.243 Win powder

[Mark Jones]

Just getting started, tried 87 grain vmax but only getting 0.8 moa, now going to try 80 grain as some lighter loads my mate loaded for me were more accurate without any development. My question is what is the best powder for a 19" barrel to run 70-80grain bullets. I assume you want near total burn within the barrel and a near full case load?

Regards

Mark

[duke]

Try reloader 17

[mikeroz]

Or even RL15. By the way there's no way you can avoid proper load development. It's the only way you'll get your group sizes down. I developed 87vmaxs 3 years back, group sizes varied from a good 1 inch down to about .2 inch. If id not developed, well I might have been using 1 inch ammo. Don't be lazy, put in the effort and reap the rewards.

ATB

Mike

[Mark Jones]

Or even RL15. By the way there's no way you can avoid proper load development. It's the only way you'll get your group sizes down. I developed 87vmaxs 3 years back, group sizes varied from a good 1 inch down to about .2 inch. If id not developed, well I might have been using 1 inch ammo. Don't be lazy, put in the effort and reap the rewards.

ATB

Mike

Thanks for the replies, I had tried working up the 87s using both H414 and 3250 but 0.8 was the best we could get, we even tried 3 different bullet seating depths with the best powder load. I'm not saying 0.8 isn't usable but was a little disheartened for the amount of effort I had put in. It was then that my mate loaded up some 70 grain heads that shot tighter on the first attempt hence the reason for thinking about changing. Am still going to use up the v max as was amazed how good they were on foxes compared to the Privi factory loads I had been using

[seth]

Try viht 140 for the 80 grain

[Mark Jones]

Is that ok in a short barrel? 19"

[mikeroz]

Mark, my barrel is a very stout 21" Lothar Walther. I'm quite happy to share my data with you to try I use RL 15 but Vit N140 produced very similar results. I know what you mean about results. I like them particularly because they have .4BC shoot flat are excellent on roe & muntjac but devastating on foxes & bunnies.

I'll PM you.

Mike

[Mark Jones]

Is that ok in a short barrel? 19"

[Mark Jones]

Mark, my barrel is a very stout 21" Lothar Walther. I'm quite happy to share my data with you to try I use RL 15 but Vit N140 produced very similar results. I know what you mean about results. I like them particularly because they have .4BC shoot flat are excellent on roe & muntjac but devastating on foxes & bunnies.

I'll PM you.

Mike

Thanks

[rusty53]

Hi mark I use N150 and varget with nosler 70 gr to great affect and if I do my bit can get .5 in groops at 200 y

[swatty]

I run 87 v max or bthp 87 grain with varget 35.5 grains and getting ragged holes 20 thou of land and velocity of 3398 average

[mikeroz]

I'm 20 thou off lands too. Can't remember exactly but similar powder charge to your varget but RL15 instead. (35.8 I think).

[Tenex]

Has anyone else used H414 in their .243. I have 45grns pushing a 70grn Speer TNT and the results are extremely accurate.

G

[Chanonry]

"Best" powder. Depends how you define best.

 

 

RL17/Elcho17 looks good. All burnt in 17".

 

N560/RS60/RS70 suggest similar max mv with pressure limit. Only RL26 suggests much difference in mv +70fps in theory.

 

N150 -120fps N140/RL15/Varget don't make it on the list.

 

Says nothing about accuracy.

 

For those of you who take umbrage that I have dared to suggest that your favoured load is not in fact the ideal powder and feel the urge to call me names as a result. Let me just make my reply so as to save you some time. Grow up or f**k off.

[mikeroz]

Chanonry,

Speaking for myself life's too sort to start taking umbridge over something as unimportant as that. You most probably are right. I did my initial load development with N140 & RL15 cos I had some. I found a load that was every bit as accurate as I could have hoped and have stuck with it . It's dropped enough roe without any problems andI regularly do the BDS shooting test and very rarely does anyone in my group shoot much better; most nowhere near as good. I can shoot point blank from 40m to 225m. After that I can dial if I want. I took a munty about a month ago at over 300m. It ran 20m then dropped. Right in the engine room, with good exit and plenty of splatter to follow if needed, not that we did.

So, at the moment I'm quite happy to stick with RL15 but I'll bear your suggestions in mind if supplies ever dry up.

Mike

[Bigkev1]

I use h414 44.2g with 85g Sierra spritzer to great effect sako 85 20' barrel