Home Forums Reloading Big Game Rifles Speer 85 grain SPBT

Does anyone have a favorite load with the 85 grain Speer SPBT in a 243 Winchester?

Something near 37-38 grains of Varget ought to do well.

Last deer I shot with one, was pushed by 30 grains of IMR 4198......

Deer was DRT, HOWEVER the well placed shot was behind the shoulder and went right thru the heart....

The bullet was found on the off side, bulged against the inside of the hide...

40 yd shot. I feel if it had been shot faster by other powder, like 4064, I think the shoulder would have been a mess with blood shot meat.

I tend to prefer the 90 gr SP by Speer instead, vs the 85 grainer.

I've shot other deer using faster velocity and it also killed the deer, DRT.... but there was nothing left of the 85 grainer, to be found except small pieces of Shrapnel.

I like and use a lot of the Speer line of bullets, but I think the 85 gr, is what I'd use out of a 6 x 45 instead of the 243, and pushing it.

it kills but is fragile.

Hi Seafire,

I am glad you posted. I used some of your powder suggestions this past week to shoot some Blue Dot and IMR 4198 loads through my 243 Winchester. I shot one load through my rifle with the 85 grain Speer SPBT and 31.0 grains of IMR 4198. The accuracy was great and the velocity averaged 2907 fps. The problem I had was this particular load caused ejector marks on my brass. The primers were flat too, but the bolt lift was easy. I figured instead of dropping the powder charge I would try a slower burning powder. Mathman suggested Varget and I was thinking something similar. Maybe I would try IMR 4895, IMR 4064, and IMR 4320 as well. What do you think?

I'd look hard at IMR 4064.

Barm, I'd just drop the charge of 4198. I always use 30 grains of it as a standard load, in anything from the 243 to the 30/06., for "light load" applications for kids or female shooters. Helped some gal out before season ( a fellow army veteran), who inherited her dad's 30/06 and it was beating the crap out of her, even tho she was a big gal... 6 ft 2.

30 grains of 4198, and a 150 SP, she loved the decrease in recoil big time.

on top it had a real ratty and cloudy all Bushnell scope... circa 1960s... She liked one on my Burris scopes and went down and picked one up.

I got her zeroed in at 100 yds, then showed her how to use her scope reticle for 200 and 300 yds.

Her last shot, I told her where to place the reticle to hit the 300 yd gongs at the range. She looked dubious, but after she pulled that trigger and the clang came back at her with the gong waving she had a smile bigger than Texas.

Back on topic: Try dropping your charge down to some where between 25 to 30 grains of 4198. In Virginia, you are probably shooting a max range of 200 yds or less. 27 grains of 4198 would of course drop just a hair for Point of Impact. However, 2 clicks up on your scope elevation would compensate for that.

for reduced loads, I'd stay with 4198. The other powder I use for that type of service is RL 7. 25 to 30 grains. For short distances I've used down to 20 grains of 4198 and RL 7 in a 308 based cartridge. 243, 260 Rem, 7/08. easily equivalent to a 30/30 range, just flatter with pointed bullets.

I am familiar to what your hunting is like there in Virginia and/or West Virginia, if that is where you hunt.

I'm a Virginia native, born and raised... 17th generation no less...just live here in Oregon, because I just love bigger mountains, and less people...
and more wildlife.

Hope that helps ya out some.

and of yeah, as an addendum. I carry Blue Dot loaded ammo afield to hunt with also... quite frequently.

44 grains of WW760 (or H414)

As would I.

The bullet in question is described by the maker as being “designed for the long-range shooter”. That’s code for being of “soft” construction. Seafire’s experience makes good sense as he describes just such a bullet. Top velocity loads would be a poor choice for closer range shooting, as the OP understands. Using a faster propellant like IMR 4198 is a better idea IME than a slower powder, since the latter may not burn as well in reduced loads. Why not just drop the OP’s current load a grain or so first instead of starting over with a new powder? BTW, I’ve used BlueDot with lighter bullets in my .243 to good effect, although I don’t think I ever chrongraphed the loads.




.

That's okay... I've posted them on the campfire here....Thanks for the Kudoes also...appreciate it.

Speer does say "On impact, they expand rapidly for quick, clean kills" and "Rapid expansion ideal for white-tailed deer and antelope." So yes, these are not supposed to be tough bullets.

That said, I think you're misrepresenting what I highlighted above by leaving out the rest of their description.

Speer says "Designed for the long-range shooter, these bullets’ tapered heel flattens trajectories and decreases wind drift."

I used to load 44.5gn H4350 with any 85/87gn bullet.

Excellent accuracy in my 6mm REM with IMR 4895. That’s my groundhog load, never used them on deer, there’s better choices IMO

Dale

Well Mathman...

If I need more punch or faster velocity, I'd go with the 90 gr SP Speer. And IMR 4064, or IMR 4895 or IMR 3031, or RL 15.
We're talking 243 here....

At normal hunting distances, say to 250 yds or to 350 yds if ya got the right scope reticle, the 243 doesn't give up anything in lethality to about any other cartridge is a deer is the game you're after.