Hi

I in the process of building a .243 Ackley Impr rifle with a 23" 1-8" tube. Im hoping to fire 105gr pills.

What loads are you guys using please?

Thanks in advance

Hope this helps

http://www.6mmbr.com/243win.html

Cheers thats good for an over view.

http://stevespages.com/243_2_105.html

I would start with RL22, its what I have on hand....

Cheers thats a kool site. though some of the loads seem extremely high!

quote:

Originally posted by LeupyGav:
Cheers thats a kool site. though some of the loads seem extremely high!

HI

Yes some of those loads are off the charts.

But take notice, they are for specialized firearms and state so in the article.

Certainly the axiom, start 10% lower and work your way up applies for those loads.

Best wishes, Bill

Im suprised that no one with real world experience hasnt replied?

Or does no one use this modded cal!

quote:

LeupyGav

I haven't seen any posts by people owning a 243AI for many years, so I think that is the reason no one has responded to your question who has hands on experience with that chambering; no one owns one.

Don

[QUOTE]Originally posted by LeupyGav:
Im suprised that no one with real world experience hasnt replied?

QUOTE]




Actually I thought your question was specific to the 105/107 grain weight bullets and my 1 in 10 twist doesn't handle them. It does OK with 90's and down... The above is but one good shooting load, 80 grain Berger flat base HP match and VV 550. My best current longe range load is IMR 7828 and the Berger 90 grain HPBT loaded to 2950 ft/secs. The Sierra 85 HPBT and IMR 4064 is also a winner for me.

Any 243 AI will accept about a 5% increase in max load of about ANY 243 max load data, as long as the powder has a burn rate of IMR 4198 or RL 7.. with the slower powders, you can increase that up to about 10% more... but one needs to work up, as your custom rifle has a non SAAMI standards chamber.. and that is at the mercy of each gunsmith that cut your chamber...

If you are desiring max performance, try the 105 or 115 grain Bergers with a max charge of about 46 grains of RL 19....

can't advise you on VV powders, as I don't have reliable access to them, and they are much spendier than American and Australian distributed powders by Hodgdon...

I figured you wanted data on the VLD bullets with 1/8 twist barrel. My 243AI has a 1/10 twist barrel and with IMR-4007ssc/80gr bullets in the 3700fps range. Tried H-4350 with 87gr V-Max @ 3456fps so far been pretty happy with the 243AI. I used a 95gr Nosler in a 6RemAI with a 1/10 twist barrel @ 3393fps.

Well good luck

I have just got my first .243AI. Its a 1-8 twist with a 28"barrel from Pac-Nor. It absolutly loves the 115 DTACs and pretty much anything else i load in it. I am using the slower powders like Ramshot Magnum, Retumbo, and RL 25. I've had great results with the 107 SMK and the 105 Lapuas also. I have shot several half inch 3 shot groups at 300 yards with the 115s and RL 25 with a velocity of 3250. I will be shooting it in a few hours at 500 yards for the first time. I am hoping I can keep the groups around 1.5" and under. If I do my part, i know it will shoot well.

Rifle Shooter,

first welcome to the forums...

that 243 sounds like a sweet set up...

I have two Pac Nor barrels with a one in 7 twist..in 6mm...

Both are chambered in 6mm Rem...

one is on a Rem 700 long action, with a 24 inch heavy magnum contour barrel...

the other one, that I am slowly finishing, is on a Mauser action with a straight 31 inch heavy bull barrel...

with the Rem, 46 grains of RL 19 is running 115 grain Bergers at 3250 MV....

interesting to see what the Mauser will do when I get that one up and operational...

your results sound pretty impressive.. so hopefully the Mauser will be the same...

I am also interested in trying some of those Dave Tubb bullets... have you used them for hunting? I have heard that is a good hunting bullet also...kinda of interested in trying that or the 115 grain Berger this fall...

cheers
seafire

seafire,

I have not tried the 115 DTACs for hunting yet, but I will be this deer season.

My rifle started life as a 270 win Savage Stevens 200 that I bought new for $200. I never shot it as a 270. I sent the barreled action to Pac-Nor and they rebarreled it with a HV contour 28" barrel with a muzzle brake. The stock is a Varmint/target stock from SSS. The trigger is also from SSS and it is set at a crisp 9oz. With the heavy barrel and brake you can see your shots hit the paper, sweet.

RS...

Sounds like a nice set up... got any pics of it to post?

I have a Savage 116 I bought to do some switch barrel work with...

Just relloked at my first post and your right guys its a bit direct! lol I was ment to have added or any experience with the AI? doh

leupygav,

ive got a 243 AI and it is great, i will dig out some old load data.
i havnt used it for a while now, since getting a Tac .20. so i cannot remember what was great off the top of my head.

ive got three AI chambered rifles and if i don't write it down im buggered.

Well, some guy said that the .243 and 4350 goes together like cookies and ice cream. That sounded good to me so I just loaded some 70 gr. Sierras with 43.5 gr. AA 4350. It seem like a lot of powder compared to Varget and VV140 loads and nearly fills the case.. I'm anxious to see how it works this week.

quote:

Originally posted by Burlington Rd:
Well, some guy said that the .243 and 4350 goes together like cookies and ice cream. That sounded good to me so I just loaded some 70 gr. Sierras with 43.5 gr. AA 4350. It seem like a lot of powder compared to Varget and VV140 loads and nearly fills the case.. I'm anxious to see how it works this week.

Any news?

I'm on my second .243AI . Current rifle has a 26" (9 inch twist) Lilja on a Stiller Predator action.
Loads quoted on the internet for this cartridge never cease to amaze me . Apparently the .243AI can easily outdo a .240 Weatherby these days . All I can say is that there are a lot of guys out there who enjoy fireforming more than I do because their cases must be stuffed after about 3 loads .
In reality the .243AI holds about 7% more powder than the original . Using the recognised 4:1 rule that means you can safely expect about 1.75% more velocity or about 50 - 70 FPS over a standard .243 . Some seem to think 7% more case capacity should equal 7% more velocity and load accordingly .
Neither of my rifles will safely take anything like 10% more slow burning powder than the standard case .
I'd suggest that those who haven't worked out how to read excessive pressure signs should buy a chronograph and be guided by velocity achieved vs book maximum for the standard .243 . Either that or some good safety glasses .

Well got shooting mine last week.

43gr IMR4350 and 87gr v-max works wonders! 1/4-1/2" on a standard sako 75 rechambered barrel!

Dont know what the velocity is at mo. but im guestermating 3000-3100 as the barrel is obviously 1/2" shorther than the standard sako's are. (21" barrel)

Havent tried reloading the fireformed cases yet. but will be interesting to see if they are as accurate. hopefuly they will be. and hopefuly i can add an axtra gr or so powder while keeping the accuracy.

When testing i tried 42, 43 and 44gr's and 2 different cols. all were shooting under 3/4" at worst.

Have just switched from 87gn V Max to 90gn Berger BTHP due to inconsistent accuracy with the Hornady . Same problem with that projectile in my last .243AI .
I'm using 44.7gns H4350 in Lapua cases with the Federal GM primer . Accurate charge weights for both projectiles have been the same . Velocity of above load is 3250 FPS . B.C. of the Berger is similar to the V Max .

Try 45grs of H4831SC and work up from there. Im shooting this in my standard 243 8 twist 30" barrel and get 3100fps on the button with 105gr Bergers. It shoots very well. Do a ladder test at 300 yards to determine what works best in your gun.

Good luck.

Bike Rider
Corbin

quote:

Originally posted by Bike Rider:
Try 45grs of H4831SC and work up from there. Im shooting this in my standard 243 8 twist 30" barrel and get 3100fps on the button with 105gr Bergers. It shoots very well. Do a ladder test at 300 yards to determine what works best in your gun.

Good luck.

Bike Rider
Corbin

For a guy that can't tell the difference between a VZ-24 and a DWM missing parts you sure seem to know a lot.