On another post there was some talk about how to load develop VLD projies. I have never done this but i have loaded up varying OAL's and tested them at 300y and here are the pics. I know 2217 isnt the best powder for a 243 and a 2805fps it is way short of its max potential but the load works and i have never tried to find the next node, i cant see the barrel lasting a long time so i saw no need to hurry it along. When i got the rifle i just finished loading some 3200WM rounds so i had 2217 in the powder thrower so i used it to load some run in ammo. I went in 0.5gr jumps from min to max load and fired them over the chrono whilst cleaning the barrel on a 50m range. I was surprised when the 45gr load put them all into the same hole so after it was run in i shot them at 300y and have never tried anything else. This pics show a 0.005" variance in OAL between each load. All rounds were fired over a Farley Rest with no adjustment for the wind.
Rifle: DTA
Calibre: 243
Powder: 2217
Charge: 45gr
Primer: Fed GM
Base to Ogive: see below
2.200
2.205
2.210
2.215 - typo in the pic, its 45gr
2.220
2.225
2.230
2.235
I havent gone to this extend on any other rifle since but when i get time i will if i think they need fine tuning.
Bit like darts, just lobbing them in there without 4' of muzzle flash...with the pint in one hand and ciggy on-pause between the lips, for balance purposes only.
Do you think the reduced recoil assists accuracy in this circumstance, or is the DTA a complete 'slug' for the 243W and just absorbs everything a 308W sized cased throwing <180gr's can deliver?
aaronraad wrote:
Do you think the reduced recoil assists accuracy in this circumstance, or is the DTA a complete 'slug' for the 243W and just absorbs everything a 308W sized cased throwing <180gr's can deliver?
the recoil with the 243 barrel only takes up the slack on the bipod without your shoulder in the way, its not the lightest rifle going around at 12-13lbs ready to shoot. The 338 & 375 barrel give you a little more recoil but with the right brake (ie NOT a DTA brake) its easy to shoot, it just gets louder. I think the biggest thing that helped with the groups was the Farley rest i was using, it makes it so much easier to get the shot right. I dont use it very often but when i do i shoot better, i just prefer squeezing a bag and using a bipod.
There is a funny story about the 243 barrel in the DTA. When we were in Bourke at the start of last year i had a few of my bothers mate who don't shoot long range anything and i got most of them shooting steel out to 800y. One of the guys couldn't hit the 500y no matter how hard he tried and gave up. One of his mates got down and lined it up for him and got up but he still wouldn't have another go, that was when i lent over and touched the trigger where the rifle had been left and it rang the plate at 500y. The guys laughed!
