Cast .243

[Wolfdog91]

Was looking molds and not many options. Further more not much talk about cast .243 . Any reason why exactly?

[JonB_in_Glencoe]

I cast for a 243 Savage Axis.
I have a 75gr NOE mold and and old Ideal sgl cav 85gr Loverin style mold (245496) that has been modified (GC shank removed).

[MostlyLeverGuns]

I have used the Lyman 245496 with gas check in the .243 with excellent results. I used 4227 and 4198, but there were not as many suitable powders in the 60's and 70's, you asked about 5744 and that should work well along with Reloder 7. Slower powders and case necks won't expand enough to seal the chamber and the cases get sooty. Care in casting good bullets is the trickiest part about reloading the smaller calibers. I have a new NOE 246-105 5 cavity but I haven't used it yet. I would stick with a gas check design, mostly because I have had much better results using gas checks in rifles over 1000 fps, particularly the 243, 6.5 Carcano, 218 Bee and 22 Hornet. The .243 is really pleasant with cast, no muzzle blast and no recoil, doesn't use much lead or powder either.

[Bad Ass Wallace]

I also have a Lyman 90gn GC mould that I load for my Rem 722 with excellent results!

https://i.imgur.com/euFZtGCl.jpg

[Winger Ed.]

People tend to gravitate to larger or smaller bores & cartridges, and usually older designs too.
Nothing wrong with it, its popularity just never took off like others.

[NEKVT]

I don't cast for my 6mmRem Ruger M77 but for a plinking load I run #3 buckshot (.250) through a Lee .243 sizer that turns it into a short flat-sided RN slug. Tumble lubed and loaded over 2.0gr 700x for 1027fps and it will do 10 shot groups around 1" at 25yds. Used to be a good alternative to dry firing for cheap practice before the primer shortage.

[cwtebay]

I didn't realize that there is a shortage of such moulds? I use a 3 gang replica of the RCBS 243-95 that has hollow point pins and a gas check design. I have used it for 243 Winchester, 6mm/06, 236 Lee Navy with no issues. I have a Lee that casts a 114gr postel shape that works well for lower speed also.

Sent from my Pixel 5 using Tapatalk

[Shopdog]

Saeco 85g,straight 6mm Rem,starting JB book loads of IMR4831 will take lunch money bets from the jaxxed boys with uncanny regularity. RCBS 95 works at lower nodes.....still plenty accurate.

[Nobade]

RCBS 95 over somewhere in the neighborhood of 10 grains of red or green dot. Shot up thousands of them through several rifles, great fun. Like a big 22 magnum.

[pworley1]

RCBS 243-95 works for me.

[RKJ]

RCBS 243-95 works for me.

Yep, me too. IIRC used 7-8.5 grains of 700X for my Grandson. good shooting bullet.

[Kraschenbirn]

Another 75-grain NOE here. PC'd w/GC, boolit weighs in at just over 80 gr. from my alloy and, over 12.5 gr A2400 and a W-W LP primer, on a good day, will print 1 1/2" @ 100 yd from my early-70s M700. Really a fun load; cheap, no recoil, minimal noise, and easily 'minute of pop can' accurate.

Bill

[Rich/WIS]

NOE 246-105 FN, GC'd in front of 12 grs Blue Dot works well in my M70 FWT. Well under 2 MOA and very pleasant to shoot. Have also used the RCBS 24-100 FN which performed about the same. Cast of straight COWW, sized .244 and Hornady GC they weight in at +/- 106 grs.

[MT Gianni]

Either the RCBS 95 or the Lyman 84 gr loaded over 12 gr 2400 are boringly accurate.

[Maven]

Furthermore not much talk about cast .243. Any reason why exactly?


Wolfdog, One of the reasons mentioned by Lyman in their CB Handbook #3was that obtaining accurate results (1 m.o.a. or less) was difficult to say the least at velocities >1700 - 1800 fps. CB design, sizing diameter, powder speed, and charge weight are things that need to be considered as does bbl. quality.

[farmbif]

a slower twist rate than most factory stock hunting rifle barrels could be helpful to get better accuracy at faster velocity . one reason I never ventured into casting for 243 or 270. I ve tried all the different jacketed bullet weights in 243 and realized, for me anyway, just sticking with 100 grain hunting bullets is the way to go with 4831 give me stellar accuracy and consistent velocity of right about 3000fps in my old ugly savage

[1hole]

I once loved sneaking through the woods with my now old Weatherby Vanguard .243 looking for squirrels to head shoot with hard cast Lyman-Loverin 85/RN/GC bullets loaded to about 1,700 fp. (It's hard to beat a late morning in the deep woods breakfast of momma's scrambled eggs, biscuits, smother-fried (headless) young squirrel and gravy!)

Molds for .243 seem to have vanished. I haven't a clue why more people didn't like them.

[waksupi]

Look into 6mm, .257 Roberts loads for similar results.

[quilbilly]

I have that same 85 gr Loverin style Lyman mold and my wife's Mossberg bolt rifle .243 absolutely loves it. The load is 11 gr of Unique. MOA groups are routine with it. I just wish my old Rem. Mod. 600 in 6mm liked it but it hasn't with anything I have tried.