Looks like your on the right track. It's been a long time since I have reloaded any 243, I use to do that caliber for a coworker. Now for loading rifle loads are a lot more involved if your going for accuracy. You have to weight and measure every thing. I would take a measurements of your chamber and see how much space you have before you get into rifling. I dought if your touching it, but your most accurate loads are normally within 0.005"- 0.010" from it. The bad thing is that every bullet mfg & weight, shape changes it. I have this measurements on all of my handguns and rifles. I do not change bullets very often.
What powder are you using for your reloads?
Now the next time you reload, start bumping the loads up in .2gr - .3 gr. and see if there is any improvement. Only load 5-10 rounds of each. No need to go to max, the most accurate loads are not normally at max. If you have a crony use it, it will tell you if your are getting a consistant burn. Then once you find the most accurate load you can start playing with the OAL. A little as 0.005" can make an impact. To me this is the fun part of reloading. Fine tuning a load to a particular load to get the most out of it.
Your one the right track, just keep hammering it, it will come.....
Best I could do at 100yds
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blue68f100
- Master contributor
- Posts: 1997
- Joined: Mon May 25, 2009 10:31 pm
- Location: Piney Woods of East Texas
Hak
I meant to ask you, if when you disassembled that rifle, do you remember if the action screws were good and tight or were they a bit loose. The first time I took my Savage to the range, I had nice tight little groups, the second time they were spread out quite a bit. When I got home that second time, I discovered the screw were loose. BTW, mine is chambered in 22-250 and with an ancient Redfield 3x9, it will generally place five in a 1 inch group. I would think your rifle would be capable of generating similar or better results.
Y
I meant to ask you, if when you disassembled that rifle, do you remember if the action screws were good and tight or were they a bit loose. The first time I took my Savage to the range, I had nice tight little groups, the second time they were spread out quite a bit. When I got home that second time, I discovered the screw were loose. BTW, mine is chambered in 22-250 and with an ancient Redfield 3x9, it will generally place five in a 1 inch group. I would think your rifle would be capable of generating similar or better results.
Y
I have had it apart just prior to shooting the target I posted. I am still learning and it was the first time I shot reloads, so I was not totally focused (pretty good excuse, eh). Shooting my own reloads for the first time caused me to be a little tentative. I am also learning how to use the scope as well. It maybe be that I'm not as good as some shooters, I am getting older and my eyes just ain't what they used to be.I meant to ask you, if when you disassembled that rifle, do you remember if the action screws were good and tight or were they a bit loose. The first time I took my Savage to the range, I had nice tight little groups, the second time they were spread out quite a bit. When I got home that second time, I discovered the screw were loose. BTW, mine is chambered in 22-250 and with an ancient Redfield 3x9, it will generally place five in a 1 inch group. I would think your rifle would be capable of generating similar or better results.
Haka
ps......I'm not as old as OM, though.
Thanks hiball, I'll keep that recipe in mind next time I load up.Hakaman a little more bench work and you will have that rifle shooting under an inch! Also just for grins, you might try IMR-4320 powder @ 42.5 grains powder, velocity was 3250fps. It sure made my model 70 Winchester in .243 shoot great groups, using Sierra 85 grn bullets.
H
Well I went back to the range today to try my luck. I think the wind was playing tricks on me though. If you look at the target (100 yds), you will notice some decent shooting and some poor shooting. The routine I took was counter clockwise, starting with the "upper right quadrant" (URQ), where I used 3 rds of Winchester PowerPoint 100 gr ammo. Thinking this was gonna be a poor demonstration of how I can shoot my Savage, my only consolation was that it was store bought ammo. Moving to the ULQ I shot a group of 5 rds of "the best I can probably do" 70gr Sierra bullet with 36gr of IMR (my reload) . I think at this point the wind was a sturdy left to right. None the less, I was happy with this grouping. The LLQ was again the same 70gr bullet with a little stronger load of 38.5 gr of IMR. Things are just fine with me now! Alright!!! Now we start "down hill". The LRQ (yes, I was trying to hit it), was with Sierra 90gr FMJBT w/33gr of IMR. I think the wind was starting to play games with me. Another fellow was complaining about the wind, so why couldn't I ? If you look, you can see 2 and 1/2 bullet holes, with the other 2 shots probably just below the target? Drats !!! ??? Moving on, I try to teach the bullseye (center) a lesson. Same 90gr bullet loaded at 36.8gr of IMR. It's got to be the wind, it's just gotta be. Actually, I really think it was, seeing how the 5 rds are placed. I have found that the 70 grain is a little more accurate then the 90 gr , and both are definitely more accurate then the store bought (no brainer there). Sort of a mixed bag here, but that's how life goes.
Haka
Haka
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blue68f100
- Master contributor
- Posts: 1997
- Joined: Mon May 25, 2009 10:31 pm
- Location: Piney Woods of East Texas
The wind never seems to calm down to much here, always gusting or stiff. There is a lot of open fields around. I'd feel like a real rookie if I had to go to 50 yards, but if the shoe fits, wear it.You may want to back up to 50yrds till you get it grouping real tight. At that distance the wind should not be a big factor if it's less than 10 mph.
H
Looks good to me Hak. After I read through these post I thought I'd tell my opinions. Bullseye's right on about the left to right pattern and your trigger weight. The wind may affect your target but at a 200 yd. and under range its not gonna have an affect on the bullet if the winds 20 miles an hour and under. When I dope in my scopes I sometimes use lines instead. I'll do one at a time horizontal, then elevation. Its a little easier to get one at a time. Then I also like to fine tune at 200 after shooting 100 because if your just a hair off at 100, you'll be quite a bit off at 200. Those patterns look pretty good to me. The guys at the range were right.
I shoot mine time to time. With rifle shooting, I have good days and not so good days. I learned alot in just the past few years. Theres alot more involved than folks realize. Ive learned the little things like eating a good meal before I shoot and I dont do as well after drinking coffee either. It took me a little over a year to figure out one of my scopes adjust more than 1/4 moa when its not supposed to 
I would stretch it out to 200 yrd. and analize. you'll see what Im saying. If you shoot twice and both holes are say to the right( even if their not grouped real tight) it dont hurt to click once to the left. Or vise versa. I swear by that 200 yrd. mark when it comes to standered calibers.
I would stretch it out to 200 yrd. and analize. you'll see what Im saying. If you shoot twice and both holes are say to the right( even if their not grouped real tight) it dont hurt to click once to the left. Or vise versa. I swear by that 200 yrd. mark when it comes to standered calibers.You are absolutely right. It's all the little interrelated skills that have to come together in order to be successful. It took me a while to get my loads just right, POA set, sights calibrated, breathing just right, etc, etc. If it were easy, everybody would be "High Masters".Theres alot more involved than folks realize.
Haka
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manic mechanic
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