Loading for .243win and need some help

[Bamapse]

I have had my Ruger No.1 for a while now and have had a brutal time finding a load for it. I tried some stuff with 105 A-max's and no luck and finally think I am making some headway. My most common problem is it throwing 1 bullet horizontally every 3rd shot or so. (Have have been shooting No.1's for a while and know they are a pain in the butt and have done lots to get this thing to shoot as well as it is). Today I loaded some 90gr. Nosler BT's with 39.5gr of IMR4350 (3" vertical string) and then another with the same bullet and 40.5gr of IMR4350 with progress (1.5" with a flyer). I then loaded one more load with the same bullet and 40.2gr of IMR4350 and got the best overall group (.947"). What do you guys think is my next step for this load? I am thinking about going .1-.2 over and under the 40.2gr load and maybe finding the sweet spot.

 

[fredhorace77]

My go to load for any .243 is 85gr. Sierra Game King and H4350...if that doesnt shoot then i get rid of the gun.
One thing ive noticed with several single shots is to be sure and keep the front bag as far back towards the receiver as possible but still ahead of the chamber area...too far towards muzzle and they seem to bounce bad and cause flyers...dont know if thats what is happening with you or not...one other thing is i often tend to hold my hunting rifles as if i was shooting off of shooting sticks or something..trying to get a hunting type stock to set in bags is tough to do.
Also ive mentioned this many many times with 243 and larger carts...esp. when ur getting a flyer...be sure you are totally aware of your breathing and trigger pull....I have been guilty on more than one occasion of flinching with my 243 and causing the flyer myself

 

[jcampbellsmith]

Sell the rifle. Regards JCS

 

[fdshuster]

Another vote for what JCS said. PM sent

 

[Gary in MD]

My 243 has done it's best with IMR 4350 and the 95 gr ballistic tips, Fed match primer. The Nosler(#6) manual lists 43.5 grs of IMR 4350 as max for the 90 grainer that you are shooting. It would seem that you could increase your charge as you suggest and find a little better accuracy. My 243 shot it's best groups with 4350 and several bullets at the upper end of safe charges. Work up carefully and don't expect the #1 to shoot like a heavy bench gun, good luck.
Gary

 

[boltgunluvr]

for now....stay with the 40.2 gr charge and play with seating depth. whats your twist rate? I have a couple 243s and one was a pain in the ass to find the magic, but when I did, WOW. here's a comparison....I have 1 in 9.125 twist, use 95gr SMK with 40.5gr of H4350 and it shoots the best jumping .060-.065. I also use 100gr Pro Hunter jumping .015. how far away from the rifling are you? I know a lot of folks get caught up in assuming a bullet will perform better when close or touching and that's not always the answer. let me know.

 

[243winxb]

The #1 will tease & torment you with a good group now and then. Sold my 243 & 22-250 for bolt guns years ago.

 

[expiper]

Bama,,,,you are at least 2gr below max,,,,,you gotta get the pressure up to burn the powder cleanly,,,you are running with the choke pulled....no wonder you have 3" of vert.....you can grow old pidilin and fiddilin with a No 1....I enjoy shooting too much to fool with em....good luk,,,Roger

 

[bigedp51]

Bamapse

I had a Ruger No.3 in 30-40 Krag and on the top of the barrel it was stamped "Made in the 200th year of American Liberty". I hated to do it but it didn't shoot any better than your No.1 and I got rid of it.

My cheap Stevens 200 .243 shoots better groups without the headaches and frustration of your No.1.

 

[Bamapse]

I can deal with a rifle that shoots right at MOA... Life it too short to hunt with an ugly rifle

 

[bigedp51]

I can deal with a rifle that shoots right at MOA... Life it too short to hunt with an ugly rifle

"Only accurate rifles are interesting".
Colonel Townsend Whelen
Contributing editor to Sports Afield, American Rifleman, Field and Stream, Outdoor Life, Guns and Ammo, and other magazines.

 

[Bamapse]

Well since I will only be shooting this rifle out to about 300yrds MOA is plenty accurate for the job.

 

[bigedp51]

Well since I will only be shooting this rifle out to about 300yrds MOA is plenty accurate for the job.

I understand your love affair with the No.1, below are some links you may like.

Accurizing The Ruger #1
http://varminthuntinginternational.com/accurizingnoruger.html

Rifle Magizine
Bedding the No.1 Ruger, in Acrobat pdf format
https://www.google.com/url?sa=t&rct=j&q=&esrc=s&source=web&cd=3&ved=0CEAQFjAC&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.riflemagazine.com%2Fmagazine%2FPDF%2Fri51partial.pdf&ei=Ib0fUrWqIMG7sASzkIGwDw&usg=AFQjCNFqXmQARN--JaavokNNzG11CaPxvA&bvm=bv.51495398,d.cWc

Glass Bed Ruger #1
http://www.24hourcampfire.com/ubbthreads/ubbthreads.php/topics/3218016/1

Bedding Ruger No.1 and No.3 Forearms
http://www.beartoothbullets.com/tech_notes/archive_tech_notes.htm/4

Hicks Accurizer for Ruger #1, #3
Tunes Barrel Harmonics for Best Consistent Accuracy
http://www.eabco.com/HicksAccurizer1.html

 

[Bamapse]

Thanks a bunch! I have done several of those fixes but will read them all again and maybe I missed something. Thanks again

 

[clos]

My go to load for any .243 is 85gr. Sierra Game King and H4350...if that doesnt shoot then i get rid of the gun.

Not sure about getting rid of the gun, but that is my load too, after trying, 105's, 87's in the hornady flavor.

 

[xpilot]

My go to load for any .243 is 85gr. Sierra Game King and H4350...if that doesnt shoot then i get rid of the gun.

+1 H 4350 & 85gr BTHP If it is going to shoot something well it will shoot this load.

 

[Bamapse]

Well, I hit the grind today and kept testing and found my round! So much for selling the No.1 (Thought never crossed my mind). Here were my 3 loads I tested today. Best was the middle with 42gr. IMR4350 and the 90gr. Nosler BT. Definitely sticking with that one.

 

[searcher]

I was going to ask whether your barrel was an add-on as I thought the 105's to be a bit heavy for what I thought Ruger usually used(?) in .243's, being 1-10" tw.. However, after seeing your sub-half-inch group - it matters not - as that is great for a Ruger #1, custom barrel or not. Good job.

If you ever do run across a factory barrel that just won't shoot anything you throw at it and there is no obvious damage to the crown, no excessive throat erosion, etc., I might suggest buying some of the Tubbs' abrasive coated polishing (abrading) bullets, load them up and shoot through the bore to knock down and smooth it out. I did this to a Ruger M77 (Mark 1) .243 varmint model that, after giving up on it - I tried this method as a last-ditch effort prior to pulling the barrel and fitting another custom barrel to it. It still won't shoot bullets a whole lot better in the 70 grain and up weights - but it will now shoot even inexpensive ligher bullets (60-70) such as Hornady Z-Maxes (500 for $62.00) into 1/3". Long ago, I had also restocked, Re-crowned, glass bedded and added a timney trigger. The barrel also cleans twice as fast and does not copper as much. Best $25.00 or so ever spent. Have since used on four other arms - all providing marginal to great improvement in one way or another - with no perceived negatives.

 

[Big Bob]

I AM CURRENTLY WORKING ON A LOAD FOR A 243 IMPROVED THAT I BOUGHT A SHORT TIME AGO.
I'm WORKING ON A DEER LOAD THAT IS EXTREMELY ACCURATE.
WHAT I HAVE LEARNED IS THAT THE BULLET WEIGHT THAT THE BARREL CAN STABILIZE IS DETERMINED BY THE RATE OF TWIST OF THE BARREL.
THE FASTER THE TWIST THE HEAVIER THE BULLET (1:9 IS FAST ENOUGH FOR A 100GR BULLET.)
NEXT OF COURSE IS THE POWDER. IMR4350 IS A GREAT ONE FOR A 243. THE POWDER MUST BE RAISED OR LOWERED IN 1/10 TH GRAIN INCREMENTS. I LABEL MY TARGETS & KEEP THEM IN A NOTEBOOK FOR REFERENCE.
AND LAST IS SEATING DEPTH. I STRONGLY SUGGEST USING A REDDING MICROMETER SEATER, SO WHEN YOU HIT THE MARK YOU CAN REPEAT IT'

I HOPE THIS HELPS.