Traded in my AR15 for a Remington 700 CDL in .243. I think I am really going to like this gun with how light it is.

One of the reasons I was looking to get a new gun ( Must we look for reasons? ) Is because while coyote hunting 2 weeks ago I noticed that my 14lb .223 Savage is not the funnest to carry up and down hills walking. So I am dedicating it to a range and Pdog gun and I got this for my coyote hunting.

Anyone have any loads, factory ammo, .243 stories, scope suggestions, etc with me?

I'm thinking of buying another 4-14x40 Leupold with the LRD duplex

For mobility I use a plain old 3 x 9 in that type of service... Leupold can set you up with a variety of cross hair and reticles in the 3 x 9 or the 3.5 x 10, if you want the VX3s instead...

I find 75 grain bullets are a great balance for that type of service also....

My favorite load is a 75 grain HP Hornady, with a charge of 47.5 grains of H 414.. which gives me an MV of about 3600 fps out of a 22 inch barreled Ruger....

For reticle & scope options check out the Mueller Optics web site.. they have some interesting stuff at some decent prices.. I am looking to pick up a couple of their scopes to try out.....

http://www.muelleroptics.com/products/MU3940IGR.html

http://www.muelleroptics.com/products/MU31044IGR.html

http://www.muelleroptics.com/products/MU41650IGR.html

http://www.muelleroptics.com/products/MT41650IGR.html

this is only a 2 x 7, but I can tell you from experience.. you sure can pick up quick target aquisition with this type of reticle!

But if you want to stay conservative and stay with a Leupold.. I'd go lighter than the 4.5 x 14 on a mobile rifle....you don't need that extra power or weight....

Any blue dot recommendations as well besides the H414?

Of all the bullets and calibers I have tried on coyotes through the years the one bullet/caliber combination that has worked the best for me is the 243 using 70 gr. Speer HPs.

I have had very few "pass throughs" and not one "splash" that I can recall.

Very accurate also.

Jim

Try 70gr Ballistic Tips and 42gr of Varget Winchester brass and Fed 210M primers. I use an OAL of 2.715"

quote:

Originally posted by Buglemintoday:
Any blue dot recommendations as well besides the H414?

did ya want some or was that a Rodney Dangerfield imitation?

I am interested, not being a pr!ck

I value your Blue Dot Testing , It makes it where I don't have to be the first to try it

Justin

I forgot to mention that the gun is a 9 1/8" twist

Congratulations, it is a fine cartridge.

My Savage (22" barrel) shoots 70g Nosler BT most accurately with 44.3g of IMR4350, 2.65 COL, WLR primer. That is the middle of a 1 grain wide sweet spot for the cartridge and rifle. It is a comfortable load for both the rifle and I, and decidedly uncomfortable for varmints down range.

The rifle has a 9-1/4" twist and works well with 100 grain bullets out to 500 yards (as far as I've shot one). I am going to try some of the Hornady 105g A-MAX when warmer weather shows up.

Fitch

quote:

Originally posted by Buglemintoday:
I am interested, not being a pr!ck

I value your Blue Dot Testing , It makes it where I don't have to be the first to try it

Justin

PM sent with load data included within...

my remington really likes the 60 grain sierra hollow points. have not shot it in a few years and don't remember the load. think i used rl 15. i like the 25-06 so much, there are a lot of rifles i have that just collect dust.

I've got a CDL in a .243 and it has a 4x16 on it that seems to work out for most uses.

The load that I've been using is a NBT 55g with either Varget or RL-7 in it and running out the tube at 4050 fps.

Accruacy is good for the varmint applications and also for deer.

41.0 grains of Varget and the 70 grain Nosler BT will probably work well.
36.0 grains of IMR 3031 and the 75 grain Speer HP should also do wonders for dispatching vermin and performing admirably!! GHD

My little Sako likes 51gr of H380 and the Nosler 55ge BT.
3900 or so fps, no recoil and it simply powders the little varmint types.

I have a 2x7 Leupold on it for coyotes and deer, but the Nikon 4.5x14 side focus would be a dandy to run on a combo rifle like that.

BT

Here's a picture of her

This works for me.....my daughter's is a Remington Model Seven with a Leupold VXII 3-9.

Varmints:
Nosler 70 gr. Ballistic Tip
47 grains H 4350
Rem. 9 1/2 primer; WW case
M.V. fps 3430 fps

Deer, etc.
Nosler 95 gr. Ballistic Tip
43.7 grains H 4350
Rem. 9 1/2 primer; WW case
M.V. 2973 fps

60 grain sierra hollowpoints, 40.5 grains of varget, tiny little groups.

-Matt

For varmints in the 243 I'm using the Hornady 75 HP and 49.0 IMR4831. About 3400 fps on the chronograph and under 1" groups from a Dakota 22" light sporter w/Leupold 2.5 - 8 VX-III.

Kimber Montana in 243Win. Leupold 4.5-14x40 B&C reticle. 85gn TSX's @ 3200fps using 45gn Ramshot Hunter in Lapua cases W/WLR primers. The TSX's always leave 2 holes in varmints, but they're never very large, the also make the 243 a very capable "all-purpose" rifle.



100yds



300yds

I shoot a Kimber Montana .243 with a 4.5-14 Zeiss Conquest and Talley light weight aluminum mounts. The rifle shoots 58 gr. V-Max's at 3800 fps and 5/8" five shot groups. I've shot several coyotes at around the 450 yard mark with pretty spectacular kills-they drop in their tracks. At around the 550 yard mark on marmots they are begining to lose steam and merely kill them without too much excitement.