.243 Win.

[docone31]

Has anyone cast for the .243 Winchester?
I have a matching pair of Palma rifles, and it would be nice if cast bullets would work.
I will break in the barrels with jacketed.
Paper patching is another option once the barrels are broken in.
They are Adams and Bennett 1/10 twist stainless.

[HORNET]

They ought to work just fine. IIRC, Carpetman used to play with the RCBS boolit out of a .243 and I believe that a couple others on here have used cast from them them for varmints.

[carpetman]

dcone31---Yes I shoot the RCBS 95 grain cast and shoot it about the same speed as jacketed. Good accuracy but the performance on the one deer I tried wasn't there---as in never again. Dep Al (formerly was dep al--now 9.63 al or something or other---a moderator here) has been impressed with the same cast bullet in his .243. I sent another member some--but have had no feedback on the results.

[docone31]

Thanks guys.
When I built the rifles, it was to be an his an hers to start my fair bride in the art of shooting.
Long story, but I did happen to get her a spanking Swede G63, in 7.62. I had no idea she would take to it like a duck to water! Her first day shooting it, iron sights, she used up over 500rds of surplus ammo. I have the bottom line Lee two handed press and it took me a month to reload. She got me a turret press for Christmas. Irony, I got her a race gun, .45ACP, and she got me a press.
I am lucky, the range folks know us, she has never been scolded at the range, and she is a shooter. She is willing to spend the day, learning, applying what she learned, and seriously picking her shot.
I now am looking to paper patch .30 cal., for my 03-A3, and her Swede. Then the .243.
I am glad the "learned" people, specifically the gunsmiths who built the .243's were wrong.
I heard never, in so many different forms. Of course, he took two years to chamber the rifles and did it wrong to boot. I had to have hers rechambered and turned 22#. The front sight was that far off line.
Such is life.

[9.3X62AL]

The 243 with castings was a very pleasant performance surprise, and thanks again to Carpetman for sending those samples my way. My rifle is a Rem 788, no Palma rifle by a wide margin--but the econo-blaster can reliably put 5 rounds into 1.25" at 100 yards, and shades 1" just often enough to tantalyze me. If I scaled boolits those groups might shrink some, need to try that. I've used 12.0 x 2400 in the 243 (and the 250 Savage) with 95-100 grain boolits and had great success on paper and on varmints. The RCBS 95 grainers get about 1700 FPS, and this is more than enough for the ground squirrels and jackrabbits targeted by these loads.

More recently, I've cast some Lyman #245496 (90 grain Loverin design), and that same 12 grains of 2400 shoots almost as well with that bullet.

There are lots of gunshop experts who look aghast at people shooting cast boolits in any rifle, except maybe the 45-70. There are lots of similarly ignorant opinions in the mainstream gun press concerning cast boolits in small caliber centerfire rifles, and this site exists because a group of folks called "BULLS--T" on those assertions. My fingers are no longer nimble enough to even DREAM of paper-patching a 24 or 25 caliber boolit, but just because some Zumbo-esque gunrag shill hasn't blessed the idea doesn't mean that it isn't feasible. Best of luck on your idea!

[Bret4207]

Why do you want to paper patch?

[Newtire]

I think the RCBS mould or the Lyman 245496 or the Saeco 85 grainer will make anyone happy. In addition to the "Failsafe" load of 12 grains of 2400, you can try around 14-16 grains of H4198. If you need some samples, let me know & I'll ship you off some before you lay down your hard earned cash.

[GabbyM]

Docone the group buy on gas checks ,which includes 6mm, ends today.
Hornady currently is not producing 6mm or 270 caliber gas checks. Both calibers I shoot.
You may want to jump on that.

[docone31]

I cannot believe the open support I get on this forum!
I appreciate all the information I am getting.
Except for lately, I never considered cast bullets for anything but my old 45/70. I had heard horror stories. Lead fusing to the barrel, blowing the center out of the bullet making an obstruction, zero accuracy.
I am having a ball.
My wife and myself are really only shooting the .30s we have. I haven't even loaded the .243s yet. They are really not easily shot off hand. I am now casting only for my .303, and my .30s.
I am getting excited, and am learning a lot. There is a lot of serious information here, and I feel priveleged to be part of it.
Thanks.
Doc

[26Charlie]

In a Savage M99 the Lyman 95 gr. Loverin design 243496 mentioned by Deputy Al, and the Saeco RG6, which is a 90 gr. pencil-point GC bullet, work well with about 15 gr. of 4227. I worked it up and down from 14 gr. to 17 gr. by half grain steps, and settled on 15 or 15.5 gr for this gun. Alloy is wheel weights/range scrap. The longer 243498 and a similar RCBS design have not been successful; stability is marginal with the long bullet and medium-hard alloy. Maybe with linotype it could be pushed fast enough, or with a faster twist barrel of course. I also have a mould for the old 65 gr. RN PB gallery bullet for the 6mm Lee Navy, 243205 I think it is, which is a nice plinker and squirrel load with 5.5 gr. 700-X.