.243 Win, 58Gr. Barnes VLC and IMR 4350

rjoy · November 18, 2006, 12:05 AM

Hi All:

Perhaps a silly question from someone without a lot of rifle loading experience. I have been loading my .243 using IMR 4350 since I bought it about 10 years ago. This powder seems to work well with the heavier bullets from 70 Gr. on up. A while ago I bought some Barnes Burner VLC 58 Grain bullets and figured I could adjust the 4350 powder charge to suit the lighter bullets. I ended up loading 45.0 grains under these bullets, but have been leary about shooting them because I have never found load data for them. I know it was stupid to even load them without approriate data and as I think back to it, I can't even think of why I may have done this. As I looked over some of the published data, it seems apparent that 4350 is not a good powder for these light bullets, I would think because it is too slow burning. Has anyone ever tried this powder with these light bullets or should I just pull the ones I loaded and try another powder? If anyone has used 4350 in this application I would be interested in knowing the data you used and the results you obtained. If not, Varget seems to be very popular for light bullets and maybe I should by a pound of that or some other powder appropriate for these wee bullets. Thanks for any input you may have out there.

Bob

WIN71 · November 20, 2006, 03:35 PM

My second edition Sierra Reloading Manual gives a max load of 46.7 gr. of IMR 4350 using their 60 gr. hp bullet. I have used that load some in years past. About 25 years ago I switched over to Win-760 because it metered better and I use it in 22-250 too. As with 4350 I didn't note any reduction in accuracy with the lighter bullets.

**Unclenick** · November 20, 2006, 03:50 PM

4350 won't be efficient with light bullets (you'll get fewer shots per pound for to achieve a given velocity). There has also been an observation of secondary pressure spikes using light bullets with slow powders. This link has some info about it toward the end. Dayton, Texas gunsmith Charlie Sisk has been able to burst rifle muzzles repeatedly in demonstrations by firing rounds that produce these spikes. I would stay away from the combination of light bullets and slow powder just to escape this problem. Buy a cheap inertail bullet puller and rcover your bullets and powder and go to a recommended load.

Nick

Ammo Junky · November 20, 2006, 05:43 PM

I use varget up to 90 gr then go to H4350. You could go faster than varget as in H4895 for such a light bullet. Either should give you close to 4000. And both will use in the 44 gr range so economy should be the same. They are both great powers. If I were gona go with that light of a bullet, Id probably try the 4895 first. 40 gr var under a 75 vmax is my standard coyote load. If has shot well in several guns.

mrawesome22 · November 20, 2006, 11:32 PM

IMR's site doesn't show 4350 until you get up to 85gr bullets. It's probably way too slow for 58 grainers. I'd pull em'. 85gr bullets show a start load of 43gr and max of 47gr, so 45gr IMR4350 with a 58gr bullet should be fine, but I doubt it will be fast or accurate or consistent. I'd try some 4895 or 4064.

T. O'Heir · November 21, 2006, 11:47 PM

Barnes has their own load manual. No on-line data from them. $23.04

ziggy222 · November 22, 2006, 12:15 AM

imr4350 for heavy bullets but for light bullets use imr 4064 or h380.a 60 grain hp and imr 4064 make an awsome varmint load.

MrGee · November 25, 2006, 12:24 PM

Ziggy rite.. i use H-380 & imr 4064 in my 22-250 because they're lite bullets 60 being the heavest, an i use imr-4064 & imr-4350 in my 243 but i haven't shot less then an 85gr bullet in the 243. try the 4064 1st which may have an edge over varget for the liter bullets... but it works well too..

November 18, 2006, 12:05 AM	#1
rjoy Member Join Date: July 31, 2002 Location: Arizona Posts: 19	.243 Win, 58Gr. Barnes VLC and IMR 4350 Hi All: Perhaps a silly question from someone without a lot of rifle loading experience. I have been loading my .243 using IMR 4350 since I bought it about 10 years ago. This powder seems to work well with the heavier bullets from 70 Gr. on up. A while ago I bought some Barnes Burner VLC 58 Grain bullets and figured I could adjust the 4350 powder charge to suit the lighter bullets. I ended up loading 45.0 grains under these bullets, but have been leary about shooting them because I have never found load data for them. I know it was stupid to even load them without approriate data and as I think back to it, I can't even think of why I may have done this. As I looked over some of the published data, it seems apparent that 4350 is not a good powder for these light bullets, I would think because it is too slow burning. Has anyone ever tried this powder with these light bullets or should I just pull the ones I loaded and try another powder? If anyone has used 4350 in this application I would be interested in knowing the data you used and the results you obtained. If not, Varget seems to be very popular for light bullets and maybe I should by a pound of that or some other powder appropriate for these wee bullets. Thanks for any input you may have out there. Bob

November 20, 2006, 03:35 PM	#2
WIN71 Senior Member Join Date: March 28, 2005 Posts: 729	Imr4350 My second edition Sierra Reloading Manual gives a max load of 46.7 gr. of IMR 4350 using their 60 gr. hp bullet. I have used that load some in years past. About 25 years ago I switched over to Win-760 because it metered better and I use it in 22-250 too. As with 4350 I didn't note any reduction in accuracy with the lighter bullets.

November 20, 2006, 03:50 PM	#3
Unclenick Staff Join Date: March 4, 2005 Location: Ohio Posts: 21,063	4350 won't be efficient with light bullets (you'll get fewer shots per pound for to achieve a given velocity). There has also been an observation of secondary pressure spikes using light bullets with slow powders. This link has some info about it toward the end. Dayton, Texas gunsmith Charlie Sisk has been able to burst rifle muzzles repeatedly in demonstrations by firing rounds that produce these spikes. I would stay away from the combination of light bullets and slow powder just to escape this problem. Buy a cheap inertail bullet puller and rcover your bullets and powder and go to a recommended load. Nick __________________ Gunsite Orange Hat Family Member CMP Certified GSM Master Instructor NRA Certified Rifle Instructor NRA Benefactor Member and Golden Eagle

November 20, 2006, 05:43 PM	#4
Ammo Junky Senior Member Join Date: March 11, 2006 Location: IL Posts: 537	I use varget up to 90 gr then go to H4350. You could go faster than varget as in H4895 for such a light bullet. Either should give you close to 4000. And both will use in the 44 gr range so economy should be the same. They are both great powers. If I were gona go with that light of a bullet, Id probably try the 4895 first. 40 gr var under a 75 vmax is my standard coyote load. If has shot well in several guns. __________________ Will work for brass. I apologise in advance for spelling errors.

November 20, 2006, 11:32 PM	#5
mrawesome22 Senior Member Join Date: November 9, 2005 Location: Ohio, Appalachia's foothills. Posts: 3,779	IMR's site doesn't show 4350 until you get up to 85gr bullets. It's probably way too slow for 58 grainers. I'd pull em'. 85gr bullets show a start load of 43gr and max of 47gr, so 45gr IMR4350 with a 58gr bullet should be fine, but I doubt it will be fast or accurate or consistent. I'd try some 4895 or 4064.

November 21, 2006, 11:47 PM	#6
T. O'Heir Senior Member Join Date: February 13, 2002 Location: Canada Posts: 12,453	Barnes has their own load manual. No on-line data from them. $23.04

November 22, 2006, 12:15 AM	#7
ziggy222 Senior Member Join Date: October 5, 2006 Posts: 184	imr4350 for heavy bullets but for light bullets use imr 4064 or h380.a 60 grain hp and imr 4064 make an awsome varmint load.

November 25, 2006, 12:24 PM	#8
MrGee Senior Member Join Date: June 7, 2005 Location: NC Posts: 260	Ziggy rite.. i use H-380 & imr 4064 in my 22-250 because they're lite bullets 60 being the heavest, an i use imr-4064 & imr-4350 in my 243 but i haven't shot less then an 85gr bullet in the 243. try the 4064 1st which may have an edge over varget for the liter bullets... but it works well too..