.243 Carbine

[JohnBr]

Hi all. I am new to the forum and was looking for some suggestions for powder to use for an old remington carbine with an 18" barrel. Do you recommend a fast burning powder or slow burning? I plan to load some 85 and 100 grain nosler partitions. Thanks.

[James R. Burke]

I load the 100 grain Nosler partition in my wifes .243. I use a slower powder, but the barrel is not has short as yours is. I know the bigger bullet with that caliber likes slower burning powder, but I dont know about the short barrel, maybe someone else on here can better match up with you, for the size barrel you have. Make sure you have some good manuals, and they also can be a big help. I try to have one for each make bullet I use. Also Nosler has a pretty good web site on there data check that out also.

[Jim243]

That is a good question. The books say to use a slower buring powder such as IMR-4350 or Reloader 22 for best results with bullets over 90 grains. I don't know that I quite agree with that. I am using 105 grain Hornady A-Max bullets on mine and I use H4895 on all but a few loads, I tried IMR 4350 and H 4350 and was not impressed with the results.

But it will depend on your barrel and rate of twist. I don't know that the slower powder will help on an 18" barrel or if you should use the faster H4895 with it. Try the IMR 4350 on a few and try the H4895 on some others.

If you really want some fast powder you could try IMR 3031.

My gut instinct says that a 18 inch barrel will probable shoot better with a lighter bullet something in the 60 or 65 grain range, but it is only a gut instinct not a proven fact with me.

Good luck and let us know what your results are.

Thanks
Jim

[JohnBr]

I've tried RL22 and 4350 with the 100 grain noslers and worked my way up to noslers recommended max and did not have good results with either powder. That is why I wondered if I should use a lighter bullet with a faster powder. l have some 4895 that I will work up with the 85 grain bullet. I was just wondering if there is a rule of thumb that you should use a faster burning powder with a shorter barrel?

[Jim243]

There is no rule of thumb on powder, however the barrel may limit what you can use. I am going to guess (might be wrong) that it is a 1 in 12 inch twist current models are a 1 in 10 twist. The faster twist spins the longer bullets (heavier) so that they will stablize, however they are not that good on shorter bullets (lighter). Now a one in 12 twist is just the other way, good on short bullets, not so good on the long ones.

You didn't say how old the gun was, but before you give up and sell it, I would try some 65 grain bullets. The 85 grain may work better but I think the rule of thumb for a 1:12 is 85 grain bullets. The H4895 is a great work horse powder, I use it in 223, 243, 270, 35 Remington and 30-06. If I am loading 55 grain bullets or less I use H-335 anything 60 grain bullet or heavier I use H-4895 the only exception is for the 123 grain 7.62x39 I use H4198 or IMR4198.

I don't know if this will help, but I hope so.

Jim

More info http://www.gunnersden.com/index.htm.243winchester.html

Twist Rate Chart: http://www.riflebarrels.com/products/caliber_twist_rates.htm

[skatman]

Hello, JohnBr

I've had a Remington Model 660 since about 1970 and have had real good luck with it on whitetails. I use a 90 grain spitzer Speer bullet with 43.5 grains of IMR 4350 powder. The gun has about a 19 inch barrel and usually shoots 1 inch to 1.5 inch groups at 100 yards with that load.

You may want to check on the "Remington Safety Modification Progam" for the Model 600 and 660. You can search Google for "Remington 660" and find it. If your gun is included in their program, I think there is a trigger modification available for it that Remington will pay for. (Your serial number will tell you if it is included)

Good luck & be safe,----------Skatman

[oldscot3]

I wouldn't worry about fast vs. slow powder burn rates in your carbine. This topic has discussed many times and a wide variety of opinions are expressed, the end result is (IMHO), given an ordinary man's hobby resources, you won't likely gain much advantage, or lose much, based on powder burn rates. Its my understanding, the powder is all burned within a few inches of the chamber and bullet velocity (acceleration) is then a factor of the time it has in the barrel (as it travels the given distance)for the expanding gases to act upon it. A shorter barrel gives less time for the barrel to accelerate it, a longer barrel more.

If you had the resources to exhaust every possible combination of bullet/ powder/ case and primer you might find one that could offer a little velocity gain, but that would only be after considerable effort. Is it worth it to you?

Develop a load that gives you a reasonable balance of velocity and accuracy and go hunting. The deer won't know the difference if they're fair hit.

Let the counter points and corrections begin!