suggestions for a 243 load

[Karl Blanchard]

So I have been trying to work up a load for a little youth model NEF single shot 243 with no luck. I have tried Hornady 95gr SST's and Hornady 100gr BTSP interlocks.  I have loaded probably a dozen test loads for each bullet and can't get a winner at all.  I just bought a box of 100gr nosler partitions that I want to try with some IMR4350 this next week.  If that doesn't work I will give some ballistic tips a try.  Just wondering if any of you have any suggestions or experience with these little rifles.  It shoots my 58gr v-max coyote loads amazing so I know the gun shoots well and the scope is true.  maybe it needs a pointy bullet going really fast  

[Karl Blanchard]

Also I have an abundance of IMR4350, IMR3031, and IMR4381 on hand so I am trying to stick to powders I have in stock!  Its sad because I have a lot of the 95gr SST's because I have a wicked antelope load worked up for my big boy .243.

[carpsniperg2]

Those 100g partitions should work well. We have a single shot NEF as well and all of us have killed our first deer with it.

[bobcat]

I would give some ligher bullets a try, since the heavier ones aren't working.

[carpsniperg2]

Nosler has a 90g etip. If I was still running a 243 I would for sure play with them.

[Karl Blanchard]

I would give some ligher bullets a try, since the heavier ones aren't working.

I was kind of thinking the same thing.  It was my wife's first rifle and she shot a nice 4x5 whitey with it her first year hunting and then it got banished to the back of the gunsafe the next year when she got her .270!  I have a youth hunter for deer this year so I blew the dust off of it.  Fun little gun to shoot!  October is coming fast so I need to find a dang load that works!  My weekend is gonna be nothing but loading and shooting.

Nosler has a 90g etip. If I was still running a 243 I would for sure play with them.

Haven't made the unleaded leap yet and I don't know if I ever will, at least not for now.  Thanks for the feedback so far guys!

[carpsniperg2]

I was like that to  Tell my buddy at nosler talked me into shooting them. 2 bears and a boar hog dead in there tracks and they flat out shoot in all my guns. I really like them for bigger tuff game animals. I prefer my accubonds for lighter game animals.

[bobcat]

I'd try something like a Hornady 85 grain Interbond:   http://www.hornady.com/store/6mm-.243-85-gr-InterBond/


Nothing wrong with any of the copper bullets either, but for a kid, I'd go with something cheaper.

[brokenvet]

Heavier bullets will not do well in barrels with a twist of 1-10" or 1-12" it will not stabilize.  That is stated  in the Hornady reloading manual 7 and 8th edition, I have tested it as well.   A twist of 1-8" will be best.   

You need to use light bullet, 90 grains or lighter with slower burning powders like the IMR4064. 

[Biggerhammer]

Varget, Varget, Varget... Did I mention Varget?

[Three_Oh_Eight]

I actually tend to use slower powders than you'd normally think appropriate for the 243.  I've used RL22 with great success using Hornady 105gr A-Max.

[Karl Blanchard]

So a little update on my dilema.  I was gonna load up some other bullets but I figured that I had a few bullets left in the box of 100 btsp's.  I have been crimping all of the loads I have been testing and it dawned on me the other day that maybe by seating these bullets deep enough to crimp they were just too deep so I made up two batches of bullets with different seating depths and powder charges and all be darned if that didn't make all the difference in the world.  One load was pretty good so I went home and tweeked it a little more and ran back out and I had a five shot group that every bullet was touching (50yds)!  End result is a 100 grain Hornady BTSP seated to 2.701in. pushed by 42.6grns of IMR4831 moving at 3,000.  Now to get my youth hunter out to the range for some practice!  Thank you everyone for the suggestions!

[BOWHUNTER45]

IMR 4350 for me ..topped with a 100gr Hornaday Interloc ..

[BOWHUNTER45]

So a little update on my dilema.  I was gonna load up some other bullets but I figured that I had a few bullets left in the box of 100 btsp's.  I have been crimping all of the loads I have been testing and it dawned on me the other day that maybe by seating these bullets deep enough to crimp they were just too deep so I made up two batches of bullets with different seating depths and powder charges and all be darned if that didn't make all the difference in the world.  One load was pretty good so I went home and tweeked it a little more and ran back out and I had a five shot group that every bullet was touching (50yds)!  End result is a 100 grain Hornady BTSP seated to 2.701in. pushed by 42.6grns of IMR4831 moving at 3,000.  Now to get my youth hunter out to the range for some practice!  Thank you everyone for the suggestions!

thats a good load too !

[lazydrifter]

It might not be your load.  I had one of those when my boys were young and we had to do some other stuff.  I think what helped the most was taking the forearm off and putting a rubber washer on the screw between the forearm and the barrel.  And when we shot it off a sand bag we put the bag under the receiver.