.243 Winchester Warning?

[roy reali]

I was looking through the 10th edition of Cartridges of the World when I came across a warning about the .243 Winchester. This is an exact quote found on page 25.

Editor's note: The 243 has garnered a reputation among ballisticians for erratic performance. Handloaders should keep this firmly in mind.

Is there any truth this? Has anyone here had any problemns reloading for this round. Many years ago I had a rifle chambered for this. I reloaded for it, but not that much. I don't recall any problems.

I am looking to get a new deer rifle. This is one chambering I am considering. But if there are problems with it, I'll look elesewhere.

[hagar]

It's the most fussy round I ever loaded, even after lubing the inside of the neck, they kept stretching on me and would not fully chamber in a 7400 and a Ruger bolt action. I finally went to sizing them twice, once with the neck expander in place, and then without. I actually measured the case length with the expander still inside the neck, and then again after I pulled it out, and could not believe the difference. No other cartridge ever gave me this kind of grief. As for erratic, they always shot well with 42 grains of Accurate 4350 and the 85 Sierras, I never had a need for anything else!

[Mike Irwin]

Wow. that's the first I've ever heard that. I used to reload for .243 a lot, and never had any issues at all.

[Cooperhawk]

I have reloaded thousands of rounds of 243, (varmint Hunting), with nary a problem. True, after three or four firings I did trim the case necks but that was mainly maintain consistency. After five or six loadings I would also anneal the necks.

[TXJohn]

I to have loaded lots of 243 Win. without a problem have also loaded some for a couple of close freinds with out a hitch.

[kraigwy]

I love playing with my wifes 243. Mind you its just a model 70 hunting rifle, nothing fancy.

I haven't been able to find a load that dosnt shoot in this rifle. When I first made it I knew it was a shooter. After putting it together, I test fired it before throwing it in the bluing tanks. My first three shot group was smaller then a one shot group with my 45-70. That was just rounds I put together to test fire the gun.

I've seen a lot of 243s but I never saw one that was picky on reloads.

Excuse me if I'm mistaken, but I thought you were suppose to lube the inside of all necks when reloading.

[azar92]

Yes, I have heard that before. I'm not saying that means there is truth to it (as I don't reload .243 Win) but I have heard it. The 7mm Rem Mag, which I do load for, also has that same reputation. That's one of the reasons the 7mm RM had it's SAAMI MAP reduced to 58,000 PSI. Unexplained erratic pressure spikes in some gun / load combos.

[uncyboo]

Yes, I have heard that before. I'm not saying that means there is truth to it (as I don't reload .243 Win) but I have heard it. The 7mm Rem Mag, which I do load for, also has that same reputation. That's one of the reasons the 7mm RM had it's SAAMI MAP reduced to 58,000 PSI. Unexplained erratic pressure spikes in some gun / load combos.

I have heard that these two cartridges (243 and 7 Mag) could have unpredictable pressure spikes when loading too light. Main contributors to the "light charge of slow burning powder detonation" phenominon.

[Shoney]

I have never owned a 243, but have loaded for several. All those I helped work up loads for shot well, without problems. However, None of them liked the same accuracy loads.

I helped two close freinds who had bought 243s in the same rifles that were only a few serial numbers apart. Each rifle liked different powders and neither performed at max or near-max loadings. Maybe this is what they mean by erratic performance?

I prefer the 6 mm Remington over the 243. The 6mm Rem out performed all of the 243 accuracy loads I put across my chronograph. Not only does it out-perform the 243, but the brass lasts longer, and the concentricity (runout) is much better in the 6mm because of its much longer neck.

[roy reali]

If I buy a rifle in .243, follow published loading data and use all other common sense steps, I won't blow myself up?

[Jim243]

Roy I don't know what that poster was smoking but I have had NO PROBLEMS AT ALL with the 243. But if you use junk ammo or junk bullets you will get junk results. The only ones I load are Hornady 6mm .243 105 grain A-Max product #24562 with H-4895 powder. Always shoots .5 inch groups at 100 yards. And no you will not blow your self up, it is a easy round to load. Just use a decent rifle, mine is a Savage mod 10, not expensive but very good and accurate.

Jim

[Bobrm2]

I found this to be very interesting, particularly the last posting concerning the 4895 powder usage. I have searched for load data for the .243 win and used 4895 because I could then (and have on hand) that powder for both my .308 wind and my buddy's .243 win. Have Lee's, Speers, and Lymans 47/49 manuals. Could you give me reload data or point me to a manual with the suggested load.

The search for another powder I have reloaded 15 on hand along with 4064, has brought my attention to locating powder characteristics; as a very new, less than a years experience, in reloading I've a lot to learn. Thanks of any and all help.

Bob

[Hog Buster]

Bobrm2

You'll find loading info here.
http://data.hodgdon.com/main_menu.asp

I've gotten excellent performance in my Ruger .243 with IMR 4895 behind a 95 grain Hornady SST bullet.

[javven]

I've never had a bad experience in 7mm RM - except for loads that weren't all that accurate, usually in reduced loads.

Good, consistent habits are important. On a new load I check every case after firing - even if this is the last shot for the brass.

[hammie]

This is interesting. I've always heard people say that the .243 was a tackdriver, but I've never found that to be true. I thought it was me. I've owned and reloaded for a 788 Rem, a 700 rem, a commercial mauser, and currently a rem 7600. I've also reloaded for a friend's savage 99. I could usually find one bullet, powder type, and powder weight that worked, but it was never the same from rifle to rifle. As a contrast, it seems that you can randomly pick any .308 win load from a manual and it will give one inch, 3 shot groups.

[guntotin_fool]

back to the question posted.

If you follow the manuals you will not blow up. PERIOD.


yes it can be finicky, it can be easy too, don't ask why, thats why its unpredictable. I can load for three different rifles, all with have different POA's when compared to other loads, and all will shoot it fairly well. I have notices very short case life in some guns, and very long case life in other brands.

[Unclenick]

Originally Posted by guntotin Fool

If you follow the manuals you will not blow up. PERIOD.

Alas, there is no such guarantee. We just had a thread here recently on this problem with this very cartridge. It is worth reading, here. The Hodgdon max load was lower than the Lyman manual max load of Varget in this instance, and pressure trouble started half way between the two maximums. QuickLOAD did not predict such pressure levels as his velocity and his action popping open indicated he was actually getting. About 77,000 psi, as near as I can tell. Proof pressure. An action popping open can lead to a destructive case head failure and isn't something to ignore.

I am reminded of the general advice to check at least three sources of load data and begin your work up usong the starting load that is the smallest of the three. I've had one instance in my reloading experience in which a manual minimum load was maximum for the gun I used it in. A maximum load from that manual would have done damage to the light revolver I was using. A couple other folks have had a similar experience. Manuals are a suggested load range, and you need to take the concept of the starting load seriously and start at the bottom.

[Shootin4fun]

The 243 is a cakewalk to reload. If you follow the manual's recommendations you will get a good starting point. Work up slowly. It is a very accurate cartridge and many off the shelf rifles in 243 are very accurate. Some statements about accuracy and power are holdovers from decades ago after it was released, and though I don't know the efficacy of them, there are a lot more advanced powders and bullets now. Look in other 243 threads and you will commonly see people talking about .5 MOA groups out of standard production run rifles. I think the .308 Win case is a great match for several calibers. 6mm, 6.5, 7, and 7.62 are all winners.

[mnoirot64]

My girlfriend's son got a Rossi multi-barrel gun for Christmas. It's a child sized gun and came with 22 LR, 410, 20 gauge and 243 barrels. I bought new Nosler 243 brass and the only bullets I could find - 60 grain Sierra FMJ. I loaded them over 39 grains of 4064 and a WLR Winchester primer. Out of 15 rounds I loaded, five failed to fire. I've never seen anything like it. I've loaded thousands of 270, 308 and 338 RUM cartridges and have never experienced one failure. I looked at all of the primers, for the ten which fired and the five that did not, and it appears the primers are not getting a very strong strike from the firing pin. All of the 410, 20 gauge and 22 LR fired without a hitch. I guess it's probably something to do with the gun, but it certainly has me baffled.

[4runnerman]

I have also put maybe 500 down mine already ( not a lot),but never a problem.
38 gn 4064 and 87 gn Hornadys. It is very much a tack driver.

[reynolds357]

Its not the easiest round to do load development for. If you use a Chronograph in development, you will see some wild spreads at times.

[Airman Basic]

I once loaded the 243 with lots of H450, which I also read was a dangerous unpredictable powder. Still got several pounds of it. Guess I should be scared? Haven't used it in years.

[boondocker385]

in my limited (400 rounds) experience with .243 I haven't found it to be difficult, but my rifle has some likes and dislikes. max accuracy has come below max powder.

[Brian Pfleuger]

Near on 4 years ago and unanimous opinion, I don't think this thread needs new life.