RS62 .243 85gr increments?

[Joe.destinct]

As above really, I took a course on how to reload a week ago.
I couldn't find any data in the RS62 book for an 85gr bullet, only 70 gr or 95gr so I started somewhere in between.

For the purpose of the course i loaded 5 rounds of 41gr and 5 rounds of 42gr, both showed no signs of pressure.

I would now like to work up a load and I'm unsure in what increments I should do this?
at 42gr I was around a 1moa group (5shots); 3 shots were cloverleafed, the remaining 2 made it a 1moa group.
the 41gr group was similar just slightly wider.

How should I proceed?

 

[Scuffy]

I would strongly advise against jumping in 1gr increments.

Personally I increase by 0.3gr increments.

 

[Edinburgh Rifles]

Not a great choice of powder
Its very fluffy (less dense)
Slower burn than ideal

Knock a couple of grains off this load
Run the first charge as a test for pressure
Then three rounds in 0.5gr charge increments (you dont need 5 rounds and you dont need to run 0.1/0.2gr increments)
When you see a reduction in group size you can then either bracket that charge load with smaller increments either side before tweaking OAL if you must.



Prefer RS60 myself:

 

[Joe.destinct]

Thanks Scruffy, ill try 0.3 then. I was suggested 0.1 but it sounded like quite a small increase.
The 41gr and 42gr loads were what was suggested on the course so I could measure two separate loads for the purpose of proving I could do so.
You'll be relieved that they didn't suggest 1gr increments for working up a load although I note that I could have loaded 41.0 and 41.3 on the course had I have known it was preferred.

 

[Scuffy]

I’m gobsmacked that you were advised 1gr increments on a course.

 

[Heym SR20]

Why waste expensive powder and bullets?

Do a pressure test first, load up about half a dozen, perhaps ten cartridges going up in 0.2 to 0.3grain increments. Using a chronograph and / or shooting to the same point of aim, and taking your time so shooting from a cold barrel, start at low end and work your way up checking for pressure signs as you go. This quickly show you where max pressure is for your rifle.

Then look at the target and speed data and look for any clusters of two or three adjacent loads close to each other. Chances are:

1) you will find a couple so you can then use these as a starting point

2) they all shoot into a pretty close group, so pick somewhere that gives sufficient velocity but not getting pressure signs and work from there.

But your 42gr load being sub MOA sounds pretty good so why bother doing any more load development? Just load them up and go hunting.

Personally I prefer to do the pressure test first, cos I don’t like wasting components. Why load up lots of loads at 0.2 to 0.3 increments only to find a pressure point and then have several loads that are above the pressure point. These then need to be taken apart etc.

Do the pressure test, you may and show you a node or two. If it doesn’t you then load up 3 cartridges at each point and see how they group.

 

[Joe.destinct]

Not a great choice of powder
Its very fluffy (less dense)
Slower burn than ideal

Knock a couple of grains off this load
Run the first charge as a test for pressure
Then three rounds in 0.5gr charge increments (you dont need 5 rounds and you dont need to run 0.1/0.2gr increments)
When you see a reduction in group size you can then either bracket that charge load with smaller increments either side before tweaking OAL if you must.



Prefer RS60 myself:

Ok brilliant, I appreciate the advice.
I'll get some loaded up to go test this week hopefully!

I'll look into getting some RS60 next if that's a better suited powder.

 

[Joe.destinct]

Why waste expensive powder and bullets?

Do a pressure test first, load up about half a dozen, perhaps ten cartridges going up in 0.2 to 0.3grain increments. Using a chronograph and / or shooting to the same point of aim, and taking your time so shooting from a cold barrel, start at low end and work your way up checking for pressure signs as you go. This quickly show you where max pressure is for your rifle.

Then look at the target and speed data and look for any clusters of two or three adjacent loads close to each other. Chances are:

1) you will find a couple so you can then use these as a starting point

2) they all shoot into a pretty close group, so pick somewhere that gives sufficient velocity but not getting pressure signs and work from there.

But your 42gr load being sub MOA sounds pretty good so why bother doing any more load development? Just load them up and go hunting.

Personally I prefer to do the pressure test first, cos I don’t like wasting components. Why load up lots of loads at 0.2 to 0.3 increments only to find a pressure point and then have several loads that are above the pressure point. These then need to be taken apart etc.

Do the pressure test, you may and show you a node or two. If it doesn’t you then load up 3 cartridges at each point and see how they group.

Noted, am i correct in saying that the loads which group together should be lower ES also?

I'll look into getting a chrono, I may be able to borrow a garmin.

Although I'm mainly stalking I'd like to get into PRS or the new NRL Hunter competitions also so loading a predictable accurate load would be great.
I have a variation for 6.5 creedmoore but would like to spend money on getting better with the .243 instead of spending it on another rifle to start with.

 

[ashray]

have you purchased a reloading manual ? all the information you will need will be in that ,nosler bullets =nosler book ,sierra bullets-sierra book etc etc .

 

[Heym SR20]

Noted, am i correct in saying that the loads which group together should be lower ES also?

I'll look into getting a chrono, I may be able to borrow a garmin.

Although I'm mainly stalking I'd like to get into PRS or the new NRL Hunter competitions also so loading a predictable accurate load would be great.
I have a variation for 6.5 creedmoore but would like to spend money on getting better with the .243 instead of spending it on another rifle to start with.

Yes there should be a correlation between closer together and spread of velocity.

You really don’t a chronograph to work up a decent load. Accuracy on paper tells you enough.

Velocity is good, in that it flatten your trajectory a bit, and also provides more energy.

But extra velocity over and above an accurate point really doesn’t add very much extra in terms of killing ability inside normal shooting distances. Indeed I would suggest that in a fast cartridge like the 243 extra velocity just causes unnecessary damage to the carcass.

I will totally admit i work on the 20/80 rule, ie 20% of the effort gets 80% of the result, but to that last 20% you need to 80% of the work.

When it comes to deer stalking, I work on the good enough principle to put deer on the table. But it won’t win any trophies in shooting competitions - thats where all the hard work and reloading tricks and tips come in, with endless testing. I know some on here will use up to 100 bullets in working up a load and they will group very tightly. I don’t!

 

[Scottb123]

I use rs60 with 90 grain in 243 and 165 in 06 very consistent sds and extreme spread I won’t publish load data but say I’m running over quick load figures no pressure sign and appears to be a stable choice

 

[25 Sharps]

As a general rule work on 1% increments or there abouts, rounded up.

So .308 family .4 or .5, .223 family 0.3 etc.