looking for reloading advice for varmit hunting

[bhylton]

hey everyone

im not new to reloading or anything, but im looking for a little advive at makin a varmit load. i have some 58gr V-max i want to try out in my 243. the trouble im having is, i have a few powders at home and none of the manuals list the powders i have for the lighter bullet weights... anyone know what that is or have any good suggestions for me?

thanks!

[mallard79]

What powders do you have?  I have a few reloading manuals I can look in.  i am also starting into varmint hunting and am going to reload for my .243.

[BlackRidge]

Have you tried looking at the data over at the Hodgdon's site? Very helpful

Linkage

[bhylton]

i have some R19 imr 4064 and ALOT of Win 748. one of the manuls i have lists R19 but only for like a 90gr bullet. and i wanna sgoot a 58gr.... is case pressure the reason they dont use that powder with the lighter bullet?? does burn rates have something to di with it?

[Rgrady35]

Yes

[Curly]

http://stevespages.com/243_2_58.html

This link may help a little.

[mallard79]

Straight out of my hornady manual, specifically for the 58 gr V-MAX:

IMR 4064
Minimum load 38.5grn at approx 3300fps
maximum load (use with caution) 43.6gr at approx 3800fps

The load data sheet that came with my .243 die set shows a start load of 39.6 grs of IMR 4064 and max load of 44grs at approx 3780.

The Nosler manual lists a load using a 55 grain ballistic tip and IMR 4064 max load moving at 3970

Nothing listed fot the other 2 powders you listed.

Hope this helps.  There are some great websites out there as mentoned already.

[bhylton]

hmm. alright. im excited to laod some up and see what they do. i had a decent load for my 308 with win 748. then my uncle died and i got 4 more pounds of it and i dont load anything with it anymore  i was hoping to load with it. can anyone tell me why i shouldent load with that powder? (ie to slow of a burn rate.. or to much case pressure?)

[FALFire]

Here is a few options that may help.

http://reloadersnest.com/frontpage.asp?CaliberID=5

Just be sure to start at a lower powder charge than they show by at least 10 percent and go from there.

.

[bhylton]

Well you already know the ropes of reloading but when you say "varmit hunting" are you looking for the flatest shooting round or a "fur friendly" round to save the pelt? If you are just looking to use the bullets that you mentioned then I don't see why any of the above mentioned combos would not work. If you are looking to save the fur quality for sale then you have a whole different concept to consider.

i dont see myself selling pelts. but in your opinion..... do you think that 58 gr vmax will expand past enough to not make an exit hole? with obvious consideration of shot angle and stuff.

[aftCG]

The 58 Vmax is a dog hammer.  Be ready to try different powders.  I went with the manuals (I have Sierra, Lee and Nosler) and was ready to give up even after using "secret recipes" offered up by fellow shooters.

Just to use up the box of 100 I tried some Varget.  I thought:  What the heck, I'm sitting on several pounds.  Wow.  I'm consistently under .5 MOA with several groups shot by me and my youngest son which are .6" at 200 yards.

Go watch any coyote videos where shooters are using the 58 Vmax (Coyote Craze for example).  May as well run them over with a bus.

I did a ladder of Varget and the sweet spot for MY rifle is 42.0 grains.  Don't just go loading that and being dissapointed.  Load an increasing series and watch your group sizes.  I'm below the hottest load by a ways but above 42 my groups opened up again.  I'm going over the chrono at 3850 out of a 26" barrel (Rem 700).

Side note:  I tried like heck to get the 55 Nosler Ballistic tip to group.  I had given up on trying to seat towards the lands because there was only 0.060" in the case neck and then I followed advice to shove them back and let them jump .200" to the lands.  When the 58 turned out roses I bagged the Nosler.

My other go-to in that rifle is the 70 Sierra Blitzking (also shoots one ragged hole).  I've got some "okay" loads with 85 Sierra Gameking and 85 Triple Shocks but nothing to get excited about.  I'll keep working both but I'm not in a hurry.

I've also just picked up another identical Rem 700 in .243 and it came pre-dialed to shoot 75 Nosler Ballistic Tips.  I've only taken it out once so I can't report much on that (other than the fact that the previous owner knew what he was doing).

[fishnate]

I have good luck with H380 for the 58gr hornandy vmax and 55gr nosler balistic tip.

[Big10gauge]

H414 always seems to be a excellent in a .243 case.

[mallard79]

I just loaded up 4 different combos of 58 grain vmax and 70 grain nosler BT's using Varget and H414.  can't waith to see what happens and what might need tweaking.