Over the course of the last few months I have been working up a load for my Ruger M77 Tang Safety .243 Winchester. As per the title of the post I have settled on RL 15 and 55 grain Nosler ballistic tips housed in a Winchester case (new) and ingited by a Federal 210M primer.

I did substantially all of my load work up without the aid of a chronograph and ended up settling on a load consisting of 42 grains of RL 15. This is one grain above the starting load in the Nosler #4 manual.

When I finally got my chronograph out to see what was happening velocity wise, I am averaging 3,430 fps...pretty slow for the bullet/cartridge combination, but it is shooting in the .8's consistently so I figure good consistent accuracy is worth more to me than super high velocity.

The only thing that bothers me is that when I clean the barrel on this gun after shooting these it seems really, really fouled. I have put several doses of wipeout down the tube and I am still getting some faint blue, but more than that I am still getting a bunch of black gunk (I assume carbon fouling). I am wondering if I do not have enough pressure to get a good, clean burn on the powder. Do I have a concern, or do I just shoot until my hearts content?

Thanks.

I would be looking for a better faster load. Because groups in the .8's for a .243 is a very ho hum group. Now if it was shooting sub .5 MOA then you may have somewhat of a point but not a very strong one.

Jay,

Thanks for the input. The maximum load in the Nosler #4 manual is 45 grains. I went up to 45.5 and things were starting to tighten up, but I didn't go any further due to the manual's listed max. However, after chronographing those loads (just over 3,700 fps), they fall well below published velocities of 3,900+. I have not noticed any visible pressure signs at this point so I am thinking maybe I need to try 46.0, 46.5 and 47.0 grains to see if I can tighten things up a bit before I get into a high pressure area. This would obviously get me into a more reasonable velocity range, hopefully get a better burn on the powder and with any luck, tighten the groups.

Thoughts?

I have to agree...0.8 MOA is not that great for .243.

RL-15 From 39.5 grains to 45.0 grains
Remington 9-1/2 Primer

So, .8's are only so, so. 3,425 fps is pretty lame for the bullet/cartridge combination.

Would you interpret the low velocities to be low pressure?

Where would you go from here?

Maybe the dirty part is the powder isn't running hot enough, i.e., full pressure to get a clean burn. I think you should with experience and descretion press on, and hold tighter.

300 Winnie

Since you mention Nosler #4. Take another gander at the .243 page. I've always used hints from reloading manuals when it comes to the most accurate loads Why because they spend a lot of time testing and burning powder. I'd take a close look at the H414. You'll note the * on the max load. That's where the powder shot best. Now take a look at your RL15 load. The best groups were at to lowest load 41.0 Gr. Now if you were happy with that MV great but it sounds like you think it may be low. The accuracy is lacking. That may be the load and it may be the rifle or a number of things.

I have had two .243's I didn't have to tinker with them much both have been sub .5 MOA guns. I would try a couple more powders maybe a different primer, a change in brass, I'd explore some options. I'll bet that something clicks and two things happen better groups and better velocity. The best of all worlds. Good luck.

How much has your Ruger been fired? You could have some throat erosion that could explain your lower than expected velocity as well as "okay" groups vs. excellent groups. One of the characteristice of the Nosler 55 gr Bal. Tip bullet is a very short bearing surface, so it doesn't stay in the neck of the case for long once the powder is ignited and doesn't generate much pressure as it travels down the barrel. If your throat is eroded, it would generate even less pressure and lower velocity. I would be cautious in exceeding Nosler's recommendations as far as maximum loads go, but, carefully working up a half grain at a time and checking for consistent increases in velocity as well as conditions of the case and primer, you should be okay. Any sign of metal moving on the casehead (ejector scraping, etc.) and you would be wise to back off.

I have a Remington ADL in 243 that is a real pig when it comes to accuracy... Like 5 inch groups at 100 yds with factory ammo.. on a good day...

However, experimenting had me stumble upon 50 grains of H 380 with a 55 grain Ballistic tip, 58 grain V Max and 60 Sierra HP... This rifle is a one hole shooter with those bullets and that powder charge... with an Mv of 4000 plus....

Typical load manuals always limited the max to 46 grains of H 380, but experimenting up, the groups got tighter until I hit 50 grains and the became one hole...

People told me I was nuts and was going to blow up my rifle and hurt someone claiming I was waaaaay over pressure limit... they shut up when Nosler published a max load of 53 grains with this bullet....

Results in a Winchester Model 70- that is nothing to write home about for accuracy has close to the same results.. not quite what the ADL did, but close....

cheers
seafire

I've had very good results with H414 and the 55gr BT's. It didn't give me max velocities at the accuracy level I wanted but close enough.

quote:

Originally posted by seafire/B17G:
I have a Remington ADL in 243 that is a real pig when it comes to accuracy... Like 5 inch groups at 100 yds with factory ammo.. on a good day...

However, experimenting had me stumble upon 50 grains of H 380 with a 55 grain Ballistic tip, 58 grain V Max and 60 Sierra HP... This rifle is a one hole shooter with those bullets and that powder charge... with an Mv of 4000 plus....

Typical load manuals always limited the max to 46 grains of H 380, but experimenting up, the groups got tighter until I hit 50 grains and the became one hole...

People told me I was nuts and was going to blow up my rifle and hurt someone claiming I was waaaaay over pressure limit... they shut up when Nosler published a max load of 53 grains with this bullet....

Results in a Winchester Model 70- that is nothing to write home about for accuracy has close to the same results.. not quite what the ADL did, but close....

cheers
seafire

I haven't went that hot but same basic results in my rifle with H380 and light bullets.

45.0gr H380 under the Sierra 60gr HP with Fed 210M primers in my M70 .243 gives 3,800 fps and 1/4" 3 shot groups at 100 yds. Hammers groundhogs at 400 yards like they've been struck by lightning. Sierra manual lists 45.4gr as max so I would caution to work up to that load.

quote:

45.0gr H380 under the Sierra 60gr HP with Fed 210M primers in my M70 .243 gives 3,800 fps and 1/4" 3 shot groups at 100 yds. Hammers groundhogs at 400 yards like they've been struck by lightning. Sierra manual lists 45.4gr as max so I would caution to work up to that load.

Nosler lists 53 grains as their max load with the 55 grain Ballistic tips.. so I don't think it is off much with the 60 grain HP Sierras...

yeah it can turn a rock chuck into soup a pretty fair ways out there...

cheers
seafire

quote:

Originally posted by seafire/B17G:

yeah it can turn a rock chuck into soup a pretty fair ways out there...

cheers
seafire

Yeah, it sure does. I've never tried the 55gr ballistic tips since I've always had such good luck with the Sierra but I may pick some up since my rifle likes light bullets. The 53gr max sounds resaonable to me with a 5 gr lighter bullet. 45gr with the 60gr HP in my rifle shows no pressure signs whatsoever so I could probably go a little more if I wanted to without any problems, the effect on a groundhog at 3,800 fps are impressive to say the least. That little 55gr BT at 4,000 fps must really by something, I think that I wil give them a try.