New to reloading - Game and Target rounds

[Nugs]

Seasons greetings all,

Total reloading novice here, so apologies if I'm asking a daft/obvious question.
Im looking to reload my .243 which is used primarily for stalking, probably going for 95gr spbt for stalking purposes. Now if i want to load a target round at 95gr for the same rifle for longer range target work, would i expect the same POI for both target and game rounds, or would i be better loading the target round at a lower grain count and rezeroing.
Or is there a head that will give me good expansion on game and good stability on medium range target work?
While I'm on a roll, i may as well ask, what is the preference in heads for deer reloads? Sierra, Nosler, Hornady....... Or ?
TIA

 

[Colonel]

I use Hornady 95gr SST bullets not heads in my 243 for deer, but I would have to use something like 105gr A-max I’m not sure if you can get 95gr target bullets for target use. A lot of ranges will not allow expanding ammo. I know that you could get expanding 105gr bullets, but I’m not sure if they are still available.

 

[Dalua]

There are undoubtedly folk better-qualifed than I am to address the many possibilities you're raised.

However I like the path of least resistance, and find working up new loads irksome. I would be inclined sort out a good load with a stalking bullet, see how that works for your range purposes and take it from there.

I've not developed a particular desire for any manufacturer's bullets for stalking. I use conventional (and therefore relatively inexpensive) soft-points.

 

[antsa]

I run two different bullets (not heads ) in my .308W, a 165gr and a 150gr. My scope is zeroed for the 165. To avoid rezeroing, I utilise the Zero Offset Function in my ballistic app of preference, Shooter. This gives me a trajectory table for the 150gr in relation to the 165. I have printed out both tables and taped them onto my stock.

Check this out: Zero Height - Zero Offset - Why Theyre Important - AccuracyTech

Cheers

 

[timbrayford]

My r8 shoots 90 gr rounds just as well as 95gr so mainly down to bullet choice I have ended up using the former. Faster burning powders seem to work best in the 22" barrel so depending on local availability I use either Varget, RL15 or N140.

My preferred bullet for stalking is the 90gr Nosler Accubond whilst for target/practice shooting again depending on availability 90gr fmj Berger/Sierra/Lapua.

The best load for practice is 36gr Varget giving consistent clover leaf groups but at around ME 1720 ft/lbs it is borderline legal for the larger species of deer in England, so for live game I use a powder load of 38-38.8gr depending on powder taking the ME to in excess of 1820 ft/lbs with a slight expansion in group size.

The POI for all loads is consistent with no loss of zero, but if you are reloading it pays to experiment with 3 shot groups starting with the minimum load and going up 0.1 of a grain with each batch, until you discover what is the most accurate load in your rifle. That done you need to check for deer legal MV & ME with a chronograph and increase the load if necessary.

 

[Nugs]

Many thanks for all your replies.
I have spent a few hours researching the different heads and comparing their respective B.C. values and it looks like the Accubond scores well, but that info is supplied by Nosler.
Just out of curiosity, with respect to Nosler bullets, comparing the price of their Hunting Ballistic Tip to Partition, am i really going to see a two-fold increase in performance, accuracy, and consistency, or am i paying double for the Partition for the more involved manufacturing process?

 

[enfieldspares]

The Nosler Partition is an American knock-off of the German H-Mantel bullet. If you need that sort of performance then it's what you need. But for foxing, muntjac, roe at the usual ranges here in UK I don't think that it is needed at all. For an "all around" bullet for wild boar and large red deer and sika it might have some merit. Re ballistic tip bullets...some estates do not like them. Anecdotally they have a reputation, justified or unjustified, for excessive meat damage.

But people have shot red deer in the UK for near on a hundred years with old fashioned cup and core bullets at around 2,400fps to 2,600fps and they seem to have done OK. One issue with Partition as I found in my 6mm Remington: They are over-long, the 100 grain ones, for weight and in some rifling twists that causes problems. I never could get them to shoot at all in my 6mm Remington...by two hundred yards the were tumbling and entering side on. Your .243 if 1 in 9 may do so too.

 

[timbrayford]

Many thanks for all your replies.
I have spent a few hours researching the different heads and comparing their respective B.C. values and it looks like the Accubond scores well, but that info is supplied by Nosler.
Just out of curiosity, with respect to Nosler bullets, comparing the price of their Hunting Ballistic Tip to Partition, am i really going to see a two-fold increase in performance, accuracy, and consistency, or am i paying double for the Partition for the more involved manufacturing process?

In terms of carcass quality the Accubond does less damage than the hunting BT. When I used factory ammo I used Partitions but was unimpressed with all the damaged tips that they came with.

 

[Nugs]

In terms of carcass quality the Accubond does less damage than the hunting BT. When I used factory ammo I used Partitions but was unimpressed with all the damaged tips that they came with.

Thanks Tim, ill probably start with the Accubond as it seems to be a good mid-range head with a good BC value, so i should be able to use it for longer range target and still good for game........ saves me having two lots of re-loads for the same calibre, which is a good thing as I'm a total novice at this reloading mularkey.

 

[Eddie P]

As others have hinted at, the projectile is the bullet. It isn't the head. Why does this matter? The head is the end of the case where the primer sits, it is also where head space is measured. By calling both ends of a loaded round the head it gets horribly confusing.

 

[Nugs]

Thank you, still learning Eddie.

 

[Edinburgh Rifles]

you dont say what you think mid range is.

Depending on source or organisational terminology mid range is 300-600m or 600-1000m!

Stalkers tend to have lower figures in mind

If you are shooting inside 300m your BC is largely irrelevant, most people can't shoot well enough to demonstrate the marginal difference between a flat base spire point and a boat tailed ballistic tip inside that range
Boat tails are proven to be of no significant value inside 300m

Choose a bullet that works on flesh targets
Doesn't matter what happens to the paper

But...
if you choose two similar weight bullets they will shoot usually within an inch or so of each other when all other variables are the same.

 

[Harry mac]

A little tin of copper coloured Humbrol modellers' enamel paint works very well at disguising soft points

 

[Nugs]

you dont say what you think mid range is.

Depending on source or organisational terminology mid range is 300-600m or 600-1000m!

Stalkers tend to have lower figures in mind

If you are shooting inside 300m your BC is largely irrelevant, most people can't shoot well enough to demonstrate the marginal difference between a flat base spire point and a boat tailed ballistic tip inside that range
Boat tails are proven to be of no significant value inside 300m

Choose a bullet that works on flesh targets
Doesn't matter what happens to the paper

But...
if you choose two similar weight bullets they will shoot usually within an inch or so of each other when all other variables are the same.

Im looking up to 600m as a mid range, although i consider this as a stalker, long range.

And after a very informed chat with an absolute gent on this forum last night (Peter H) I am now going to work up a load for stalking where accuracy is vital, (as well as other factors), and I'm going to use the same round for mid range gong work as well. So it looks like I'm going 90gr Accubond.

 

[takbok]

A little tin of copper coloured Humbrol modellers' enamel paint works very well at disguising soft points

Classic!

 

[Dale57]

Hi I have tried most heads in the past and now gone back to Sierra they do the job . Merry Xmas to you all dale

 

[Muir]

The Nosler Partition is an American knock-off of the German H-Mantel bullet.

Partition

H-Mantel

The H-Mantel and the Partition are quite different in construction. I think if anything, the Hornady Interlock is the H-Mantel knock off...... ~Muir