Home Forums Reloading Varmint Rifles question on .243W with Sierra 60gr.

I looked up loads for the .243W and Sierra 60gr pill. I am loading tis for my son and starting him out with this load (I also have other bullets to try).

Anyway from the 243W load-data book and from Hornady Magazine they put out on a yearly basis the load in question is (this magazine is from 2011 and covers Benchmark load usage:

Benchmark min: 35.6g , max: 37.6g (this is from memory)

I looked up imrpowder.com and found this load listed:

Benchmark min: 38.5g , max: 41.2g

You can see from the two max loads that there is a difference of 3.6g which is nearly 10%. Why is there that much difference? I realize maybe rifles are different but the pressure between these two max loads probably will not be the same?

check a couple others to be sure it's not a typo. can also call the manufacturers.

http://www.hodgdonreloading.com/data/rifle
Click link.

Hodgedon says start at 38.5 Max is 41.2 for the Sierra 60 HP.
I have shot the max load listed with no high pressure indications.

imr and hodgdon are the same now. check a third source

here's a good source to check out.... a guy who has combined load data from a bunch of sources into something comprehensive...

the page on the 243 and load data with the 60 grain bullets

http://stevespages.com/243_2_60.html

If you are using it for your child... I like to load those with 30 grains of RL 7 or 4198.. makes a nice low recoil/retort load, that is still quite effective for varmints within 250 yds or so...

those 60 grain Sierra HPs are ALWAYS a very accurate bullet and one of my favorite... that and the 65 grain V Max are two of my favorite lightweight 6 mm bullets for the 243...

I shot many, many coyotes and p. dogs with the 243W, 6 Rem, 6 PPC, and 6 BR With the 60g Sierra's, they are EXTREMELY accurate.

I shot close to a max load of Win 760 with Fed 210 primers, with the 243 Wincheseter.