I would like you guys to let me know what your favorite stick powder is in the 243. Stick powder, only because I have most of the popular varieties, and I don't use ball much, except for varmint loads in 223.

This could be very interesting to me.

Thanks

Jerry

While I much prefer to use ball powders in my .243, I have stocked some IMR-7828 for a trial and so far it's yielding a good performance.

IMR 4350 with 100 grain bullets

4350 with 100 sp and 85 hpbt

I found the most accurate load in my .243 to be with IMR3031.

LWD

H4831 and IMR4831 both work well for me.

i believe the all time best accuracy load for 243 was always 41.5-44 gr of 4350 behind a 85 gr sierra BTHP

Bullet weight will have a significant influence on powder selection.

For bullets 100 gr and over, IMR-7828 SSC or H-4831. For lighter bullets down to 70 grains, N-160 and the various 4350's do a good job. For the little 55 grain varminting pills, either H-4895 or IMR-4895 has done well for me, but several other powders in that burning range would also do the trick.

quote:

I found the most accurate load in my .243 to be with IMR3031.

LWD: What bullet are you using with IMR3031, I have never tried this one in 243, thought it might be a little fast burning, but I am looking for the best groups, not top velocity.

The reason for my asking you all about powders, I had a Sako L579 rebarreled, and it seems much too finicky. My impression of the 243, is it likes most stuff it is feed. Not so with this combination.

Thanks

Jerry

H4350 in mine.

IMR4350 hands down!

With an 85gr.BTHP 38 gr. of IMR 4064, with a 100 gr. bullet 33 gr. of IMR 3031. These are my go-to loads for top accuracy.

IMR 3031 37.5 grs. 85gr. SPBT, and also 41.5gr IMR4350 works great with the 100gr. bullets but the first load I quoted was a tack driver in my rem700 243, this was the best load I found for it. I tried varget, h414, re19, re15, but the 3031 worked best.

quote:

LWD: What bullet are you using with IMR3031, I have never tried this one in 243, thought it might be a little fast burning, but I am looking for the best groups, not top velocity.

The reason for my asking you all about powders, I had a Sako L579 rebarreled, and it seems much too finicky. My impression of the 243, is it likes most stuff it is feed. Not so with this combination.

I'm using the 85 grain Sierra BTHP. It's proven to be excellent on does, coyotes, and small pigs. I learned the hard way last year to leave it at home and bring my '06 with 168 TSXs when hunting trophy bucks. For what I'm using it for, the 85 grain Sierra BTHP is excellent.

I do feel your pain on finicky. It took me about 5 years of off and on load development to find what worked in mine. It's a Browning Stalker. 100 grain Sierra and Hornadys would give consistent 1.5" groups with different powders. I'm a handloader so that's just not acceptable even out of a sporter weight barrel. Lighter bullets didn't work at all. Nosler 55 grain BTips gave 2.5-4.5" groups with multiple powders. Nosler 70 grain BTips gave 3/4" groups but behaved oddly but consistently---first and third shots would be touching with second shot 3/4" high. The Sierra 85 gr BTHP consistently gave 3/4" triangle groups but only with IMR3031. Other powders only gave 1.5" or so groups. So I settled on it because of the consistent, good groups and the versatility of the bullet. I wonder how many rounds I fired doing load development? Of the top of my head, I think over 200.

Good luck with yours.

LWD

Thanks guys. Just for the record, I now have 307 rounds thru this barrel, a Shilen.

LWD your story is esactly like mine. All my buddies are using IMR4350, with great results, not me however. What velocity are you running those 85's at?

Jerry

quote:

I'm using the 85 grain Sierra BTHP. It's proven to be excellent on does, coyotes, and small pigs. I learned the hard way last year to leave it at home and bring my '06 with 168 TSXs when hunting trophy bucks. For what I'm using it for, the 85 grain Sierra BTHP is excellent.

I've also found the 85 gr. BTHP to perform excellent in the .243 Win. and I've used this bullet right on up to UK Red & Fallow Deer sized game with success coupled with Stonie's reco of VV N-160; which supposedly has a burning rate +/-/similar to H-4831sc.

Like LWD; I'd prefer something in the .308" caliber range for larger Deer work BUT for reasons beyond the scope of this thread that's what I've had in my hands at the time, it's legal and you plunck 'em in the right spot - that combo works fine.

In 100 gr. flavor I prefer Norma bullets (older vanilla-flavored red box prior to them having spiffy names) and H-1000. While I've never Chronied the loads the accuracy is pretty much one somewhat enlarged .243" sized hole and I've shot this load out to 600 meters with accuracy out of a standard Blaser R93 w/10X scope that was, Ugh, well ..... just amazing.



When shooting an ancient Remington 700 that has since been sold, I had great success with IMR-4064 and H or IMR-4350 w/70, 85 & 100 grainers - just goes again to depict that each rifle is a law unto itself.

Have fun with your .243 loads.

90-100gr bullets go to RL22

I think that 4350 is near perfect as to performance/accuracy, but is finicky to load. I always preferred 4320 as a close second and easier to get extreme accuracy.

quote:

LWD your story is esactly like mine. All my buddies are using IMR4350, with great results, not me however. What velocity are you running those 85's at?

I'm embarrassed to say that I don't know. I don't own a chronograph. According to the Sierra manual, I think they should be leaving the muzzle about 3200 fps.

LWD

For bullets under 85 gr, RL15, for bullets 85 gr and heavier, H-4350.

any 4350

I only shoot 2 bullets out of mine now.
75 GR Sierra HP - IMR-4895
95 gr Nosler PT - IMR-4350
Both the above loads will go very close to 1/2"
when I'm on.

Long time ago I thru some 85 gr together with BLc-2 and it shot very well.
Tried 60 gr Sierras when I 1st got it and it would not shoot them.
Same thing when I tried the Sierra 85gr HPBT.

Look no farther. It's just a waste of time & money.

quote:

Originally posted by richj:
4350 with 100 sp and 85 hpbt

Same here. Although, I admit to only trying two other powders before I stumbled upon "The Load".

I'm just getting started reloading for the 243. So far H4350 works well with the Barnes 80 grain Tipped Triple Shock.

From 85grs through 100 I use IMR-3031, either of the 4350's, either of the 4831's, and have used both RL-19 and 22 for different loads as well.

Of them all I would have to say that the 4350's have overall been the most accurate and given the best velocities from several rifles, and bullet weights.

I only ever use 70gr BT's in my 243 so it's IMR 4895 for me.

70gr SMK's get H4350
105gr AMax's get RL17 and RL25

Have gotten 1/4" 3-shot groups with each.

I have loaded for two 243's.

First a Ruger No1-A. I used this rifle and the wife used it as well. She killed antelope out to 350 yards with it.

The second was a Remington Mod 7, with the 18" barrel.

I developed the loads for the No1, but they shot even better in the Mod 7.

It would shoot groups at 300 yards the size of the palm of my hand.

The powder, IMR 4350.
The bullets, the Sierra 100gr Spz, and the Nolser 95gr Partition.

In Texas we used 40grains, with either bullet.

When the wife hunted in Colorado or Wyoming she used 42gr.

Strange thing, was both powder charges shot great with both bullets.

The 243 killed whitetail deer, mule deer, and antelope as good as any calibre rifle we have ever used. Up close or far.

I moved her up to a 308 when we got on a lease with wild pigs.
Plus since I hunt with a 308 a lot it made logistics easier...

IMR 4831

Gee,

IMR 4064, 4895, 3031, 4320... for bullets from 55 grains to 105 grains...

RL15... just started playing with AR Comp, which is supposed to be a temp insensitive version of RL 15... but it is showing itself to be more accurate...

Varget does a real good job also, as does Benchmark and H 322...

even lowly RL 7 and IMR 4198 will not give top velocities but they will give stellar accuracy, along with less recoil, even by 243 standards...

I find the 243 pretty darn flexible and doesn't need the slower powders... which normally need 20 to 25 % more powder and give ya an extra 100 to 150 fps for it and that's it...

One of the 4831s for the heavy ones, IMR4350 for the middle weights, and IMR4064 for the fly weights.

My M70 Fwt is kind of finicky but really likes the 70TNT over Varget and a still load of H4350 over either a 95 Partition or 100 Hornady.

Great Info. I appreciate all of your posts. I'll let you know if this contraption shoots or not. I am about wore out with this one, and may send the action to Pac-Nor and get it over with, after I go thru 4350 and 3031, one more time.

Jerry

+1 for IMR 3031

quote:

Originally posted by D Humbarger:


Look no farther. It's just a waste of time & money.

What is a "CT ST"?

quote:

What is a "CT ST"?

Combined Technology (=Winchester & Nosler) Ballistic Silvertip

My first 243 was a post-64 Model 70 that liked IMR 4350 with 80 to 105 grain bullets (I never shot anything below 80gr with that rifle). I sold it to a friend who wanted to build a 6.5-284 and bought a new Rem 700 in 243.

That damn thing would not group anything. Best groups (3" were again with IMR 4350) and everything else (e.g., despite powder, bullet, primer changes [and I hate to admit the first time I have bought factory ammo in over 45 years]) was 4+ inches.

Changed the scope and rebedded to no effect. Before I rebedded, I had called Big Green and they told me that 3-4 inches was "within factory specifications" and would do nothing about it.

Finally faced with trading, buying new again, or rebarreling and decided to rebarrel. Took it to a gunsmith in Pueblo in early December, and said "What the hell. Rebarrel to 243 AI and put a 8" twist barrel on it because I never shoot light bullets." I am also having him true the action, lap the lugs, and pillar bed it.

Don't mean to high jack this thread, but when I get it back next week and start load development, I can tell you that the first powder I will try will still be IMR 4350.

Barstooler

Well guys, I have come up with a powder that looks like it is going to be the right one. 42 grains of Varget, with a 80 grain Ballistic Tip, first 3 shot group .565, second 3 shot group .642. I haven't had the chance to run them over the screens yet, but the book shows 3460fps plus. As soon as we are done hunting Javalina tis week, I'll shot it over the chronograph and see if it repeats.

Jerry

quote:

Originally posted by hammer2506:
IMR 3031 37.5 grs. 85gr. SPBT, and also 41.5gr IMR4350 works great with the 100gr. bullets but the first load I quoted was a tack driver in my rem700 243, this was the best load I found for it. I tried varget, h414, re19, re15, but the 3031 worked best.

I have no idea what is best, but I use 36 grs of 3031 with 85 grain SPBT. Nice to see I'm close.