Loads to suit 18.5" 243

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Loads to suit 18.5" 243

Post by northdude » 26 Mar 2023, 6:57 pm

Hi I just picked up a rem 600 mohawk 243. Any advice for loading a short barrel 243. She will have a decent bark to it thats for sure....
22 hornets and most things 6.5
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Re: Loads to suit 18.5" 243

Post by GQshayne » 26 Mar 2023, 7:12 pm

I had similar thoughts when I bought my BLR. I figured that there may be an advatange to using a different powder etc. In the end I am using AR2209, like I always have.
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Re: Loads to suit 18.5" 243

Post by bladeracer » 26 Mar 2023, 7:17 pm

northdude wrote:Hi I just picked up a rem 600 mohawk 243. Any advice for loading a short barrel 243. She will have a decent bark to it thats for sure....


Don't have any loads but I'd be leaning toward the faster powders to give them a chance to burn within the short barrel.
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Re: Loads to suit 18.5" 243

Post by Oldbloke » 26 Mar 2023, 7:30 pm

Why don't you down load GRT? That will help with some decent data rather than guessing
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Re: Loads to suit 18.5" 243

Post by bigpete » 26 Mar 2023, 7:38 pm

Faark that
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Re: Loads to suit 18.5" 243

Post by Oldbloke » 26 Mar 2023, 9:38 pm

bigpete wrote:Faark that


GRT??
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Re: Loads to suit 18.5" 243

Post by Blr243 » 26 Mar 2023, 10:29 pm

I think pete refering to the nassty bark
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Re: Loads to suit 18.5" 243

Post by bigpete » 26 Mar 2023, 11:10 pm

Oldbloke wrote:
bigpete wrote:Faark that


GRT??


What the hell is GRT ?
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Re: Loads to suit 18.5" 243

Post by bigpete » 26 Mar 2023, 11:11 pm

Blr243 wrote:I think pete refering to the nassty bark


Yep. I cut a 308 down to 16.5" once,will never make that mistake again. 243 at 18.5 will be just as bad
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Re: Loads to suit 18.5" 243

Post by Oldbloke » 27 Mar 2023, 4:57 am

bigpete wrote:
Blr243 wrote:I think pete refering to the nassty bark


Yep. I cut a 308 down to 16.5" once,will never make that mistake again. 243 at 18.5 will be just as bad


Agree would be very noisy. And lose a fair bit of performance.
Loping barrels seems to be popular in NZ.

Sorry, GRT is an acronym for Gordon's Reloading Tool.

A free modern professional internal ballistic simulation for reloaders. Similar to Quick

If you are a reloader it's certainly worth downloading and having a look. I've been using it for about 12 months now and it's been very handy. Easy to use with a bit of practice.

Plenty of bullets and all ADI powders are included in the data base. Every cartridge you can think of.

Unfortunately the bloke who developed it died and it hasn't been updated since. I gather they don't have the password.

I just installed it on a small flash drive. Seems the simplest way to run it.

https://youtu.be/l6cl-5KQc8w

https://www.grtools.de/doku.php
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Re: Loads to suit 18.5" 243

Post by straightshooter » 27 Mar 2023, 6:44 am

northdude wrote:Hi I just picked up a rem 600 mohawk 243. Any advice for loading a short barrel 243. She will have a decent bark to it thats for sure....

And a spectacular muzzle flash if usual recommended loads are used.
A lot depends on your choice of projectile but faster powders like BM2 will be your friend.
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Re: Loads to suit 18.5" 243

Post by wrenchman » 27 Mar 2023, 7:09 am

man i am jealous i have been trying to get one for years i dont shoot the 243 much to give you any load advice
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Re: Loads to suit 18.5" 243

Post by northdude » 27 Mar 2023, 7:15 am

straightshooter wrote:
northdude wrote:Hi I just picked up a rem 600 mohawk 243. Any advice for loading a short barrel 243. She will have a decent bark to it thats for sure....

And a spectacular muzzle flash if usual recommended loads are used.
A lot depends on your choice of projectile but faster powders like BM2 will be your friend.

Ill be able to shoot and cook stuff at the same time
22 hornets and most things 6.5
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Re: Loads to suit 18.5" 243

Post by geoff » 27 Mar 2023, 7:42 am

My 22" barrel is noisy enough for me, you're keen as haha!

Put a muzzle brake on it for extra effect
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Re: Loads to suit 18.5" 243

Post by Oldbloke » 27 Mar 2023, 7:54 am

northdude wrote:
straightshooter wrote:
northdude wrote:Hi I just picked up a rem 600 mohawk 243. Any advice for loading a short barrel 243. She will have a decent bark to it thats for sure....

And a spectacular muzzle flash if usual recommended loads are used.
A lot depends on your choice of projectile but faster powders like BM2 will be your friend.

Ill be able to shoot and cook stuff at the same time


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Re: Loads to suit 18.5" 243

Post by northdude » 27 Mar 2023, 1:00 pm

Over here we are allowed supressors. Since this isnt a mint original one it will probably get threadded and a supressor fitted if it shoots ok. Just need to check what 243 components I have left over from the last one I had
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Re: Loads to suit 18.5" 243

Post by Blr243 » 27 Mar 2023, 1:27 pm

Dedpite guitars guns and construction work my recent hearing tests reveal my ears in bloody good shspe for an ol fella . But still gotta be super wary of those high velocity shorties
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Re: Loads to suit 18.5" 243

Post by bigpete » 27 Mar 2023, 1:46 pm

Blr243 wrote:Dedpite guitars guns and construction work my recent hearing tests reveal my ears in bloody good shspe for an ol fella . But still gotta be super wary of those high velocity shorties


You're lucky. A lifetime of working with tractors and heavy machinery has left me with only 70% of my hearing at age 45.
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Re: Loads to suit 18.5" 243

Post by in2anity » 27 Mar 2023, 2:09 pm

OP ensure the powder availbilty FIRST before drawing some epic conclusion. Given current availabilities, in some cases we have to "work with what we can get".
At what point does lack of maintenance become patina?
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Re: Loads to suit 18.5" 243

Post by Oldbloke » 27 Mar 2023, 3:56 pm

bigpete wrote:
Blr243 wrote:Dedpite guitars guns and construction work my recent hearing tests reveal my ears in bloody good shspe for an ol fella . But still gotta be super wary of those high velocity shorties


You're lucky. A lifetime of working with tractors and heavy machinery has left me with only 70% of my hearing at age 45.


30% hearing loss is huge.

Is that a guess or the result of a formal hearing test?
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Re: Loads to suit 18.5" 243

Post by bigpete » 27 Mar 2023, 4:09 pm

Oldbloke wrote:
bigpete wrote:
Blr243 wrote:Dedpite guitars guns and construction work my recent hearing tests reveal my ears in bloody good shspe for an ol fella . But still gotta be super wary of those high velocity shorties


You're lucky. A lifetime of working with tractors and heavy machinery has left me with only 70% of my hearing at age 45.


30% hearing loss is huge.

Is that a guess or the result of a formal hearing test?


Formal hearing test
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Re: Loads to suit 18.5" 243

Post by Oldbloke » 27 Mar 2023, 5:20 pm

30% at 45 is a bloody lot.

There are 3 obvious ways that can happen.
Work related. (Yes, tractors)
Shooting related.
Genetic.
But is it possible that it isn't the usual cause, high levels of exposure?

Could it be an infection or some other cause?

Have you had it further investigated?

Once you lose it you can't get it back I'm afraid.

I assume you wear quality muffs or plugs at work and play?

One of the issues with hearing loss is your then inclined to turn up the volume of TVs radios etc. That just causes more hearing loss.
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Re: Loads to suit 18.5" 243

Post by bladeracer » 27 Mar 2023, 6:30 pm

Blr243 wrote:Dedpite guitars guns and construction work my recent hearing tests reveal my ears in bloody good shspe for an ol fella . But still gotta be super wary of those high velocity shorties


Same here, decades of wind noise at high speeds on motorcycles, likewise working on building sites without hearing protection, and years of shooting without hearing protection 95% of the time doesn't seem to have lessened my hearing at all, we get tested every year. But I do have tinnitus which I put down to wind noise banging on my helmets for hours on end. At its worst it's like hearing people talking in another room, mostly it's just a never-ending white noise.
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Re: Loads to suit 18.5" 243

Post by northdude » 27 Mar 2023, 6:40 pm

Ive got 85gr sgk and 2206h 2208 2209 some win 748 some benchmark and a couple of different imr powders from memory
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Re: Loads to suit 18.5" 243

Post by SCJ429 » 27 Mar 2023, 6:46 pm

If you shoot projectiles at or under 70 grains and used some faster powders you should be able to maximise you package.
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Re: Loads to suit 18.5" 243

Post by GQshayne » 27 Mar 2023, 7:55 pm

My BLR has a 20" barrel, so not as short as yours, but shorter than most bolt actions.

I have always used 2209, but figured something a bit faster may suit the shorter barrel. Nick Harvey told me in his experience 2209 was still the best option. But with an even shorter barrel you may find a faster burning power will work a bit better. You could try some 2208 seeing as you already have it. ADI have load data for it using an 85gr projectile.
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Re: Loads to suit 18.5" 243

Post by Shootermick » 27 Mar 2023, 8:36 pm

While this doesn’t answer your question in regards to hand loads, as I don’t reload….but my Ruger has an 18” barrel, and I just use OSA 87gr, they shoot pretty well, and the short barrel has never bothered me.
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Re: Loads to suit 18.5" 243

Post by northdude » 03 Apr 2023, 8:21 am

Got some imr 4064 I think it is. Seems to be equivilant to 2208 and varget so ill try an 80gn and 85gn load with it
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Re: Loads to suit 18.5" 243

Post by GQshayne » 03 Apr 2023, 7:57 pm

Be interesting to see how you go. That is a short barrel you have.
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Re: Loads to suit 18.5" 243

Post by northdude » 04 Apr 2023, 4:30 am

Yea it is but its factory.
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