What .243 ammo you swear by?

[Ngdonut]

I just bought a Remington 700 SPS Varmint .243 and will eventually be using this as a long range rifle build. I have been reading about the performance of different grains and ammo manufacturers in .243. My first box I bought was the Hornady American Whitetail 100 gr Interlock Boat Tail Soft Points. Seems to have a decent Ballistic Coefficient (0.405).

I am wondering what .243 ammo you use and have success with, and what .243 ammo you would not waste your money on. Educate me!

 

[halfmileharry]

You'll find "Pot Luck" out of factory box ammo. Keep trying til you find one your rifle likes.
OR....work up some good hand loads and give that rifle the food it takes to make those long range shots.

 

[Broom_jm]

100gr Hornady bullets over a near-max charge of IMR4320

 

[Sniper 79]

You'll find "Pot Luck" out of factory box ammo. Keep trying til you find one your rifle likes.
OR....work up some good hand loads and give that rifle the food it takes to make those long range shots.

I agree hand loading is the only way to go for utmost in cost and accuracy. I shot a lot of 100grn Rem Corlokt at targets, hogs, and coyote. Hell of a round everything I shot dropped on the spot. Also shot a bunch of 80grn soft point Winchesters for hunting also.

I have a 1-9 twist so shoot the heavy end of the spectrum as I would also think that would be better to buck the wind long distance. I like the round a lot but pretty much retired as did the 22-250 in favor of the .223.

 

[csmith]

If I remember correctly the 87gr vmax have a pretty high BC and shot well for me over a near max charge of Varget

 

[yotewacker]

Seems like the Hornaday 87gr is the most accurate I've used. Pushing 3200ftps

 

[halfmileharry]

Us old guys lean towards 4064. My little Winchester 70 ltwt loves 36gr 4064 with 80gr SXTs HPBT. IF I can see it....I can place a bullet where I want it. I don't shoot anything over 87gr in mine and have taken Muleys, antelope, and WhiteTails over 400 yds with it. Muleys I try to keep under 250 yds with the smaller, lighter bullets. Placement is critical and my .243 can split hairs at those distances.
I tried the heavier bullets in my rifle but it doesn't really like them much. Groups aren't impressive nor consistent.

 

[blkrifle]

58grn V-max over 46grns. of ramshot big game. rifle is a old Rem. 700 from back in the day when factories could do good triggers. on a side note...coyotes hate this load!

 

[halfmileharry]

58grn V-max over 46grns. of ramshot big game. rifle is a old Rem. 700 from back in the day when factories could do good triggers. on a side note...coyotes hate this load!

Yotes are biased though.

 

[Ngdonut]

Thanks for the feedback. Keep it coming. For now I plan on using factory ammo, but eventually would like to get into reloading.

I have a 1-9 twist so shoot the heavy end of the spectrum as I would also think that would be better to buck the wind long distance.

I know the sps varmint barrel has a 9 and 1/8 in twist. Has anyone else had positive results with heavier grain rounds with this twist rate (100gr +)? What about with lighter stuff (85gr or less)?

I'm not yet familiar with fast or slow twist rates in 243 barrels. I have more knowledge in .308 at this point.

 

[Yeah]

I know the sps varmint barrel has a 9 and 1/8 in twist. Has anyone else had positive results with heavier grain rounds with this twist rate (100gr +)? What about with lighter stuff (85gr or less)

9.125" will do up to and including 105 AMax. That covers everything Hornady makes, 90 Scenars from Lapua, 105s from Berger, etc.

It won't do 115 Bergers, 107 or 117s from Matrix, various other boutique stuff that is easy to pass over.

 

[Ngdonut]

So I'm thinking more about getting some equipment for handloading the 243. I have done some more research on what length of bullet the 1:9.125 twist likes and I have found that the Berger 90 and 95 gr BTHP's seem to stabilize well using the jbm stabilizing calc. However I cannot find the bullets anywhere. it seems like 243 bullets are sold out just about everywhere online right now. Why is that?

 

[Broom_jm]

Midsouth has quite a few options available, including the very good Sierra 85gr HPBT bullets that are excellent for target, varmint and deer.

https://www.midsouthshooterssupply....ain_Hollow_Point_Boat_Tail_Gameking_100_Count

 

[Ngdonut]

Sierra does make some nice bullets. I will consider that.

Why are so many of the Berger bullets sold out for 6mm?

 

[Yeah]

Sierras can be easily bested by closing your eyes and picking anything that isn't another Sierra.

Supply of all the good bullets always ebbs and flows, when you find them in stock stock up.

 

[sloughfoot]

87 grain over IMR4064. Maximum charge in the book.

 

[trailrider]

58 gr vmax bullet. 44gr of varget. Never had a problem getting bullets.

 

[phatgemi]

Sierras can be easily bested by closing your eyes and picking anything that isn't another Sierra.

Supply of all the good bullets always ebbs and flows, when you find them in stock stock up.

Why the hate for sierra. For the most part, gameking sierra's have pretty good reputation. Plus they are reasonable affordable and obtainable. Do you have some evidence???

 

[Hookeye]

I run 70gr Nosler BT on max charges of 4350.
Kinda loud in the shorter tubes.
Five sporters have loved it.
Chucks and yote no likey.

 

[tallend]

Many years ago--there was a small gun shop in Anderson that did "Custom and Obsolete"ctgs,and Black powder shot shells..(insurance cost,did away with that part of his business)-----anyway,he built some .243 for me that was a perfect marriage for my Remington 788---"40 something" grains of Varget,and a 75 gr Sierra HP.
I recently loaded some of that same specs to try in my Savage 516 (.243)handgun------5 shots,50 yds(sandbag)=3/4" well,4 of them were,one operator error.

tallend