Advice for reloading 243 at 1750 ft/lbs

ShootinPeter

Active Member
I'm a complete novice on reloading.
I have the Lee reloading kit for 243 & 762.

I've put factory PPU through the 243 and reloaded with 33 - 37g powder but it doesn't look anywhere close to legal muzzle energy.

The Ruger M77 MkII is meant for deer.
However with an 18" barrel
... can I actually achieve 1750 ft/lbs muzzle energy from it?

I must use 100g+ bullets.
I have Vhita N140 powder but it's not listed as use with 105g bullets.

Looking at the Lapua reloading data for 105g bullets it states I need to use N550 or N165.

Bit of advice needed here before I waste more £££s on powder & bullets. Please.

The N140 I can use with the 763 so at least that isn't wasted. :)
 
This may not be very helpful but i used 43 grains of N160 out of a 24in barrel and used to get just shy of 3000fps but that was with an amax and didnt use it on Deer.
 
Have you chronographed the speed? If so you just need to calculate bullet weight-FPS to get the ft lbs
Sounds very unlikely you will meet the legal limit with such a short barrel.
Have a search on here has been covered before.
 
from vit site
BulletPowderStarting loadMaximum load
WeightTypeMfgC.O.LTypeWeightVelocityWeightVelocity
[g][grs] [mm][in.] [g][grs][m/s][fps][g][grs][m/s][fps]
6,5100Grand SlamSpeer68,32.689N1501,8628.772223692,2334.48392753
N5401,9730.477025262,3336.08782881
N5502,2134.178725822,4838.38852904
N1602,2334.476925232,5839.88732864

or from the hogdon site i use h414 4o grains works well for me and others
95 GR. NOS PARTHodgdonH4895.243"2.650"33.0286545,000 CUP35.0299050,700 CUP
100 GR. SPR BTSPHodgdonH1000.243"2.650"44.0287645,700 CUP47.0C300049,800 CUP
100 GR. SPR BTSPIMRIMR 7828.243"2.650"42.5279643,700 CUP46.0C*300951,100 CUP
100 GR. SPR BTSPWinchesterSupreme 780.243"2.650"45.7292745,600 CUP47.5304649,300 CUP
100 GR. SPR BTSPHodgdonH4831.243"2.650"39.0276144,400 CUP42.0292450,100 CUP
100 GR. SPR BTSPHodgdonHybrid 100V.243"2.650"40.0286845,400 CUP43.7C310051,700 CUP
100 GR. SPR BTSPIMRIMR 4831.243"2.650"39.2273343,500 CUP43.0294750,800 CUP
100 GR. SPR BTSPHodgdonH4350.243"2.650"37.0280645,100 CUP40.0297351,000 CUP
100 GR. SPR BTSPHodgdonH414.243"2.650"37.0280044,500 CUP40.0296350,600 CUP
100 GR. SPR BTSPIMRIMR 4350.243"2.650"38.5276043,000 CUP42.0295850,100 CUP
100 GR. SPR BTSPWinchester760.243"2.650"37.0280044,500 CUP40.0296350,600 CUP
100 GR. SPR BTSPIMRIMR 4007 SSC.243"2.650"37.2278447,000 CUP39.5290550,400 CUP
100 GR. SPR BTSPHodgdonH380.243"2.650"34.0263943,600 CUP36.0277050,100 CUP
100 GR. SPR BTSPHodgdonVarget.243"2.650"31.0267442,700 CUP33.7283850,400 CUP
100 GR. SPR BTSPIMRIMR 4064.243"2.650"33.0267242,200 CUP36.5290251,100 CUP
100 GR. SPR BTSPIMRIMR 4895.243"2.650"32.8268342,300 CUP35.7286250,100 CUP
100 GR. SPR BTSPHodgdonH4895.243"2.650"31.0268344,900 CUP33.0281850,100 CUP
100 GR. SPR BTSPIMRTrail Boss.243"2.650"8.0104527,300 CUP15.3160339,100 CUP

sorry you wished 105gr


105 GR. HDY A-MAXHodgdonRetumbo.243"2.760"46.0277244,200 CUP49.0C298649,700 CUP
105 GR. HDY A-MAXHodgdonH1000.243"2.760"43.0279845,400 CUP46.0C293050,200 CUP
105 GR. HDY A-MAXIMRIMR 7828.243"2.760"40.6272144,500 CUP44.0C289450,300 CUP
105 GR. HDY A-MAXWinchesterSupreme 780.243"2.760"44.2287246,900 CUP47.0303650,300 CUP
105 GR. HDY A-MAXHodgdonH4831.243"2.760"38.0268743,900 CUP41.0284650,200 CUP
105 GR. HDY A-MAXHodgdonHybrid 100V.243"2.760"37.0272143,800 CUP41.0C295949,300 CUP
105 GR. HDY A-MAXIMRIMR 4831.243"2.760"38.0266143,700 CUP41.5287050,800 CUP
105 GR. HDY A-MAXHodgdonH4350.243"2.760"35.0266344,300 CUP37.5279949,500 CUP
105 GR. HDY A-MAXHodgdonH414.243"2.760"36.0269243,700 CUP39.0286250,100 CUP
105 GR. HDY A-MAXIMRIMR 4350.243"2.760"36.7264843,000 CUP40.2287050,800 CUP
105 GR. HDY A-MAXWinchester760.243"2.760"36.0269243,700 CUP39.0286250,100 CUP
105 GR. HDY A-MAXIMRIMR 4007 SSC.243"2.760"35.7266543,600 CUP38.0279749,800 CUP
105 GR. HDY A-MAXHodgdonH380.243"2.760"33.0258943,700 CUP35.0268749,800 CUP
105 GR. HDY A-MAXHodgdonVarget.243"2.760"31.0263145,600 CUP33.0276950,800 CUP
105 GR. HDY A-MAX
HodgdonH4895.243
"
2.760
"
30.5261944,900 CUP32.5272450,100 CUP
But have you tryed GECO 6mm buggers hit hard and at £20 a box ? worth thinking
 
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No point in publishing data for 24" barrel is there when the guy has 18" barrel.
He needs velocity to achieve the energy requirement.

Viht N560 / Vectan SP12 / IMR7828 SSC will just scrape past the 2810fps in 18" barrel approx 56kpsi chamber pressure.

You will need to carefully work up loads in your rifle with a chrono to verify the velocities.

Would not bother with the 105's
 
What type of bullet are you using, Gandy?

105 grain amax.

No point in publishing data for 24" barrel is there when the guy has 18" barrel. He needs velocity to achieve the energy requirement. Viht N560 / Vectan SP12 / IMR7828 SSC will just scrape past the 2810fps in 18" barrel approx 56kpsi chamber pressure. You will need to carefully work up loads in your rifle with a chrono to verify the velocities. Would not bother with the 105's

Hear what you’re saying but it may inform thoughts moving forward, I’m sure that a shorter barrel will knock a few 100 fps off the velocity. Coincidently your figure is a few hundred feet per second below that which I wrote and with a lighter bullet, so logically he’s at the thin end of the wedge, what do you think?
 
Hear what you’re saying but it may inform thoughts moving forward, I’m sure that a shorter barrel will knock a few 100 fps off the velocity. Coincidently your figure is a few hundred feet per second below that which I wrote and with a lighter bullet, so logically he’s at the thin end of the wedge, what do you think?

So for example with N560 - 2823fps @56kpsi 18" barrel and 3067fps @56kpsi 24" barrel.
I try to point out that you need to achieve the velocity in the short barrel and that it is not just a case of trying to extrapolate from the 24" barrel data - every barrel will be different.
Basically data shows that you can get the 100gn to the velocity required - you need to work up to it and use a chrono to verify.
 
Neat, guys. Thanks.
I'm in the process of adding bells to the club chrony so I can record velocity data direct to my netbook.

J0e seems to be getting nearer the mark but I could have a problem with less than 105g bullets.
I think it's the law in England and I know it's the law in Scotland that you must have a bullet at least 105g.

Assuming Vit N550 with a 105g Lapua I can achieve 2920 (- 200?) fps.
2720fps using http://www.reloadammo.com/footpound2.htm gives me 1724 ft/lb :(
2750 fps gives 1763 ft/lb :)

I note A-max 105g bullets have a moly coated option. Does this give any greater fps?

J0e I note earlier you mentioned N560. Not on my list of Vit powder. Typo or it exists?
 
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100gn bullet not 105's

Oop north;
For all deer of any species - the bullet must weigh at least 100 grains AND have a minimum muzzle velocity of 2,450 feet per second AND a minimum muzzle energy of 1,750 foot pounds.

Ingland;
1700 ft lbs

Moly will reduce velocity, ie need a greater powder charge to equal non-moly vels.

105's need a faster than 1:10 twist.

As pointed out earlier, you cannot extrapolate the velocity so easily, the data I get for 105s in generic case with n550 is running at 58.5kpsi to make 2742fps @ 1754ft lbs

Max chamber 60.2kpsi

N560 exists - better choice than N550
 
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deer don't have chronos and don't care

if you are skating on the edge of the legal energy a simple drop in temperature could push you under the limit

N140 from a shorter barrel sounds a better option although N160 gives a good case fill
 
deer don't have chronos and don't care

if you are skating on the edge of the legal energy a simple drop in temperature could push you under the limit

N140 from a shorter barrel sounds a better option although N160 gives a good case fill


No but forensics labs have access to chronos.
So if you wish to be 'above board' it is worth verifying.


N140 will just not work neither will N160 in 18" at MAXIMUM 60kpsi they are both over 100fps below requirement.
 
However with an 18" barrel ... can I actually achieve 1750 ft/lbs muzzle energy from it? I must use 100g+ bullets.
I doubt that you can make it deer legal for Scotland unless with some extremely hot reloads, possibly using a "superformance" powder.

I think 18 inches is too short. Bruce Potts reviews rifles authoritatively, and usually records chrono data for factory ammo and also his own well judged reloads.

On many occasions he has demonstrated that shorter barreled .243s are often incapable of meeting the required energy with any factory ammo.

For example, when he reviewed the Tikka T3 Lite in .243 with 20" barrel the best he got out of it, with 100 gr factory ammo or reloads, was 1734 fpe.

Your 2" shorter barrel I think means you have almost no chance.

There are calibres that work well with very short barrels, e.g. .308 and .223, even at 18". Bruce published an article where he cut down two RPA rifles in .223 and .308 bit by bit, and demonstrated that they remained small and large deer legal even at 18".

Unfortunately the .243 is not a cartridge that works well in short barrels. Being a necked-down .308 it is relatively inefficient, which rarely works well in short barrels.

E.g. compare the ratio of fpe to grains of powder for typical load data and you will see how much less efficient the .243 is than its parent case. Understandable, because the gas pressure has to work on a bullet base which is only 62% of the area of a .308 bullet base.

http://www.shootingtimes.co.uk/guns/536579/Tikka_T3_Lite_combo_rifle_review.html

Quote: The best 100-gr load was Hornady’s SST bullet with 42.25 grains of Reloder RL17 powder for 2,794fps and 1,734ft/lb — not quite deer legal in Scotland. Another 0.5 grains more powder would improve this, as the case pressure was fine, though accuracy was better with the lighter load. This illustrates that the 20in barrel length on a .243 Win is as short as you want to go with regard to velocity and energy figures.
 
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:gheyfight:
that's why its called load development you develop from a starting point:doh: do we know the rifle rate of twist ! has it got free bore or is it a match chamber has got a 1" tube is it free floated is it it it !!.:stir:
 
I doubt that you can make it deer legal for Scotland unless with some extremely hot reloads, possibly using a "superformance" powder.

I think 18 inches is too short. Bruce Potts reviews rifles authoritatively, and usually records chrono data for factory ammo and also his own well judged reloads.

On many occasions he has demonstrated that shorter barreled .243s are often incapable of meeting the required energy with any factory ammo.

For example, when he reviewed the Tikka T3 Lite in .243 with 20" barrel the best he got out of it, with 100 gr factory ammo or reloads, was 1734 fpe.

Your 2" shorter barrel I think means you have almost no chance.

There are calibres that work well with very short barrels, e.g. .308 and .223, even at 18". Bruce published an article where he cut down two RPA rifles in .223 and .308 bit by bit, and demonstrated that they remained small and large deer legal even at 18".

Unfortunately the .243 is not a cartridge that works well in short barrels. Being a necked-down .308 it is relatively inefficient, which rarely works well in short barrels.

E.g. compare the ratio of fpe to grains of powder for typical load data and you will see how much less efficient the .243 is than its parent case. Understandable, because the gas pressure has to work on a bullet base which is only 62% of the area of a .308 bullet base.

http://www.shootingtimes.co.uk/guns/536579/Tikka_T3_Lite_combo_rifle_review.html

Quote: The best 100-gr load was Hornady’s SST bullet with 42.25 grains of Reloder RL17 powder for 2,794fps and 1,734ft/lb — not quite deer legal in Scotland. Another 0.5 grains more powder would improve this, as the case pressure was fine, though accuracy was better with the lighter load. This illustrates that the 20in barrel length on a .243 Win is as short as you want to go with regard to velocity and energy figures.

Nice reply.
 
OK, guys. From ere oop north it looks like a rifle swap. :(
Shame, I like the Ruger in all other aspects.

So I'll either have to look for a part ex or get my ticket varied for a ..... what?

My 762 is a T4, lovely target rifle but too heavy to lug around the woods and hills.

What might be a decent 24" barrel 243 without breaking the bank?
 
If you take the word of a 'gun writer' without a supreme pinch of salt....

I have a lot of time for Bruce Potts. He has done some very interesting personal work with wildcats and sometimes eccentric chamberings. He also pulls no punches in his reviews, if you read them carefully.

It would be easy to neglect to mention inconvenient chrono data, but Bruce tells it like it is, AFAIK.

Please let me know which other UK reviewers state chrono data for factory ammo, and also their own reload data, without even any mealy-mouthed "don't try this at home, valid only in my rifle, work up from bare minimum etc. warnings ???
 
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