idea's for .243win

[rustylp]

Hi my name is rusty im new at reloading and was wondering if anybody had any tips they might like to share. I bought a savage 110 for deer hunting and just thought i try somthing new so i bought some hodgons H414 and new win cartrages unprimed. Also i got some cci 200 large primers, im using 42gr of powder for a 80gr nosler bolistic tips

[Tom Matiska]

Nosler does list that bullet as a "Varmint" Bullet, and list the heavier 90gr Ballistic Tip (as well as the partions) as "hunting" bullets. You can get some amazing kills using varmint loads on deer, but the ratio of purple jelly to edible meat may not be good, and if you have a chance of scoring a larger buck I'd consider at least the 90 BT or 95 Partition.

IMR 4350 has been my choice for the heavier end of the 243 range. I haven't loaded the light end in years because my experience with cranking the lightweights up too high was too much jacket fouling vs too little shooting.

[.45 Vet]

A lot ,(most), of my shooting friends feel that .243 is too light for white-tail in Western Pa. On the other hand, every hunting member of my family has taken a deer with the .243.

Am away from my bench,(vacation), so can't provide specifics, but have to agree with Tom about 4350 for powder. IMR or Hogden under a 105gr. "ROUND-NOSE" bullet, somewhere around 2600/2700fps.

Good Luck, after deer season, you might try dropping down to a 65/80 gr. bullet for a little ground-hog practice...

I like H-380 for the lighter bullets in .243.

[rustylp]

I choose the hogdons h414 powder because it is slower burning than most powders. Out of about 147 differant powders from fastest to slowest burning the h 414 is about at 114 on the list. and it is ideal for medium rifle cases, If im correct using this powder with the max load 45grs i should get a velosity of about 3400 fps with 80gr bullet very fast, i even read some where on here that a guy used h414 with a 70gr bullet and got like 3700fps thats somthing like a .240 speed. any ways mabee after i use all the powder in my reloads i will try some of this imr but im not to sure about loading hot rounds

[YosemiteSam357]

I shoot for small groups, and have had only "OK" results with H414 in my .243 (also a Savage, FWIW) with the 55gr Nosler BTs. It should be noted that the folks over at AccurateReloading.com had much better results than I got. I've had better luck with 4064 in 55gr, and the velocity is up around 3900fps. My best groups have been obtained with IMR 3031 with the 95gr BTs.

I'm trying for the middle of the road now, and am loading up some 75gr Hornady flat base bullets with IMR 4350 tonight. This combination will give me a ~95% full case, which helps with consistency.

I use the CCI BR2 large rifle primers exclusively.

The .243 is fully capable of taking any game on in the lower 48 with the proper bullet and load. People get bored with tried and true cartridges, and are always looking for something "new and exciting", hence the current interest in RUMs, WSSMs, and .17, .204 calibers on the other end of the scale. There's nothing wrong with this, it keeps the sport lively. But it does sort of limit online discussion of the more "seasoned" calibers. Your best bet is to get several reloading manuals and see what they recommend. The Nosler book is pretty good, I've found.

-- Sam

[rustylp]

The other night i reloaded about 15 more bullets the same way. 42gr with 80gr bullet. I was using a heybale for a rest, i set up about 4 goaf ball that were bright in color on some t's, about 75yrd away. i ended up grazzing the top of one, it blew a small hole it the near the top , i think if i would have hit it dead center i would have blew it completely up! I had to try to adjust my scope, when i bought the gun i was first using 100gr bullets, the first time i shot the savage 110 was a great day I hit my target a full pop can about 50yrds . i hit one goal ball out of 15 shots with my reloads. the thing is the gun was adjusted with 100gr bullets with that size bullet i could hit bullseyes on small targets over a 100yrd away at least 1 out of 3 shots,

[YosemiteSam357]

I've shot at water-filled gallon milk jugs for years. Depending on load, I often just blow holes in them, blow a "flap" out, or make little holes that leak (.22s, etc). Up till now a .54 muzzle loader provided the most spectacular display.

With the 55gr .243 travelling at 3900+ fps, the water jug separates completely, blowing the top 10-15' in the air. (Hey, ya gots to shoot those fouling shots at something!)

I'm saving used milk jugs again.

-- Sam

[Paul B.]

My powder of choice for the .243 is W-760. It has been said that H-414 and W-760 are just different lots of the same powder. As far as using the .243 on deer, I would stick with the 100 gr. bullets. As I already feel that the .243 is a bit too light for deer anyway, I would stick with the heavier bullets for better penetration.
I have seen 6 deer taken with the .243. Only one dropped on the spot. The other 6 ran anywhere from 75 to 200 yards before dropping. There was little or no blood trail, and if the deer had been in heavy cover instead of open ranch meadows, I fear at least three, if not all 5 would have been lost. Dry hard ground and short grass and little blood on the ground make for some mighty poor tracking conditions.
Paul B.

[rustylp]

Well i have took the good information that has been shared here, and reloaded my .243 with 100gr sierra spitzer for deer hunting this year. 40 grs of hogdgen H-414 is a great combo for 100gr bullets. in my eyes this is not the fastest or flatest, but im sure its the most i can get out of my .243 hitting small targets at 100yrs + im talking about taking the 10 off the target

[Smokey Joe]

Rusty--If you're just starting reloading you need IMHO to do some reading. The ABC's of Reloading, published by Krause Publishing, is THE BEST basic textbook on the subject. The author answers important questions you or I will have forgotten to ask. And every serious reloader is a stundent of the art; there are no masters. So don't think that only newbies "study up" on reloading.

Next get yourself at least one reloading manual--Lyman's 48th edition is a good one because Lyman doesn't make powder or bullets so they don't push their own stuff. More manuals is better--you can compare loads from one to the next.

With something as complex as reloading, and with the size of the forces under our control when we shoot, one needs as much information as one can get, to plan a load. And while I'm not disparaging the I'net as a source, the loads in the published manuals were all checked out by the PhD types in white coats, and the same just can't be said for every Tom, Dick, Harry, or Smokey Joe with a computer. That is a much stronger reccommendation than, "Wull, this worked for me."

Ours is a very safe sport, when we respect what we're dealing with. That means studying up on it.

[rustylp]

Well I have started to do my home work more and more as i go. looking at lots of sources. I sold the .243, i thought it would make a better gun for a junoir seems that its the smallest high power legal hunting callber . so i bought its big brother the .308, im going to use 165gr hornetys with cci 250 mag primers and h-414 powder 48grs, a mid charge is as good as it gets I might have made a mistake on the scope i had two choice because of money. so i bought a 3x9x50mm simmions scope for easy adjs, I was about to buyt the bussnell 4x12x40 with range finder on the view. just thought it might be a pain to sight it in so i kept it simple and got the 3x9x50 and hope to atract some light with that large lens. rusty

[Smokey Joe]

Well, I guess up to a point. There is such a thing as information overload, where you go nuts trying to understand it all, but more usually in reloading if there's a problem it is on the other end of the scale. You just can't dig out one particular piece of info you want.

For example, with the load you cited, I looked it up in my 3 load references (Sierra, Nosler, Lyman) and in my .308 file, and nobody lists using H414 at all for .308 Win. with a 165 gr. bullet. However, Lyman's 48th ed. handbook states that H414 is good for use in .30-'06 and similar cartridges, and the .308 Win. is certainly that. So I can't comment on the load you list, except to say 4 things:
1. It may well be a good load for .308 Win; I can't say.
2. A mid charge is a good thing. Keeps pressures from becoming extreme, and it is where your greatest accuracy is likely. Hot loads aren't apt to be the most accurate. Midrange loads are easier on the rifle bore, too.
3. It is very unusual to use magnum primers in as small a case as the .308 Win--are you sure you need them. They make the load "hotter," increasing the pressure in your chamber, probably to no useful effect.
4. Did you get this recipe from a reliable source?

But good on you for doing more and more homework--like I said, reloading has no masters, all students.

Good shooting!

[rustylp]

the book you must have over looked is the speer manual # 8 for reloading ammuniton rifles, pistols, shotguns, this book denotes the use of cci 250 mag primers tested with h-414 , for a 165gr sp load is charged by max 50.0grs of h414 and starting load 46.0, if your read the fine prints the little star tells you that the people at speer did infact use mag primers for the test too geting a results that lead to a muz vel of 2608 fps .also a modern reloading book i looked at list for 168gr hollow points and if im not mistaken jacked bullets sp, this modern manual doesnt have listing for mag primers, ? does 3 gr heaver of a load make that much of a differant in the charge listing I wouldnt know im just a new guy reloading.

[Smokey Joe]

But I don't happen to have one. It is what I would call a reliable source, and if they said magnum primers is what they used then that's what you should use. Follow their recipe. All the manual publishers test their loads with expensive lab equipment nowadays, and you can trust them to be safe, in the classic "modern firearm in good condition."

Yes, 3 grains more, or 3 grains less, is significant. If you go over their stated maximum you are likely to get dangerous pressure levels in your gun when you fire the rounds. If under the maximum, what you change by varying the powder charge, is the speed of the bullet and also its point of impact.

To put it another way, if you load rounds with your 48 gr. of H414, and zero your 'scope with those loads, and then load more rounds with more powder, or less, than 48 grains, all else being kept the same, you will find that you have to re-zero your scope for the new loads. Always staying between the minimum and maximum published loads of course. Even as little as 0.5 grains can have a big difference. People that are "tuning" a load for a specific rifle will work in tenth of a grain differences.

One of the reasons to reload is to gain more accuracy than factory rounds allow. To do this you have to be very careful with your measuring; make each round as exactly like all the others as you possibly can.

Sometimes different loading manuals can disagree on exactly what to load, or on bullet velocity. And as you and I have demonstrated, the different manuals will test different recipes--there are just too many powders out there for each manual to test every one that might work in each cartridge. (Another good reason to have several manuals, BTW!) They all test their loads, but they may use different testing equipment. So the published velocity for a given load, even an indentical load, may vary from one manual to the next. The velocity will probably be different from your gun, anyhow--and if you continue reloading, at some point you'll get a chronograph and check that. Chronographing the load from your own gun is the only way to tell exactly what velocity you are getting; the loading manuals just give you a good idea of how fast the bullet goes.

[rustylp]

Yes smokey your the man. Id say its frustrating to change loads and charges. not a good idea unless u have a lot of time on your hands. i would like to learn a large portion of the expements with a varity of guns. This is the only way to find many good charges/loads, ps you cant get a fish with out your pole in the water

[Smokey Joe]

Rusty--Yours is the right attitude. Experimenting--always keeping safety in mind--is THE way to get your weapon to shoot its most acurate. And it takes time, and futzing. I think you are well on the way to acquiring an addiction. Happy journey!

[rustylp]

Thanks your for your insight, I do think your on the right track when you talk about my work. take it easy "people kill people guns dont"* The correct term is firearms. weapons are guns such as m16 millitary mostly semi autos guns used for shooting people. we are members of the firing line. in other words nobody should reload or hunt with any firearm smaller than a 243 . a weapon such as m16 and other 22's are worthless to a real big game hunter.

[Rmouleart]

The 243Win is the minimum cart I would use, with proper shot placement and correct bullet choice, there should be no problem downing a whitetail, I would not use anything less than a 100gr bullet traveling around 2800fps should do fine, The 243 is a necked down 308 cart, personally I like the 300 Savage model 99 on Whitetail deer, due to the cart can harness larger bullets 150-180gr bullets work well on deer, traveling around 2700 fps,nice light carry as well, bottom line and foremost proper shot placement, practice till you are confident in your abilities to hit mark.
Don't rush your shot, let the shot produce itself, if not wait till it does. Good safe hunting. Aim small hit small. RAMbo.

[rustylp]

well your right about the 243 and 100grs the people who set the standards for hunting do it for a reason not aways for the right reasons . its illegal to hunt whitetail with a 22-250 0r 223. On the other side of the coin its not looking good in kansas. why hunt coyotes if your not going to eat them and why is it you can hunt them all day long from your truck and use a two way radios, thats a bunch of morons that have no respect for the sport . why is it that in ks a hunter is able to hunt coyotes and not take one to clean and eat unless your paying for the furharvesting licences. in my nose i smell somthing fishy going on and i dont really care to see such acts going on in my neck of the woods, I know thats the way it is, only a coward needs a crew of rednecks and a bunch of hound dogs slaving to death to kill a couple of good looking pups . why shoot crows and not eat them. If the people doing the regulations wood pull there heads out mabee the coyotes would stay around a bit longer please guys dont shoot anything your not eating.

[beenthere]

Just remember game laws are there for a reason. They vary from state to state due to the conditions locally. In Kansas you have a lot of wide open with large farms and coyotes roam a lot through low density population areas. Coyotes are generally considered a pest along with groundhogs and prarie dogs. Some states allow harvesting pelts. Coyotes are opportunistic feeders. They eat carrion, fox, rodents and they will even finish off a deer when they have the opportunity. Back east (I'm in Indiana) where there is greater population density and consequently less game availability there is a greater tendency toward carrying rabies and infecting other animals. We have regular occurences of their killing small pet dogs and even attacking small children. Not all game harvesting is done for the table. Check your local conditions before you come down too hard on people who don't put everything they shoot on the table.

Around here a .17 caliber or a .223 caliber centerfire with light bullers is ideal for groundhogs, fox, and coyote. It's rare to be able to shoot more than 150 yards due to the slight rolling of the land cutting visibility. Light varmint bullets tend to explode harmlessly and not ricochet to some farmers backdoor or the local interstate highway. Match the right rifle and bullet to the game you are after. Safety first in reloading and shooting.

[rustylp]

I do still have some reloaded 243 rounds left, 80gr nosler bolisic tips that need to be put to on some kind of game. I did pay for them. and the hunting licenses. Ive heard of rabbied ratcoons and you can shoot them here at night with a 22 rimfire , not many storys of people even real seeing coyotes to much with out using a hound dog , a person would have to know where to look , i aways see them out of the corners of my eyes. if you pay the 38 bucks you can shoot those coyotes for a hobbie. I think its 25 bucks a pop last year around my neck of the woods. not to many bucks involed at all . I hope every body knows about what happend to the wolf, its a sad thing. i know they will make a come back in a few states that have wild life preserves that protect endanger and wild game from hunters. the buffalo are doing well in kansas and man i see the eagles all the time up near snow creek in weston mo near acthison kansas