Powder change for longer ranges??

[Remshooter]

I have currently been shooting a Rem 700 SPS, .243 Win. at 100 yds, in the .3s using 80 gn Bergers and varget powder.

Attempts at 200 yds and groups open up to 1" and over. I would like to extend out to more 200 yd shots and then 300/400 yds. I plan on trying the Berger 80 gn. FBHP and Berger 87 gn VLD bullet.

Question is , do I need to switch to a different powder for longer ranges before I burn a lot of Varget in frustration.

If so what would be some good starters-I thought about 4831sc or H414.

I understand the trial and error part of bullets, powder and etc, I was just wondering if you needed a different powder burn rate for longer range shots.

 

[Erik Cortina]

The bullet doesn't know how far it will travel once it leaves the barrel, so therefore there are no short/long range powders!

If you want to shoot at 300 yards, then do load development at 300 yards.
Start with a ladder test and then go from there.

 

[Remshooter]

Thanks-that's kinda what I thought-just wondered about different burn rates and one that might be better for higher velocities for long range.

 

[brian427cobra]

Develop a load for your rifle with single digit SD\ES, those numbers don't mean a lot at 100 yards, but at 1000 they make all the difference in the world.

 

[moparman]

I have a 700sps in .243 with a 24" barrel and shoot 87grn hornadys. The flat base sp seem to group tighter at 300yds than the vmax or bthp out of my rifle. They seem to group @3/8" tighter than the boat tails and poi seems to be an inch left from the boat tails. I still have the factory stock but have free floated and bedded it for improved grouping but there is a lot of flex off the forend. IMR 4831 groups best for me behind the bt bullets and IMR 4350 gives me the best group behind the fb bullets at 300 yds.

 

[Remshooter]

Thanks for the load info using 4831 and 4350. My rifle is a .243 Win. SPS with 24" barrel, B & C stock, and action/barrel has been skim bedded. My forearm also has too much flex. It shoots fairly well at 100, fair at 200.

I thought maybe a different powder than Varget might yield better more consisent results. Interesting that the FB bullets outshoot the BT at 300 yds. Maybe I'll stick with the 80 gn bergers and see what a powder change will do.