Today at the Bench.....

[JeffreyDeGraff]

JTD, what are you planning on loading for your .243? I’ve played around with mine for years and shot a small variety of bullets. My Savage 11 doesn’t seem to hate anything I’ve fed it as usually with a bit of tinkering all loads have been hunting worthy. It’s even a few years since I touched anything besides the Barnes 85 TSX in mine, but I know I’ve shot the 95gr SST, 100gr Sierra ProHunter as well as a Sierra GameKing too, I just don’t remember which one. I some old 65gr Speer or Hornady HP’s loaded up for mine that I’ve wanted to test for a couple years, but there is just always something more pressing to get to when I’m at the range. I can honestly say I’ve never shot a deer with the .243 as it is always my loaner rifle. Loaned it to my brother for a few years when he was getting into hunting during high school, and didn’t buy his own rifle. Now my wife seems to have commandeered it until we have her 6mm all finished for her. Someday I’ll get to shoot it! Ha!


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I’m going to load some 95gr sst this go around. Ive also got 100gr Hornady interlocks and nosler partitions.


JTD

[Jbotto]

Those SST’s were very accurate for me, but in the close ranges of MN deer hunting we never got one to exit. Made a mess of the deer inside and never made anything hard to track as you watched them tip over shortly after being shot. Honestly, the SST’s were one of the main reasons we went to Barnes so they would hold up better. Not sure if the bullet has changed any, and everyone looks for something different in hunting bullets, but I bet you find a very accurate load with them! [emoji106]


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[JeffreyDeGraff]

Those SST’s were very accurate for me, but in the close ranges of MN deer hunting we never got one to exit. Made a mess of the deer inside and never made anything hard to track as you watched them tip over shortly after being shot. Honestly, the SST’s were one of the main reasons we went to Barnes so they would hold up better. Not sure if the bullet has changed any, and everyone looks for something different in hunting bullets, but I bet you find a very accurate load with them! [emoji106]


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Ive heard that about the sst’s from multiple people. I have 80 of them so I figured what the hell. I’m not a huge fan of the sst in general, but I love trying new and different things.


JTD

[JeffreyDeGraff]

I got a few things done to mark off my list. 35 whelen and 338-06 brass has been sonic cleaned. 257 Roberts brass is primed. My Hornady 6.5 creedmoor brass is sized trimmed tumbled and primed. Tomorrow I will start working on my new starline 6.5 creedmoor brass.


JTD

[JeffreyDeGraff]

Got the starline creedmoor brass sized and primed. I was impressed, except for a few pieces, all of the brass was +/- .001” of the book trim length, and all of it was was within .001” to the datum on the shoulder.

I started on my 243 brass and ran into a situation. My Hornady dies would not size the brass enough to where the bolt would close with minimal resistance. I remembered I had bought a set of lee dies, from jbotto here on the forum, so I dug those out and bam, it was perfect. I got 10 pieces done before bed, and hoping to get the rest finished today.

After 243 comes 338-06.


JTD

[Flyeralan]

Got the starline creedmoor brass sized and primed. I was impressed, except for a few pieces, all of the brass was +/- .001” of the book trim length, and all of it was was within .001” to the datum on the shoulder.

I started on my 243 brass and ran into a situation. My Hornady dies would not size the brass enough to where the bolt would close with minimal resistance. I remembered I had bought a set of lee dies, from jbotto here on the forum, so I dug those out and bam, it was perfect. I got 10 pieces done before bed, and hoping to get the rest finished today.

After 243 comes 338-06.


JTD

I have been reloading 243 for nearly 5 decades and had never had this problem until last year reloading for a Howa 1500 that my wife shoots. I just couldn't get the dies to resize quite enough to close the bolt cleanly. Unfortunately mine were Redding dies of which I am a big fan, got out a set of RCBS that I had and everything is ok. Just seems weird that you ran into the same issue.

[JeffreyDeGraff]

I have been reloading 243 for nearly 5 decades and had never had this problem until last year reloading for a Howa 1500 that my wife shoots. I just couldn't get the dies to resize quite enough to close the bolt cleanly. Unfortunately mine were Redding dies of which I am a big fan, got out a set of RCBS that I had and everything is ok. Just seems weird that you ran into the same issue.

That is pretty interesting. Same problem, same fix. I bet another fix would be to use the Redding shell holder set that has different height shell holders.

Ive had to sand down a couple shell holders through the years, in order to be able to size my brass. Just switching dies was much easier tho.


JTD

[Jbotto]

Glad those dies are working well for you JTD!


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[JeffreyDeGraff]

Well, my 243 brass is all sized trimmed tumbled and waiting to be primed. 338-06 is sized trimmed tumbled and also waiting to be primed. I’m about 1/2 way through sizing 35 whelen brass. But now it’s time for some 5th grade football.


JTD

[Mbaker78]

I just got my M&P40 slide back from optic milling. I think it's pretty much done, now I have to get a good reliable load worked up for it.

But tonight, I hand out candy before going to a party. This is one of my favorite holidays.

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