87gn V Max / 80gn BT in .243 and .243AI

[aussie]

Just bought some 87gn V Max to try in a mate's .243 and my new .243 Ackley . In my last .243AI it seemed that AR2209,H4350) was the powder of choice although results were never fantastic . Also tried AR2213SC,H4831SC) and WXR,Reloder 22).
Tried some 80gn Ballistic Tips in my last rifle . WXR seemed best from lmited testing .
Anybody out there like to share details of their favourite charges behind these pills . Also keen to hear what level of accuracy and velocity you have been able to achieve .

 

[PepeLp]

I shoot a lot of the 87gr. VMax. I've been using H414 which is very similar to 4350. I like it because it meters very well. I've been getting 3,400 out of the .243AI, and 3,200 out of a regular .243. I love the 87gr. VMax. Everything I've shot with it has dropped in its' tracks. I don't shoot at paper a lot, mainly when I'm finding a load. Out of a factory Rem 700 barrel I get 5/8" groups at 100 yards. When I was verifying come-ups with the .243AI, I got a 1.5" 3 shot group at 500 yards. I absolutely love the cartridge and bullet.

 

[CPorter]

Tried both with IMR-4831, 4350, 3031, H-414, Varget and T-2208.

In the girl friends .243 with a 26.5" 10 twist the WS2 coated 87gr Vmax,IMR-4831 gets the nod at 42.7 grains, Fed210 primer and seated to 2.716" OAL. Velocity is 3168 fps and her groups are around 5/8 to 3/4" most of the time with her best being about 3/8"

Mine is a Lilja 12 twist and it likes the 80 gr NBT, again WS2 coated, with a load of 36.5 gr IMR-3031, Fed215 primer, seated to 2.815" OAL. Velocity is 3129 fps. Ave groups are 1/2" with several in the .18" during no wind conditions.

 

[Chuckhunter]

243AI, Hart 1 in 9 twist Barrel, Wichita Action, 46.5 Gr's. N-160, 87Gr. V-Max .010 into rifeling, Russian Primers, Lapua Brass. Avg.M.V.=3390 fps. Group=.737 @ 300yds for 5 shots. Very low Es and Sd. As always use caution by reducing 5% and working back up.

 

[oldroper]

I've been trying IMR-4007ssc in a 243AI Hart barrel 1/10twist 27" long so far 48gr with 80gr bullets 3705fps using Laupa brass I started at 45gr which is a max load for the 243 at 3425fps and 5 shot groups are 1/2" appr. I tried 46gr/H-4350 with 87gr @
3456fps and if weather breaks I might get to try some loads pass 100yd.

 

[aussie]

Thanks to all for your assistance . Have tried AR2209 / H4350 with the V Max and got 0.480 for 3 shots at 100 yards with 43.5gns . 44gns gave a group 0.325 in height but with about an inch of horizontal due to crosswind I think . Will load some more and try again .
AR2213SC / H4831SC showed promise with the 80gn BT at 49.5gns and 50gns . Once again a lot of horizontal but only about 0.300 vertical .
More testing required but some progress made I think .
Test rifle is a bedded CZ550 sporter by the way using plain old Winchester brass ,without significant prep. work) and Rem. 9 1/2 primers .

 

[CJ6]

Have you tried H1000 or VV-165? I run 87 gr.V-maxs in my 6-284 1-12 twist an the'll run 3725 fps an group inside .3 at 200yds and inside 1.5 at 500yds

 

[aussie]

Above couple of "promising" groups turned out to be flukes . Have tried other powders with similarly poor results . Next step is to try some flat based Berger 80gn match projectiles . If these don't work then it may be a problem rifle .

 

[AckleymanII]

My hunting partner and I have had over a dozen 243 AI's, 12 twist Hart barrels, minimum spec short leade chambers with barrels from 28-30" in lenght

28-30" barrel

Rem 7/08 brass-neck turned
CCI-250 primer
70g Nosler BT, 70g Speer TNT, 70g Custom
fireforming load: 47.0g of Win 760, vel=3700 fps
Accuracy in the .300-..375 range

Formed load:
Same brass
CCI-250 primer
70g Nosler BT; 70g Speer TNT, 70g Custom
48.0-48.5g of Win 760
Velocity=3800-3850
Accuracy in the 2's
Very mild pressure on this load

Formed load:

Same brass
CCI-250
49.5g of Win 760
70g Nosler
Win LR mag primer
Velocity=4000 fps
Accuracy in the 2's
Close to a max load

Formed load:
CCI-250
45.5g of Win 760
85g Sierra BTHP
velocity= 3550
Accuracy is in the 2's
max load in my rifle
even the fireforming load out performed this load at 450 yards in terms of wind drift, bullet drop, and splat factor

We would put around 1800 hard rounds through each gun barrel, then cut the threads off and rechamber. We got at least 3 chambers on a 30" un-turned blank before the barrel became a 24" 6 BR. Our 243 AI reamers started off with zero freebore. We really abused the guns on these dog towns. There was an estimated .090 leade growth in 1800 rounds due to fast shooting. When we got in a target rich environment, we would dump out 50 loaded rounds and fire them as fast as we could acquire targets, box after box after box. We shot wax lube on our bullets which kept down the SD and kept copper fouling to a minimum. We cleaned the Hart SS barrels every 150 rounds or more depending on just how many targets were up. We only carried 3 of the 243 AI's each, so each gun got a very good work out each day. Weather permitting, Each day's shooting consisted of 650-1100 centerfire's each with the 17 AH, 6 BR's, 223's, and 6 PPC's giving the 243 AI's a break till the wind got up. We always had barrels on order from Hart because we took 4 two weeks trips a year.

No doubt that the 243 AI is a wonderful cartridge to work with. This cartridge is easy on brass, also, at least with the 70g bullets. I have never full length sized a 243 AI until I started shooting the 85g Bullets.

Hope this helps