Home Forums Reloading Varmint Rifles 243 - 58 gr. V Max

Anyone run this bullet and what powders do you like? I have RL15, RL19, H4350, CFE223, H335 and TAC.

Many moons ago. I think 4064 which your RL-15 should be very close to.

I used to run that combination and I can't remember the formulas are nothing or which powders I used it seems like 4064 was one of them. and chronograph some in that 4,000 ft per second range. also wore out of barrel in about 850 rounds...

I have shot a lot of them and used W760 powder, keeping them around 3800 fps to help on barrel life. 760 is all I ever used.

Light bullets and High Speed eats .243 Barrels ask me how I know. Rio7

When a guy uses decently large amounts of powder and hots 4000 fps anything eats barrels.

Also, supposedly 4064 is rough on barrels. Not sure if that's true or not but just what I have always "heard". Still a damn good all around powder in many cartridges.

Mornin, used H 414 mostly with 58s & 55s on coyotes (not saving hides)!!!! GYPGUY. 🐾👣🇨🇦

I’ve last batch of light bullet 243 I loaded, I used Varget powder. For heavier bullets in our 243, I like ImR 4350

I went back and looked through some notes from several years ago and I found I got best accuracy with that 58 grain V-Max and h4895 at around 3850. my fast loads were reloaders 15 with 55 grain noslers running it 4,012. and they might have been just a bit over pressure but not real bad..

My .243s are all 1 X 8 twist they like 105 gr Scenar or 105 gr. Berger and IMR - 4350 CCI 200

At 2950-3000 FPS Kills way above it's weight class. Rio7

I shoot that in my 244. IMR4350.

True, phased out of 55 NBT’s & 58 Vmaxes.
Think I used Varget with those loads.
Next on the list is 65 Vmaxes and those are Varget.
I didn’t make sense to me to run light bullets in my 243’s anymore. Plenty other guns to do that.
I had way too many variations of bullets and loads in 243.

Both loads are screamers...

OP listed the powders he has... but didn't say he wanted to know what others use, within that list of powders.

I know high velocity kinda wears out barrels so....

I use RL 7, both 4198s, H 322 occasionally.

But more commonly, Unique, Alliant Steel, Blue Dot, just to name a few.

All work within the ranges I'd use that kind of bullet for...while preserving barrel life.

Slower and long barrel life, is more important to me that a fast velocity and shorter barrel life.

I used to run that combo with H414. It shot lights out but I had to keep the ammo in a cooler on a 100+ degree summer day and not load them until the last minute in a warm gun because they would heat soak and then be a bit sticky. I quit using that load combo after that summer. Of the powders you listed, H4350 is pretty close and would be good choice. Similar burn rate but not nearly as temp sensitive. Start there.

Thanks I'll look up H4350

H380. Should run an honest 4 grand from a 22 inch sporter.

That will cook a barrel in short order if you shoot a lot with that load.

Is the object to cook a barrel for the OP, by maxing out velocity potential?

Absolutely am not interested in max. velocity. Just medium. The reason for the question is this - A Friend got a M7 Predator, He loaded up some 60 gr. Sierra's with RL 15. First time on the bench, the rifle printed about 1/2" @ 100 and has done similar ever since. We tried and could not find any Sierra 60 gr., so we went to the Hornady 58 gr. VMax. My rifle is a Tikka, and it shoots very well. Recently, He tried the V Max's with the same powder Charge. I didn't do so well.

Taconic....

I probably look at a lot of things differently than other folks usual do. A lot of experiences learned from my medical experiences in the military ( was a highly trained corpsman ), and also doing a lot of testing of bullets working with Boy Scouts as a shooting instructor, something they could shoot comfortably, after Grandpa or Dad gave them one of their old 30/06s etc.

I test bullets at all sorts of speeds with data from Cast Bullet manuals, to how they will perform at high end speed.
Searching and testing the limits of all sorts of bullets, at both ends of the spectrums. Learned a lot of stuff I never expected to see the results, as I saw them. Spent a lot of time around Special Forces guys in my youth, during the Vietnam War, and then later when I was in the service myself. Saw a lot of things outside what people would consider normal parameters.

Lets one know what a bullet will do, depending on what one's needs are. Learned to stretch resources out also. From Brass life, to barrel life. A bird in the hand is worth two in the bush...

One would be surprised what you can do with something like a 58 VMax or a 55 grain Ballistic Tip in 6mm. Tailor ones velocity to where the bullet performs best within the parameters of the job you are asking it to do. I've been working with a 6 x 45 for example.... Its surprising what that cartridge can do with much less powder than a 243.... yet like anything it has parameters... the 243s parameter mays be wider, but still the 6 X 45 can cover a good percentage of it.

You slow a varmint bullet down enough, it will start to perform like a regular game bullet will, albeit at a lower velocity.
We read on the campfire all the time, of what light bullets at lower velocities, that many folks are easily killing hogs with.
Shot placement matters, and its easily to accomplish when a rifle recoils less, particularly with women and younger shooters. But will work the same for we big macho men also. If that will work on hogs, it will certainly work on deer.

A friend's wife inherited dad's 30/06, which beat the crap out of her. Her husband ask me to come up with a load for it, as I had done for one of his nephews in another caliber. He told me that the parameters were shooting a deer within 100 yds.
10 grains of Unique with a 110 gr SP RN, used in the 30 Carbine., has worked just fine for her.... for the last 10 to 12 seasons.

Figure what you want that 58 V Max to do, at how far. You'd be surprised what it will do out of your 243. Another thing I've found out, is when you use cast bullet loads with pistol and shot gun powder, you'd be surprised how less finicky they can be vs traditional rifle powders.

Best of luck my friend...