243 hunting load?

[Buzzard Bait]

My current 243 load is a lapua case IMR 4350 powder a cci standard primer and a sierra 85gr bthp bullet the powder load is one step down from the max listed in my reloading manual I have used it for several years and it has performed very well. In that I can never leave it alone and I'm always looking for something that will do better I was wondering what if I changed to a magnum primer? Could I likely expect better groups and how much should I reduce the load to start out.

Buzzard Bait

 

[Scorch]

From my experience, magnum primers will probably show no improvement on the accuracy of your load, and may have a detrimental effect.

 

[crowbeaner]

Magnum primers are unnecessary for the extruded powders like 4350 etc. The flash from the primer goes in and around the grains unlike ball powder that actually blocks the flash hole with a column of powder. I use standard CCI LR primers with IMR 7828 in the .243, and I haven't had any bad loads yet. If you want to try 7828, I use the long grain version with a 100 grain Hornady BTSP in WW brass. Max. is 46.0, I'm shooting 44.0, and the rifle will put 3 shots in a quarter all day.

 

[PCJim]

Bullet weight should be based on your game. Although I haven't hunted deer since moving to FL, I used to load .243 100gr Nosler Partitions over 40.0gr IMR4350. Rifle: Ithaca LSA-55. The load used to be 2gr below max, now it depends upon the manual referenced. Lyman limits at 39.5, Speer at 41.5. Good hunting....

 

[elkman06]

I am shooting 100gr Hornaday SPBT Interlocks behind 42gr Hodgon4831sc w/ CCI mag primer. Getting dime sized groups at 100yds out of my Tikka. Just happens to be devastating on deer and antelope also.
elkman06

 

[elkman06]

Wow, Just read PC Jims post in detail. Shooting the same rifle...Ithaca/Tikka.
elkman06

 

[ryalred]

I tried magnum primers for my .243 (using Varget) and my groups actually went up. You don't need mag primers for your load, but I'd be interested in knowing what your groups do if you do try some magnum primers. If you do try some mag primers, be sure and start with the recommended starting loads of powder and work your way up.

 

[gun44]

I haven't tried magnum primers,

but for my .243, I load 42 grs of H-414 behind a 95 grain Nosler ballistic tip, which gives me a mean average of 3100 fps, per my Chrony, out of my Rem 700. I have killed several deer with this load, ranging in weight from about a 65 lb doe, to a 190 lb 9pt, and all of them with the exception of one, fell in their tracks. One doe ran approximately 65 yards before expiring! I believe she wanted to make it easy on me, because she fell right in an old road bed on our lease so I could drive right up to her! Now that is what I call accomodating.

 

[crowbeaner]

I got a half box of Nosler CT 95 grain bullets, and a half box of 90 grain Speers in a trade that I'm going to try this summer to see if the 7828 will accomodate them. I have some 1x Federal brass that I've been saving for a rainy day, and it poured today so Mother Nature gave me the go-ahead. I figure 45.0 and the 46.0 max. will fit right in. With 85 grain bullets I use 2 loads in my rifle; 44.0 of IMR 4350 and 37.0 of IMR 4895. The 4895 load beats the 4350 load by 75 fps.- 3225 over 3150. I have an 18.5" barrel so the faster powder actually gives more velocity; go figure.

 

[REDTAIL]

243 win

for accurate loads take your time reloading and do the following steps if your not doing them now ream all of the primer pockets de burr the necks and i believe in full size dies for more accuracy than just neck sizing dies, works for me, in all of my handloads 223, 270, 243, 22/250 if these steps are done properly there is no reasons that at 100yds you cannot cover a dime with 3-4 well placed shots iv'e been reloading for these calabers for the past 30 yrs with good sucess, on deer varmints etc

 

[DIXIEDOG]

for accurate loads take your time reloading and do the following steps if your not doing them now ream all of the primer pockets de burr the necks and i believe in full size dies for more accuracy than just neck sizing dies, works for me, in all of my handloads 223, 270, 243, 22/250 if these steps are done properly there is no reasons that at 100yds you cannot cover a dime with 3-4 well placed shots iv'e been reloading for these calabers for the past 30 yrs with good sucess, on deer varmints etc

Surely you're not saying that the rifle and optics have no effect on dime size 4 shot groups. There can be many reasons that at 100 yds you can't get a dime size group, bedding, barrel, scope, mounts, .....