What are your favorite varmint loads for the .243 Win.----Got Any ? What sat you ?

Hip

Here's a load I worked up recently. Just started shooting this in earnest yesterday and flattened three critters. Longest shot was 238 yards and I'm confident I can stretch shots to 250 yds.
The charge is OVER MAX in some books but during testing was fine in my rifle. Anyone wanting to copy this needs to start lower and carefully work up.

King,

What is AR2213 in American powders?

Hip

quote:

Hipshoot
posted 13 August 2020 11:44
King,

What is AR2213 in American powders?

Hip,
Hodgdon sells it in the USA ( manufactured in Australia ). They call it H4831sc. It's a silvery / grey colour, short stick powder.

Always had good results with :

Sierra - 85gr HPBT
I4350 - 41-42 gr

Thanx Rich---I've been trying 62 gr. Barnes ad 70 gr. Sierras and Nosler Varmagedons with good luck but need to try something different---will try some 85 gr. with 4350. N I4350 but I have H and IMR.

King----Thanks, I have loads of H4831 SC.

Hip

most loads in my .243 shoot under 1" moa some really accurate loads out to 500 yards. 85 gr Berger 37.9gr Varget CCI BR2 primers and loaded .015 off the lands. shot a ladder from 36.0 to 41.0. loaded 50 rounds for an aggerate stopped at 30 rounds with groups from .3 to .6 moa some loads showed a little vertical stringing. nothing you cant live with. I'll dig up the targets if I can get a picture to post on the site

10 shot target @ 300 yds sierra 85gr 3137F/S on 30 rounds.

HiVel,
Nice group ! I'll try some loads with Varget. I have some 85 Sierra varmint bullets to go with it !

Thanks Hip

the 85gr sierra bullets I use are Spitzers.
online picture hosting
60gr moly coat out of my 243AI.. Kept getting a couple fliers. chased it for a while and when I figured it out it was the laminated stock had split from the front action screw through the mag box. was like shooting two diffrnt groups.

What type varmints? Coyotes, for example where you only get a few shots, a .243 is fine. Jackrabbits and prairie dogs where you get several shots, a .243 has too much blast and yes recoil. If it is a several shot varmint, using cast bullets where both blast and recoil is reduced is my answer.

Carpet,
I am an opportunity hunter. I also have rifles in .22 Rimfire, .218 Bee, .222 Rem. .256 WM and .6.5 Creed. to hunt with as well as many .30 cal. rifles that I cast for.
Hip

I have been working with the 85 gr. Sierra Varminter spitzer with RL 22 and H 4831Sc and both powders show promise. The trouble is getting range time with social distancing.

Hip

It is more than 20 years since I loaded for the 243. I lost a white tail buck in Stewart Island shot through the heart at less than 5 meters. Dense bush and crown fern. Never found it even after searching for 2 days. 3 meters behind the deer the bush had a 6 foot radius of blood, hair, bits of skin and tissue splattered as fine bits. I got rid of the rifle. Traded for a Husqvarna 9.3X57

As for loads - 85 gr Original X bullets at 3200 fps with H4350 and 70gr Bl Tip at 3300 fps with same H4350.

Both were around 1 inch groups 3 shots on most days.

Slightly off topic, so hope I am not hijacking the thread.
I have a 243 that shoot acceptably with 100 grain bullets but I will need a new load sometime.
I have heard that 1:10 twist barrels do not stabilize the 100 grainers so well and that you need to go lighter.
This for smallish antelope (springbuck), but not varmints.
As varmint hunters, do you agree that lighter bullets stabilize better? I will obviously get a strong enough bullet.

quote:

Karoo
posted 25 August 2020 01:51
Slightly off topic, so hope I am not hijacking the thread.
I have a 243 that shoot acceptably with 100 grain bullets but I will need a new load sometime.
I have heard that 1:10 twist barrels do not stabilize the 100 grainers so well and that you need to go lighter.
This for smallish antelope (springbuck), but not varmints.
As varmint hunters, do you agree that lighter bullets stabilize better? I will obviously get a strong enough bullet.

There is one load I don't shoot anymore that was a favourite when my Sako M591 still had it's original 1:10 twist, 22 inch barrel. The bullet was Remington Core-Lokt 100 gn ( flat base ) over AR2213sc ( H4831 ) powder. I can't remember the charge but velocity was just over 3000 fps. This load was deadly accurate out to 300 yds at which distance 1 1/2 inch groups were regular. The biggest game I shot with this load was Fallow and Sika Deer but my main targets were Rabbits, Hares and Magpies.
I did also try Hornady SST 95 gn loads in this rifle / barrel but they never shot well at all.

Nakihunter--It is easy to speculate that had you been using the 9.3x57 instead of the .243 you would have found the deer. Pure speculation that will never be known. I made the exact shot I wanted with a 30-06 on a yearling buck. 6 inch exit hole and heart and everything taken out. That deer staggered over 200 yards before falling. Never know, with a .243 MIGHT have been DRT??? Never know.