Picking your brains on the 243

[Reloader]

I've got a Ruger 77 243 that I just started reloading for.  I've tried the Nosler 95 grain Ballistic Tips and Partitions with a medium dose of IMR 4350.  Groups haven't been that impressive. I don't really want to load it hot as this will likely be a starter rifle for the grandkids. Has anybody out there had any luck with the Nosler 100 grain Partitions?

[PaulS]

Reloader,
If you want it loaded down and accurate try loading H4895.
28.5 to 33.5 grains - some where in there is an accurate load and you are well below the listed maximum of 36.0 grains.
2600 to 2750 fps
this is for the 100 grain bullet in your 243.
Standard primer and no crimp.
It should be great for a starter load and still a good deer load out to 150 to 200 yards.

[Bill,SC]

Try one of the Blue Dot loads.

[mjbgalt]

that size BT worked well in mine with 33.5 grains of Varget. try that...almost no recoil.

-Matt

[victorcharlie]

Been loading for 2 ruger 77's in .243 Win for years......try sierra 85gn bthp and IMR4831.......that's what mine likes.......

[Val]

I'm getting .75" three shot groups with the 100 grain Nosler Partitions with my old tang safety Ruger in .243. I haven't even played with the seating depth yet. I'm using 41.5 grains of IMR 4350 and use CCI200 or Winchester WLR primers. The muzzle velocity is 2972fps (chronographed)

I also have a 70 grain Nosler Ballistic Tip load for varmints. It uses 41 grains of IMR 4064 with CCI or Winchester primers. This load gives me a chronographed muzzle velocity of 3256 fps with the CCI primers and 3223fps with the Winchester primers. I love my Ruger .243.

[George Foster]

I have had good luck with my Ruger77 with IMR4831 behind a 100gr bullet.  My best load is 42.0gr but you should start at 40.0gr and work up as the book maxs are about 43.0 to 43.5gr.

[Reloader]

Tried the 100 grain Partition in front of 39.5 grains of IMR 4350 this afternoon.  Result was the same, three shots in 2 1/2".  It seems to be developing a pattern of the first shot where I want it with two going to the right.  I tightened things a bit after shooting and scrubbed her with Butch's Bore Shine and will try again another day.

[drdougrx]

Hi All,

Interesting thread.  For what its worth I use 46.5 gr RL22 with 95gr Nosler Partitions and BTs.  I shoot a ruger ultralite with a 20" bbl and get a vel. of 2980fps (according to my Oehler chrono).  I get groups around 1.25" when the barrel is cool.

Good hunting!

[smokepolehall]

I load 46.5gr.H4831 using 100gr. Nosler solid base BT. 243 is a Rem. Mohawk 600.

[Val]

Reloader,
You mentioned you used a 39.5 grain load of IMR 4350 and got 2 1/2" groups. You need to try different amounts of powder in order to find the load that your rifle likes. I build up the powder charge in .5 grain increments until I find the smallest group for that powder. Then I load some more and some .2grains above and below. When I get the best group out of this, I may play with the bullet seating depth to try and get even tighter groups. Load development usually takes several trips to the range, unless you take your reloading equipment with you.

[Coyote Hunter]

Is the barrel on that Ruger floated?  If not I would float it before going back to the range.  About a 10-15 minute job.  Requires a screwdriver, sandpaper, an appropriately-sized cylinder (I use a Magic Marker) and some elbow grease.  And a rag and some polyurethane to reseal the wood.  When you can slip a dollar bill between the barrel and the stock and run it down to the receiver you're done.

[hunt127588]

Here's my pet load for .243 Win:

Sierra 85 gr.HPBT
Varget 36.1 gr
CCI BR2 primer
2.650 OAL
Win. Brass

[Brithunter]

Hi all,

       Hmm floating barrels  if the rifle is bedded correctly then a free floated barrel is not required. It's a cheap substitute for poor bedding and inletting. This is the only group I shot with this load last Sunday from a CZ ZKK 601 in .308:-


The stray shot is a 180 Grain Winchester Silver Tip factory load whihc my rifel obviously dislikes as it spread them across the target  .


The shot low left was caused by the shooter to my right letting off a round as I was squeezing te trigger and he was using a dammned Muzzle Break  I hate muzzle breaks 

This is the rifle which has the factory bedding and a tightly inletted barrel. It wa shot from prone using a sand bag rest for teh fore stock.



   Here is another group, a 3 shot group this time, fired from my 30-30 bolt action rifle. This also has no free floated barrel but again a properly bedded and tightly inletted barrel:-


Shot on Short Siberia Range Bisley Camp from a bench at 100 yards.

     You do not need a free floated barrel for fine accuracy but the bedding needs to be right as does the inletting of the barrel.

   This darned site is getting stupid  I have been trying to post this reply on and off for nearly 12 hours and tried at least 12 times 

[Swamp Fox]

I've got a Ruger 77 243 that I just started reloading for.  I've tried the Nosler 95 grain Ballistic Tips and Partitions with a medium dose of IMR 4350.  Groups haven't been that impressive. I don't really want to load it hot as this will likely be a starter rifle for the grandkids. Has anybody out there had any luck with the Nosler 100 grain Partitions?

Your 1-9 twist should stabilize a 95 gr. bullet.

Which load development method did you use?

[Country Boy]

 Just happen to shoot my Browning a-bolt hunter II yesterday with a variety of factory and handloads. I had a Ruger 77 and Remington in .243. I could not get the Rugar to shoot consistantly
   However the A-bolt shot very well with the Speer .85 and 44 grns of imr4350 No recoil ! it also shot well with Remington Factory 100 grn corelocks.  Normally the sierra .85 grn  shoots best in most rifles but this one liked the speer. I just bought this rifle took it right out of the box to the range, it did better than I expected. It is glassbedded and free floated at the factory.
   One note, over the years I've found the faster a .243 goes the better it shoots.