Anyone here pushing 100GR+ bullets through Remington 243 WIN factory varmint barrels?  I've been looking at some 26" rifles and didn't know if anyone has hands on experience trying to run the heavier bullets (Berger 105gr and 115gr, Hornady 105gr and 108gr, or any others) through their factory Rem barrel.  I know the bullet manufacturers recommend a 1:8 or fast twist and the factory barrel has a 1:9 1/8 twist, but looking for folks who have actually tried this and what their results were.  Any accompanying load data like power, charge, OAL, chronographed velocities would be helpful.

I am loading 100 grain Sierra Pro Hunters in my daughters Mossberg 243.  It has a 20 inch barrel, 1/10 twist.   It stabilizes fine and is quite accurate.  Those bullets may not be as long as the bullets you are talking about though.

A friend is trying to do the same with his factory Rem 243 . The gun is a laser with 87 grain bullets but he's been wanting heavier . I know 105 berger are a no go but he did have decent groups with 107 SMK's.
If I can get some info I will post it

I'll be interested in this too.  I'm just now finishing up getting all my reloading components for a kind of homemade precision .243 rifle.  I dropped a Ruger American Predator .243 into an MDT-LSS chassis with a LuthAR buttstock.  I'll be trying 105g AMAX and 105g Hornady match BTHP to see how it goes.  The barrel twist is 1:9.

A local in my area uses Hodgdon Retumbo in a Ruger 26" barreled .243, but he uses it in a 22" hunting .243 also...both with heavy 100g+ bullets.  He swears by it.  I wasn't at all familiar with Retumbo, but some internet research seems to indicate it's a good powder choice for heavy .243 bullets.  We'll see.

I'll be starting with regular large rifle primers, but some have suggested the magnum primers will occasionally work a little better.  This sounds like it's going to be a bit of work, but it also sounds like fun.

My goal is to shoot with some level of consistency to 1000 yards.  I've never done that, but it's just one of those "want to's" I've somewhat lusted after.  In this Predator rifle platform I can also use it for hunting, as it won't be incredibly heavy or unwieldy.

My mossberg shoots great with the 100gr pills I loaded up but it is only 1:10... wish it had a faster twist so I could jump up to those heavier bullets...

I'm shooting 107 SMK's from a 1/8" twist, 26" long Schneider barrel.  They shoot very well (better than me).

I started with VARGET but it was just too fast for .243/6mm.

I was using H4350, Federal 210M primers and two different brands of brass.  

I tried 4831 with good success but never switched to it because I have so much H4350.

I'm investigating Ramshot HUNTER because it is a little bit slower and is a ball powder for better metering.  A slower powder gives the same velocity with lower peak pressure and may extend the brass life and extend barrel life.

I am also considering whether to try an even slower powder (like RETUMBO) to see if I can improve performance even further (equal velocity with better barrel life).


I won't give up accuracy at any point.  If it doesn't shoot, it's dropped.


I know this does not directly address your question but I'm trying to help you "bound your problem".  This is as close as I can get using my personal experiences.

Your 1/8" twist should stabilize the 100-115gr bullets fine, so that's no surprise.

Do you ever shoot any of the lighter varmint bullets?  Anything in the 65-75gr range?  Those loads should be going 3300-3700 fps and I wonder if that spins them too fast.  I seem to recall reading once that you can push them too fast through a short twist and spin a jacket off.

I have an older (early 80s) 700 varmint in 243, 1-10 24" barrel. It still shoots well.

I shoot 105 Nosler CCs over 41 gr of H4350 at around 2900 fps.   I have hit steel targets out to 1100 yrs with it.

I also shoot 55 gr Nosler BTVs at about 3550 fps for prairie dogs.  Longest kill was 606 yards.  I have shot steel targets at 800 yards with these, too.

All of my shooting is at 4800+ feet altitude, so YMMV.

My 243 has a Brux 7.5 twist barrel and I shoot 75 grain Vmax at 3500 fps . Last time out to the range it was hitting all the way out to 1050 yards. It sure turns P-dogs inside out :-) .
The gun will shoot 107 smk's and 115 bergers well just a great all around gun.

I can't help you with that.  My rifle has never shot anything other than 107 SMK's and has never disintegrated a bullet.  I am a fairly conservative reloader.