I've had this Tikka T3 for about 6 months now. I've found a decent load for 87 vmax and 80 grain Barnes. I can't seem to find anything for 95-100 grain combinations that group under 1.5. I know this rifle can shoot better than I can. I've tried h4895, IMR 4350, h414, RL-15, Varget, IMR 4166 best of the lot right now and just loaded some 100 grain Sgks with IMR 4064. It's a 10 twist so it should like the 95-100 grain but doesn't group very good with them or the 95 grain Nbts. Any idea of what the ten twist is doing. According to ballistic charts it shouldn't shoot anything under a 100 grain very well. Mine is opposite.
243 powder load
- Thread starter Wendyj
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Saltydog235
New member
I shoot H4831SC under a 90grn NBT, IIRC it was 44.5grn or so. It's one of those pick the hair to split loads.
Sierra lists 36.2gr of IMR4064 as the accuracy load for 100 grain bullet, which is under Hodgdon's max load for the powder. Should be safe to work up to.
The 100 SGK is calculated stable for the 1:10 twist, odds are stability isn't your issue.
Things to try next: Swap primers for a different brand, IMR powders are easy to light off, so gentler primers like Fed GMM or Wolf LR might be a good choice. Win and CCI primers are a little hotter to deal with ball powders. Rem 9 1/2 primers have given good results for some. If you can get a 100 of each, then load up 10 of each with the Sierra starting load, the primers that group the most accurate at starting load are probably going to be the ones that group the best overall.
Change the bullet jump. Find the tightest load you have now, then adjust seating depth until accuracy is as tight as you are going to get it.
Hope this is helpful.
Jimro
The 100 SGK is calculated stable for the 1:10 twist, odds are stability isn't your issue.
Things to try next: Swap primers for a different brand, IMR powders are easy to light off, so gentler primers like Fed GMM or Wolf LR might be a good choice. Win and CCI primers are a little hotter to deal with ball powders. Rem 9 1/2 primers have given good results for some. If you can get a 100 of each, then load up 10 of each with the Sierra starting load, the primers that group the most accurate at starting load are probably going to be the ones that group the best overall.
Change the bullet jump. Find the tightest load you have now, then adjust seating depth until accuracy is as tight as you are going to get it.
Hope this is helpful.
Jimro
My wife used a rifle I built her on a Model 70 action in 243. 1:10 twist on deer antelope size animals.
We've been using Berger 87 gr. VLD Hunting bullets pushed by 43 gr. of IMR 4350, Win LR Primers and Winchester Brass, at 3000 FPS.
Its extremely accurate, remaining supersonic past 1400 yards (not that we hunt that distance), but its, I think, too violent. It leaves a fist size exit wound.
We'll keep this round for LR PRS, but I'm thinking of going to Hornady 100 gr. Interlocks for hunting.
Photo: antelope shot with 87 gr Berger.
We've been using Berger 87 gr. VLD Hunting bullets pushed by 43 gr. of IMR 4350, Win LR Primers and Winchester Brass, at 3000 FPS.
Its extremely accurate, remaining supersonic past 1400 yards (not that we hunt that distance), but its, I think, too violent. It leaves a fist size exit wound.
We'll keep this round for LR PRS, but I'm thinking of going to Hornady 100 gr. Interlocks for hunting.
Photo: antelope shot with 87 gr Berger.
Fla_dogman
New member
I'm loading IMR 4350 @42 gr and magnum primers in a savage 110 .243 cal it's grouping 1 inch at 200 yards with 100 gr sierra gamekings.
"...that group under 1.5..." A T3 is a hunting rifle. Consistent 1.5" groups are good enough. The fabled 'under 1 MOA' ideal is BS promulgated by the assorted gun rags.
"...According to ballistic charts it shouldn't..." They don't tell you anything about it. Just the results of the testing for that particular day with that particular load.
"...remaining supersonic past 1400 yards..." And ya'll know this how? An 87 is running at about 1,778 fps at 500 with a 24" barrel. Just curious how you determined the velocity at 1400 yards.
"...According to ballistic charts it shouldn't..." They don't tell you anything about it. Just the results of the testing for that particular day with that particular load.
"...remaining supersonic past 1400 yards..." And ya'll know this how? An 87 is running at about 1,778 fps at 500 with a 24" barrel. Just curious how you determined the velocity at 1400 yards.
I've got IMR 4831 and use it in a 7 mm mag. I haven't shot any factory 100 but shot some sub 1 inch groups with some 95 grain factory Federal. I'm using BR-2 primers. I know it's a hunting rifle but I don't own anything that won't shoot under an inch. I bought the 10 twist for deer sized bullets and not varmints. It's a picky rifle so far. I've ladders up from safest to max. Set oal from .03 from land to giving it a good jump. The Ttsx are doing ok but they have to jump or won't group either. Thing is driving me nuts. Only way I would know how to tell velocity away from muzzle is a chart or a Doppler chronograph which I can't afford. if I moved mine to a 100 yards I'd shoot a hole in it first shot. Lol.
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Atmospherics have a lot to do with it.
With a muzzle velocity of 3k, altitude of 7000 feet, and 10% humidity, the Berger 87 hunting VLD hits Mach 1.0 at 1400 yards.
At sea level and 40% humidity that number drops back to just under 1100
So if you live in Wyoming, at higher elevations, your bullets have less air resistance and therefore stay supersonic longer.
Jimro
37.5 gr of IMR4064 under 85gr Sierra HPBT, Rem 9 1/2 primer, Win case,OAL 2.650. The cases were new and neck sized only. I haven't chronographed this load but I estimate close to 3100FPS but not sure.
In a Rem 700ADL and Leupold VX2 2-7X33 set on 6X, this is the most accurate load I have ever shot in any rifle although I really don't shoot it much.
In a Rem 700ADL and Leupold VX2 2-7X33 set on 6X, this is the most accurate load I have ever shot in any rifle although I really don't shoot it much.
Saltydog235
New member
1:10 twist isn't going to be a good twist for a 100+grn bullet in a .243. Hornady recommends 1:9 for it's 105 AMAX and Berger recommends 1:8 with a 1:7 being best for it's 105 VLD. Longer and heavier bullets in the .243 require a pretty fast twist rate. You need to stick with 70-85grn bullets.
I've owned 1 in 10 twist 243's that shot 100 grain Sierra Gamekings and Speer 100 grain Grand Slams very well. Formulas are fine but don't let them stop you from experimenting with YOUR rifle. If you want to shoot a heavier bullet for deer or antelope, try one that is "shorter" than the new long ogive match bullets, you might find they shoot really well in your 1 in 10 twist barrel. And the game you're hunting deserve that little bit of extra poop the 100 grainers give over the 85-90 grain bullets.
I think of it this way. A 1:10 twist will stabilize 100 grain 6mm bullets designed for hunting deer sized game well enough to shoot into an inch for 3 shots at 100 yards.
I don't know about match grade bullets but I'll bet Sierra and probably others produce a shorter target bullet that are potentially more accurate than I can shoot them.
The problem with the lighter bullets is that they don't buck wind as well as the heavier ones at distance. This is my consideration when shooting at smaller targets at 200 plus yards on a windy day with my 243.
I don't know about match grade bullets but I'll bet Sierra and probably others produce a shorter target bullet that are potentially more accurate than I can shoot them.
The problem with the lighter bullets is that they don't buck wind as well as the heavier ones at distance. This is my consideration when shooting at smaller targets at 200 plus yards on a windy day with my 243.
FrankenMauser
New member
Clean it thoroughly.
Get all of the copper out.
Then revisit the 4064/4166. That's the go-to burn rate for .243 Win with 80-95 gr bullets.
Get all of the copper out.
Then revisit the 4064/4166. That's the go-to burn rate for .243 Win with 80-95 gr bullets.
bamaranger
New member
picky
I'm thinking that the .243 as a general rule may be picky about bullet weights, period. Seems like I read or hear things down this same path pretty routinely concerning the .243 more so than perhaps other cals. No records, no proof, just a speculation based on loose observation.
My own pair are similar. While the Savage 110 will certainly group around 1-2 MOA with 100's, an old Mossberg 800M absolutely hates them, rendering 2.5 or worse. Conversely, the old Mossie shoots like a house-a-fire with slugs in the 80 gr range.
I'm thinking that the .243 as a general rule may be picky about bullet weights, period. Seems like I read or hear things down this same path pretty routinely concerning the .243 more so than perhaps other cals. No records, no proof, just a speculation based on loose observation.
My own pair are similar. While the Savage 110 will certainly group around 1-2 MOA with 100's, an old Mossberg 800M absolutely hates them, rendering 2.5 or worse. Conversely, the old Mossie shoots like a house-a-fire with slugs in the 80 gr range.