What powders do you guys with .243 Win. rifles find to give the best accuracy?

I'm primarily interested in lighter 6mm. bullets--75-gr. and less and am looking for sub-1/2MOA accuracy.

With 70-75 grain bullets I like medium/slow powders. In the past I've successfully used N160, and H-4350, but have recently moved to RL-17. This is mainly because of having a good supply of RL-17, but also because it provides excellent velocity and accuracy.

With the 55-60 grainers a bit faster powder is indicated. Both IMR-4895 and H4895 have worked well for me, but there are certainly other powders in this range that should do equally well.

I don't presently own a 243Win but had one for the "kids" to start deer hunting with. The most accurate load I found was 40 grains of IMR4350 behind a 100 grain Hornady flat based interlock bullet seated to the lands and lit by a WLRP primer. Shooting off heavy sand bags I could put 5 shots through one hole at 100 yds. in a group to small to measure. However, after I sold the rifle to my then SIL, he wanted it for shooting lighter weight bullets (58 grain) and this powder was to slow of burn rate, so he switched to another faster powder but I can't remember what it was and didn't keep notes since I no longer owned the gun.

quote:

Originally posted by Stonecreek:
With 70-75 grain bullets I like medium/slow powders. In the past I've successfully used N160, and H-4350, but have recently moved to RL-17. This is mainly because of having a good supply of RL-17, but also because it provides excellent velocity and accuracy.

With the 55-60 grainers a bit faster powder is indicated. Both IMR-4895 and H4895 have worked well for me, but there are certainly other powders in this range that should do equally well.

This pretty well sums it up for me too. ^^^
4895 with like 75 gr bullets and either 4350 or 4831 with 100's.

I still have a couple 243's but I don't shoot them too often but my wife deer hunts with one and uses 100's with IMR4350.

Zeke

The rifle in question is a custom Wichita Classic with a 12-twist barrel (pic below). According to the JBM ballistics program, it is unlikely to stabilize any bullets heavier than 75 to 80 grains. I have some Barts and Watson 68-gr. FB bullets that I'd like to try in it and am wondering what powders would be likely to give the best accuracy with them.

consistent COAL makes up for more accuracy than most people think

Like I said above: I like 4895 (either IMR or H) for 70-80-ish bullet weights. I've even used it for 85 grainers.
You'll have to play a bit to figure out what's best and if the rifle will even achieve the accuracy you're wanting.
Fine looking rig, by the way!

Zeke

quote:

Originally posted by South Pender:
The rifle in question is a custom Wichita Classic with a 12-twist barrel (pic below). According to the JBM ballistics program, it is unlikely to stabilize any bullets heavier than 75 to 80 grains. I have some Barts and Watson 68-gr. FB bullets that I'd like to try in it and am wondering what powders would be likely to give the best accuracy with them.

WOW that is one fine looking rifle.

I use Bal-C2 in my 243 with a 80gr bullet

quote:

According to the JBM ballistics program, it is unlikely to stabilize any bullets heavier than 75 to 80 grains.

Poppycock. The original .244 Remington used a 1-12 twist and did fine with the factory 90 grain bullets intended for deer. In fact, I've shot plenty of 6mm Rem 100 gr Coreloct in 1-12 twist barrels and it has done fine in all of them.

So don't be too sure that a conventional cup and core 100 grain bullet won't shoot well in it. Of course, your bullet choice depends on what you're going after, but if it is deer or similar game then you might want to try a Sierra pro hunter (flat base lead nose) or Hornady spire point (also flat base and lead nose). Either of these bullets may be short enough to stabilize in a 1-12 twist and will perform well on deer-sized game. The same is true of an 85 grain Nosler Partition, if you prefer a lighter bullet and more velocity.

However, if this is your coyote rifle, then a 70 grain plastic tipped bullet like any of those from Nosler, Hornady, or Sierra is likely to do quite well -- not to say that those 68 grainers from B&W won't also do in coyotes quite adequately.

By the way, South Pender, don't you ever buy any ugly guns?

I shoot 80 gr TTSXs and CFE223 gave the best accuracy, and, coincidentally, the best velocity. Accuracy increased with velocity to the point where I was satisfied with both.

quote:

Originally posted by Stonecreek:

quote:

According to the JBM ballistics program, it is unlikely to stabilize any bullets heavier than 75 to 80 grains.

Poppycock. The original .244 Remington used a 1-12 twist and did fine with the factory 90 grain bullets intended for deer. In fact, I've shot plenty of 6mm Rem 100 gr Coreloct in 1-12 twist barrels and it has done fine in all of them.

Yes, you're right about the .244 Rem. and 90-gr. bullets. I'm baffled that the stabilization formula would indicate instability for 90-grainers, but it does so quite dispositively.

In any case, this is not a big-game hunting rifle. For me, big-game cartridges start at the .270 Win. I guess I'd consider it a medium-weight varmint rig, and so bullets in the 60-75-gr. range make the most sense.

any 4350