Range Report .243 Hornady Superformance 95gr SST

[KHOOKS]

I was shooting a 500y f-class match with the above ammo. My rifle is a .243 Win. M70 Coyote Lite with a 10 twist barrel. I shot a 291/0x with this combo of rifle and ammo. This was the first match I have shot with this rifle and ammo. My shots where all over the 500y f-class target so I'd say about a 2'
+ spread.

My question is do you all think the 95gr pills are a little to heavy for the 10 twist? They seemed to group into about a 1 1/2" at 100y when I tried them out a few monts back. I'm just now tring to find a decent factory loading for this rifle before I buy up components to reload. Thinking I need to try ammo from 75gr to maybe 90gr range. What do you .243 guys think on this one.

Thanks,
Ken

 

[nelson34]

Re: .243 Hornady Superformance 95gr SST

i'd say you would be better off to start hand loading, than to find a factory load for match style shooting. it will probably be cheaper and also quicker if you go that route. but if your sticking w/ the factory loads i think you may want to look at something w/ a boattail. a hornady 87grn hpbt is great in a 10 twist .243.

IMHO i wouldn't continue trying to find a factory load that works before you start handloading, when you can almost make any bullet (to an extent) work when you taylor the load to your particular rifle when you handload.

 

[DocB]

Re: .243 Hornady Superformance 95gr SST

Ken,

The 85gr. class bullets will probably work better, but they'll burn out the barrel very rapidly. Sierra 85gr. bullets worked well for me. I only shot them to 400 yds. with a factory Remington barrel, very accurate but barrel life was less than 1500 rounds.

HTH,
DocB

 

[bigwheeler]

Re: .243 Hornady Superformance 95gr SST

Berger has a new high bc (.412) 87 grain out or coming out very soon. It is designed to shoot in a 1:10 barrel. I can't see a 90+ grain bullet stabilizing in
most rifles with 1:10. Some it may, at least guys claim so. (it's a hunting bullet,
I think they already have a 88 grain target bullet)

 

[KHOOKS]

Re: .243 Hornady Superformance 95gr SST

Yeah, not really worried on the barrel life on this. I just want to run it as is until the barrel is shot. Then going to set it up for the heavies. I have some 95gr vld's target and some 90gr vld's hunting. I havn't tried any handloads yet. I've got two boxes of Hornady 75gr hpbt to try out. I think I'm going to shot them up and that should give me another 100 cases to work with. I have some Win. brass preped and ready to load may try a few of the 90gr vld's and see what happens. I will be on the look out for some of the 85/87 grain stuff, but until then I'll try the few I have and see what comes to light.

Thanks for the info guys! More is welcome if anyone has a different thought on the subject.

Ken