP, H380, Rem 9-1/2M primers, new Lapua brass. Shot a series of 3 shot groups this AM:

36.5gr = 5/8" group
37.0gr = 11/16" group
37.5gr = 7/8" group
38.0gr = 15/16" group
38.5gr = 3/4" group

So pretty close to all the same performance - nothing really outstanding. Would you rerun the same charge weights but with 5 shot groups? Play with jump distance? Change something else?

What are your 300 yard groups?

 

[tominboise]

What are your 300 yard groups?

Haven't shot any 300 yd groups yet. Will do so when I get the 100 yard groups sorted out.

 

[tominboise]

We are shooting almost identical Savage 243 rifles. Mine is also sporter weight on Boyd's varmint stock, same trigger, and Nikon Monarch 3-12.

First, the 85gr Sierra HPBT is an outstanding bullet in 243...the H380 powder? Not so much.

IMR 4831, IMR 4064, H414, N160, RL-19, are better choices.

One load that I used for years was the Sierra 85gr HPBT with 43.5gr H4831. Not the fastest but very accurate and deadly on coyotes and deer.

Personally. I wouldn't worry about how many "thou" you set or pillar bedding the Boyd's right now.

Thanks - i am going to try the H4831 and H4350 loads while I wait for the 4064 to show up. H380 is going back on the shelf.

 

[tominboise]

Spot on.
Favorite load in mine was H4831sc with the Sierra 85HPBT. Never did try any N160, but would add H4350 to your list also.

Thanks - going to try H4831 and H4350. I shot some groups with H414 and 95gr Sierra that showed some promise, so I may look to that powder too.

 

[searcher]

Seeing how you have seemingly run the powder ladder, I'd try seating the bullet to .005" off the lands. If no marked improvement, I'd switch either powder or bullet. Mine likes IMR4064 in that bullet weight, but downright smokes when loaded with RL15 AND 58 V-Max (shot a .078" 5-shot 100-yard group in a factory gun!) or a 62 Varmint Grenade and W760. I tried the Varmint Grenade load in my buddies gun and it was the best load ever shot in his as well. Coincidence?

 

[Evan]

In my experience, the right powder shoots well right out of the gate at any charge weight. If H380 isn't showing you what you want to see, switch powders. Almost everything I've tried 4064 in has shot amazing. I bet you'll find some magic with it. If not, try out a 4350 speed powder.

A good reason to shoot 300 now is that you can watch how your drop is changing with powder weight. What you look for is a consistent spot in the point of impact across a range of powder weights. Something like 36.5 hits 0.5" low, 37 hits 0.25" low, 37.5 hits center, 38 hits center, 38.5 hits 0.25" high, and 39 hits 0.5" high. In this hypothetical case, 37.5-38 is your flat spot. Load at the bottom edge (37.5, or maybe even 37.3) in the summer to give you room when heat and pressure rise. Then you load at the top, say 38 or 38.2, for winter to give room for when it's colder. Adjust seating depth to get the groups to tighten up and go round in shape. If it's stringing bullets in a direction, keep playing with the seating depth to get to where they all go together.

EDIT: Your listed group sizes don't seem terrible. I'm not particularly concerned that there is something mechanically wrong with the rifle, but a good bedding job can really settle a rifle down. Where I see it isn't in 1-3 shots; usually it's when you've shot 20 so far and the barrel is hot. A bedded gun walks around less on the target.

 

[Zero333]

Thanks - i am going to try the H4831 and H4350 loads while I wait for the 4064 to show up. H380 is going back on the shelf.

H-4831 / H-4831sc is a powder that's never disappointed. I use it in my 243win rifles for bullets ranging from 80 gr to 115 gr.

I assume you'll find a node around 47 gr with 85 gr bullet.

 

[Mark W]

I hate to sound like a broken record, But my sporter weight .243 is a CZ 550 American. It’s magical load is Sierra 85 Gr HPBT jumped .020 over IMR 4064 in Lapua brass.

I will say that it usually takes me a few groups to get myself dialed in with this gun. It likes to be held a little more firmly that my varmint weight or my RPR .243s.

 

[tominboise]

I hate to sound like a broken record, But my sporter weight .243 is a CZ 550 American. It’s magical load is Sierra 85 Gr HPBT jumped .020 over IMR 4064 in Lapua brass.

I will say that it usually takes me a few groups to get myself dialed in with this gun. It likes to be held a little more firmly that my varmint weight or my RPR .243s.

I know, I know. After everyone on the thread says "4064, 4064", I got the hint and ordered some, LOL.

 

[Evan]

I know, I know. After everyone on the thread says "4064, 4064", I got the hint and ordered some, LOL.

Gave the best groups in my 300 Savage, all three 22-250 barrels, 30-06, my 6.5 Creedmoor with lighter bullets. Anywhere Varget can be used, 4064 excells!

 

[David Milisock]

Haven't shot any 300 yd groups yet. Will do so when I get the 100 yard groups sorted out.

As a field shooter my process is a bit different, I get it on paper, 50, 100 yards then move immediately to 300. I clock the loads and work them at 300 only. When the load is to my satisfaction I establish my 300 yard zero, shoot at 350 and 400 noting impact placement, then shoot backwards to 50 noting impact placement. This is for sub 24 caliber varmint loads.

If it's a 6mm varmint load I work at 300, establish point of impact, move to 400 zero and shoot backwards 300 down to 50 noting impact placement.

I haven't cared about 100 yard groups for varmint rounds for decades. I do for my dangerous game rifles my scout and lever rifles.

My 6.5 x 55 medium game rifle is grouped and zeroed at 300 and impacts noted at 400 back to 50.

 

[tominboise]

As a field shooter my process is a bit different, I get it on paper, 50, 100 yards then move immediately to 300. I clock the loads and work them at 300 only. When the load is to my satisfaction I establish my 300 yard zero, shoot at 350 and 400 noting impact placement, then shoot backwards to 50 noting impact placement. This is for sub 24 caliber varmint loads.

If it's a 6mm varmint load I work at 300, establish point of impact, move to 400 zero and shoot backwards 300 down to 50 noting impact placement.

I haven't cared about 100 yard groups for varmint rounds for decades. I do for my dangerous game rifles my scout and lever rifles.

My 6.5 x 55 medium game rifle is grouped and zeroed at 300 and impacts noted at 400 back to 50.

What size aiming point do you use at 300 yards?

 

[Evan]

I use 3" splatter targets like these: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01G5SH9EK/?tag=accuratescom-20 stuck onto white non-waxed butcher paper.

 

[David Milisock]

What size aiming point do you use at 300 yards?

I'm assuming we're talking about varmint scoped rifles, 4 x 12 or something designed for precision shooting. On my custom targets I hold center for 300 for my 223 and 3" high for my 6mm, then zero the 6mm at 300 yards when done. Larger caliber medium game rifles are center at 300 yards.

I make my own targets, I use a 13" x 19" sheet of white paper, bright red print, print a black fine line 2" grid over the entire paper. The center has a horizontal and vertical convergence of 3" wide x 8" long rectangles with the final 2" of each rectangle end shaped to a point.

The convergence helps align the scope reticle and the 3" width is visible on all sides of the center of the reticle.

I scale that for 200 and 100 yards, 2" center for 200 and 1" center for 100 yards. Or for 1 and 2 hundred yards I use what used to be Redfield precision targets, like those sold under the Champion name now.

I also make my own targets for aperture sighted rifles and iron sighted hand guns.

If I can figure out how I can maybe post an image tomorrow.

 

[tominboise]

So while waiting around for the 4064 to show up, I loaded up a few test loads with H4350 and shot them this morning. These were 3 shot groups, at 100 yards:

Set 1: Win brass (neck sized & fire formed), CCI 200 primer, H4350 powder, 95gr Sierra BTHP Matchking, .025" jump:

39.5gr: .424"
40.0gr: .355"
40.5gr: .239"

Set 2: Lapua brass (neck sized & FF), Rem 9-1/2M primer, H4350, 85gr Sierra BTHP gameking, 0.025" jump:

42.0gr: .675"
43.0gr: .455"
44.0gr: .132"

I intend to load up some 5 shot sets around the promising loads and see if they hold up or not.

 

[G Liles]

I think I’d stick with H4350!!

 

[David Milisock]

So while waiting around for the 4064 to show up, I loaded up a few test loads with H4350 and shot them this morning. These were 3 shot groups:

Set 1: Win brass (neck sized & fire formed), CCI 200 primer, H4350 powder, 95gr Sierra BTHP Matchking, .025" jump:

39.5gr: .424"
40.0gr: .355"
40.5gr: .239"

Set 2: Lapua brass (neck sized & FF), Rem 9-1/2M primer, H4350, 85gr Sierra BTHP gameking, 0.025" jump:

42.0gr: .675"
43.0gr: .455"
44.0gr: .132"

I intend to load up some 5 shot sets around the promising loads and see if they hold up or not.

Assuming 100 yards and acceptable velocities to you, it's time to hunt!

 

[David Milisock]

What size aiming point do you use at 300 yards?

Let's see if I can post an image. I alwaysxaim at center so I can map the trajectories.