[Hunterjoe90]

Just wondering if anyone had reloaded any of Noslers 55gr ballistic tip boat tails for a 243. I have not started yet but have finally rounded up some money and am going to reload some coyote rounds. My gun is a SS Ruger M77 Mark II (20in. barrel) with a Leupold VX-II 3x9x40. I am really wanting to be able to reach out and touch a coyote up to 300 yards without breaking a sweat, preferably 400 to 500 yards. I am planning on using Remington or Federal brass. Any help, good or bad will be nice. (powder choice, primers, brass choice, or loads that you have personally used)

 

[243dave]

My 243's don't care much for the 55gr ballistic tips. But they shoot the 70 grainers real well with a max charge of varget powder. Try the 70 gr bt's they seem easy to make shoot well and they should do a bit better in the wind. Dave

 

[broom_jm]

I just picked up a box of 58gr V-max bullets and will be working up loads in the next few days. I'll report back on what I find as the two bullets are similar enough that it should be relevant.

I have worried that these small-for-caliber bullets and the 1:9 twist in the .243 will not work well together, but I guess I'll know soon enough.

243Dave, how bad was the accuracy of the 55gr BTs, in your gun?

 

[Saskshooter]

I've loaded them in two rifles so far, and one rifle seems to do very well with them at about 3900fps, and the second really doesn't like them, although it gets almost 4100 fps from them. There is no point using a bullet for small varmints that won't hit very small targets, no matter how fast it goes.

To my thinking, there is very little advantage except bragging rights about velocity from using them in a .243. The round is much better suited to slightly heavier bullets at slightly lower velocities for bigger varmints.

 

[Nalgi]

i used to shoot those all the time pre lead ban. they were awsome! 4007 FPS explosive on ground squirrels out to 250 yds. .....I miss them

you can reach out and touch anything

 

[Carpe Diem]

My M77VT loves the tiny Noslers. Ahead of 45 grains of W748 they are sub-moa and near 4000 fps. Shoot flatter and drift the same as the 70- and 75-grain bullets but cause more terminal damage.






.

 

[jsr76]

The 55's were very accurate in my long gone .243 Win. The 70 grainers were accurate and also brought the power. The .55's DON'T bring the power. 70's and up!

 

[broom_jm]

The 55's were very accurate in my long gone .243 Win. The 70 grainers were accurate and also brought the power. The .55's DON'T bring the power. 70's and up!

JSR,

When you say the 55 grain BT's don't "bring the power", what exactly do you mean? Did they fail to kill something, or what? I guess I've never thought of varmint bullets in terms of their energy on impact because as long as they were very accurate and fragmented well, they could hit with 50 pounds and dispatch the ground squirrel or even coyote I was aiming at. So, in what way did you find the 55's lacking?

Jason

 

[Nalgi]

that is the most devistating varmint load I ever had. It will blow them 8' high and a dozen pieces at 250 yds.!

I chrono'd it at 4007 FPS

Cant shoot them now (condor)

miss them

 

[unclepaddy]

I used the 55 in my M77 last year after a friend gave me about 500 of them. It shot them pretty well, but I have to agree with the previous poster that the 70s shot a bit better. (Friend gave me 250 of those). Both are more accurate from my gun than any of the V-max weights, but not as explosive. I've seen a coyote tagged with a 55grain ballistic tip and it rolled him pretty hard with no exit wound. That was out of a .243WSSM, so it was probably around a hundred feet faster than my .243 would have been. As far as powder goes, I've loaded mine with Varget, BLC-2, and H414 and had about the same results with all for accuracy.

 

[pruhdlr]

My Concern

I now own a .243 but in pistol form. My concern with a 55gr bullet would be over stabilization. Especially with the 1:9 twist bbl as mentioned above.(most .243Win's are 1:10 I believe)

Check out the rotational velocity of a 55gr(very short for caliber)@4000fps outta a 1:9(or 10) twist bbl. I would guess that it is 350,000-400,000RPM or so. To me for BC, which I would especially want for the longer shots mentioned,a 70grainer would be 'bout perfect.

For these applications,check out the line of Berger bullets.

Good Shootin' ----- pruhdlr

 

[jsr76]

In my Remington the 55's were very accurate. The whomp levels were quite a bit heavier with the 70 grain pills though. The farther you reach the better the bigger bullets look. I shoot eastern woodchucks and at distance the difference could be seen in terms of power. Very accurate though, were the 55's in mine, and also never failed me.

 

[hntfsh]

Buy a box, you'll be out 20 bucks at the most.I've had great results with them,I neck size the cases, I use varget powder(can't remember the charge weight)but it at or near maximum load listed in the nosler manual.It'll shoot 1/2'' 3 shot groups at 100 yrds(if I do my part) out my old model 70.As read in other posts some rifles like some don't.They are varmint bullets ,they work as designed and they are plenty for coyote.Give em a whirl,if they don't shoot well.your out about 20 bucks

 

[yoopermont]

I have been shooting nosler 55's for 5 plus years in a ruger mk 2 varmint with 8 -32 bushnell 4200. I have been a .243 shooter for 37 years. I still shake my head at what this bullet does on crow, coyote, groundhogs, etc. At 3900 to 4000 fps it has been extremely accurate. So far my longest crow shot was 342 yards. Coyotes in excess of 325. Always puts the coyotes down on the spot. Leaves crows in pieces to small to pick up. Wind is a challenge. With a good rifle, a solid rest, some serious optics, this round will amaze! Going out west this spring for pd's. Currently reloading 750 rounds.

 

[Big Jim]

HunterJoe - 55 grains I resurve for my .223 AR, 75 grains for my .223 Savage bolt. For 243 I prefer the 105 grain Hornady A-Max they work excelent for my rifle. Usually use H4895 for that heavy a bullet. But IMR or H4350 is also a good powder.

No problems on 300 yards, 400 or 500 I can't help you on that. Less wind deflection with the heavier bullet and more accurate.

Good Shooting and stay safe.
Jim

 

[Carpe Diem]

105 A-Max bullets would not be my choice for coyotes.
The old wives' tale about light bullets drifting a lot more than heavier bullets is just that - old news. With modern high-BC lightweight bullets that is just so not an issue any more.

Bullet...MV....400 yard drift
[email protected] fps...10.2"
[email protected] fos...10.6"
[email protected]"

Don't be scared of shooting in the wind with 55s.

Why be scared of "overstabilization"? Another old wives' tale. 4000 fps in my 1:10" twist Ruger means 288,000 rpm on the bullet. No accuracy problems out to 300 yards, believe me. In a handgun barrel the rpm would be much lower.....


.