.243 load help

[TnTom]

I have a Ruger .243 22" 1:9 twist I bedded the recoil lug and floated the barrel and have many many rounds down the tube. It will not hold a group off the b-pod but great off the bag.
I like 95gr Nosler blue tip, 41gr XMR4350, WLP, fire formed brass, .015" jump. The fouling shot is always out by an inch but predictable.

ts had an easy 1500 rds through it and I'll rebarrel it shortly I haven't decided what. Its an old flat bolt and I hate to change the originality but I'd sure like to get the first round in tighter. Ive just learned to compensate. Like I said predictable.

 

[Terrytf]

Terry- I have been working on the same and have developed a formula that seems to shoot very accurately in my Browning Xbolt. (22" barrel)

First, despite having a bullet depth measurement tool, I used the Barnes suggested OAL of 2.675". In any event, Barnes says to seat bullets at least .010 off of the lands, which is much more than people do for most other bullets, so I just went with their suggested length. On forums, users agree to seat them deeper than other bullets.

Next I started with a "mid" load of Varget; 37.0 gr. I read on some blogs that you need to drive these Barnes bullets hard, and .010+ from lands, so I skipped the lighter 36.0 gr charge of Varget which is phenomenally accurate with the Sierra 86gr HPBT (.25 MOA groups!). I have gotten a good feel for what different charges of Varget do. ~40 fps / grn difference.

After mixed results with the 37.0gr loads (some good 3 shot clusters but fliers .8" - 1" away), I bought another box of Barnes. Tried 20 @ 37 and 20 @ 38.0 gr (MAX LOAD). Ran tests yesterday, all 5 shot groups @ 100 yards.
Good news! All 38.0gr loads under 1" greatest dimention, .2 other axis.
Best group of the day: 3 rounds 1 sligtly enlarged hole, 1 round .2" above, 1 round .2 above that (my bad?). So a .6" x .1" group.

Velocities are also very consistent with Varget. 85gr TSX 38.0 Varget clocked out at 3130fps, 37.0 gr yeilds 3050. Many duplicate speeds were measured.

I am going hunting in the Condor Zone, and am glad that the highest powered charge is also the most accurate. I am told by a local guide there that the Barnes 85gr TSX WILL take down a wild pig. He said it WILL go through both shoulders (bones) and open up nicely but you should try to hit bones!

This load/gun is so much fun! Almost no kick, and commonly shoots 1", 3 shot groups at 300 yards (85gr Sierra Gameking HPBT 36.0 gr Varget). Now I will test the max Barnes loads at that distance. Other shooters at the range were yahooing at a 1 shot bullseye on a 1" target at 335 yrds up a at the top of a hill.

(also honed in on a good Barnes 130gr TSX in 270Win.)

Hope this helps.
Good luck and have fun!

this is a great info that I missed I was out this week end tried some more loads .now I will go back and up the powder take it to the max . Thank you for the help . Its hard to find some one that shoots barnes

 

[Terrytf]

Just loaded 80gr TTSX with some imr 4831 and R.L. 19 . Lets see if this thing will shoot lead free . Only got 1" groups from the 85 gr tsx need to make this thing shoot just put a new VX-3 WITH cds on it ! that alone should get me down too 1/8th groups HA HA HA

 

[marcus40]

I just recently purchased a Savage Model 11 FLNS, I am left handed. I will be working up a load for mine as well. My Savage is 1in 9-1/4" twist. I will continue to follow this thread and once I have started developing loads I will post those as well.
Good Luck,
Marcus,

PS: Sure am glad that I am on this side of the country, NC.

 

[Terrytf]

Have not been out to shoot the new 80g ttsx I loaded. but last night I found out I'm jumping a lot to the lands. 2.750 is what I got using the hornady tool I have been seating at 2.640 . I got a deal on some loaded barnes ttsx from barnes and O.A.L. is only 2.615 . Now that I'm down to only 2 powders (imr 4831 and R.L. 19 ) and only 2 different powder loads each I'm thinking of doing 20 more rounds with the 2 powder loads of the IMR 4831 . But seating them at 2.700, .050 off the lands INSTEAD OF .110 off the lands . The imr 4831 and R.L. 19 I have got the best group out of so far ! going .060 closer to the lands will not make the other powders better WILL IT?? By the time I get a load done for this thing I will have to put a new barrel on it... LOL..

 

[Terrytf]

Well I guess I will load 10 with the IMR and 10 with the RL and set them .050 off the lands and see if it shoot's better than the one's set .110 off the lands and then go from there . I need to thank every one for the help and the advice it has helped me a lot.