Home Forums Reloading Big Game Rifles Low recoil 243 loads

Trying to work up a light load for a recoil sensitive shooter. Would like to stay in the 100 grain bullet range. I found one a Speer manual but was wondering if there is more options out there. Thanks in advance.

I made this one last year for my little cousin, very accurate, no kick.

Bullet - Nosler 90 gr Ballistic Tip Part #(24090)
Brass - Winchester
Primer - CCI 200
O.A.L. - 2.675"

AA-5744 - 23gr

(It was actually an Accurate Arms Power load that I changed bullets and primers on, which was:

Bullet - Speer 90 gr Spitzer SP
Brass - Winchester
Primer - Federal 210
Powder - AA-5744 21 (2,105 fps) - 23 gr (2,273 fsp)

33 g of H4895 and a 100 g hornady SP or sierra PH is a very accurate and light-kicking load in my .243.

You can also use Blue Dot. Do a search here and it should turn up some info, as Seafire has contributed quite a bit. My daughter is 8yrs old and shoots 100gr bullets over 18gr Blue Dot for practice in her 7mm-08. Recoil in her youth 700 is about like a 22-250 sporter.

You just have to be careful about double charges, much like loading pistol ammo. I find that primed cases only vary a few grains in weight, so I quickly run my primed/charged cases across an electric scale before seating bullets. It would catch any significant errors in powder charge.

There are other options. My old Dupont Reloading Guide lists 25 grs. of IMR 4227 for 2450 fps., or 31 grs. of IMR 4198 for 2750 fps. with a 100 gr. Rem Ptd. SPCL bullet. These are maximum loads, BTW.
For even less recoil, the standard, 80 gr. soft points work well at reduced velocity. For 4227, 25 grs. clocks 2695 fps and 4198 at 32 grs. clocks 3035 fps. For even less recoil, a reduced 4227 load is what I'd try with an 80 gr. soft point. E

E.

you'll find SR 4759 loads, are usually the same charge as IMR 4227, but in all of my testing and useage I have found SR 4759 to be more accurate than 4227 in larger cases....( above 223 )..

IMR 4227, old lots of discontinued H4227, and 2400, along with 5744.. I find to be less accurate than IMR 4198, Rl 7 and SR 4759...in cases in size from the 22.250 and up...in bottle necked cartridges...

cast bullet manuals are also a good source to find what you need...you are not loading high enough pressures to get into trouble with cast bullet pressures vs Jacketed bullet pressures...

Seafire,

Thanks for all the info on the reduced loads. Just picked up a 700 Bdl in 243 for my girls and a IMR 4198 w/ 85 partition combo sounds like the ticket. Just have to find a youth stock now.

BriBri, sorry to hijack your post.


Txseadog

Txseadog,

Welcome to the Campfire and you're welcome...

for anyone who cares to know... Remington's choice of powder on their Managed Recoil Loads is IMR 4198....

I don't think they make them in 243, but still doesn't mean it isn't a good choice...

seadog, unless you are married to the partition, two other good choices would be the 80 or 90 grain Ballistic Tips .. or even the 95 grainer, which will open up a little easier at the lower velocities......

or for Texas sized whitetails, which are about the same size as Oregon blacktail size, the Hornady 75 grain HP is also an over looked choice, or the Sierra's 75 HP, the 80 or 85 grain SP...

who cornucopia of excellent bullets in 6mm for that type of service...

all work well within 250 yds or less...

best of luck for your daughters!

I loaded an 85 gr Speer BTSP with 43 gr of H 4831 for a guy I work withs 10 year old daughter. She has killed few deer with that load, and recoil is minimal.

For practice and experience the reduced loads are fine but lower velocities can really affect bullet performance for hunting. I shoot the 80 ttsx and it hammers whitetails. All full velocity recoil is not an issue. 20% less than 100 grain.

One virtue of reduced loads is the softening in quality and reduction in quantity of muzzle blast.

There are beginners who are quite put off by blast, even with low physical recoil and good hearing protection in place. I've witnessed this more than once at my range when the shooting involved a short barreled 243.

Here's a tack I'd take. Looking at the 5th ed. Nosler manual, p.130, I see the listings for IMR 3031, 4895 and 4064 with 85/90 grain bullets. The most accurate charge tested with 3031 is 32 grains, and 33 grains for 4895 and 4064. In each case these charges are four grains and roughly 300 fps below the listed maximums.

For a bullet I'd use the 90 gr. Ballistic Tip, the 85 grain Speer boat tail, or the 85 grain Sierra boat tail hollow point Game King. These should expand fine out to "beginner ranges" when started at the 2800 fps level provided by the above listed charges.

I have failed to find any Blue Dot but have had great results with IMR4227. The Easter egg shoot is coming up and we just had the annual rules meeting. This year no 22 centerfires, rifles must weigh under 8.5 pounds empty, no bipods and I have to shoot last in the first set but the rotation starts there. So I loaded up with 23.5 grains of IMR 4227, a Win Mag LR primer in federal cases and a 95 grain Ballistic Tip. Cases are neck sized and the bullet is seated just off the rifling. The rifle I chose to use this year is a Remington made Marlin XS7 in 243 topped with a 3x9 Bushnell Trophy scope. This will put three in a row into half an inch at 100 yards. I would guess at velocity being around 2300 fps. A real pleasure to shoot and my grandson shoots them as fast as I can load them up for him. I feel this load would do a fine job on deer and pretty darn good for neck and head shooting feral hogs.

Go with H 4895. You can go as low as 60% of max load. It will be very close to 60% of max load velocity. You can increase as shooter gets older.

If you load 70%, velocity will be 70%. In my opinion H4895 is the only powder to use for reduced loads.

I have used it in 270's and 25 06's and 243's. Worked great.

John Barsness has found the IMR version equally suitable.

I'm running a few different light loads. What is the intended game that you will be hunting ?

For predators, I'm using 75gr Vmax and a light charge of H380.

For Arizona Coues Whitetail I'm using 95gr Nosler Ballistic Tips and I'm running a light charge of H4831sc.

I also have a 6x47Lapua - I'm running 95gr NBT's and CFE223. Heavier charge. I think it's 37.5 grains ? Can't remember right now. Hot load and with very minimal recoil. And this is out of a Savage Model 10, factory tupperware stock, and an 24" ER Shaw lightweight sporter contour.

The 6mm's do well with light loads. Just work one up that is accurate out of your particular rifle, and talk it DOWN. Tell them that it's light recoil and they will feel that it's a reduced load too.

+1
Been using this with excellent results in my daughter's 7-08. As she get's bigger and more experienced, we are stepping up the charges.

I did the same with son and granddaughter. Never told them I was increasing powder charge. I increased 5% each year. Did the same with Wifey's 25 06. Haven't told her either.

I used these from Hodgdon in the past.

https://www.hodgdon.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/11/h4895-reduced-rifle-loads.pdf

http://www.wwpowder.com/PDF/Youth%20Loads.pdf

Hope this helps.

100 grain Hornady BTSP
38.0 grain IMR-4350
Federal 210 Gold Medal LR primer
Winchester cases

My oldest son has killed everything from paper and cans to whitetail deer.

From 40 to 145 yards.

Burt2506

I loaded the recommended 60% load of H4895 with a 70 grain NBT for my son to practice with. Then loaded and sighted in the 80 TTSX with H4350 for hunting. He never felt the recoil when he shot hos deer...