Heavy bullet loads for .243 Ackley

[Aussie]

Anyone have a good accurate load for the .243 Ackley with 87gn V Max , 90gn Berger BT or 95gn Berger VLD ? Want 0.5 MOA or better for 5 shots and not having any luck so far .
Best I have is 0.6 MOA at 200 yds with 87 V Max and 48.5 WXR .
Prefer H4831SC or RL 22 / WXR powders as have them on hand .
My rifle has 9 inch twist and not sure that it will handle the heavier VLD's . Interested if anyone has tried .
How critical is seating VLD's into the lands for accuracy ? Would like to use my Rem. 700 magazine if possible .

 

[Guest]

I don't have my load books on hand so I'll have to get back with ya on the actual loads but I can say that my 243Ai likes IMR-4350 , R-22 and the H-4831 that you listed. I diden't have much luck with the Berger VLD's due to not being able to seat them out far enough to touch the lands and still have a good grip on the bullet
I've had better results with the 107gr MatchKings and Hornady 105gr A-max with the accuracy edge going to the
A-max.
Although my rifle is a 28" 1-8 twist i think that the 1-9 may stabilize the a-max well , I tried some 115gr Bergers and diden't have the twist to stabilize them

 

[goodgrouper]

Aussie,
The Berger 95 vld's are a very odd bullet. Usually, a throat made for a vld is made for a slightly longer bearing surface and it seems to make a difference in how they shoot. I mean that they end up being very finicky and sometimes they flat just don't shoot well. Their shape is just too different and the harmonics of it are hard to tackle sometimes. They will stabilize in a 9" twist though. As far as seating depth, they are like every other vld bullet in that regard. They want to be jammed into the lands. As far as using the mag, you can pretty much forget about that when using vld's! I have personally seen the 107 Sierra's stabilize and shoot quite well with a 9" twist barrel, but our elevation was about 5500 feet on a 85 degree day with 10% humidity and they were flying at about 3350 fps out of a 6 Rem Improved.

 

[dcb]

interesting?
Just came in from the range to do some brousing, nice day here in ohio. 243AI 26" douglasXX 10 twist
what velocity are you shooting the 95gr vld moly.
loaded and shot the burgers using H380 avg. 3100f/s 2.65" oal about .020" of the lands. I think in my case this bullet likes a jump and some where around 3000f/s for speed.
only shot 20rounds two five shot groups for accuracy at 300yrd measured .532" and .561" wind was 0 to 10mph flags were just bouncing, 43*.
this was the first time i have used these bullets. a friend gave them to me because he could not get them to shoot. he uses faster powders. most of these bullets hit the wall at 3000 to 3200 f/s

 

[Aussie]

Thanks to all for your assistance . I have tried the Berger VLD at about 3270 fps using 49 gns of WXR . Don't recall trying them down at 3100 fps so may give it a go . 87 V Max won't seem to work at realistic velocities with WXR or AR 2213SC (H4831SC).
Strange thing is that my 9 inch twist shoots 55gn Noslers into the 3's but doesn't like heavy bullets . /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/confused.gif
Just about ready to give up on further load development before I wear the barrel out .

 

[Guest]

I had better results with the 75gr V-maxes in several guns over the 87gr , not sure whay but just about every 6mm that I've loaded for like the 75's better.
Don't give up on the Bergers , I've had good results with their 80gr MEF bullets and their 90gr BT's

 

[308sako]

I shoot a Cooper Montana Varminter in 243 AI, and it has to my knowledge a 1 in 10 twist. The most accurate load is the 85 grain weight with a miserly charge of 38 grains of the IMR 4064. I have picked up from this thread that the slower powders will give "significantly" more velocity. I am however obsessed with accuracy over speed at this stage of my game. Seems like anyone can stuff too much powder into a case, but only a few can make the small cluster I so desire. Each rifle has it's own likes and dislikes; however, VLD's generally prefer to be ram'd up against the rifling, I haven't seen an exception to this yet. Good luck and good shooting.

 

[Methow Packer]

Anyone have a good accurate load for the .243 Ackley with 87gn V Max , 90gn Berger BT or 95gn Berger VLD ? Want 0.5 MOA or better for 5 shots and not having any luck so far .
Best I have is 0.6 MOA at 200 yds with 87 V Max and 48.5 WXR .
Prefer H4831SC or RL 22 / WXR powders as have them on hand .
My rifle has 9 inch twist and not sure that it will handle the heavier VLD's . Interested if anyone has tried .
How critical is seating VLD's into the lands for accuracy ? Would like to use my Rem. 700 magazine if possible .

Mine is a 26" Brux 8" twist. I like heavy for caliber bullets which IMO need slower burning powders. That said RE23 is a good choice. Lower extreme spreads and 3100+ velocity with Berger 105 hybrids. I know yours is a 9" twist maybe go to ELD-X 103

 

[BallisticsGuy]

RL-23, 45.5gr made 3180 with 115gr DTACs. Still had a bit of room left seated to AI mag length. Could have made 3300 if I pushed it further. That was on Hornady brass. Cases never needed trimmed or even full length sized. Just neck sized for 7+ loadings before the throat in the barrel got too long so, I know they weren't too warm.

If you're on a 9 twist, probably not the best load choice.

 

[just country]

morning, I shoot the 95gr. vld in my 243AI and 6mmAI.
very accurate with 4064. both .500 accuracy.
any and everthing from hogs-coyotes-deer.
crows. anything that moves. justme gbot tum

 

[Axl]

Mine is a 26" Brux 8" twist. I like heavy for caliber bullets which IMO need slower burning powders. That said RE23 is a good choice. Lower extreme spreads and 3100+ velocity with Berger 105 hybrids. I know yours is a 9" twist maybe go to ELD-X 103

all good advice except R23 and ELD-X bullets had not been invented 15 years ago when this was posted

 

[Methow Packer]

all good advice except R23 and ELD-X bullets had not been invented 15 years ago when this was posted

Oh

 

[308stillbrass]

my 243ai likes rl22 and h1000 with heavy bullets. With the 85tsx try 4831. I've never tried rl17 yet but hear great things from brad. Don't over look the 95/105 vlds either.

 

[Rifleman513]

So I guess I'll jump into this thread resurrection. My standard 243 w/ 9 twist it shooting a full case of retumbo and the 105 amax. I bought all I could find when the eld came out. A friend has the same rifle and is shooting the 103 eldx w/ nearly the same charge and has had good luck with them.