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Old February 10, 2005, 10:27 AM   #1
sakomike
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Join Date: February 9, 2005
Location: Sleepy Suffolk, UK
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243 Win very reduced loads

Does anyone know of a safe reduced velocity load in 243 winchester, using jacketed bullets? I've read CE Harris' "the load" using red dot in 30 cal cases, and read here of some 30 cal reduced loads using Unique. I've also tried Hodgdon's H4895 60% rule, but was hoping to go slower, using red dot, green dot or unique (left over from my shotgun reloading days). Heads would be Nosler ballistic tips in 55, 70 or 95gn. I can't source cast 243 heads here in the UK, though I have data for Lyman & RCBS cast bullets in 243. Thanks in advance for any info. Mike
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Old February 10, 2005, 01:12 PM   #2
Art Eatman
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Back when I was a kid, just starting out in reloading for my .30-'06, my uncle suggested using 20 grains of 2400 behind a 169-grain lead gas-check bullet. Okay, nice plinking load.

Fast forward some fifty years, and I did some playing around. I double-checked some ancient reloading information (mostly, Phil Sharpe's "Complete Guide to Handloading") and used the same powder charge in .30-30, .30-40 and .308. I note that the 20 grains is near the upper limit in the .30-30. All thse loads were with 150-grain jacketed bullets.

I see no reason that 2400 wouldn't work well for a reduced load in the .243. I've never bothered, in my own .243, but I think it would work. I'd probably use the old tried and true 20 grain charge. Start with whatever lighter-weight bullets you have lying around before going up to the 100-grain is my only "precaution", I guess...

FWIW, my standard load for varmints and smaller deer is the Sierra 85-grain HPBT with 37.5 grains of 3031. Very small groups at 100 yards; excellent results on game.

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Old February 10, 2005, 08:53 PM   #3
Tom Matiska
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Speer used to publish data in the ballpark of what Art said, but using 4198. If you can't find any new stuff (email Speer?) and you want to take a chance with vintage data that may be older than you :

IMR 4198, CCI 200 Primers, jacketed bullets, 18/19/20 grains for 80/90/105 grain jacketed bullets. 1900-2000 fps
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Old February 11, 2005, 09:52 AM   #4
Art Eatman
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"Older than you" loads? My uncle told me a load for my '06 in 1950. I'm still using it--and that's a bunch of different production runs of powder. I guess it shows the consistency of the IMR formula; the load works as well today as it did way back when...

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