does what powder you use change accuracy?

[sionharris]

I just had a .243 and purchased a tub of h414 and 65grain v-max which got great results. Since i have bought Varget, and 75 grain v-max bullets which, so far have not had such good results. Is it more to do with the bullets, rather than the powder. Ran out of the 65grain and h414, so i cant realy try the varget on the 65grainers, or can't try h414 with the 75 grainers. help!!!

 

[ReedG]

I had good results with Varget in a T/C Encore .243 with several different bullets. I tend to be a "Varget guy".

To answer your first question, ABSOLUTELY! A different powder, a different primer, a different brand of cases, .020" difference in seating depth -- every single element of handloaded ammunition affects the accuracy of the load.

The 75-gr. V-max is a great bullet in a .243,so is the 65-gr.). My T/C was a hunting rifle with sporter barrel, not a target rifle. I got 3-shot 1/2" or less groups at 100-yds. with 41-gr. Varget behind the 75-gr. Vmax. Also with same load using 75-gr. Sierra HP. The 70-gr. Speer TNT did well with 42.0 Varget,this load will decapitate a coyote at 275 yds.!). Best group I ever got from this rifle was with 75-gr. Sierra BlitzKing over 42.0 Varget. So I know Varget will work for you, if you can find the load your rifle likes.

Good luck.

 

[taxman]

I have a Winchester Mod 70 with a 20" heavy Shilen barrel with 1-14 twist. I have had spectacular results with H-414 and 55 grain Sierra Blitzkings. This is with Remington brass, Fed BR primers and neck sized only brass. H414 is temperature sensitive too me. I found my "hot" cold weather load was way tooooooo hot for spring & summer shooting. I am fortunate this rifle/barrel combo with H-414 has a relatively large sweet spot. I have changed the powder load by 3 grains with little to no impact on point of impact at 100 yards.

Tony

 

[Varminator]

just had a .243 and purchased a tub of h414 and 65grain v-max which got great results. Since i have bought Varget, and 75 grain v-max bullets which, so far have not had such good results. Is it more to do with the bullets, rather than the powder. Ran out of the 65grain and h414, so i cant really try the Varget on the 65grainers, or can't try h414 with the 75 grainers. help!!!

Maybe it is your twist? Is your gun a fast twist or slow? Throated for long projectiles? Are you measuring your rounds to make contact, jump or jam? Varget is a good powder for 10 twist
.243s ... generally, but the .243 can be finicky with bullets, powder and primers. A nine twist will stabilize a 95 Berger or a 100 gr Nosler Partition or 95 gr Ballistic Tip. I've even shot 107 SMKs with mixed results in a stock Remington barrel. Try using Nosler's book accuracy loads or Sierra's to start. You will eventually find a load/loads that shoots well. What did Hornady recommend for their 75 gr? What does Hodgden call for?
How many rounds have been fired through the gun? I've had copper fouling in .243 ruin good loads. Do you have a budget barrel or a Kreiger or near equivalent? I had a stock Remington 22-250 barrel that was fouled so bad and was basically a microscopic rasp that I turned into a good shooter with Tubb fire lap bullets. I wouldn't run them through one of my Kreigers or Tooleys but the accuracy of the 22-250 is now nearly varmint acceptable. I've seen accuracy go away more from poor cleaning than for any other reason and this is especially true of a budget barrel/rasp. There is also a school of thought that one bullet's copper may not be compatible with another manufacturer's. Reloading can be fun and it can be frustrating at times. Don't worry we have all had to step back and take a deep breath and think through the issues. My solution is to load what works and always, always keep a few around for a control group.
><MM>

 

[sionharris]

Thank you for you help.
Its a sako 1:10 twist 22" hunter. It shoots the them 65grainers brilliantly at 100 and 200yds. I can only do three shot groups at a time, or the groups will open up.,is this normal for a light barrel?)

The 75 grainers are also brill at 100yds but open up to the width of a A4 sheet at 200yds. don't know why! Just need to try play with the load! Whats the max velocity i can expect from a 75grain v-max?

The barrel is reasonably clean, i only clean it every 100rounds. I want to ware the barrel out by shooting it not cleaning it,LOL. The groups don't open up much between those shots.

[U]Seating depth? [/U]
The gunsmith helped me make i list using a COAL guage of the total length of each cartridge. should i stick to what he told me or seat them deeper??