setting up a 243 for medium range coyotes!

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yoteb14
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Joined: Sat Mar 18, 2017 6:57 am

setting up a 243 for medium range coyotes!

Post by yoteb14 »

What's up guys!, I'm new to the page looking for some tips or advice from the experienced hunters on the page. Just picked up a new rifle that I'm wanting to get set up for calling coyotes next fall. Looking for any experiences or advice with a bergara 243 win, 1 and 10 twist, 22 inch barrel. Wanting to get downrange accuracy to 400 yards or so for the occasional hung up yote. I've got the barrel broke in with Montana extreme products and fit it with medium base Talley's on top. I set it up with a 3.5-10x50 vortex for now, figured I'd give vortex glass a try.
My first test loads were 37.5,38.5,39.5, and 41 grains varget pushing a 68 grain Berger match target. Tested the loads at 100 yards over bags cleaning before every load of five rounds. The 39.5 grain and 41 grain were the tightest groups at 100 yard. The 39.5 grain load shot bug holes and the 41 grain load was about the size of a quarter.
I tested these two loads at 200 hundred yards and the groups opened up significantly to around 2.5 inches or so. Since I wasn't satisfied with the results I loaded up five rounds of each again, only testing the loads with a Fowled barrel. The groups tightened up between 2 and 2.5 in.
Yesterday I tried a 39 grain,41.5 grain, and 39.5 grain load with a 2.73 coal. Berger has a coal of 2.71 for this bullet, so I tried a little longer seating on the 39.5 to see if it would make a difference in group size. Group size of the 39 and 41.5 grain load were almost identical, around 2in or less. I shot the loads at 200 yards again over bags in the prone position. This is where I'm at with this rifle at the moment. I'm going to test these loads at 300 yards next to see if I get a difference in group size between the two. The 41.5 is close to max of 41.8.
Any of you guys have any experience with the 68 grain berger? Think I should work up some loads following Barnes load data for their 68 grainer. It will be a shorter coal and change the powder charge a bit. Think 400 yards can be achieved accurately with this bullet or should I go to a 70 or 75 grain bullet? Thanks guys!
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Coyotehunter
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Re: setting up a 243 for medium range coyotes!

Post by Coyotehunter »

great post, what size groups are you hoping for at 400? i have a couple of .243 and shoot 95 grain seirra out of the 10:1 and 105 gr. Berger VLD out of the 8:1 WSSM.
yoteb14
Posts: 4
Joined: Sat Mar 18, 2017 6:57 am

Re: setting up a 243 for medium range coyotes!

Post by yoteb14 »

Well I know the 68 match I'm pushing is lighter and I'm sure the wind is going to mess with it some but I was hoping for the moa 4 inch group at 400 yards. After testing all these rounds at the range I know for sure I'm going to have to upgrade in optics.. 3.5x10-50 isn't enough glass for that little target at 400 yards.
yoteb14
Posts: 4
Joined: Sat Mar 18, 2017 6:57 am

Re: setting up a 243 for medium range coyotes!

Post by yoteb14 »

Has anyone had any experience with the 68 grain berger? Other guys I've talked to say they are fur friendly.
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Coyotehunter
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Location: Wyoming

Re: setting up a 243 for medium range coyotes!

Post by Coyotehunter »

i use leupold 4x12-40 on all my guns. i leave it on 12x most of the time. why such a light bullet?
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Tim Anderson
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Re: setting up a 243 for medium range coyotes!

Post by Tim Anderson »

58 or 68 gr. bullets work pretty good and good enough out to 800 yards.
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