.243win factory round pointers for beginner

[Raja Clavata]

So, hoping to collect my T3 Stainless Lite later this week / early next and was wondering what rounds I should consider for initial zeroing etc.

 

Based on garyb's recent post I'm intending on some factory remi 75grn accutips and also perhaps some factory nosler in 95grn; what about sako and bog std 95/100 grn winchesters?

 

Can anyone offer any pointers? I'm not really wanting to try out lots of different rounds / weights and were prefer to err on the side of caution (and so perhaps spend a little more on the rounds as a result) instead of endlessly experimenting....

 

No intention to home-load - either now nor for the forseeable and preferably ever.

 

Thanks in advance.

Raja

[al4x]

If you can get anything by Norma they are well worth a punt normally good quality and brass is reasonable for reloading if you ever go down that route, on experience call before you go and you're usually fairly stuck with a limited range stocked by most gunshops. The second issue is if you find something it likes its worth going back and buying enough of it as odds are they won't have it when you next want the same round

Edited July 6, 2010 by al4x

[garyb]

No intention to home-load - either now nor for the forseeable and preferably ever.

 

So said the other 3 PW members, who now reload for their centrefires that I know in these parts :blink:

 

Anyway...

 

Remington 75grn Accutip works well in mine, but I've seen Federal shoot well in Stealth Stalkers T3 lite...

 

You will just have to try a few, until at ~ £30 a box, you run out of money!

 

GB

Edited July 6, 2010 by garyb

[Billy.]

So said the other 3 PW members, who now reload for their centrefires that I know in these parts

 

Count me in :blink:

[garyb]

What are you going to be shooting with it Raja ?

[Vince Green]

These days its more a question of what you can get rather than what you choose to buy. Free choice is becoming a bit of a luxury unless you are prepared to drive miles.

As you are in Romford I guess its phone Roding and ask him what he's got.

[garyb]

These days its more a question of what you can get rather than what you choose to buy. Free choice is becoming a bit of a luxury unless you are prepared to drive miles.

 

:blink:

 

This is the very reason I ended up reloading for mine.

 

Remington one week, Winchester next... no thanks!

[Vince Green]

Even then you are just shifting the problem to trying to source components rather than the actual ammo and all the same problems exist with that.

Apart from the price, which is a big consideration because I can afford to buy bigger quantities without straining the family budget, I just buy Privi now because I can be reasonably sure of getting it on a regular basis.

Edited July 6, 2010 by Vince Green

[garyb]

The difference being, I can buy 300-400 bullets, a couple of tubs of powder and be done with it for a good while! Brass and primers are never in shortage.

 

I'd like to see anyone from here walk into a gunshop a purchase 300-400 factory rounds of the same type

[Billy.]

a couple of tubs of powder

 

Make that a few, after your recent spillage :blink:

[Mr_Logic]

The difference being, I can buy 300-400 bullets, a couple of tubs of powder and be done with it for a good while! Brass and primers are never in shortage.

 

I'd like to see anyone from here walk into a gunshop a purchase 300-400 factory rounds of the same type

And of course, even if they did have stock that's a re-mortgage to afford!!

 

Factory ammo other than Prvi is so expensive and rare as to be a waste of time.

 

My advice - try Prvi. If that works for you, stop. If not, then reload. You will save a fortune and it's really not that onerous a task unless your ammo usage is sky high. Takes about 2 hours for 100 rounds INC all the brass prep. And the cost for that ammo is 50, not 150 quid.

[Raja Clavata]

Thanks for the input chaps. OK, in summary then if I'm not going to home load then basically whatever I can get my hands on

 

Crikey, what must it be like for calibres that are not "readily" available!?

 

Essex Gun would be my default stop for ammo but as mentioned there is the Roding Armoury and I also work close to Leech's & Eastern Sporting.

 

Wil do some flying visits :blink:

 

Garyb - fox to start off with, munty a bit later on and Roe / fallow following that.

[Vince Green]

I'd like to see anyone from here walk into a gunshop a purchase 300-400 factory rounds of the same type

 

Gary, I usually buy 2-300 privi at a time. Never had a problem getting it so far and at about £50 a hundred it doesn't break the bank either. If we buy .308 FMJ we usually buy 500 at a time and that from memory is £45 a hundred and it shoots like magic in a variety of different rifles.

 

Because it is cheaper for us to buy it is also a lot cheaper for the dealer to hold a decent stock and so you don't get this silly situation where he has hardly got anything on the shelf most of the time and you are constantly struggling to buy ammo

 

I guess as you are in St Albans you probably use most of the same dealers we do. I used Joe at Cat Hill for years and years but his refusal to stock Privi is almost obsessive. Our club buys 10,000 rounds of .38 Special a year and we want priv but he wont supply it and tries to sell us Fiocci which nobody likes and is more expensive

 

Roding is pretty good most of the time.

Edited July 7, 2010 by Vince Green

[garyb]

Garyb - fox to start off with, munty a bit later on and Roe / fallow following that.

 

 

I'd look for something in the 70-75grn weight range to begin with then, plenty of clout and still flat enough to a good 200 yards.

 

Avoid varmint bullets like v-max if you are going to be using the same ammo on both fox and Muntjac.

 

GB

[garyb]

I guess as you are in St Albans you probably use most of the same dealers we do.

 

These days I only use Stutley Gun in Baldock. Plenty of reloading bits n bobs, along with a good shop and superb service - at a good price!

 

If I only I could say the same of the other "local" options.

[al4x]

It all comes down to what you find acceptable accuracy, privi seems fine for people who don't mind an inch or two at 100 yards. But if you want far better than that you are paying a lot more for the ammo or reloading.

 

Raja, you essex boys ought to start a co operative for reloading and share the gear, the components are so cheap and it really doesn't take long once you get the hang of it.

[njc110381]

I'd have to start off by trying Prvi. It's so cheap that if it works for your rifle it's really not worth reloading!

[Vince Green]

privi seems fine for people who don't mind an inch or two at 100 yards. But if you want far better than that you are paying a lot more for the ammo or reloading.

Thats a V Bull at 100yds. Anyone who would complain at that must be very rich or shooting at something very small. Expensive ammunition is no guarantee of small groups either. Over twenty odd years of reloading the biggest advantage IMO is the satisfaction of using ammo you made yourself.

[al4x]

its good you're getting that accuracy as I've heard some very varied information regarding privi recently

[Mr_Logic]

I don't consider an inch at 100 yards accurate. It's OK, but it's not an accurate rifle, merely bearable.

[jamie g]

I don't consider an inch at 100 yards accurate. It's OK, but it's not an accurate rifle, merely bearable.

 

 

1 inch at 100 yards is pretty accurate for standard rifle and factory ammo.

 

most gunmakers stick to the offer that there guns can do 1 inch at 100 yards otheriwse it dont leave the factory.

 

i have used privi in my 22/250 and well the 1st box was pretty accurate i found boxes after that wasnt as consistant.

 

but the dear winchester silvertips cost alot more but they did give better consistant performance.

 

what it boils down to is how much accuracy you need say you sooh tdeer at upto 200 yards then privi ammo grouping 1 inch at 100 yards would be more then good for the job at 200.

 

if the old saying go's 1 inch at 100 yards then it will be 2 inchs at 200. if thats the case job done

[garyb]

If any of my factory rifles shot 1 inch groups @ 100 yards

 

I'd send them back!

[Vince Green]

If any of my factory rifles shot 1 inch groups @ 100 yards

 

I'd send them back!

Don't send them back, I'll have them.

[garyb]

Unfortunately for you Vince, they all group well under 1/4 of an inch

[Vince Green]

Unfortunately for you Vince, they all group well under 1/4 of an inch

Wow! that would have put you about third in the British Benchrest Championship at 100 yds last year. A sub .50 group is considered to be in contention.

 

www.benchrest.co.uk

Edited July 9, 2010 by Vince Green