Question on .243 ballistic tips.

[Rev]

I have some IMR 4320 powder on hand, and was wanting to work up a load for my ,243 using 95 grain ballistic tips from Nosler. Can't seem to find loading data. Can you suggest anything for that powder and bullet.
(I'm too cheap to go out and buy more powder)

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There is no conflict between a love for God, a love of guns and a love of freedom. -Rev.

 

[BuzzH]

Rev, I checked my Nosler reloading book, no load listed for 95 grain using 4320. However, I looked in the Hodgdon book and they list for a 90 grain bullet a starting load of 35 grains and 38 for a max. For the 100 grain with 4320 they list 34 for a starting load and 37 for max.

Based on this I would start around 35-36 grains with the 95 grainers. Never tried 4320 in a 243, but suspect it should work all right. I usually use 4831 in the 243.

 

[Nodak Hunter]

IMR's website lists the following for a 100 grain bullet:

IMR 4320 39.5 grains 2950fps 52000 cup

This is the max load. Since your bullet is 5 grains lighter, pressures for the same powder charge should be lower. I would suggest starting about 10% lower than this max, and start creeping up. 35 grains would be a good place to start.

IMR's website is: www.imrpowder.com Lots of good info there.

 

[danr55]

Rev, IMR 4320 burns just a little slower than IMR 4064. It would be safe to substitue 4320 for 4064 loads. Start at about 32.5 grains with the 95 grain ballistic tip and call 35 grains as max. Nosler lists IMR 4064 with 31.5 grains as a starting load and 35.5 grains as max. IMR 4320 has some rather unique burning characteristics though. It can go critical in a hurry. Using it in a case with a fairly high capacity to bore ratio requires lots of attention to detail. I would increase the loads in 1/2 grain increments, then play with the most accurate of those loads in .2 grain increments each way. Up and down. I would definitely not build these loads with magnum primers.

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Dan AZ www.huntandlodge.com

 

[Rev]

What affects will a magnum primer make to the load? Would it be similar to a heavier charge of powder?

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There is no conflict between a love for God, a love of guns and a love of freedom. -Rev.

 

[Chainsaw]

Rev, My friend, Welcome to hunttalk. Hope you find an answer to the question.

I have reloaded .243 with H414 powder with excellent results. Also heard that 4350 works well. I am going to post a website that also has information,

www.again.net/~steve/page8a.htm

It is a general loading data listing, and as all reloading data, should be used with caution.

YOUR BROTHER IN ARMS---------CHAINSAW

 

[danr55]

Rev, Due to the size of the powder grannuals in 4320, a magnum primer will cause the burn rate to accelerate faster than a larger granulated powder like 4350 or 4831. The smaller grannuals give an equal volume of powder more initial burning surface. Magnum primers don't necessarilly create a heavier burn in terms of gas volume, just a faster acceleration in the pressure curve.

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Dan AZ www.huntandlodge.com

[This message has been edited by danr55 (edited 01-24-2001).]

 

[red]

Danr, a little off topic, but while we are discussing primers: What would be the effects if one was working on a load that called for a magnum primer with a charge of H335 or similar and you were to use a regular primer instead of the magnum?

I follow the recipes in the books, just curious here.

red

 

[Rev]

Chainsaw,
I have previously bookmarked that site and have printed some of his information.

On my first question, IMR's response was to start with the load info I have on the 100 grain bullet and go from there.

This is the first I have reloaded rifle cartridges, but I have done so for my revolvers.

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There is no conflict between a love for God, a love of guns and a love of freedom. -Rev.

[This message has been edited by Rev (edited 01-24-2001).]

 

[danr55]

Red, That would be difficult to describe without information on capacity, load volume, and the type of regular primer you chose. An article by Rick Jameson a couple of years ago showed some photomicrograms he made of primers buring. He had cut some cases off just above the web, pressed different make and type of primers into the cases, then fired them in a darkened room and photographed them as they ignited using some type of movie rig. He printed a series of 3 or 4 photos of each primer for comparison. That study indicated that Winchester Large Rifle Primers burned hotter and longer than some other brands of magnum primer. With the visual representations, you could actually measure the length of the flame indicating the intensity of the burn and the length of the burn. It sure opened my eyes on some things. He also printed some pictures of the same primers from the same manufacturer for comparison for consistancy. Suprisingly, most of them were fairly consistant. So, back to your question, a general answer is that you would get a less intense (slower) burn. H-335 is a reasonably fast powder for rifle powders, but it tends to burn fairly consistantly.

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Dan AZ www.huntandlodge.com