hand loads for RPA .243

Nicholas Fahey

Well-Known Member
looking to see if anyone has any super accurrate loads worked up for the RPA in .243

ideally i am looking for an all rounder in 70 grain maybe using Nosler balistic tip heads, but keen to hear other ideas all the same
 
You might need to go carefully as RPA's often have tightish chambers. A few at the club have them in varying models one was shooting some nato spec new 7.62 and was having extraction problems. Carl the range owner asked me to take a look at oen fo the cases they had just knocked out with a cleanign rid and the primer was well ironed out. I suggested the pressure was a mite high.

The shooter and shooter and owner of the new RPA said the loads, new commercial contract stuff, had been pressure tested :roll: my answer was well it might have been but in THAT RIFLE IT'S TOO MUCH, he took the huff and left and I have not seen him since . Oh he owns the comanpy which is manufacturing the loads ;) .

It's fairly obvious even without measuring the fired cases that in that particular RPA the chamber is on the tight side of the specs. Not a bad thing but it will effect handloads to some degree just as the slightly tighter bore on my 25-06 shows pressure signs faster.

I have noticed several of the RPA owners have extraction issues at times but I don't know what ammunition they are using of if it is factory or handloads. All the RPA's I have seen shot there are very accurate and I have shot Carls Rangemaster in 7.62x51 and it too is very accurate.

Now the problem with your question is that every single barrel is different so a load which be super accurate in one rifle might not be so in yours or may show excessive pressure or even the other way and not obturate the case neck fully. You need to work up your own starting by chosing the bullet you want then select a powedr that's suitable and easily obtainable, nothign worse than finding a super load onyl to find you cannot get any more of the powder or bullets :oops: .
 
I understand. RPA is a quality rifle and I fully expect you to get excellent performance from it. Sadly I have little handloading experience with the .243 as it's the 6mm Remington that's listed for shooting and not the .243.
 
My pet load in the 243 is a 70 grain Ballistic Tip, CCI 200 primer and 42.5 grains of N140. I've used Federal, RWS, Norma and Winchester cases. OAL around 2.64" normally works well. I've used it in several rifles, but never an RPA. Typically chronographs at 3500 fps out of a 24" barrel.
Usual warnings apply- work up carefully, etc...
 
the proprieter of a certain reloading shop and a famous riflesmith both reccomend the 70gn ballistic tip for chest shooting fallow! not shot deer with them myself but they're pretty good on foxes, 40 gn varget or 39gn h4895 worked well in my .243's, didnt own a chrony then but probably doing about 95% of published velocity. i think i might just get some more!
 
try 40grains of IMR 4895 and your 70grain Noslers, great accuracy and drops fallow on the spot with chest shots.
 
Just made the plunge and got some reloading gear. The helpful chap at Reloading Solutions suggested a load of for my RPA .243 of which he said his mate was using in his RPA .243 to good effect.
The sugestion was as Storm sugests 40grains of HD 4895 or IMR 4895 with a 70grain BT.
So that is where I will start.
Thanks
Everybody
 
Back
Top