I have been searching and reading but most info I find for the .243 is for heavier deer loads. I will be using my M70 Heavy barrel for groundhogs and maybe coyote in summer months only. I know the 1:10 twist is not optimal for lighter bullets but has anyone had luck with the 55-70 grain bullets in the .243? With the cost and availability of bullets and powder I want to narrow things down as best as I can.

Experienced great results with bullets from 58 grains to68 grains with powders from 4895 to h-4831 in a Ruger varmint rifle. roger

I'm at work so don't have my notes available but I did a bit of reloading for my sons with light bullets. We were using 55gr Ballistic tips and 60gr Barnes VG with IMR4895. The Noslers seemed to shoot about the same from moderate loads up to max, the Barnes VG's shot best near the top end if I remember correctly. I tried some match primers, and Rem 91/2, as well as WLR's. I've heard good things about RL15 but have not used it myself as I still have several pounds of IMR4895 available.

I got the Sierra .243" 60 gr. HP's & a maximum load of IMR-4350 to shoot very well outa one of the old 22" fairly-stiff tubed Remington 788s.

Didn't have to do a lot of testing either, initially used a starting load from an old Sierra manual for that bullet & powder and a coupla test loads later they were plunk'n 'em into little-bitty groups.

Actually, one of the quickest & easiest test load efforts ever IIRC.

I can attest that these bullets at good speed will be really impressive on Jackrabbits outa .243 Winchester. They also severly reduce the sale options of a coyote pelt, too.

Gee, wonder how I know that ...... ?



Have fun with your lightweight .243" pills.

My S-I-L's Ruger M77 shoots the 58 grain V-Max sub .25 MOA with H4895. I helped him develop this load. We tried the Nosler 55 BT first and we got it to go fast while increasing accuracy the harder we pushed it but we started seeing excessive pressure and that is when we went to the V-Max.

I've used both 55 and 70 grain Nosler Ballistic Tips (and 70 grain Sierra Blitzkings) in a heavy barreled .243 for prairie dogs. The twist is 1-10 and any of these bullets shoot very well in it. I regard the 70 grainer as a bit more versatile due to its higher ballistic coefficient. It also seems to strike with more authority (although I've never seen a prairie dog survive a hit with a 55).

With the 55's you can use a medium-burning powder like 4895 or 4064. With the 70's something a bit slower will yield maximum velocities. From a 24" barrel look for 3900 fps from the 55's and a bit under 3500 from the 70's.

My go to for prairie dogs uses the Hdy 75gr HP with 45 to 45.5 gr H4350. It's usually pretty windy here and that load seems to buck the wind better than anything else I've tried although the Nosler 70gr ballistic is a very close 2d.
All the guys that show up with their 22-250's call me a couple of months later wanting to know what my 243 load is.

My load is like Gerry's above.
60 grain Sierra H.P. and IMR-4350. The few .243's I've loaded for thrive on IMR-4350 with all kinds of bullet weights.
I could see where bullets heavier than 60's would have an advantage in the wind.

I am using Varget with a 55gr Nosler Btip out of a T-C Icon. Velocity is right at 3,900fps and accuracy is excellent.

Using BLC-2, I hit 4,100fps, safely, and the accuracy was right at .9".

My brother has had luck with 55gr Blitz Kings in a factory R700 and Varget, not sure on the load though...

Nosler 70 gr Ballistic tips and IMR 4350 and Fed
210M primers. Varget looks good on paper but have not tried it yet. Work up you load according to the loading manual.

70g Sierra HPBTs with IMR 3031. Very accurate, very light recoil varmint load

70 grain Ballistic tips and H414. Very fast, very accurate, and it flows very well through the measure. It has worked in over a dozen rifles.

I will be working up 58 grain and 72 grain loads with the Barnes Varminator and 62 grain loads with the Varmint Grenade. I plan on trying Varget, (hear good things about Varget and light bullets), and 4350. The range isn't open yet so I can't comment on how well they shoot. Varget is what I'm told to try with all three bullets though.

quote:

Originally posted by chuck375:
70g Sierra HPBTs with IMR 3031. Very accurate, very light recoil varmint load

That is what I use to case form loads for my 243 AI. Very accurate.

Barstooler

I found a 55gr Nosler BT sitting on a max charge of IMR 4895 to work great out of my M700.

I shoot an old 56' mod 70 varminter .243 and it is far more accurate with the 70 BT Fed ammo. bluebird no wind day it shot a grunt less than 1 1/4 at 300 yards, I saved the target...