Load Development Ruger Precision Rifle .243

[jdmecomber]

Ghost
I looked a little closer at marginal stability, the conditions you shoot in of course change the stability of the bullet. That being said why shoot a bullet that has a marginal stability of lets say 1.1-1.2 with the potential to become unstable when you can use a bullet that's 1.6-1.8 in all conditions. So maybe the 95 mk or 105 amax are doing fine now, but for me they wouldn't have been on the list of a bullet to even be considered with your twist of a barrel. Hope this helps
Joe

 

[Ghost7]

Joe, thanks for the input. I will try the Bergers but in the meantime will see if I can push the 105 s to 1000. I have too much time and effort invested with them to turn back now. Granted, it could be an epic failure but too many have posted good results with same twist. If everything works out this weekend I may have an opportunity to stretch it out to 800. If so, I will get back and post the results, good, bad or indifferent. It may be viewed as a waste of time to many but the education should stick either way and that is priceless in my book.

 

[jdmecomber]

What conditions will you be shooting in?
Barometric pressure or altitude, weather, latitude, azimuth
Maybe we can get an idea how it might go when you start extending those ranges?

 

[Ghost7]

Current barometric pressure 29.71
Altitude 1299'
37.1950 N, 93.2861 W
Typical humidity for this time of year 50%

 

[Ghost7]

Temps will ranke from 45-60 this time of year as well on ave.

 

[jdmecomber]

Alright you owe me a beer for this

Your data and conditions
600 yards 1822 FPS BC compromised 15% .213 BC stability .987
700 yards 1677. 16% .211 .960
800 yards 1537. 17% .209 .933
900 yards 1402. 18% .207 .906
1000. 1273. 19% .205 .876

I think the charts show it unstable at 600 even though you shot well with it
It says expect bad accuracy, tumbling bullets, keyholes

 

[buckfvr]

Joe fought this same battle with his 7mm rem mag only to rectify it by changing from the 180gr Berger VLD to the 168gr Berger Classic Hunter. He was marginal from the get go and achieved anywhere from very good results to poor results, mostly depending on where he shot, as we bounce around to different locations that are very different elevations.

Our way of thinking makes us qualify the bullet before we do anything else with a load.

 

[Ghost7]

Joe, you are just full of good news. I think you should buy me a beer to cry in. I will try the Berger classics, I will get some ordered from midway on my next order. Seeing how I already have some loaded and ready I'm going to see what they do at 800. All joking aside that is disappointing to hear. I really want to get my barrel swapped out so I can get on to bigger and better things. I would love to be able to push the Berger 105 hybrid. I was thinking Shilen, Bartlein or Krieger...what say he on that? You have any experiences with any of those barrel makers?

 

[buckfvr]

Ill just mention that I had inquired on Shilen for a drop in Savage small shank and was told all they offer is 8 twist in .243, so that was all I needed to hear from them.....Criterion ( my second choice ) offers 7.5 twist as do a few others, but price for Savage drop ins go up and up if you want anything else done.......I wound up ordering a Benchmark in 7.75 twist and have a couple more months to wait. So my advice, order before you want it, no matter who you buy from. I had some pressure to get what is perceived by many as a better barrel, and Benchmark was in that small group and had the most reasonable lead time at that point. That is the sum of my custom barrel experience, and I am tooled up for the swap myself.......

 

[Ghost7]

I live in Springfield MIssouri and just noticed that the local Grizzly store has the Bartlein barrel blanks in stock. They are rifled but would need to be threaded and reamed for chamber. Price not bad but I don't know any qualified machinist or gunsmiths that I would trust to do that. Bass Pro Shop has a very nice gun smithing dept but would have to ask about that. I believe the .243 blanks they had were 7.5 twist with 5r rifling.

 

[buckfvr]

Perfect..........Id not let a franchise do it, only a highly recommended private shop......maybe ask Bartlein for a few names, Grizzly for that matter.

 

[jdmecomber]

Sorting primers
Probably for bench rest competitions only

800 yards 3.25 inches
665 yards 1.5. Inches

When I shot these groups, I didn't sort the primers so it probably doesn't matter that much for steel. I think the group size at that distance is pretty good so it makes a guy wonder if he would really need to. I guess that will be my next test. Maybe. 7 rounds each sorted primers vs not sorted by weight

 

[jdmecomber]

Well shot some groups for the ruger challenge
I thought it would do better, I didn't have any bullets touching.
I did have a little wind, anyways 300 yards 5 shot groups
.67 moa 2.1 inches
.70 moa 2.2 inches

 

[jdmecomber]

And another