midland man
Member
so guys my savage axis 243 has a twist rate of 9:1/8in so whats the lightest and heaviest bullets I can use that will stabilize?
I worry less about weight on the screamers and more about jacket quality and purpose, a 55 btip will BLAZE out there while a 55 dogtown will disintigrate if pushed to hard with the faster twist. Ideally I like 3 .243 rifles, a 1:10 24" for blasting 55-100 gr varmint to standard pro hunters, a 1:8 26" for 85-107 gr pills, and a standard ruger-savage barrel twist (1:9-1:9.25, 1:9 1/8 including Remington but even though own a couple I do not foresee any more Remington purchases in my future) with a length 20-22" for quality 55-103 eldx (yet to test the eldx) as a dedicated deer and occasional plinker sporter type. In your shoes (and I'm awful close with the remmy bbl) I'd Max out in the 103 pushed hard and experiment with quality 55 gr, or move up to cheap 60-70 gr as my scorchers.so guys my savage axis 243 has a twist rate of 9:1/8in so whats the lightest and heaviest bullets I can use that will stabilize?
With a 24" bbl hodgdon seats ye olde amax at 2.76 with a compressed Max load of h1000 getting 2930fps. Using this minus 50 fps for your 22" bbl and a temp of 59 degrees with barometric pressure of 29.92 (just guesstimate cuz idk your conditions) bullet length 1.249" (your measured .208+ JBM listed length of a ph at 1.041" JBM lists the Berger hunting vld 105 at 1.235") both results listed respectively: 1.085 stability factor marginally stable yellow warning sign, and 1.122 marginally stable yellow warning sign. That being said I HAVE used a 1.2 to success, but never as well as better ratings and of course warmer temperatures in general will get better stability. Berger target hybrid listed length of 1.282" rated at 1.005 yellow ewwww, I personally would pass.I got to snooping around on the web for a COL for the 105gr hybrid target Berger in 243. I couldn't find a clean cut answer on that. Also the length of the bullet itself has me a little nervous I made a mistake getting them. (1:9.25" twist) They're almost a 1/4" longer than the 100gr Pro Hunter.
I cut a case neck as you described, and pushed a bullet in with the lands. Came up with 2.963". The base of the bullet was just past the shoulder/neck junction. Backing up to 2.950" and loading a start load with H1000. I'll see in a few days how that goes.Thats another method, you can black the bullet with soot from a lighter, marker, or even lipstick to help see the marks.
The issue with that technique, is that since the neck holds thr bullet tight you cant set it way out and let the rifling push it back. That makes it harder to actually figgure out at what coal you make contact with the riding. What it will do is tell you if coal you picked will touch the rifling.
You may get close to 3" with those bergers actually, mostly depending on your chamber. My .243 took the 95s to 2.95 i think, i know i was right up against the mag box in my gun.
Ummmmm yup but with h1000 and absolutely love them! They're a default for us here, currently playing with etips and 4451, next I'm trying the 100 gamekings and then the 103 eldxthanks guys and didn't mean to hijack this thread but since we are on the subject of the 243 I was going to tell you I been using the sierra prohunters part# 1540 these are 100gr sp flat base and I load 37.6gr win 760 powder as my rifle really likes this load! but was wondering about lighter bullets for varmint use so thanks again for the help! plus do any of you use this bullet I load and shoot, the sierra 100gr prohunters?
Can someone define "match peeped brass"?
Yeah i did in my .243 infront of h4350, and in my 6x47rem. Its a great bullet with a good range of performancethanks guys and didn't mean to hijack this thread but since we are on the subject of the 243 I was going to tell you I been using the sierra prohunters part# 1540 these are 100gr sp flat base and I load 37.6gr win 760 powder as my rifle really likes this load! but was wondering about lighter bullets for varmint use so thanks again for the help! plus do any of you use this bullet I load and shoot, the sierra 100gr prohunters?
Don't be concerned about asking questions or making comments on any thread I post. I'd like to think we're all friends here with common interests. You might ask questions that I would like to know the answer to,but didn't think to ask. Or have good info that could help us all.thanks guys and didn't mean to hijack this thread but since we are on the subject of the 243 I was going to tell you I been using the sierra prohunters part# 1540 these are 100gr sp flat base and I load 37.6gr win 760 powder as my rifle really likes this load! but was wondering about lighter bullets for varmint use so thanks again for the help! plus do any of you use this bullet I load and shoot, the sierra 100gr prohunters?
thanks and very much appreciate it!Don't be concerned about asking questions or making comments on any thread I post. I'd like to think we're all friends here with common interests. You might ask questions that I would like to know the answer to,but didn't think to ask. Or have good info that could help us all.
Sierra Bullets does no prep nor sort by weight on all their cases used to test their bullets. Match ones shoot under 1/2 MOA at 200 yards all day long.I prep my 243 brass as follows:
trim, size, neck anneal, turn case necks, uniform primer pockets and deburr flash holes. Weigh your cases.
Buy lots of 100 cases , choose your most uniform 40 cases. Shoot those exclusively, till they exhausted, work up another 40.
+1 on all Sierra bullets. Hornady Vmax shoot very well also.Sierra Bullets does no prep nor sort by weight on all their cases used to test their bullets. Match ones shoot under 1/2 MOA at 200 yards all day long.
Either push them harder, or try another bullet. Maybe, somewhere down the road, try Hornady 87 gr VMax, over 37 grs of H380. Good stuff.Ok first test of 105gr Berger hybrids didn't go so hot. Probably not going to work in this barrel. Every shot key-holed. They did group by twos though.
Opinions on trying any further in this barrel?
View attachment 235684
Yup. Got wonderful accuracy in 3 different barrels with federal fusion, with the 788, was all over the place at 100 yds, at 50 yds found the keyholes, guess which gun is dedicated to shorter bullets? My vote is to save em for a rebarrel or sell what's left for something worth the powder.Ok first test of 105gr Berger hybrids didn't go so hot. Probably not going to work in this barrel. Every shot key-holed. They did group by twos though.
Opinions on trying any further in this barrel?
View attachment 235684
Was his barrel longer?Even driving them faster i doubt youll get them to stabilize if they are producing full one keyholes. But it might be worth the effort. Sometimes you get lucky sometimes you dont.
The standard 105 vlds might be an option, but my .243 topped out with 95s.
That said, my buddy shot the remainder of the 105s i tried in his gun (older 110 .243) and they did fine, go figgure.
he had a bvss so 26" (i think) compared to my regular 22". Velocity was only about 80fps faster tho. H4350 isnt ideal for those bullets and getting top velocity, especially in longer tubes.Was his barrel longer?
+1 Midland Man, you are right. All other things aside, Sierra Pro Hunters in all my calibers, with the BC I want, are so accurate and reliable they are almost boring.that's why I suggest using the sierra prohunter part# 1540 100gr and try the Winchester 760 powder I use 37.6gr of this powder and my savage axis likes this one! not sayin yours will but I bet you might find a treat! if you are willing here I got my sierra reloading manual out and the starting load is 36.0grs and max is 39.2grs of Winchester 760 powder using this sierra 100gr sp flat base be sure to bevel your case mouth slightly to ease the bullets in without shaving them as I use a rcbs deburing tool to bevel the case mouth of burs plus it puts cuts a angle to the case mouth and it doesn't take much to do it! this data is out of my older sierra edition 5, 2nd printing on page 307 and so also I use cci large rifle magnum primers as well to help ignite the powder much better!
Measure the barrels bore diameter.Every shot key-holed. They did group by twos though.
also rate of twist was wrong and can cause keyholes! plus I have found in most cases the starting loads or slightly above are most accurate but there are rare cases where near or at max loads do produce exceptional accuracy but not all the time! always start at the bottom and work up until the tightest groups or what your looking for is found, accuracy is better than speed!!Measure the barrels bore diameter.
Looks to me like you're shooting 24 caliber bullets in a 26 caliber barrel.
That happened years ago when someone shot 243 Win ammo in a 260 Rem barrel. 7-08 in a 308.
Same thing shooting 270 win ammo in a 30-06 barrel; that's been done.
I ignore tightest groups of several shot. They don't represent where all fired shots will go; just a few of them.always start at the bottom and work up until the tightest groups or what your looking for is found, accuracy is better than speed!!