Start with the 80 gr Sierra SBT. They are very accurate and have a good ballistic coeficient. The price is right too.
I used to use the 75 gr Sierra HP and it's still a good choice but the 80gr will hold up better in the wind. I always used imr 4064 for 200 yard loads and 4350 for long range, full power.
80 Gr Rem PSP with a "youth+" load of H4895 (couple grains under regular start loads). Gives about 3000 fps, hardly any recoil, good accuracy in my Savage and doesn't heat the barrel nearly as fast as regular loads.
If you are after a fine shooting varmint rifle you should try the 243 with a 65 grain FBHP benchrest bullet with Varget powder. My 243 shoots fantastic groups with the Watson 65 grain benchrest bullet. I always thougth any 243 owner should shoot 75 to 105 grain bullets in his 243 rifle until I tried the 65 grain Watson bullet. The best groups I have fired in that 243 have been with the 65 grain Watson benchrest bullet. The 65 grain FBHP is one deadly combination when varmint hunting in the 243.
I had very good results with a Sierra 70 grain MatchKing over 46 Grains of IMR 4831 in Remington cases. Groups averaged 3/8" at 100 yards from a Winchester 88 lever action.
Posts: 345 | Location: Pittsburgh, PA, USA | Registered: 01 February 2001
70gr NoslerBT,43.5gr of H414,WinchesterLR Magnum primer,seated at 2.675".Sub MOA in my Ruger#1 at 100yds.It is what I hunt with for coyote and groundhog.I can hit a 3" ShootNSee at 200yds off sticks with this load pretty easy.The trouble is getting the coyotes in my sights.
I've been playing around with a Rem788 carbine in .243 for about a year and my most accurate bullet has been the 75gr V-max over IMR4350. I can't remember the charge of powder, but it's very near max. Bullets seated just touching the lands.
For years I only used the 87 and 100 grain bullets. A couple years ago a fellow gave me a box of Sierra 60 grain HP's. They have been very accurate, normal groups are about 1/2" from a 47 year old M70FW that has seen a lot of rounds. I'm loading it with H380, about a grain below published max., Fed 210's and R-P brass. Recoil is minimal, damage to coyotes not excessive and H380 runs through a powder measure very accurately. Worth a try in your rifle.
I have been using 40 gr 4895 with speers 70 gr tnt and have been getting groups in the .1s with my ruger varmiter this is about 1 gr below min in my manual
Posts: 61 | Location: Missoula,Mt | Registered: 14 March 2002