243 Winchester powder advice.

[Propbndr]

I need suggestions on powder for my 243 Winchester with a 1 in 9.25 twist rate. All my testing has done at 50 yards with Hornady 100 grain BTSP’s.

First, my rifle just loves Norma Whitetail 100 grain SP’s. I consistently get dime size groups. Other commercially available rounds give me 1” to 2” groups at best.

The best groupings are with 36.2 grains of IMR-4064, 1” to 1.5” groups. I have tried other weights of 4064 with no success. My worst groups are with Hodgdon Superformance, I am lucky if I get 3” groups. I have tried a small handful of other powders with very limited success.

I disassembled at Norma round and found it had 43 grains of an extruded powder. According to the Norma Reload Data, the only powder that matches that weight and velocity is Norma MRP. Unfortunately, Norma no longer sells reloading components. I have read that Reloder 22 is a close match to MRP but, that is not available either.

Can anyone suggest a powder I can try?

 

[Bill Norris]

IMR-4831 is a great powder for the 243.

 

[jds holler]

Mine was always best with IMR 4895. jd

 

[Bronsin]

H and IMR4350, H and IMR4831, IMR7828, H1000, and both RL19 and RL22 all work. VV N160 would be a good one as well. Your Norma loads most likely have RL22 in them. RL23 is the newer version and well worth looking up. My rifle shoots with almost all of these powders, so whichever you can find should work for you too. I did get my highest velocities with RL22 btw.

 

[DiRTY DOG]

8208 XBR for light to medium weight bullets.
H4350 for medium to heavy.

 

[jds holler]

You didn't say how long your barrel is, but I'd somewhat base my decision upon that. -- maybe a little faster powder for a shorter barrel, and conversely---

 

[Propbndr]

You didn't say how long your barrel is, but I'd somewhat base my decision upon that. -- maybe a little faster powder for a shorter barrel, and conversely---

Sorry about that. It is a Savage Axis with a 22” barrel.

 

[Propbndr]

H and IMR4350, H and IMR4831, IMR7828, H1000, and both RL19 and RL22 all work. VV N160 would be a good one as well. Your Norma loads most likely have RL22 in them. RL23 is the newer version and well worth looking up. My rifle shoots with almost all of these powders, so whichever you can find should work for you too. I did get my highest velocities with RL22 btw.

Interesting that Norma would use an Alliant powder instead of one they produce.

 

[Bronsin]

Interesting that Norma would use an Alliant powder instead of one they produce.

To the best of my knowledge, the Norma and Alliant powders are the same. N203B is RL15 and MRP is RL22.

 

[Propbndr]

To the best of my knowledge, the Norma and Alliant powders are the same. N203B is RL15 and MRP is RL22.

Norma is a Swedish ammunition company. Alliant is an American company based, I believe, in Indiana. It use to be part of Dupont then became Hercules.

 

[bloc]

I use Superformance in my .243 with 65, 69, 70, 75 and 80 grain bullets and they all were quite accurate (<1.00 MOA).

The 69 grain Bergers produced especially nice 5 shot groups with Superformance: .266 MOA [100 yds], and .604 MOA [200 yards]. It's my go-to propellant for a .243.

 

[Bronsin]

Norma is a Swedish ammunition company. Alliant is an American company based, I believe, in Indiana. It use to be part of Dupont then became Hercules.

They're both made by Bofors in Sweden.

 

[Gary in MD]

I’ve had good results with several of the mentioned powders in my 243, But if your rifle won’t shoot good with IMR 4350 than there is another issue at hand.

 

[Propbndr]

They're both made by Bofors in Sweden.

Perhaps Alliant imports it and rebrands it.

 

[Propbndr]

Thank you for the suggestions. Now I have to find them. Unfortunately, none of the suggestions are in local stock right now.

 

[MikeRu]

I’ve had good luck using the Nosler reloading manual, version 8, see 95/100 grain, the “most accurate powder tested”, RL17. This shot really well.

 

[K22]

I've been shooting the great old 243 Win since the late 60's. It was my first centerfire rifle. While that rifle has long since been in the bone pile, I've owned and shot a half dozen or so over the last 50 years. My current Browning X Bolt is crazy accurate.

With that bullet weight, i.e., 100 grain, IMR 4350 worked very well for me. However, I did not test a lot of other powders for that bullet weight, 4350 worked so well that there was no need to do any further testing. I've long ago move to another bullet weight, however.

My favorite, all time do it all bullet for the 243 Win is the Sierra 85 BTHP with IMR 4064 or Varget or IMR 4895 or IMR 4350 in that order. This bullet shoots like a match bullet in every 243 Win I ever owned from 10" to 9 1/2" twists. It also had excellent terminal performance. I've successfully taken varmints, predators and eastern white tail with this bullet. You may want to try it.

 

[Propbndr]

I've been shooting the great old 243 Win since the late 60's. It was my first centerfire rifle. While that rifle has long since been in the bone pile, I've owned and shot a half dozen or so over the last 50 years. My current Browning X Bolt is crazy accurate.

With that bullet weight, i.e., 100 grain, IMR 4350 worked very well for me. However, I did not test a lot of other powders for that bullet weight, 4350 worked so well that there was no need to do any further testing. I've long ago move to another bullet weight, however.

My favorite, all time do it all bullet for the 243 Win is the Sierra 85 BTHP with IMR 4064 or Varget or IMR 4895 or IMR 4350 in that order. This bullet shoots like a match bullet in every 243 Win I ever owned from 10" to 9 1/2" twists. It also had excellent terminal performance. I've successfully taken varmints, predators and eastern white tail with this bullet. You may want to try it.

Back in my youth, I had a Remington 788 in 243. My father and I loaded 75 grain HP’s with IMR 3031. I could pick off 20 ga shotgun hulls at 100 yards with it. It made me sick to have to sell it many years ago.

 

[freebird22/250]

My old Rem. 700 Varmint spl. loves H-414 with the light bullets, 58 v max and up.

 

[17cal Fan]

First thing I would do is lap the bolt lugs. The Axis gas pipe receiver and long for caliber bolt can send you on a wild goose chase. The 243 is a forgiving caliber with many powders and bullet weights. Check bullet jump on the Norma and try working in that neighborhood with your bullet choices.