# 243 Encore Loads



## 1911

Anyone have any favorite loads for this combination. I'm thinking about 80 gn bullet using H4895. Any advice, SDHandgunner??


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## 1911

SDHandgunner/Whelen35. I recieved the 243 barrel from Ed - nice guy and incredible delivery- only a couple of days. Put the package together with a Leupold 2X and bore sighted. Shot some factory 80gn stuff through it to get some brass for reloading. Dialed in the scope and the package is a real hoot to shoot. I wish I would have picked one of these up long ago. At 100 yards can put all in the black - need some fine tuning for sure but for out of the box I'm very pleased. Now need to work up some loads. Sierra manual is big on Vitavouri powder but at $40+ per can I don't think so. I think I'll stick to H4895 and work some up from there. Looking forward to deer/coyote/fox etc. Looking forward to next session at the range!!


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## DCammack

I too have a .243 Win encore, and today I fired it for the first time. I was at a public range, so it was a big pain to get anything done in an efficient manner.

I sighted it in with 85gr Sierra GameKing HPBT in Federal Premium cartridge - then I went on to my handloads. I didn't get too far, however, because nothing seemed to be working well. By the looks of the holes, the heavier bullets (100gr Partitions pushed by 33gr H-4895, 2.65" COL) were not being stabilized. No keyholes, but the holes didn't look right. I'm concerned that the 1 in 10" pro hunter barrel is too tight. Doesn't make sense to me though. I tried several different powders in different weights, but the Federals outshot them all. I can't believe this is right.

Anyone have any favorites out there they are willing to share? Thanks.

Deck


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## caribukiller

try a liter bullet


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## SDHandgunner

My favorite bullet in .243/6mm Caliber Handgun Cartridges is beyond doubt the 80gr. Speer Hot Core Spitzer. I have used this bullet in various .243/6mm Handgun Cartridges since 1982 with great results.

In ragards to the .243 Winchester I have data from Hornady and Hodgdon in which the test barrel was a 15" Handgun Barrel. One data source lists 36.0grs. of H-4895 as Maximum and the other lists 38.0grs. of H-4895 as Maximum.

I started at 34.0grs. and loaded 10 rounds at that charge level. I then increased .5 grain and loaded 10 more rounds. I kept increasing until I got the maximum of 38.0grs. I then went to the Range on a really calm day and spent the afternoon accuracy testing these loads.

As it turned out 38.0grs. was not to HOT in my barrel (other .243 Barrels could indeed be different and 38.0grs. could be over maximum so start low and work up). 38.0grs. also turned in the best groups overall.

This particular barrel produces 5 shot groups at 100 yards from the bench that are generally 3/4". Average Muzzle Velocity for this load is 2920 FPS. Given the excellent Ballistic Coefficient of the 80gr. Speer Hot Core Spitzer this load should provide the needed ballistics farther than I would ever want to shoot a Handgun.

We settled on this ONE BULLET / ONE LOAD for my buddy. It is his intention to shoot both Whitetail Deer and Coyotes with this Encore.

Larry


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## DCammack

Thanks, Larry. Great stuff. Looks like with the barrel length and a 1 in 10" twist, I'll need to stay at or below 85gr. I was worried about the heavier powder charges having an incomplete burn, but my 33gr loads may have gone too far in the wrong direction. I think, after looking over some data and digesting your comments, that the next thing I'll try is H-4895 (in some higher doses), Varget, and IMR 4350 to get a higher volume and a more even burn. The Fed. Premiums are loaded to the hilt (unless they have a binder inside of some sort, and their velocity is listed at 3320 for the 85gr Sierra BTHP - over 100fps higher than the max load listed by Sierra in my manuals. I'm guessing their either using some cool-burning blend, or they don't care about us reloaders, and expand the primer pockets or weaken the brass in other ways sooner. That probably makes sense - less reloads means more folks buying for one shot. Another interesting thing is that the COL for the factory 85gr is 2.55", and I was shooting 2.65". Not sure how that's going to effect things, but we'll see this weekend. Thanks again.

Deck

One last thing, do you recommend regular LR primers or magnum when using the higher loads?


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## SDHandgunner

In my buddies 15" .243 Encore I seated the 80gr. Speer Hot Core Spitzers so they were .005" from touching the Lands. That measurement for this particular barrel is 2.740". As stated the Muzzle Velocity averages 2920 FPS.

In addition I also tested some 80gr. Winchester Factory Ammo, 80gr. Pointed Soft Points. This ammo printed 2" groups at an average muzzle velocity of 2892 FPS. 100gr. Federal Power Shok Pointed Soft Point Factory Ammo was also printing 2" groups at an average muzzle velocity of 2536 FPS.

Given a 15" .243 caliber barrel you will not have the same expansion ratio as you would with a 15" .308 caliber barrel as far as burning powders. This will all have an effect on how the powder burns in the barrel and the end result will have an effect on the accuracy and velocity of a given combination.

In my opinion I do not think a 100gr. Bullet can be pushed fast enough out of a 15" .243 Handgun to get reliable expansion at much more than a hundred yards of so.

On the other hand the Speer Hot Core Bullet is sort of the forerunner of todays boned bullets so to speak. The core of the Speer Hot Core is poured as liquid into the Bullet Jacket so as to try to eliminate Core / Jacket Slippage / Seperation. This may or may not work the same as some of the newer Bonded Bullets today, but at Handgun velocities it is my opinion that it allows us to use a bullet weith less sectional density (less weight pre diameter) to get the desired results.

I have had the good fortune to harvest a lot of Whitetail Deer with Speciality Handguns since 1982. I have used a number of different cartridges / calibers. In all those years I have never had to track a wounded Whitetail Deer due to inadequate penetration, but I have had to track my share due to inadequate bullet expansion. Prior to the introduction of the Nosler Ballistic Tip I tracked a lot of Deer because my bullets poked a caliber sized hole through the chest of the Deer I shot when bone was not hit. Nosler Ballistic Tips in a lot of calibers changed all that as they seem to expand more readily at the reduced inpact velocities of Handgun.

The one exception to this has been the 80gr. Speer Hot Core Spitzer. I have used this bullet out of 6mm-223's at 2600 - 2650 FPS Muzzle Velocity, 6mm T/CU's at 2700 FPS Muzzle Velocity and .243 Winchesters at 2800 - 2920 FPS Muzzle Velocity. The Whitetail Deer I have shot have all been one shot kills. I have also used this bullet on small varmints and in this use this bullet has also performed well for me.

I have also used the 80gr. Nosler Ballistic Tip on Varmints with excellent results but have not taken a Whitetail Deer with that bullet.

In my opinion (and take it for what it's worth) with an 80gr. Bullet in a .243 / 6mm Caliber Speciality Handgun this is one caliber that can indeed fullfill the needs of the Hunter that wants one load to use on both Whitetail Deer and Varmint.

Larry

PS e-mail me at [email protected] and I can get you a chart of some of the loads I have tested in this 15" T/C Encore .243 Handgun and a Savage Striker .243 Handgun.


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## DCammack

. I actually harvested a whitetail doe this past weekend (although with factory ammo). I've taken a look at the Lyman 48th, and it lists 4320 as the powder of choice. The bullet technician at Sierra also recommended RL-15, stating that with max loads, the velocity drop wouldn't be as great as with some of the other powders listed. My local shop owner back home in Jasper, TX (I live in Dallas now) said that he would have no hesitation loading at 40.2 (max load for imr 4320) with the 85 gr Sierra. The bullet I used on the doe was the federal 85gr HPBT. According to John (shop owner), this bullet is pushed by RL-19 loaded to the gills. I haven't pulled one yet, but I'm planning on doing it soon. Interestingly, it's also the only bullet that I have shot with any accuracy out to 100 yds. At 75yds, I had phenomenal expansion on this deer. She ran 100yds after being hit, but there was nothing left inside her chest when she fell. Entrance wound was caliber size; exit wound was 2" with great blood trail. I'm going to try some IMR 4320 and RL-15 this week behind the 85gr Sierra, 85gr Barnes-TSX, and 80gr Speer Hot Core and see where it gets me.


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## SDHandgunner

I have read a lot of good things about Alliant Reloader 19, but have never used it. I did use IMR-4320 in a .243 Savage Striker Handgun with good results.

I tend to use my .243's in a variety of weather conditions and have come to rely on Hodgdon's Extreme Powders that are supposed to not be temperature sensative. To me that is important if I am going to be using the same load below freezing while Coyote Hunting or at 90 + degrees while Shooting Prairie Dogs.

I sent you an e-mail with a bunch of loading data from a few different sources.

Larry


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## DCammack

Still having a hard time getting anything but the Federals to print well. I ended up killing an older buck with the Sierra HPBTs last year, but didn't get an exit wound at 75yds, which is kind of disturbing. He only ran 30 yds, and his vitals were devastated, but it would have been a real tough tracking job if he hadn't keeled over on me quickly. I've loaded my 85 gr partitions at 41.5 gr and a COL of 2.64" to see if I can get them moving fast enough. That's a grain over max in Lyman's for an 80 gr bullet, but last time I tried, I didn't even have flattened primers at 40.5 (max for 80gr). The Federals flatten out in the 85gr Sierras (but are not difficult to extract), but I haven't even come close on any of my handloads. Maybe this will get me there.

Any more thoughts on the .243 are certainly welcome.

Deck


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