Fellas,

I have a .243 I have not spent much time with and thought a good winter project would be to get it out and work up a load for it and see what kind of accuracy I could get out of it.

The rifle is an old Sako Forrester with a Bofors steel barrel so I assume it has a 1 in 10 twist.

I am planning on using it for everything from prairie dogs and coyotes up to mule deer. I am more concerned with accuracy than bullet weight. I don't mind shooting a prairie dog with a heavy bullet as long as I can hit it.

Where would you start? What bullet weight? What powder?

Thanks for any input.

Wing master

My Forester  243 likes 75-100 grain bullets.  It shoots the 85 grainer the best, with the 100 grainer next best.  I shoot the 75 for PDs, it just seems appropiate.

I bought it in the early '60s, and loaded everything known at that time.  60 grains to 105s.

Best loads back then was 40 grains of 4064 IMR, behind an 85 grain bullet.  I also load for my bro' Forester, it like 100 grain driven by 37.5 grains of IMR 4064.

Presently, 36 grain of Varget with a 75 grin pill is my load for PDs.

I have a heavy barrel L579 forester and my bro' has the sporter modle Forester; both with Bofurs steel barrels.

Dang, That was fast.

Bear, Mine is the sporter model.

Looks like I will be starting with IMR 4064. That is really good because I have several pounds of it. I use 4064 in my 22-250. I did pick up two pounds of Varget a few months ago just because they had it. So, I have that option too.

I have always been a Sierra kind of guy, so I will see if I can find a box of 85 grain Game King's or Pro Hunters. Course, With the shelves of the local reloading supply store looking like they have been looking, I might just get a box of what ever they have.

Thanks Bear, Your wealth of knowledge is always appreciated.

Wing master

For big game I usually use Hornady or Remington.  they seem to perform best for me on deer and antelope.  For target and varmints, I've found speer and sierra, slightly more accurate; but not as good on deer.

Occasionally, I buy premium bullets.  Usually when I really need thick jackets aka for the 300 RUM or other trouble making deer cartridges.  Shot my cape buffalo, grizz, moose with Hornady 400 grainers.

i'd only considered my .243 to be a varmint rig until nosler introduced their 90 gr accubond.

as soon as i could get a box of accubond's delivered from midway's on-line shelf, that's when i reworked things.

used it on a large sika deer with complete satisfaction.  next, it'll get used on a blackbuck.  it'd be an awesome combo for antelope.

still trying to work myself into using it on a 300 lb mule deer, considering the other things i have in the safe that may be more appropiate.  i do love how the 110 accubonds worked on mule deer outa my .25-06.  'spose the 90 .243' would work similarly.?.?.?

looking forward to your development.

k

Thanks Korey

I am not a big fan of Nosler partitions so I really never gave Nosler Accubonds much thought.

That sounds like a pretty good option. What kind of luck have you had with accuracy?

What powder do you use?

Wing master

Wing;

One of the very best deer bullets ever made in that diameter is the Speer 90 grain spitzer, part #1217.  I've used it in my 6mm Remington to take both whitetail & mulies.

Speer #14 shows several powders that get it over 3100 fps in their test barrel, which was a 24" Wilson.  They then verified the loads in a 22" barreled Ruger 77 MkII & ran a consistent 98% of the velocity of the test barrel. 

Forty five grains IMR4350 = 3086 in 22" max load.

Forty five grains H4350 = 3069 in 22", max load.

Forty three point five grains of H414 = 3063 in 22", max load.  H414 uses a magnum primer.

900F

Wing master wrote: Thanks Korey I am not a big fan of Nosler partitions so I really never gave Nosler Accubonds much thought. That sounds like a pretty good option. What kind of luck have you had with accuracy? What powder do you use? Wing master

evening, wm.  hope you're doing well.

i used h4831.  i had it on the shelf from some previous varmint load work with the round so figured i might as well us it up.  i'll stick with it.  i settled on 48 grs that averaged a fast 3412 fps out of the 26" barrel of my ruger vt.  i can't tell ya for sure what my 100 yd group was.  i have the targets somewhere but can't find them.  suffice it to say, as final prep, i worked up the drop for this rifle zeroed at 260 yds, 2.4" low at 300 and 6.4" low at 350 and i'd have no qualms about using it out to those ranges given the right animal and presentation.

regarding the 90 gr accubond, i was a fan from the start simply from my satisfaction with the big game appropriate ballistic tips i'd learned to love.  now, accubond's are used in darn near everything i have for deer and antelope.  the offering of the bullet is really the sole reason i considered pulling my .243 out of the safe and reworking a big game load.  that sika is the only animal i'd ever taken with the bullet and i was able to recover it.  it was an extremely close shot of just over 80 yds which is to say the high impact velocity stresses on the bullet were severe.  it was found on the opposite side of the animal (fell out while the animal was being skinned) weighing 36.8 grs.  the core cup bond was still firmly intact and it was a classic mushroom shape.  it had taken out rib and shred the lungs of the animal as it passed through.  some people would claim over-expansion.  i counter, i recovered the animal 30 yds from where it was hit.  i've also heard it said as a criticism of the .243 that there is no blood trail using such a small bullet.  it might be a valid concern for those that need a blood trail.  my single experience wouldn't dispute the claim.  however, if all on game performance to come mirrors what i saw with that first shot, i'll take it with a single complaint.  the need for any blood trail will be moot.

with all the success fellers on here like d report using their .243's on big deer, i do need to give it an opportunity.  in time, i will.

talk to ya later.

k 

 46 gr H1000  with a Hornady 100 gr BTSP . Wicked on deer .

 I think I told somebody this before, but my nephew , has hunted Elk in Colo. with his .243,never knew any better.  Filled the freezer, poor old country boy, never knew it wouldn't work. LOL  And the guy that taught me to hunt, hunted mulies, most of his life with an old Model 99 ,in .250 Savage.

Thanks guys.

That gives me several places to start. I will keep you posted.

Wing master

I have about 3/4 pound of Reloader 19 left from when I worked up a load for a 250 Savage project. I will try that too.

Thanks

Wing master