Home Forums Reloading Big Game Rifles 243 Load For Deer

Maybe he got inspired by Big Schtick and is attempting to be the next one...

certainly doesn't have Schtick "Back Woods Alaskan Trailer Park" Style...

but 350 plus posts in a few weeks???????....

he'll be a flash in the pan and then gone...

its not like his type hasn't shown up before...

bet he's a regular who came up with a new troll identity...

nothing more, nothing less

The 85 grain sierra has always shot great out of ANY 6 mm cartridge I have ever shot.

Agree. Those of us with any experience at all know that. I've tried it in a bunch of 243's and have yet to find one that didn't like it. Unfortunately, there are always the internet experts, that once got a BB gun for Christmas, and are suddenly "experts", who don't understand such matters.

Anyone who disagrees with you, in this case standard practices to boot, must be someone who has been here before. Because there can't be that many people who disagree with a guy as smart as you?

One member knows me from another forum. I don't change names as I go.

As a matter of fact my sons rifle liked that bullet so much I almost just stuck with the load we had done up on it.
I don't think I'd be lying if I said his 100 yd groups was pushing the .250" mark.

Thanks I ordered 2 boxes for my wife!!! She normally shoots 90 grain bt. those should the cat ass.

Thanks Everyone!
And Thanks Tom! My sons Mossberg Patriot is a 20 incher. How does that IMR3031 hold up to temps? Figure Oct the temps might hit 50 if im lucky in the mornings and 90 by mid day.

Kique.

Yes, found it somewhat temperature sensitive.
I did all my load work at 70 degrees preparing for his Arizona deer loads. (Did the middle of the road)
Was thinking along the same lines as you as to what the temps might be.
I will say this though, he had no issues whacking his buck at 400 yds and the temp was about 50ish degrees when it happened.
Was using a CDS turret and stayed on track.

Great thread (mostly).

This summer, I had a factory 308 barrel replaced with a Shilen #2, 8 twist in 243 win on a Rem 700. This is my first 243, so I find this thread both timely and informative.

I've been loading 100 gr Partitions with IMR 4955 and RL-26. Had a pretty good 9 shot group with RL-26 with one flier (coulda been me) best 8 were 1.46", 7 of those 8 were 1.13", remaining 6 were <3/4", used the 10th round to bang the 250 yd gong. I swapped from using Privi brass to Hornady due to some early weird (high) velocity readings. Consistent velocity readings with Hornady - the brass is 12-15 gr lighter than Privi.

Fun round, really like it, hoping to dial that RL-26 load in and score on some mid-MO whitetails.

bludog

Any chance of anyone having quickload that can run some numbers for me?
I have a can of AA2520 i'd like to use up if I can. It would be for the 243 shooting 80gr ttsx bullets, using win primers and winchester cases. Just curious if I can run that powder with these bullets based on what quickload says. best I have found was a website called stevespages.com that stated with AA2520 with an 80gr tip, i'd be in the 30 to 37.9 grain range. Any help would be greatly appreciated.

BTW Tom, are you using magnum rifle primers with your loads as stated in the loads you listed? If so could you tell me why? Would that be something i'd want to try with the powder i'm asking quickload info on?

Thank,
Kique

Hi, the only reason I was using magnum primers is that's all I had at the time and didn't have any standards.
Also using them for your AA2520 load? I honestly don't know.

Thanks. Pretty good reason lol
I hope someone can do quickload for that aa2520 powder. I bought it in a rush one time to load 125s in my 308. Used it for a 50 rounds and the rest of the lb hasn't been touched. Am hoping it will work in the 243 if not then I'll have it sitting until i have a need for the 308 to come out again.

Looks decent. Maybe not the ideal powder, but the velocities look pretty good anyhow for a substitute powder.

Cartridge : .243 Win.
Bullet : .243, 80, Barnes 'TTSX' BT 24338
Useable Case Capaci: 49.232 grain H2O = 3.197 cm³
Cartridge O.A.L. L6: 2.710 inch = 68.83 mm
Barrel Length : 23.0 inch = 584.2 mm
Powder : Accurate 2520

Predicted data by increasing and decreasing the given charge,
incremented in steps of 2.0% of nominal charge.
CAUTION: Figures exceed maximum and minimum recommended loads !

Step Fill. Charge Vel. Energy Pmax Pmuz Prop.Burnt B_Time
% % Grains fps ft.lbs psi psi % ms

-20.0 64 30.40 2514 1123 28087 8004 95.6 1.446
-18.0 65 31.16 2570 1173 29752 8206 96.5 1.416
-16.0 67 31.92 2625 1224 31510 8397 97.3 1.387
-14.0 68 32.68 2680 1276 33365 8577 97.9 1.359
-12.0 70 33.44 2735 1329 35322 8745 98.5 1.331
-10.0 71 34.20 2789 1382 37385 8900 99.0 1.304
-08.0 73 34.96 2843 1436 39559 9041 99.4 1.285
-06.0 75 35.72 2896 1490 41849 9167 99.7 1.256
-04.0 76 36.48 2948 1544 44262 9279 99.9 1.227
-02.0 78 37.24 3000 1598 46803 9376 100.0 1.196
+00.0 79 38.00 3051 1653 49480 9459 100.0 1.165
+02.0 81 38.76 3101 1708 52299 9539 100.0 1.136 ! Near Maximum !
+04.0 83 39.52 3150 1763 55269 9618 100.0 1.107 ! Near Maximum !
+06.0 84 40.28 3199 1818 58398 9694 100.0 1.080 ! Near Maximum !
+08.0 86 41.04 3247 1873 61696 9768 100.0 1.053 !DANGEROUS LOAD-DO NOT USE!
+10.0 87 41.80 3295 1928 65172 9841 100.0 1.028 !DANGEROUS LOAD-DO NOT USE!

Results caused by ± 10% powder lot-to-lot burning rate variation using nominal charge
Data for burning rate increased by 10% relative to nominal value:
+Ba 79 38.00 3160 1774 58284 9130 100.0 1.081 ! Near Maximum !
Data for burning rate decreased by 10% relative to nominal value:
-Ba 79 38.00 2887 1481 40709 9621 97.8 1.268


That powder is #98 on a burn rate chart with RL15 being #99 and Varget being #101. So, it is right in the range of where you need to be with that bullet.

Greatly appreciate the assistance Ken. Doesn't look like the greatest powder for it, but might be worth a look and see how it does. If it doesnt work out, I can always give the 3031 a try that Tom has had success with. Thanks a ton again! gives me something to play with.

Kique

The first cartridge I reloaded for was the 243. I bought a $9.95 Lee Handloader, a box of a 100 primers, a box of Sierra 85 HPBT's and a can of IMR 3031 powder, and started reloading. Those little outfits had a dipper to measure the powder with, and I have no idea what the weight was, only that it was a very mild load......but an extremely accurate one in my Remington 788. I've never used it since, never even been tempted to, but I'm sure if it worked 40 years ago, it would now.

Honestly the only thing I hate about the 3031 is how it meters, feels like I'm dropping bricks in my weigh pan.

Think I found my load, or at least a usable one: 103gr ELD-X over 46.7gr of RL26 in Hornady brass w/F210 primers. My Number 1 allows me to seat them way out (2.85 OAL) and still clear the lands. Some room to play here, but accuracy is plenty good enough.

I used the data for 105 A-Maxs from the Alliant manual, with slightly roomier Hornady brass and the longer OAL of course. 46.7 is the top load listed. Primers look the same as at the starting point (not a reliable pressure sign, I know), and cases popped right out with no effort. Didn't clock them, but if they make 3100, which is quite possible from the 26" barrel, they'd be less than 6" low at 300, sighted for 200. Next trip to the range will tell the tale.

At 650 yards, they should still be cranking over 2000fps.

I downloaded the latest Hornady manual today and the 103gr ELD-X ain't in it, nor is RL26. Emailed them about it and was told to use data for the 105 AMax, which I was, just not theirs.

Thanks for the info. I just started playing with rl26 in my 300win mag. Might be worth looking into for my sons 243. Im gonna run those ttsx i got first and then as time permits i'll look into those 103s. I appreciate you keeping me in the loop.