Thread: Fast burning powder in a short 243

First, i don't need a lecture on why the 243 isnt suited to shortening. I understand all that stuff. This is just something fun im doing with an unused rifle that i cant sell. If it goes bad it'll just be a plinker for my kid.

So my question to you reloading legends is this. 243s generally runn a relatively slow buring powder right. Can i get some reloads with something fast burning to give me max velocity out a short barrel.
I see the yanks do it with 10" 243 pistols and shoot deer out to 100y.
Is there people that you can take your brass to who'll reload for you?
Im thinking of a 87gr or so pill. Anyones opinions welcome on what would expand at 2600 or so. Sst?

Cheers in advance. I have no experience with rl.

How short?, have tried all sorts of stuff with .243, can tell you about down to 18". Faster burning does not allways work how you think, there are variables. You listen to yanks?

Lol. Yeah yanks have done everything. Let's just say this is very short. Shorter than that. Wasn't going to go so short but needed enough meat on the barrel to get enough thread thickness. As i dont have a crony, I'll just be guessing velocity and its not a twist suited to short. Still for the roar on sika i never shoot over 40mtrs or so.

2600fps is what 243 projectiles are normally doing at around 250m so expansion should not be an issue.
I use AR2209 in my 243 but the ADI website has loads for AR2208 and 2206h so should be no problem working up loads woth the faster powders, but you'll need a chrony at some stage to find out which gives the best velocity.

I load heavy for cal in my dad's model 7 243 (factory 18.5 inch barrel) with 100gr gamekings.

Factory fed 100gr ammo chronied at 2600 fps.

I use a realitivily slow burning powder (IMR 7828ssc) and get just shy of 2900 fps.

Slow burning powder gives good velocity in short barrels when using heavy for cal bullets.

I tend not to use lighter for cal bullets much as I'm always looking to extend the useful range.

All good info, cheers. My twist wont stablise a 100 at the length. Ill go light. Ive used light 243 a few times and i ly had one disaster.

Mind you that disaster still ended alright with this fella. Unfortunately he managed to soak up a round up the nose and took 400m of tracki g and a snap shot to get him

Dammit. That bottom image shouldnt have come up

Just watch out when using faster burning powders as your powder charges are less than in a slow burning powder, ie they don't fill the case like the slower powder. You can sometimes get higher pressure when using fast powder that doesn't fill the case. 2208 and 2206h should be ok. You should always aim at 90% full or better with the powder you use.

Yeah, thats what i was wondering. How do you know. Do you just ruke of thumb, run It at 90%? I might put some factory ammo through in the dark and see how much flame I'm getting. Old school.

Check out the pistol reloading data on the ADI website

sample below

What barrel length do they figure those from? I thought you could get a fair bit more speed out of 243 in long barrels ?

The pistol data is 15 inch barrel.

Ok. Thats pretty cool.

I run imr3031 and 2206h with 85 and 87gn pills from a 16 inch 243 works fine can give you loads but are over max