Im just starting to get into reloading, should have my very first batch of .223 done this weekend .

Ill be using a RCBS rock chucker for a press, and either lee deluxe rifle dies or rcbs dies(have both). I will be using H335(will have W748 sometime) for powder, and either 50gr. hornady v-max/ 50gr. speer tnt hp./ or 52gr sierra match king hp. I will be using winchester small rifle primers(untill I get cci mags.) Im borrowing most of the equipment, so im going to use up what I got for free, instead of going out and buying new stuff right away. Any recomendations as to what should be the best load combo?

Im looking for a good hunting load, doesnt have to be nail driving accurate, and will be shooting it through my New England .223 w/ a 22" standard barrel.

Sometime down the road(when I save up enough brass and money), I plan on reloading .243.
What is a good varmit powder/ bullet combo for the .243?
I will be using a New England .243 w/ a 22" bull barrel. It will be used for varmit(coyotes) hunting, so I would like to go with a light bullet, like a 55gr silver tip or something similar.

Thanks

Work up from about 25.5 grains of W748 to a final load of 27.3 grains behind any of the bullets you mention. That should do it.

Dan

For your .243 and varmints buy a pound of H380 and a pound of Varget, both will work well with this bullet, I use 53 gr. H380 for 4000 fps, but it's the most accurate load in my rifle, and if you're varminting speed is secondary to accuracy. Try powder combos with both and use whichever is more accurate. In my M788 the 55 gr. Nosler BT was mroe accurate than the 58 gr. V-max, but there is also a 55 gr. Sierra BlitzKing that I haven't tried yet. Good luck
Yardbird

First of all, don't worry about "nail driving accurate" with an NEF.

Secondly, there is no sense in trying to work-up a load, unless you just want something to go blast tin cans with until you get around to buying components that you will probably always use.

Just open the reloading manual and pick a load...it will be good enough for what you have in mind...

Ricciardelli, are trying to say that the NEF rifles aren't accurate? I'm not disputin that inference, just wondering if I'm reading the psot right. I've heard they are the poor-man's Encore, I have an Encore, so I guess I'm not as poor as I think I am! I've heard good things about the NEF rifles, just wondering what you're trying to say exactly. He said he wants if for varminting and to me varminting means p-dogs and yotes at long ranges where I need an accurate load, a tin can is fun to shoot, but it's not a varmint. Thanks
Yardbird

To me a "varmint gun" should shoot no more than 0.25 MOA...and I have yet to see an NEF, or Handi-Rifle, or whatever you wanna call it shoot that tight.

I have a very close friend who bought one of those things in .243 Winchester. It makes a better anchor than varmint rifle...

This is how a varmint gun should shoot...these targets are from 200-yards...


.22-250


Another .22-250


6mm Remington


7mm Remington Magnum

[ 02-20-2003, 21:58: Message edited by: ricciardelli ]

Thanks for the help guys.

And as for owning a new england....

The price was a major factor in my purchase, I know its not going to to be nail driving accurate.

I dont need an expensive gun. I want something that I can take out and beat around, and kill a coyote or 2 a year, and still have money left in my wallet. I cant justify spending over a grand+ in a gun just to use it to kill varmints. But if someone wants to donate a gun like that to me, ill be more than happy to take it .

those are very impressive groups.

However, last time I checked, a coyotes vitals are a little bigger than a penny

Ok ricciardelli, you're shooting in a different varmint class than I am, that's for sure. My M788 runs a 55gr. NBT at around 4000 and groups .5 at 100 yds, but only about an inch at 200. This has been good enough for me to take out p-dogs and yotes out to 400 yds and a little beyond, which is all I ever need. Now that we know what each of our definition of a varmint gun is, I see your point, you'll only get that kind of accuracy out of a well-bedded and tuned bolt-rifle. Thanks for the clarification. As for your comments about the NEF rifle, they jibe with some of what I've heard, I have a friend who collects the original H&R rifles and has a couple NEF rifles, he says the H&R is much better hands-down. Thanks for the info on the NEF, I'd considered buying it instead of another barrel for the Encore, but I'll just buy another barrel for the Encore when the time comes.
Yardbird

These groups were shot by "out of the box" Rugers...the .22-250's are 77V, the 6mm and 7mm are 77R.

The only thing I did to them was the usual thing I do to all my Rugers...hog out the forend so the barrel is totally floated from the receiver all the way down, with enough room to slide 3 thick business cards without touching wood and metal at the same time, and also take a stone to the trigger...