Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Long Range Hunting Sporter 243 A.I. Revisited

41.5 of RL17. No pressure signs, but velocity was a little higher than expected.





I stopped there when I saw the velocity. I've loaded a few at 42 to try in the morning. Plan on running them over the chrony and will examine the brass.

I will add that I ran 3 through the screens at that charge and 3017 was the fastest. I also saw 2991 and 3003. I'm gonna play around more tomorrow.

Thx, I must of missed it but what'd you get for a .243? Also would be interesting to see how long the primer pockets stay reasonably tight.

I believe that the Aliant site calls for 40.8 with a 100 grainer. So far my experience with R17 has been that with every cartridge I've tried it with the load on the site was Max in my guns. Some of my loader friends concur as well.

Keep me in the loop as to how many loadings you can get thru and keep the pockey's tight.

Thx
Dober

Mark,

I try to always keep a 243 on hand. You might laugh, but I was shooting a Ruger American Rifle. I had one in 243 when they first hit the shelves, sold it and bought another a few months later. Both have been tack drivers.

I wanted a 9 twist 243 to try this bullet and this was all I could find locally.

I started at 39grs and worked up. I have some loaded at 41 I'm going to try too. I'm guessing 41.5 is on the warm side. That's Hornadys max for that bullet, but velocity is in the 2900's out of a 24" barrel.

Does the newest Horn manual carry R17 data?

And the .243's long been a fav of mine as well. One heck of a good round!

Dober

My 8th edition has lots of RL17 data. Primer pocket life interests me too! Actually, I'd be happy with an accurate load at 2900.

I've not done much with a .243 for some time but from the old school powders like 4350 and 4831's I'd be very happy with 2900 out of a 22" with a 105.

Dober

In the sporter barrel, I will take whatever I can get over 3100 but not at the expense of accurracy, barrel life and case life. I have another one with a varmint barrel that I push harder and the throat is eroding after only about 1000 rounds. On the fourth loading of the cases and primer pockets still ok in that one. I will try the IMR 4350 load you suggest and see.

Dober, the 9th Hornady manual shows RL-17 for the .243 Win with 24" barrel in their rifle and powder charges range from 35.9 to 41.5 and velocity with the 105 grain A-max ranges between 2500 at the low end to 2900 at the high end.

SAS, how was the accuracy with your first couple loads?

Retumbo spat out 3030fps from a 24" tubed SAAMI 243 for me... looks like '17 is kicking butt.

Not bad. First group was low and off the paper (but on the target backer). It was probably 1.5ish. I mounted a new scope and had shot it at 25 with another load. The second group was better, close to an inch. I'm going to shoot a little more this afternoon. I'll have a better idea then.

Yesterday's group after adjustments.....

I plan to shoot at 200 today. Maybe that will tell me more. Hopefully by next weekend I'll be ready to start walking it out a little.

This stuff cracks me the [bleep] up!

I've shot/shoot moly in over 100 of my own barrels and have yet to see a downside...but I'm of course all ears and look forward to naysayers.(grin) Pards are good for a few hundred more spouts,if only as a gross understatement and I'm thinkin' all case capacities and bore sizes,are more than comfortably covered in the extrapolation.

I know,I know...it's hygroscopic too and the bane of a "moist" climate. I love all of that schit,which is why I reside in the Desert at a lofty elevation as a safety net! Laffin'!

Now as to a SAAMI 243Win and twist rates,both Rem and Ruger will easily stabilize 105's and are routinely throated nicely in conjunction with their magboxes,so as to allow a VLD 'Max kiss. Them is good things.(hint)

'17 is a very nice way to fly in the SAAMI hull with 105's,but I jump to '22 in the AI version with same.

(addendum for 'smoker)

42grs of '17 in R/P hulls lit with 200's and a moly 105'Max kiss,makes right at 3K fps in a SAAMI chamber/OEM spout...though a guy could certainly lean harder on 'em. ES/SD is in the 10fps realm,with .003" neck tension.


(Re-addendum for works)

Now saltwater and hard use in a wet climate,will affect CM parts/pieces and that's for certain...why is why I [bleep] HATE same. The Rocktucky had an OEM CM follower spring puke the other day,though it's bore hasn't seen so much as a mop in 1500rds + of 75A-Max. I've broken springs before,but never into 3pcs,which is currently my "record".(grin)








She was back in the saddle,the next morning.



And the day after that.

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Hosed it off purty good yesterday,schlepping it from pre-dawn 'til past dark in the wet.

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243AI Faux Ti wayyyyyyyyyyyyy up in the Desert,day before last.

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I remain a fan of shooting bores dry and the use of multiple applications of tape,throughout the day,upon muzzles.

Also a fan of an opening stance that states: "My Gunsmith says...". Cracks me the [bleep] up,that folks who cain't even shoot enough to inform themselves,feel compelled to give "answers" to others. Dumb [bleep] couldn't knock the new offa used pair of boots.

Laffin'!

Amen. I'd shoot moly rim fires if they were available. I've only one rifle left to convert to moly but the thought of scrubbing to bare steel first makes me want to donate it to Goodwill instead as I'd rather have trigger time with the others.

Still waiting to see the carnage from salt water and moly but my hunch is that I'll kill bigfoot first.

Boxer,

Thanks for the addendum.

While I don't have any .243 AI's I have three SAAMI .243's and a barrel in waiting..

When shooting jacketed bullets my default dies are Redding Type S Full Size Bushing Die, RCBS Competition Seater die (I like clicks), and Redding Competition shell holders..
You control your headspace with the various sized (thickness) shell holders..
Midsouth often sells Redding and RCBS dies individually...

No need for a body die, although they or a form & trim die are handy for necking down larger caliber and or longer brass to better fit/fill your chamber on initial fire forming..

Larry, what fishing line do you use?

Can springs be made from SS and hold tension?

Already [bleep] up and ruined 2013,by catching the biggest [bleep] fish of the year...right outta da gate,which sorta sucks.

I don't have to worry about topping a 43" Hen this year(or any other),though I reckon I'll bump a few pickle Bucks before all the dust settles. The Old Gal was heavy and deep and 23" girth is slighting her,but I didn't find the tape in my pack,until after the fact and she swam away. So I gotta sandbag conservative with the girth,beings I didn't quantify it. 43"x23" is some SERIOUS heft. Shame I didn't catch her on the GL3 1141S I had in tow,instead of the POS Sage,as it was in the cards and I'll kick myself forever over that one.







PowerPro braid has no equal and I drive it expressly. Leader material is always Maxima Chameleon,because it too has no equal and fends abrasion like nothing else. When sumptin' new comes out,I drive it hoping for it to take the cake,but nuttin' has as of yet and I'm still waiting. I run 30# PP even on my beloved 4-8# UL 1141-S's,whether it 2500 or 3000 series Stradics. A nice combination of capacity,muscle and minimal memory. I run 30# PP on 5000 Stradics too,on a few Loomis Float rods,for fending big water after a gullywasher of a rain storm. Same goes all my Curado's and ABU Revo's,30# PP across the board. All the Pip's are stoked with 15# Chameleon typically,though I do like 18# and will slum 20# in big water or Tourney Fishing Coho for sheer volume numbers and braggin' rights with a herd of like minded azzholes trying to outnigger eachother.(grin) 20# will bank more fish before it pukes and Tourney volume is ALL about keeping a hook wet. If I can grind out a dozen fish on a single leader,before having to re-tie,I'm upping production.



I tend to drive smaller hooks and presentations than most and seldom go to a 1/0 for Steelhead and love 1's and 2's,especially Owner 'squito's and Matzuo Octopus. Got to fishing alotta sliders anymore and am hip on both brass and silver flashabou and often in conjunction. Can like a leetle glow in the dark flashabou too,for glow bugging and if someone can beat me to a river...they are assuredly having a very [bleep] good day,as it ain't in the cards.(grin)

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Got to tying up alotta flashabou in my jigs too and like it there as well,beings the pulsating action of maribou and the attraction of sparkles,is more than any self respecting Salmonid can resist. Yarn balls are a dirty [bleep] trick and really hang feesh hard,which do of course interest me more than a leetle. McFoam yarn sooooooooo rules.

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I'm a grinder and never was much into [bleep] around and I tend to go for the throat,whether it Castin' or Blastin' and especially in conjunction. I've lonnnggggggggg been a believer in GOOD riggin' and lots of it,as I tend to puke alotta schit in a typical year,so spare spares interest me a bunch,as I'm tough on riggin' and cain't want a second of down time. Every day is R&D in my book and if you ain't trying sumptin' new,you can get stuck in a rut and miss the boat...and it sure as [bleep] ain't gonna be me,behind the curve.

There's method to the madness and I drive an open mind,always scouring to find a better way....while simply spending the time to ascertain what do what and more importantly WHY.

Now as to CM parts and their failures,I've had several magboxes,followers and springs,coated with various schit and have long been of the anti-coating establishment(save CL bores,which I love and Robbie's NP3). Gimme S/S and [bleep] all the CM Window Licking bullschit,because it cain't begin to hang in hard use applications,which is all that I do. Tape muzzles,shoot bores dry at the end of the day and whistle moly for MUCH longer shot strings of consistent POA/POI intersection and keep all swabs,brushes,jags and fluff outta the [bleep] bore.

[bleep] the fluff,pass the good schit and get the [bleep] outta my road...because I'm going right ahead on schit,WFO and then some. This R&R is a wrap and it's back to the Salt Mines,so it'll give others a chance to try and catch up.(grin)

One hell of a fish there Boxer, nice photo's with it.

Damn sure killed this thread

Randy

I went down to 90 grain bullets in my AI as I liked the choices better in terms of a hunting bullet, and quite frankly, they shot little bitty groups (90 AB, 90 Scirocco). I'm running 44.5 of RL17 out of a 22.5 inch #1 Rock tube at 3300 fps. As Forest Gump would say, I like it uh lawt.

I'm definitely going to feel inclined to shoot some 85gr TSX out of this little beauty. It'd be nice to pop an elk or two with it!

Those Scirocco's are pretty wicked looking little suckers! Too rich for my blood, though.