An Observation + A Request for Help

[Seeking_Coyotes]

Background: Recently upgraded my Savage Model 16 Weather Warrior in .243 Win to a Savage Model 10 Predator Max 1 in .243 Win. Decided I was committed to getting a bullet shooting for coyotes and another for deer at 300 yards and beyond.

After playing with about 15 different combinations I found a combo that would shoot consistently under and inch. Most other combinations were an inch and a quarter to an inch and a half and a few at two inches. Five shot groups of course. This took about 125 bullets and three powders but I am dialed in beautifully. Hey, it was fun...

Observation: I have found it takes a lot of work or should I say fun to get the right load for a gun. Two or three days ago I read on here where a guy said his Savage was a tack driver with every bullet he shot. Did I get a bad gun, am I an idiot, or could this guy be exageratting? My experience has told me it takes work/fun to find the load....it isn't just shot a combo and you are sub inch five shot groups.

Request for Help: I have a 1:9.25 twist. I have tried four powders and four bullets for a total of about 100 shots and have not seen anything I am excited about. How does one go about finding a bullet that will shoot with the least amount of wasted shots. (I'm not willing to do 3 shot groups, I'm a firm believer in only the information five shot groups provide.) Like to hear methods to do this....pick a powder....pick a bullet....pick a COAL....which one to keep consistent, which to vary, etc.

Oh, because someone will come on soon and say I have not provided any information, here are the bullets and powders I have played with:

H100V
Win 780
IMR 4350

Hornady Amax 105
Nosler Partition 95
Speer 100 grain btsp (tried lots of these)
Hornady 87 bthp

 

[chuckbuster243]

All I can say is each gun is different. I have 3 243's and 2 out shoot the other by a significant margin. All the bullets and powder you used I have shot myself. All shot well with exception of the Amax. I didnt get it to do as well as a Berger 95 So I didnt keep working with it. The Nosler 95 ballistic tip will outshoot the Partition but both are decent shooters. The Speer and the 87's shot around a inch in my guns also. The nosler 95 Bal tip with a stout load of 4350 IMR or hodgdon mag length will shoot. It just comes down to what makes you feel good and your happy with. I always try to improve on every load I have but sometimes I just settle and move on. Dont worry what others think, say or do. Until I am on the bench next to them its all hearsay. Good shooting, Matt

 

[wvlongshot]

Every caliber has a sort of sweet spot for a standard load. Most guns of the same caliber will shoot that combo reasonably well. They may shoot better with any other numbers of powder and bullet, but for the most part theres a happy medium. Usually its evident real quick if its a picky one. So many varibles in bedding, scope, rests makes it hard to compare factory rifles even to stuff from the same manufacturer. Just make it yours and enjoy.

 

[lrgoodger]

If you have a load that is doing under an inch, you are doing very well indeed. (The only distance I saw mentioned was 300 yards).

 

[steve4102]

Is the rifle bedded? I bed all my bolt actions.

What optics are you using?

If you are looking to gather more information with less expense try this.
Load 2 of each bullet and charge weight, yes I said 2.
Take them to the range and fire away. If a 2 shot group is over an inch, a 5 shot group won't make it any smaller. Once you find some 2 round bullet/powder combos that shoot Sub MOA, work those up with 5 shot groups and maybe adjust OAL.

Also, make sure your barrel is not over heating and full of copper, keep it cool and keep it clean. Sierra even recommends cleaning the powder residue out of the bore when switching powders.

 

[K22]

The 243 is rather easy to reload for in my experience. Assuming you have an accurate rifle and a quality scope I'd begin with powders with that have a history of producing good results in this cartridge. For example, for the 243 I'd begin with IMR 4350, especially with bullet weight over 80 grain followed by IMR 4064. I've had several 243's over 40 years of shooting the cartridge and all of them have responded very well to these two powders.

Depending on twist rate, bullet selection can make a huge difference in group size in my experience. However, I have one 243, that will shoot just about everything I try. I think that is the exception rather than the rule. Typically I like to start with a bullet in the middle of the range of weights available thus avoiding the extremes, very light or very heavy - but again twist rate may dictate otherwise.

Bullets that have worked very well for me are the Sierra's: 100 Pro Hunter, 85 BTHP, and 80 Blitz. I've good success also with the Nosler 90 grain BT. My 243's vary in twist rate from 10 to 9". Seating depth can also have a big influence on group size. I normally start about .020" off the lands and work back. My reloads are designed for hunting applications, not target shooting so the loaded round must fit the magazine and function flawlessly.

I also prefer to full size my cases with a measured shoulder bump of about .002". I've found that this gives me the most consistent and best functioning reloads.

Some rifles require more load development than others but if you start with established powders for that cartridge (sources like the Lyman, Sierra, and Nosler manuals list "most accurate load data" which can be helpful) you can sometimes reduce the effort required.

I hope this is helpful - the 243 is one of my favorite cartridge and a sheer joy to shoot.

 

[jonbearman]

I have always liked the h4831 or h4831short cut with 75 grain bullets.Unbelievable results for me.

 

[searcher]

Someone said they had a gun that shot all bullets well. I believe it. I do, however, doubt that each bullet just shot well with "any old load". I do target shoot much more than hunting (other than long-range ground squirreling) and I have found that in nearly all of my guns and barrels, bullets seated .003" to .005" off the lands typically outshoot those seated well off the lands by a large margin. Not always - but often enough to lead me to start there rather than the other way around. If you are shooting single-shot - I'd strongly recommend starting there. If bound by magazines - go as far out as the magazines allow to get you as close to the lands as you can.

I've shot a few .243's for over 30 years and I have shot almost all of the listed powders in these rifles. IMR 4064 consistently performs with almost all bullets - just find the magic charge. Start .004" off the lands (suggest Hornady Lock 'N load measuring device with a dummy cartridge to get a close measurement) with IMR4064 at the recommended starting load and work up in 3/10th grain increments. You will likely encounter two or three sweet spots while going up the powder ladder. Choose the highest velocity of the two that is not excessively high as the load to fine tune with further changes to seating depth, slight powder adjustment, etc.

I agree with another reader that you don't need to do 5-shot groups at first. I do three. I don't do any if there is any air movement beyond 1 to 2 mph. Pick your best five loads, load again in groups of five. Narrow down to two and shot two groups of five for each, alternating loads. Don't introduce variables such as primer changes, etc. while doing this. If this doesn't work - I move on to another powder if an adjustment in seating depth didn't help my best load get to where I wanted it to be. Many people do this whole workup completely different - starting with seating depth, etc. This is what I found works best for me.

Good Luck!

 

[Kermit in Va.]

If you can find'em, might wont to try some 90 accubonds.
Can't remember which powder I'm shooting with'em but will go look if you wont me to. They shoot real good in my RUGER U/L.


Kermit