Retumbo & H-1000 in a .243

[chuckw2]

Have any of you .243 shooters ever used either of these two powders with heavy bullets .. say the 105's,107's or 115's? I would like to see your load data if you have.

Thanks,
Chuck

 

[flyinbrian]

Have any of you .243 shooters ever used either of these two powders with heavy bullets .. say the 105's,107's or 115's? I would like to see your load data if you have.

Thanks,
Chuck

Chuck,

Just a few days ago I worked up a load using the 105 Amax with a starting load of 44 grains of Retumbo, Remington brass and WLR primers. At 48C grains I had a 3/4" 3 shot group. Max load was 49C. The 48, 48.5 and 49 grain loads all shot under 1".

The rifle is a 3 week old $252.00 Stevens 22" sporter barrel with a Simmons 3x10x44 scope.

The best load I've found yet though is using the Berger 95 vld with 45 gr. of H-1000. Two five shot groups, one at 1/2", the other at 11/16", both in the wind and rain.

These were the first loads I've ever done and to say I'm thrilled would be understatement. BTW, both of these were in the lands and I'm going to start adjusting seating depth this week.

 

[chuckw2]

Brian,
Thanks for the response. Please Keep me posted on your load development.


Chuck

 

[flyinbrian]

Brian,
Thanks for the response. Please Keep me posted on your load development.


Chuck

Chuck,

Will do!

Brian

 

[rcw3]

I have shot a good deal of H1000 with the 243 Win shooting naked 107 Sierras. For a long range rifle I have 47 -47.5 shoots very well and is about at the max I would want to regularly shoot,pressure wise). The 107's are running about 2950 fps with 47.5 gr of H1000 and they do very well at 1000 yards,as long as the wind is not too bad). Another fellow I know of shoots the DTAC 115's out of his 243 with 47 gr H1000. I don't think you can go wrong with H1000 out of a 243 Win with heavier bullets.

Robert Whitley

 

[chuckw2]

Robert,
What twist is your barrel and how long is it?

What is the twist and length of your friends barrel that is shooting the 115's?

Chuck

 

[paulT]

Chuck, would vit n165 be a better choice with 95 bergers and 105 lapuas than n160 in 243, paul T.

 

[chuckw2]

Paul,

I am going to try 165 in a new 8 twist with the Tubb bullet this week.
Will keep you posted.

Chuck

 

[flyinbrian]

ChuckW,

Since I last posted I rebarreled my Stevens .243 with a factory 26" varmint barrel, same 1/9.25 twist, and added a Choate varmint stock. I live very close to a range that's open until 10 pm 3 nights a week and just returned from working up a load of the 105 A max with H-1000. The results were very good.

Starting with 40 grains and a max of 45 working in half grain increments and 3 shot groups the two best loads were the lightest and the heaviest, the 40 grain load at .247" and the 45 grain load at .268". The worst group of all was 42 1/2 grains with the group measuring .759". I used new Winchester full length sized brass and Fed 210M primers.

Every load was sub MOA, so I think I'm going to stick with this bullet/powder combination as it looks awfully forgiving and adaptable to temperature/pressure changes.

I also shot the 87 grain V max using H4831 and at 46 1/2 grains had a nice .386 group.


This coming weekend I hope to get up to Petaluma to shoot both of these loads at 300 yards and chrony them.

I'll keep you posted.

 

[chuckw2]

Brian,
Thanks for the good report on the H-1000. I am going to the range 0800 Wednesday and shoot a lot of old loaded ammo for my .243 before I change barrels on her. Thursday, I am going to screw on the new Pac-Nor and try the 115 Tubb and N-165 and H-1000. I am excited about those powders and heavy pills.

I am not excited about the price of N-165,it is expensive as heck.


Chuck

 

[flyinbrian]

Chuck,

I hope that PacNor serves you well. I've been thinking about ordering one but want to get some more experience shooting and reloading before spending that kind of cash.

I was fortunate to find a new take-off barrel from a great guy at the Savageshooters website who sold it to me for a 100 bucks, and it seems to be capable of decent groups, but the PacNors are getting strong reviews and eventually I'll end up with one.

Best of success to you. I'll look forward to your range reports.

Brian

 

[paulT]

chuckw2, Keep us posted on the vit n165 results, I shot some lapua 90 molly scenars with the 165 at 200y prone, .250 moa, five shot group with a very low es of 8, was loading 49 grains, seating out just of lands with no visible signs of pressure, I think the compressed charges of slow powder like vit n165 give best es and accuracy as well as poss extra barrel life. regards paul T Ireland.