Varget .243

[Tomsako.243]

Hi first time on the forum so please go steady with me.
I have just started reloading my A2 Sako .243. Mainly due to price of ammo and a friend owning me a favour. Has anyone got any experience reloading with varget in .243 on 100 nosler sp bt. I know varget is too fast for the heavier bullet but it's free so let's work around that. I have tried 32gr and have a 2.5" group. 33.3gr has a 1.5" group (100yrds). I'm told max load is 33.7 so where is best to go with it?

 

[Shawnba67]

Play with your seating depth, this can have a huge effect on accuracy. As for being told what max is go online to the hogdon reload manual and see what max is.

 

[Tomsako.243]

Play with your seating depth, this can have a huge effect on accuracy. As for being told what max is go online to the hogdon reload manual and see what max is.

I have already looked on site.
Min 31gr
Max 33.7
I have attempted to size the chamber depth but the bolt became tight so I cranked it down a smidge further until it became easy action

 

[Rsadams]

Buy a reloading manual... Work from there...A crono if your going to reload will help a bunch.. I find getting the charge and combo set up first then seating depth changes.. If your doing two or three things at once it makes it hard to figure out what you did that helped..

 

[Shawnba67]

I have had great success with the Optimum Charge Weight Method.
There is a thread on here somewhere by Erik Cortina about developing long range loads at 100yd. His method is very similar. If you are stuck with Varget and I read that it's free to you and that's as good a reason as any to use it. The OCW method will have you shooting it as well as you can quickly

 

[K22]

For me Varget has worked great with bullet 85 grains and under. But for me the 90 and 100 grainers shoot much better with IMR 4350.

If you're getting Varget "free" I would switch to the 85 gain Sierra BTHP. With a quality rifle like Sako you should be well under an inch with a quality scope.

 

[Liven The Dream]

H4831Sc is a little better for HV Bullets.
My 6 REM. drove 115 D-Tacks at 3025 in a 1000 yard Rifle ????

Varget in a .260 with 140 /142's will blow Primers tiring to get them to work well ??

 

[mongo chicago]

In my 6mm, Varget gave me sub moa out to 500 yards with the 87 gr. Hornady

 

[bobm]

I would abandon the use of Varget altogether in the .243 Win. All of the .243's I have owned provided the best accuracy if pushed hard with slower propellants. IMR 4831 or IMR 4350 was my choice with 85 gr. and heavier. You have only about 2500 shots of useful accuracy with a carbon barreled .243 Win. Don't waste shots with the wrong powder.

 

[SSL]

Use it if you have it, but I am about the only person I know that has never had much luck with Varget in cartridges ranging from .17 Remington through various .30 calibers. Too bad, since a local dealer offered me several 8-pound jugs a couple of years ago for half retail because I did him a rather large favor.

In .243, I have had excellent luck with both AA2700 (About 15 year old lot) and H4350 with bullets from 70 to 90 grains at a bit less than maximum loads. Selected loads with each average 5-shot groups between .4 and .5" if I do my part.

 

[Lapua40X]

IMO there's got to be a dip somewhere between 32 grains and 33.3 grains. Within that range your groups should be closing down before they begin to open up again.
I've used Varget for my .243 caliber rifle for about five years and with careful load tuning (load/seating depth) I hold groups well under .5 MOA with 107 gr. SMKs. Be patient ....

 

[Tomsako.243]

Thanks for all your replies. I have loaded up some at 33.5 and they seem to land somewhere near each other so that will do for now.

 

[Zero333]

33.5 gr might be near max in Hodgdons manual but doesn't mean it's anywhere near max in your rifle.

Lyman 50th shows 34.5 max with 100gr btsp and Quickload predicts much higher charge weight than any other manual.

Keep loading them in 0.3 gr increments up to 35 gr and see what happens. Quickload predicts higher than 35 gr as MAX charge weight with Varget, 100gr Sierra BTSP, 2.710" coal.

I've only used Varget in the 243win with 75 grainers.

I do like the recomendation of using 85 gr Sierra BTHP Gameking in the 243win. It's always a very accurate bullet and very deadly out to 300 yards. Very quick kills.

 

[Rustystud]

Recomedations for .243 Win
H-4350, H-4831sc, Hybred 100V, H-1000, W-760, VV-160, VV-165.

 

[FatBoy]

I didn't see your twist rate?

I have a 1:9, 21" .243Win and 95gr Nosler BallisticTips are a .6 MOA load with Varget.

 

[Texas10]

IMR 4831 and 87gr V-Max, CCI200 and Winchester brass shoots very small groups out of my 22 inch 9 1/4 twist Savage factory sporter barrel Model 11. I'm getting 3050 fps.

 

[Rustystud]

I build my 6mm rifles shooting 90-108 grain bullets with a 1:8 twist. Number of grooves is irrelevant if the land groove ratio is correct. I have shot great 3, 4, 5, 6 groove Barrels. Button vs cut rifle is also irrelevant both if made correctly can shoot great.