[kc outdoorsman]

anyone have any good tips on reloading reduced recoil loads for the 243? I have a young one that will be moving up to a centerfire rifle this year and want to start her out with some light loads prior to shooting full power stuff

 

[BKeith]

You could start with a starter load on some lighter bullets, but I haven't had much luck with accuracy when dropping below 75 grain bullets. Even that is going to kick if it's a very light rifle. My 14 year old granddaughter is about 5'5' and weighs 130 pounds and she does not like shooting her Tikka T3 Lite, 243which weighs about 7 1/2 pounds with scope, but she's shooting a pretty hot load with 95gr Nosler's. She can shoot it very well, she just does not like to. She has a 260 that kicks about like a 222 and that's the one she always wants to shoot at the range.

I would start by installing a LimbSaver recoil pad, next I would look into putting one or two of these in the stock http://www.mercuryrecoil.com/suppressors/index.htm Just adding the weight of those will help, and they do help calming one down.

 

[broom_jm]

Depending on how much you want to reduce recoil energy, you might find that the load shown on this page will help: http://www.hodgdon.com/PDF/Youth Loads.pdf

A stock that fits, with a good recoil pad (Kickeez, Limbsaver, Pachmayr) will reduce felt recoil appreciably. In my experience with quite a few new and young shooters, muzzle-blast often effects how they interpret recoil as much as the kick, itself, so don't neglect to use very good hearing protection. If they aren't used to shooting guns larger than a .22LR, I would recommend ear muffs over top of ear plugs. Yep, use both, for new shooters.

The factory .243 Win ammo doesn't kick all that much to begin with. If the Hodgdon Youth Loads don't appeal to you, I would consider using the 85gr Nosler Partition bullet over the most accurate middle to low-end charge, for velocity in the 2800-2900fps range. With a good stock, recoil pad, and some practice, I bet your young shooter will be pretty comfortable shooting that 243, in just 2 or 3 range sessions.

 

[Farrier Matt]

Is she gonna hunt or just shoot? If your not huntking yet, try Trail Boss. Its like shooting a 22 magnum. Seems like a great way for a kid to learn. They get famalir with the gun, then when theyre raedy, they can move up to more powerful stuff to hunt with.

 

[MikeG]

Recoil pad, light bullets, starting charge weights. That ought to do it.

Also - let her shoot a LOT of .22 rimfire first. A LOT! Then a few rounds at time with the centerfire.

My experience / opinion. Best of luck.

 

[kc outdoorsman]

oh yeah she has shot her share of (and will continue) of 22LR. Going to start her on the reduced recoil then move up slowly to hunting loads. Thanks for the links

 

[TMan]

oh yeah she has shot her share of (and will continue) of 22LR. Going to start her on the reduced recoil then move up slowly to hunting loads. Thanks for the links

Try some 60/70gr bullets, over 12gr of Trail Boss. Noise and recoil are well below anything from the factory. Recoil in the .223 range, noise in the .22mag range, accuracy is sub MOA from my .243.

When you want to shoot something in the deer or antelope range of critter, grab a box of 85gr Nosler Partitions. They are very effective, and are noticably lower recoil than the 100gr bullets.

 

[Jakeway]

I used the H4895 from the Hodgdon site.

Read these threads:

http://shootersforum.com/showthread.htm?t=68992

http://shootersforum.com/showthread.htm?t=67771

 

[the blur]

7mm-08 with remmington managed recoil ammo appears to being lighter recoil than a .243

 

[broom_jm]

7mm-08 with remmington managed recoil ammo appears to being lighter recoil than a .243

He's already got a .243 rifle, though.

If a 7-08 with MR ammo kicks like a standard .243, what does .243 MR ammo kick like? A 22 Hornet?

 

[the blur]

no such thing as factory M-R loads in .243. I looked

 

[broom_jm]

no such thing as factory M-R loads in .243. I looked

Quite right, but I don't think you looked at the OP closely enough.

"anyone have any good tips on reloading reduced recoil loads for the 243?"

He's not asking about MR factory loads in the first place.

 

[Jakeway]

I like the reduced load 80 gr for practice and teaching the youngsters, but go with somehting a bit closer to regular for hunting. I'm going to load up some 85 gr Barnes to about 2850 fps for next year. The kids probably won't notice the difference. ( I snuck a couple 100 gr factory laods while Valerie wasn;pt looking,and she never commented on anything different.)

I know from experience now that a 243 doesn' leave much of a blood trail if there isn't an exit hole.

 

[kc outdoorsman]

Jakeway,
I think you are right... I plan to have her shoot in practice the reduced loads. Then I will zero the gun for "hunting" loads and never tell her the difference. Hopefully it will just be one shot while huntign anyway If that is the case- she will never know

 

[MikeG]

I don't think you will have a problem with that. I don't let my son shoot his deer rifle (.250 Sav.) much except at fur. As much of the practice as possible is with a scoped .22 rimfire.

Frankly, the same goes for my wife with her 6mm Rem. Practice, practice, and more practice with the rimfire. As long as the stocks on the centerfires fit and the scopes won't hit them, it shouldn't be an issue in the field.

 

[BradB]

I thought all 243 loads were reduced recoil!!

 

[twodot]

my Speer manual lists several reduced velocity +/-2000 ft/sec loads for their FMJ bullets that can easily be adapted to other bullets.
I have used IMR4198 with good results and am going to give IMR 4759 a try with a 75gr HP.
..

 

[unclenick]

For really light loads I'll second TMan's suggestion of Trail Boss loads. Read this from Hodgdon/IMR.

 

[kc outdoorsman]

does anyone know what the absolute minimum load would be? Just want to get a round that will go bang and get her accustomed to something more than a 22LR. will only be shooting 50 -100 yds with this "starter" load

 

[unclenick]

A Trail Boss load will be your ticket. It's not critical as you can fill the case under the bullet without reaching full pressure. It's the highest bulk powder made, so a full case is still a very light load, and you can do this with any bullet weight. You just can't compress it any. That's the only limitation.

I'd suggest you follow that link I put up. It tells you just to start with a case 70% full. You slowly increase it from there to find a best accuracy point in your gun. Nobody can tell you exactly what that will be because each gun and bullet combination is an individual in that regard. Frankly, the recoil here will be so low I think any flat base bullet you select will probably do pretty well and the charge won't disturb the barrel much. Try the 75 grain Hornady flat base hollow point. Seat it to 2.680" COL (one caliber into the case). I show 11 grains is 70% full in QuickLOAD with that arrangement, but its case capacities tend to be conservative and the 12 grains TMan suggested may be closer in yours.

I saw someone posted some .308 loads driven by 15 grains of TB and it was grouping under an inch at 100 yards. This is the way to go.