.243Win 100-200 yard load

[benzy2]

I picked up a Stevens 200 of late for the action. I plan on building a budget sleeper out of it and have decent dreams for it. It won't end up as a true competitor on a large scale but it should give me a chance at the small time local stuff and certainly give me enough to smile at the end of the day.

That said I plan to shoot the stock barrel till I've shot it out. As the title states I bought it in .243win. This is my first 6mm and is a bit uncharted territory for me. All of my shooting is under 200 yards. The local range goes from 75 yards out to a shade under 200 yards. Since I plan on shooting this barrel a bit I was wondering what people found to do well in .243win at 100-200 yards? Most of the load data I find or recommendations are for long range loads with heavy, high BC bullets. The problem I have though is with a 1 in 9.25" twist barrel I don't think I can push those heavy, long bullets fast enough to stabilize. I also don't really need a 600 yard bullet design shooting at 100 yards.

In 6PPC it seems like you can put one of a handful of high quality 60-70 grain flat base bullets over N133, H322, or maybe Benchmark and know that if it doesn't shoot it isn't the load. I know there isn't a specific powder weight or seating depth that works for every rifle and that each rifle is a different beast but it seems there is a very specific couple of powders that show they shoot those 60-70gr bullets exceptionally well. I was wondering if this followed in .243 if that say a 68 gr flat base high quality bullet was set over a certain few powders it would be likely to shoot very well at 100 yards.

I guess the real problem I am having is that there are so many powders out there that I don't know what to pick without dumping more to test powders than I did in the rifle itself. Testing is a ton of fun but if there is a clear choice to try first I would love to not waste time and money on loads that never had a chance. I don't expect a generic load to be handed to me and the testing be done. I know that isn't how it works. I just was hoping I could get pointed down the right path instead of wandering aimlessly.

 

[Gaillo]

Hi!
Back when I only owned one bolt-action gun,a Ruger .243 Win.), I did a lot of shooting with various weight bullets and found that,at least for my gun) an 85-90 grain projectile loaded in front of IMR-4064 powder produced about as tight a group as I could achieve with that particular gun. I was always dissapointed that I couldn't get much smaller than 0.6MOA - but I can't do a WHOLE lot better with my current finest gun,a top-of-the-line Sako 85 in .260 Rem), so I guess I'm not really complaining,at least not out loud!). Seriously though... give that weight-range of bullets a try with IMR-4064, you won't end up with the fastest cartridge possible, but you might get pretty darned near the most accurate.

 

[CPorter]

There are few guide lines I found you can use to find acceptable powders. The most well known is to find a powder that fills the case at the velocity that gives you the best accuracy. The higher the fill generally the more consistent ignition the primer causes. The theory is the surface exposed to the primer flame is the same. That still leaves a good number of powders. I look for one that burns 99% of the charge or more before the bullet leaves the barrel. I use Quickload for that and I have gone through all my personal loads that have worked well to arrive at that conclusion. I've had my best results using IMR-3031 with 55 and 80 gr bullets, IMR-4350 and 4831 with the 70 gr bullets, and IMR-4831 with 90 gr bullets. Other powders I've tried are H414, Varget, W748, and ADI-2208 that I remember.

Here is something I worked out for 70gr Noslers in a 26" barrel:
http://www.geocities.com/v6racer.geo/shooting/70GrainNoslerloads.htm


My 9.125" twist shot most bullets up to 100 grains fairly well. The 100 gr VLDs, the 105 AMax, and longer alloy bullets didn't shoot as well. Most benchrest guys I know will seat the bullets into the lands. Unless you get your barrel made with a short throat you will have to seat light weight 243cal bullets deep into the necks and jump them into the lands. At about 80 grains you should be able to get enough into the neck to keep them from falling out and be able to seat the bullets into the lands. This should give you a good consistent powder burn.


I pulled together all the published load data I could find on .243s and posted it here:
http://mysite.verizon.net/carl_porter/index.htm

 

[expiper]

Yes ..the high quality benchrest bullets will shoot best...I have used em for many moons,,,and just about every powder you can think of that is reccomended for a .243... any bullet from 60-85 gr,the sierra 70 and 75 are my favs.--except of course..true botique bullets) and 4350 is a good place to start..IMHO...Roger

 

[cliffe]

i had a stevens model 200 in 243 that i changed into a 6.5-284. i shot the original barrel ands it shot pretty good. i tried 70gr hpbt, 80gr blitz, 85hpbt,all sierra and some 100 grain hornadys. the best for me was the 85hpbt with imr4064. shot some good groups, about 1/2 for 3 shots at 100 yards. when the 6.5-284 finally showed and i swapped it, my dad couldn't believe i was gonna change the barrel cause he thought it shot pretty good. i shot it at my friends place with his heavy barreled 223 bushmaster that he had and shot about as good as he did, then told him i paid 300 bucks for it new. would recommend a fred moreo trigger asap. and good glass, buy nice or buy twice! since i did mine one of my friends put together a 260 rem on one and another friend is gonna do another in 6.5-284.have fun cliffe

 

[BigJim]

Hi Cliff

Sorry Ben but I just had to say hello to Cliff.

I guess I am the exception, I use H4895 in just about everything 223, 243, 270, 30-06 and 35 Rem except 7.62x39.

Try this load Hornady 105gr A-Max,#24562) in front of 31gr of H4895 powder set to 2.760 OAL, Rem case, Winchester LR primer.

Works every time. You and I have the same barrel mine in Savage yours in Stevens 1 in 9 twist. This 105gr head is made for a 1 in 9 twist.

Good shooting

BigJim

 

[benzy2]

Ill try the Amax over H4895 as Ive already had the 105s and figured there was only one way to find out if they will stabilize. I'll also try Varget and 4350 in something through 60-85grs. Ive got some 70 gr Matchkings and some 87 gr Vmax Ill try as well. I might give Bergers a try as well. I tried 4064 and nothing shot outstanding. It would be plenty good for hunting at the ranges we have around here but it just isn't as good as I have seen many people get out of their Sporter barreled Savage/Stevens. A new trigger is coming as well so that should help a bit too.

Cporter thanks a ton. That page is a pretty helpful sheet. It really shows how much I should pick up a copy of quickload.

 

[82boy]

I have a Savage I barreled with a factory 12bvss 243 varmit profile barrel. This gun shoots great holds 5 shot groups in the .3 area at 100 yards. The biggest problem you will have with the stevens 200 is first the sporter profile barrel will heat up quicker than a varmit profile barrel, so you may want to shot 3 shot groups. Of course the triggers leave a lot to desire, you can switch it out for a better trigger. Then the stock leaves a lot to desire as well.

My favorite 1 and 2 hundred yard load is a 70 g sierra mk with 33.8 g of h322, and a br4 primer.