So I decided to keep my A-bolt in 243 and took it to the range with some 100gr. factory loaded hornady interlocks. It shot great, and I'm definitely diggin' the rifle. Now it's time to get the dies. I plan on using the gun for deer hunting so I would like to keep the projectile weight at or around 95-100gr. What recipes have been working for y'all?

I'm using 90gr Accubonds pushed by IMR 4350 out of my Rem 600.

What barrel twist do you have in the Rem 600? Just curious

95 gr. Hornady SST with H-4350 or 7828, but H-4350 is preferred.

i'm runnig 100gr partition and H4831.

4350 and 4831 seem to be the powders of choice. I like the partitions, but GAWD are they expensive. Is the advantage noticeable enough to justify double the cost? Carlton, what has your experience been with bullet expansion with the partitions?

This is the first year using them. My wife uses the 243 and we switched to the partition after a Sierra 85gr BTHP fragmented after hitting bone on a 150-175lb boar.

The 100gr Hornady Interlock is a great bullet. If your rifle shoots them well in factory ammo, why not start with them for reloading. 4350, either H or IMR, is the powder to start with.

Midway has blemished bullets online now in 100 gr interlock.

JJH, that was definitely the plan. It's always good to feel out what everyone's doing, and what trends seem to be working best.

Thanks for the info, Carlton. I'll give it a look

I don't have a clue. I've never really desired to check.

Been using Partitions in .243, 6.5-06, .30-06 and .338 Win Mag for over 30 years. They hold up and penetrate when a close shot hits w near muzzle velocity and will expand on long shots where retained velocity is near 50% of MV.

Worth every $0.01. Buy cheap stuff to practice w then prove your settings w 3 Partitions and go hunting A lease costs ? You spend $? On travel lodging corn guns gear etc. don't sweat the cost on the only thing that actually contacts the animal

TC

H414 is another powder to check out for the 95-100 grain bullets. It meters like water and is very accurate out of my two 243s. 42.0 grains of H414 with a 95 grain bullet is one of Layne Simpson's few "pet" loads.

Well said, Rocklock. You've got a point. I've been been meaning to try them out. Typically when I work up a load for a gun I go through a LOT of combinations. I like to end with the exact bullet, powder, primer, case combo that I will be loading for the gun. That means I need to start with that bullet at some point. It's just the way I've done it for years. I think I will start with the 100gr. hornady interlocks, and work up a good load for that. Then once I fine tune the powder combo, I'll switch to partitions and further fine tune to my liking. I appreciate all the feedback.

85 grn sierra game king and 4831sc mine loves it

Here's the field report on the Hornady Interlocks.

3 hogs, all dropped where they stood at +/- 130 yds. 2 of the hogs had heart and double lung shot, with one pass through. The other I couldn't find the bullet, but it didn't fragment and it broke a couple ribs on the far side without passing through. Third hog was slightly higher, hitting both lungs and the aorta. This one didn't pass through, but with no fragmentation. On all three, the lungs were pulp with the hearts having about a nickel size hole in them. All in all, the bullet did great. I was, though, a little concerned about the two that didn't pass through.

Oh, and they were 100gr.

My .243 is a old Parker-Hale in 1:10 twist. The preferred load is a Sierra 85g hpbt over a less than max load of IMR 3031 at 020 off the lands in my rifle. This will take whitetails and antelope out to 150 yds. A 90g bullet is max for my rifle in accuracy.
Jim

85gr. Sierras on the list to try. Thanks Jim!

80 gr. Hornaday over IMR 4064.

Barnes TSX ..great bullet

I'm going to put a list together of these combinations. If you could list the full combo (i.e. bullet, case, powder, primer, and gun used), people might be able to match up combos more closely to the guns they are shooting at least for a starting point. If people like it, I could possibly do it for other calibers as well.

H4350 and 105Amax dropped to does in their tracks

Kelly, do you have any issues with the oal of the cartridge affecting the feeding into the chamber with the 105gr.?