LR .243 WIN build

[taylorce1]

I posted this before the change in the forums. All load data has been safe in my rifle, may not be in yours.


Sorry for the bad cell phone pics!
http://i143.photobucket.com/albums/r155/taylorce1/20120614_175430.jpg
http://www.myhostedpics.com/images/taylorce1/20120614175351.jpg
I started this build a while back and it has slowly been coming together here is what I have so far.

Stevens 200 CF action
.243 Win Heavy Varmint McGowan 1:7 twist
Stockade tactical bolt handle, recoil lug, and lift kit
SSS Competition trigger
EGW 20 MOA base
Leupold QRW rings
Weaver 3-10X40 Tactical Grand Slam Mil-Dot scope
HS Precision stock and bottom metal with detachable mag

Here is how it was shooting in an un-bedded M12 synthetic stock with 107 Sierra MK's.
http://i143.photobucket.com/albums/r155/taylorce1/243WinXCEL03-17-12001.jpg

There was potential there but I knew I needed a stock upgrade. I was cosidering dropping the money on a McMillan A5 stock and CDI bottom metal but found this HS Precision that was lightly used for far less money. I think my groups will tighten up now, that my barreled action is bedded to this stock. I know that a lot of people don't bed the HS stock but I feel better with all my stocks bedded. I've got those heavy DTAC's and Berger's on order and thinking of trying some Matrix bullets as well. Hoping to start ringing some steel well beyond 600 yards soon as I can find some time off from my new job to spend time loading and shooting.


Had father's day off, spent it at the bench.

http://www.myhostedpics.com/images/taylorce1/20120617202656.jpg
L-R Berger 105, A-Max 105, and Match King 107

Can't wait to get to the range now!

[taylorce1]

Well I went out and shot three rounds this morning before the wind came up, was already hot in the mid 90's by 9 am. I'd like to tell you it grouped well but I can't wind took my target right off of the stand with a nice little dirt devil and I didn't feel like chasing it down. However the three cartridges I ran across the chronograph show promise of some good velocity.

All once fired Winchester brass, case prep was, decapp, clean and deburr flash hole and primer pockets, uniform primer pockets, FL resize with expander ball removed, trim to 2.030, champher case mouth, and tumble to clean cases and get lube off. My load is 105 A-Max, CCI 200 primer, RL-22, COAL 2.710", and lighly crimped using Lee Crimp Die. I was compressing the last couple of charges and didn't want the bullets to push out so that is why I used the crimp die.

1st shot 2867, 41.9 gr charge
2nd shot 3079, 42.7 gr charge
3rd shot 3128, 43.5 gr charge

I'm a little worried though that I'm already over 3100 fps and those were just to check for pressure signs. However I didn't have flattened primers, shiny headstamps, or sticky bolt lift. When I get to go out and shoot again I'll be shooting 5 shot groups round robin style, I'm using OCW to determine my load. My max charge I'm trying in this load is 45.4 gr or RL-22 which is .7% over max load according to QL. QL didn't predict my speeds to be this fast already either so I wonder if I should be worried?,

[taylorce1]

Well it was nice enough this morning to shoot a few groups out of the new rifle. Really wish I had a portable bench, shooting prone off of bipods isn't my favorite way to test for accuracy. However I did get to shoot a few rounds before it got too hot so it was a good day.

My main goal was to find a load that would shoot around 2900 fps in my rifle with the 105-107 grain bullets. RL 22 so far has exceeded that goal by a lot. All cases are Winchester, Primers are CCI 200, and all 2.710" COAL.

I shot two groups with the 105 A-Max one was pretty good the other not so much. The second group confirmed my fears that I would be showing pressure signs but it sure was fast! Primers were slightly cratered and the headstamps were getting a little shiny.

Group 1, RL 22 44.4 grains
HI 3177 fps
LO 3123 fps
AVG 3147 fps
ES 54.30
SD 21.26

Group 2, RL 22 44.7 grains
HI 3269 fps
LO 3211 fps
AVG 3235 fps
ES 58.12
SD 22.69

http://i143.photobucket.com/albums/r155/taylorce1/105A-MAX.jpg

Next I tried Sierra 107 grain Match Kings.

Group 1, H1000 45.4 grains
HI 2906 fps
LO 2870 fps
AVG 2888 fps
ES 35.84
SD 13.19

I think this one would have grouped really well but as you can see the nut behind the trigger didn't get the job done.

Group 2, H1000 45.7 grains
HI 2904 fps
LO 2864 fps
AVG 2880 fps
ES 40.56
SD 15.00

http://i143.photobucket.com/albums/r155/taylorce1/107SierraMK.jpg

[mbkmkk]

taylorce1

Good info and I have a few questions.

Why RL-22 with the A-Max but not the 107SMK?

I am guessing that you are jumping the A-Max by at least 80 to 90 thousandths, and just wondering why so much jump?

I have also been surprised with RL-22 and velocity compared to QL in a 243WSSM.

In my 243 Win I have been using RL-15 just to burn the powder because I have a ton of it and am getting close to 2950 with the A-max right at 5 thousandths off the lands. I liked slower powders in the 243 Win but wanted to burn the RL-15 in a plan 8-twist Shaw barrel.

Thanks

[nsaqam]

Adjust the weighting factor in QL to correlate the speeds given by QL to your actual measured speeds.

You'll then have a much better idea as to actual pressure in your particular rifle

[taylorce1]

taylorce1

Good info and I have a few questions.

Why RL-22 with the A-Max but not the 107SMK?

I am guessing that you are jumping the A-Max by at least 80 to 90 thousandths, and just wondering why so much jump?

I have also been surprised with RL-22 and velocity compared to QL in a 243WSSM.

In my 243 Win I have been using RL-15 just to burn the powder because I have a ton of it and am getting close to 2950 with the A-max right at 5 thousandths off the lands. I liked slower powders in the 243 Win but wanted to burn the RL-15 in a plan 8-twist Shaw barrel.

Thanks

It was just a starting point. I started with book COAL from my reloading manuals several referenced 2.710 as the length for the cartridge. I haven't tested the new magazine to see what the length I can seat, my old mag would only feed 2.8" length cartridges with 100% reliability if they were any longer the would jump out of the magazine too soon and sometimes fail to chamber properly. Plus I'm using OCW to find accuracy which focuses on finding the charge to deliver consistent accuracy in different rifles not just tailoring a load to a particular rifle

I'm looking for powders that will get me around 2900 fps with bullets that are in the 105+ grain range. When my 115's come in I'll be doing a similar thing to see what kind of speed I can get out of them, hopefully around 27-2800 fps. I just looked up the powders that would vet me close to my velocity goals, and the figured out what I had on my bench to try.

I hope that all makes sense as it is hard to type this from my phone.

[taylorce1]

Adjust the weighting factor in QL to correlate the speeds given by QL to your actual measured speeds.

You'll then have a much better idea as to actual pressure in your particular rifle

Will do that when I'm back in Colorado. Might have to bend your ear on how to do that, if I can't figure it out. ;)

[Smokey262]

In my long range 243 RL22 gave good groups often enough to make me want to keep trying it, but since I changed to H4350 the groups are better and good groups occur more frequently

[taylorce1]

I'm trying several different powders I have both H&I 4350 to try on the shelf. Right now I'm trying H1000, RL22, and I4831 as I have more of this powder on the shelf right now.

[cgeorgemo]

Shouldn't this be in the reloading thread?

[mbkmkk]

Shouldn't this be in the reloading thread?
Who Cares? Enjoy the guys rifle and info.....

[taylorce1]

Shouldn't this be in the reloading thread?

Probably could have been, but I was just showing off my build at first. I felt that just adding to this thread was better than opening up another.

[cgeorgemo]

Who Cares?
Just anybody looking for reloading info who doesn't open this thread because it's in the wrong section for that type of info.

[taylorce1]

I guess I can move the data over to the reloading section for future post reguarding future posts.

[taylorce1]

Went on a spending spree since I couldn't reload this month due to my Army commitment to the Reserves.

http://i143.photobucket.com/albums/r155/taylorce1/20120721_0547511.jpg


Can't wait to try the 115's in my rifle, and right now over at SPS they have the 107 Nosler CC bullets cheap so I picked up 500 of them. I doubt I try them if I can get the 115's to shoot.

[mbkmkk]

That should get you started. I have a box of D-Tac's that would not do all that well in a 8-Twist so I ordered a barrel with a 7.5 twist. I have been shooting the A-Max's and the 107SMK's in my 8-twists.

[stumpjumper400]

The burn profile for H-1000 has always been off for me in QL. I ran into that with a 264WM.