What is the average OAL of your 243 reloads

MarkNTennessee

New member
I was wondering what the OAL of some of the reloads you guys have worked up for your 243.

I measured mine today, I used the instructions in my Manual on how to determine the bullets seating depth.

Right now mine bullets are 2.520" OAL shooting 42 grains of Varget and 70 grain Nosler BT, they group good.

I was wanting to make sure my bullets are not seated to deep.

I have read that the max seating depth in something like 2.710"
 
I took a Stoney Point case tool to see where the rifling started in my CZ 550 American and set my OAL to just off the lands. I'm shooting Hornady 65gr VMax at 2.655 OAL. The theory is if your seating the bullets too far off the lands it is really picking up speed upon firing and then hits the rifling (jumps) then starts to spin may cause bullet to become less stable giving you larger groups down range. Another effect is every shot will start to remove the rifling when it first makes contact and open up the throat even more. If it was me, I would seat to the published specs or measure the OAL on your rifle and go by that. I'm sure others have more information and opinions to share.
 
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Funny you should mention that. I just started fooling with 70gr Noslers and Varget. 2.730" Just off the lands. Soon as the wind gives me a break I'm gonna try them out.
 
I shoot a Parker-Hale in 243. My measure tool (case) is 2.032", the 70 gr Sierra hpbt I use is .8525". Like most 243's it is deep throated. To be .010 off the lands the max oal length would be 2.8315". So 2.032+.8325=2.8645" now deduct the min seating depth which should be the diameter of the bullet or .243= 2.6215". This means for my rifle a safe load for this bullet I would be .21" off the lands, that almost a 1/4". The optimum bullet using the theory of .010" off the lands is a Sierra 85 hpbt that measures .944". Let that brass lengthen. I BR my 7mm mag shooting 100 g Hornady bullets to see what they would do as a back up varmint gun. The jump was .26" and they grouped at -1" for 5 at 100
Jim
 


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