Help with a 243 load for an old Remington 700

[K22]

I've been shooting and loading for the 243 since the late 60's. It will tolerate a wide range of powders but the one's I've had the most success for are IMR 4064 for 85 grain bullets and under and IMR 4350 for 85 grains and over.

Varget and IMR 4895 will also work well with bullet 85 grain and under.


If you're looking for one bullet / powder combination that will do it all from varmints to predator to deer - it's the 85 grain Sierra BTHP with IMR 4350 or IMR 4064. I prefer Federal 210 primers.

 

[TMJ]

Thank you everyone for replying to my post. I've got some good pointers now to go on. Appreciate all the feedback.

On another note, does anyone have a pet load for their Pre-64 Model 70 Featherweight in 30-06? I told you guys I have old rifles

 

[chop house]

I told you guys I have old rifles

haha. 'old rifles'? you haven't yet realized all the 'old people' you're chatting with???

and anytime you want to throw out those old 700's to 'upgrade' I'll send you my ffl's address.

welcome

 

[2506]

The standard 30-06 deer load that has worked in about every 30-06 bolt rifle I have loaded for over the past 40+ years is this. 51.2 grs IMR 4064 with most any cup and core 150 gr bullet. My current load is Remington cases match prepped, CCI BR2 primer, 150 gr Sierra Game King or Pro hunter if shooting is not going to be over 300 yards. It runs 2850 to 3000 fps depending on barrel and length from 22 to 26". Tack driver and deer dropper.

On the 243, do be sure and read and pay attention to Barnes caution about there bullets needing quite a bit of jump. If memory serves me they state to start at 30 thousands off the lands and move further AWAY from the lands to find accuracy. I myself am not a mono bullet fan mainly because of the cost but also have seen in the past where others have had proper expansion problems when they slow down. I used to shoot the 243 Win. a lot. Had two of those OLD Rem. 700s which were MUCH BETTER rifles than they are today. I had an ADL and a Varmint. I killed a bunch of groundhogs with 60 gr Sierra HP, 75 gr Nosler solid base and then when they did away with that bullet I went to the 70 gr Ballistic Tip. I also killed a bunch of deer with the 243s while doing crop damage control. Shot a bunch of bullets from 85 Sierra BTHP which is a good one, up through a bunch of 100 gr from Rem. corelock, Sierra, Hornady and Speer 105s. Did not matter which bullet used if I put it where it was supposed to go the deer was dead within 50 yards of where it was shot. One thing I did was limit my shots on deer to not much over 300 yards because of drop in energy. Good luck in your loading and hunting.

 

[riflewoman]

Thank you everyone for replying to my post. I've got some good pointers now to go on. Appreciate all the feedback.

On another note, does anyone have a pet load for their Pre-64 Model 70 Featherweight in 30-06? I told you guys I have old rifles

Try 165 gr Nosler Partitions or Nosler Ballistic Tips and 54-57 gr 4350 powder. That’s for deer.

For elk up the bullet weight to 180 and the max charge will be about 56, same powder.

Either H4350 or IMR. Either will work in these ranges.. so start at 54 for 165s and 53 for 180s and work up in .5 grain increments. Somewhere in this range is a load that will be accurate and give good velocity.

 

[fyrewall]

That 80 grain Barnes Tipped bullet should work just fine out of your rifle - I would guess that Barnes designed it for lots of old .243's with 1-10 twist barrels. IMR 4064 is a popular powder for lighter weight .243 bullets. The Barnes TTSX bullets are real pricy. A good cheap bullet that should work is the 100 grain Hornady spbt, use that bullet with Alliant 4000MR, also cheap. I get outstanding accuracy & velocity using 4000MR with 87-105 grain bullets in my 1-8 twist rifles. Hornady gives max velocities with 4000MR.

Heed the bullet manufacturers advisories on twist rate - don't try to make your nice 9.125 twist rifle into some type of long range target rifle with long 105 match type bullets. Bullet makers are in tune with available rifle twist rates and design their bullets accordingly - possibly this is why the 95 grain Hornady SST bullet is a flat base vs boat tail - this makes for a shorter bullet.

4350 powders are sort of bonded to the .30-06 and work real good with 165 and 180 grain bullets. I shot lots of Hornady 165's and 168's using 4350 type powders. For 150's the classic powder is IMR4064. I like H414 for 150's. All this stuff is in various manuals.

When I was young I had a .243 and now I am not young but have more .243's