need load-243 with Sierra 60 HP bullet

J

JerryinPA

New member
Hi fellows;

I'm working with a few different varmint bullets and powders trying to find the most accurate in my 243.

My rifle is a Browning A-bolt Hunter. I've always used this rifle with IMR4350 and Sierra'heavier bullets with routine sub MOA results chasing the Whitetail deer.

Now I'm interested to see if I can make Sierra's 60 grain hollow point "Varminter" bullet work as well.

So the question is, what powder(s) and charge range would most likely work with this light-for-caliber bullet?

Thanks in advance,

Jerry
 
Well I use the 70 & 85 gr Sierra's, but I do belive you would be impressed with H-380 or H-414 using the Varmint bullets.
 
JerryinPA,

I have the same rifle and cal. as you do but I havn't tried the 60 grainers.

I have tried the Nosler 55 and 70 BT's and the powder that I have found to shoot the best is 42gr. of Varget.

I have tried 380,760,4350,4064,414 and probably some others but Varget is what is most accurate in mine.

Hope this helps.

hunter966
 
JerryinPA,

The best load I've have for a .243 Win. over the past 40yrs. has been the 60gr. Sierra HP over 40gr. of IMR 4895.
I've never had a rifle that wouldn't shoot this load pretty well.

MaBell
 
Thanks fellows,

I had IMR and Hodgdon 4895's on hand and they did work well... right at MOA.

For some reason that I don't understand, I couldn't get groups with Varget to go under 1 1/4". Go figure!

Anyway, I called the Sierra toll free tech number and spoke with one of the technicians named Dave. I told him what I was getting with the 4895's and the Varget. He suggested Benchmark powder with the Sierra 60HP. So, off to the local sports shop. I shot a 3 shot, 3/8" and a 5 shot, 5/8" group. That's as good as this farmboy can do.

The Sierra technician did say that the Benchmark only gives around 3300+ fps, but that it is very accurate.

While I'm not excited about shooting at 3300 something fps, I don't want to walk away from this kind of accuracy either.

Do you'all think this is fast enough with this bullet to work well with coyotes, foxes, and groundhogs?

Regards to all,

Jerry.
 
I shoot 6mm Rem with 75 grain VMaxes over 37.5 grains of Varget and get 3250 fps out of it. (This is a low/mid level load). I get sub-1/2 MOA and have killed pdogs past 450 yards with this load.

I think a 3300fps 60 grain round ought to work a lot better on a yote than you'd think. IOW, I wouldn't hesitate a second to pop a yote with your load!

Mike
 
i think a person can easily get hung up on the fps thing. i doubt a coyote know if he got shot by a 3,000 or 4,000 fps round. i.m kind of where your at jerry, mainly looking for something accurate. well placed bullets always seem to kill !!
 
Jerry ...

Though I am big on Nosler BT, the Sierra 60 gr HP has shot the best groups at 200 yds out of my .243 Ruger. I have used 41.9 gr of Varget seating them at 2.60" OAL. I have also used H380 powder with a little less success. Groups less than 1.20" @ 200 yds average with the Varget met my expectations and needs so I haven't really tried too many other loads. I might now try Benchmark ... thanks for helping spend another $20 of my hard earned money.
 
41.6 grains of IMR4064 with a CCI-200 primer @ 2.62 OAL. This is a max load in Sierra's manual, circa 1978. Three shot groups are well under 1" (usually about 5/8" when I do my part) This is in a very well used, 25+ year old, Remington 700 ADL. This gun shoots this bullet and the 100 grain Nosler partition extremely well, most other bullets I've tried are not nearly as accurate, go figure?! The Sierra 60 HP is a little rough on predators if you're saving pelts, if not than let 'em fly!
 
I've shot thousands of the Sierra .243 60gr hollow point bullet starting long before they were called the "Varminter". In fact, long before Sierra moved their factory to Missouri.That is pretty much the only bullet .243 rifle has consumed. I happen to have a Shilen 26" heavy barrel screwed into a Winchester Model 70 short action and glass bedded into a custom stock of my own making. The rifle for most of its life, shot sub 1/4 MoA with 47.5 gr of MR3100 powder crunched into a fire formed brass with brass trimmed to spec and the seat depth marking the bullet when the cartridge was loaded into the chamber. Now that the rifle has passed the 13K firing mark of these bullets, the group has expanded to a little over 1/2 a MoA and I admit that I'm getting an occasional flyer on the one MoA circle. I figure it's time for a new barrel after 32 years. The load is quite consistent and you'll see velocities extremely consistent; mine varied under 25 fps. With the 26" barrel the mean velocity was 3626 fps for the 10 shot group. The rifle has won a few bench rest competitions decades ago, So, if you don't mind shaking the brass a little to settle the powder, it will fit with a little patience, I THINK YOU'LL LOVE THIS LOAD.
 
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