.243 Winchester from scratch

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  • Last Post 18 June 2023
Scearcy posted this 21 January 2017

There seems to be growing interest among our ranks in shooting smaller calibers.  Much of the attention has been directed to the 223 and 22-250.  This is a good thing as John A, Joe B and others have been providing some real education for me, at least. Rather than following directly in their foot prints I have decided to try to use a 243 Win for this summers matches.  There is precedent as our National Champion about 10 years ago used a 243.  I believe Paul Pollard and his son are also using a 243. 

I have 2-243 Win rifles which will qualify in the Hunter class.  Being neither a machinist nor a skilled artisan I prefer to work with over the counter rifles.  I am telling you this because some of you, more skilled than I, are going to offer advice that I do not have the skills or tools to implement.  What I will share is an unedited pursuit of acceptable accuracy from a rifle I already own.

BE PATIENT!

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Bud Hyett posted this 18 June 2023

I would be more interested in casting for it if the FPs would be around 2200.

My expereince is with the 6mm BR. Good accuracy with Reloder #7, LBT Blue and used Monotype at 2200 to 2300 feet-per-second. This should transfer to the .243 Winchester. 

Farm boy from Illinois, living in the magical Pacific Northwest

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Mbirdsley posted this 18 June 2023

i’m following this thread. i bought a savage axis .243 last november. so far i have worked up a good jacketed mold using H-4831sc and hornady 100 gr btsp.

i’m not sure i’m going to cast for it yet even though i have everything to do it including a lyman 245496 mold, .244 sizer, 6mm gas checks, and some super hard alloy to mix in with wheel weights. i would be more intrested in casting for it if the FPs would be around 2200

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2frogs posted this 01 June 2023

What distance is that? Looks good if at 100 or more

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2frogs posted this 26 January 2023

Mines a cheap savage axis. Shoots jackets good out to 200 yds..be interested to see how it does with the cast bullets...

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Bud Hyett posted this 26 January 2023

BHyett

You are way ahead of me. That's a good thing.  I have a  rifle just sitting around which could be rebarreled.  I have been thinking of some variation on the 6/22-250.  Case volume looks good for a 90-100 gr bullet.  It is going to need to wait a bit until I sort out these two 243s, though.  Can a person get to 1"  - 10 shot groups with a standard 243 - in your opinion?

Jim

I have been thinking of some variation on the 6/22-250. -  I built a 6mm-.250 Savage on  a 788 action. This was with a Hart light sporter barrel and 1:10 twist. The rifle was competitive. The case is similar to the 6mm BR which I currently have in a Savage Striker. This rifle was shot in the old Silhouette Class which has been closed shortly after building this rifle. The rifle then became a 7mm BR Heavy Rifle.

I used Reloder #7 and Reloder #10 for my best groups. Again, this is close to the 6MM BR that came out after I built the 6mm-.250 Savage. 

It is going to need to wait a bit until I sort out these two 243's, though. - Don't wait too long.  

Can a person get to 1"- 10 shot groups with a standard 243 - in your opinion? - Yes, depends on how much you want to experiment. I've shot 6mm cast in the following rifles with competitive groups from the 788  and Savage Striker.

  • Remington 788, 6X47 - 1:14 twist is way too slow.
  • Remington 788, 6mm-.250 Savage - Good results, but the CBA Directors closed the class before I could get really competitive.
  • Ruger #1, 6mm Remington -  Always one flyer in a 10-shot group. I don't know of the two piece stock was influencing this, bad wind call, bad hold, or simply the load.
  • Savage Striker, 6mm BR - This Long Range Handgun set a National Record at 200 yards with the RCBS 243-095-SP at 2100 feet-per-second. 

I'd do the following:

  • Use the RCBS 243-095-SP or SAEO #243 molds.
  • Linotype alloy.
  • High-speed lubricant.
  • Size .243 to start, then .244. Both my molds drops the bullets at .244+, thus the .245 sizer die only lubricates the bullet.

Be aware the heavy 6mm bullets still heavily wind-drift at 200 yards. Practice at 200 yards in winds to understand the scenario.    

Farm boy from Illinois, living in the magical Pacific Northwest

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Ross Smith posted this 26 January 2023

It's a framitz that squishes bullets.

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2frogs posted this 26 January 2023

What is a bullet squisher.

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OU812 posted this 16 April 2017

OK your 4th edition sounds more logical. My 3rd edition reads way different.

 

Lyman Cast Bullet Handbook 3rd edition

H335 90 gr. cast bullet, 243 Winchester

Minimum = 25.0 grains 2128 fps, 20,200 CUP

Maximum = 36.3 grains 2790 fps, 47,300 CUP

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OU812 posted this 16 April 2017

Lyman Cast Bullet Handbook - 4th Edition

H335; 95 grain cast bullet

Minimum = 16.0 grains; 1619 fps

Maximum = 25.5 grains; 2339 fps

 

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

OK your 4th edition sounds more logical. My 3rd edition reads way different.

 

Lyman Cast Bullet Handbook 3rd edition

H335 90 gr. cast bullet

Minimum = 25.0 grains 2128 fps, 20,200 CUP

Maximum = 36.3 grains 2790 fps, 47,300 CUP

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Scearcy posted this 16 April 2017

Lyman Cast Bullet Handbook - 4th Edition

H335; 95 grain cast bullet

Minimum = 16.0 grains; 1619 fps

Maximum = 25.5 grains; 2339 fps

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OU812 posted this 16 April 2017

 

  • Lyman reloading manual shows a minimum load of 25 grains...why are you using smaller 18 grains.

Have you tried filling lube grooves with lube (soft LBT) or are you using 45/45/10 tumble lube. Maybe the traditional filling of lube grooves will work better at keeping fouling soft? 

I do not know.

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Scearcy posted this 16 April 2017

H335 again - 9 shots - light wind. This is a rather strange target. I was alternating groups with another rifle or I may have thought I had had too much coffee. You'll need to draw your own conclusions, I guess.

 

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Scearcy posted this 15 April 2017

You know my second group was larger. I wasn't sure why - could have been a number of things. I'll watch that fouling.

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OU812 posted this 15 April 2017

In my 223 the 748 Ball powder is very accurate for the first 5-6 shots, but after that groups open to 3"- 4" . I think more lube grooves and lube are needed to keep powder fouling softer.

I hope ball powder works for you.

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Scearcy posted this 15 April 2017

18 gr of H335. I am surprised but this warrants a few more groups.

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Wallyl posted this 31 March 2017

I mentioned that I make my own aluminum gas check.  A few years back Hornady stopped making 6mm GCs so I bought a Freechex II GC maker...I paid $35.00,  It works superbly well but does take a bit of time. 

Very interesting to pop cans and other targets at 200~225 yards with the .243 w/cast bullets. I really liked Unique powder with it but it turns out that Red Dot is even better.  I had to switch as I had trouble finding any Unique powder. After shooting the barrel remains very clean.  As I had trouble getting std LR primers, I even used Std Lg Pistol primers, with no problem whatsoever.  However I do use Std LR primers when I can get them.  I shot on a farm with a 1/4 mile range in Central Wisconsin. I have also experimented w/ .22 Cal CF cast loads.  None are in the same league as with the .243. 

 

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Scearcy posted this 31 March 2017

Wally

My Remington seemed to prefer the 245 sizing. Looking through my notes, I believe that the Tikka may be slightly better at 244. I am going to try it. I was concerned about leading but I think a change of lube took care of that so the 244 should be ok.

Thanks for the input.

Jim

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Scearcy posted this 31 March 2017

John

I got the trigger down to a crisp 35 oz. You can't get to the adjustment screw on my model w/o removing the stock which I reluctantly did. I opted for the walnut and blue model. Here it is:

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Wallyl posted this 31 March 2017

I have a stock Rem 700 in the ,243 Winchester.  I use the RCBS 95 SP-GC bullet which I use my own homemade aluminum GCs and sized to .244".  I use 10.0 grains of Red Dot or 11.0 of Unique.  Velocity is 1,700 FPS and I can get 3” groups at 200 yards, with no wind.  I also shoot .223/.22-250 Remington w/cast.  The .243 Winchester is a better choice.  Most interesting to “bounce” small targets at 200 yards with it. 

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John Alexander posted this 30 March 2017

Jim,

I am surprised that your trigger is heavy. My first tikka came with a 3# trigger. I adjusted it per the instructions which was supposed to take it to 2#. It has been between 26 and 28 oz. since. Best factory trigger, by far, I have ever had without working on it. The second one was bought new at Sportsman's Warehouse and the trigger broke at 26 oz. out of the box. It almost always breaks just at 26oz.

You don't have to take the action out of the stock to adjust the trigger. Just remove the magazine.

Considering the accuracy, the trigger, and the Krag smooth action for under $600 I don't see how anybody else sells rifles. Well OK I would like to see a blued version in a walnut stock shaped like my M-700 CDL.

John

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