I tried this in the reloading forum and didnt get a for sure answer so thought it might hit here.... Thanks

Just picked me a new DPMS LR-243 and cant wait to get reloading for it. My question is about OAL and the magazine, been reloading both .223 (AR) and .243 (Single Shot) for a while and with the .223 i just load to magazine length, and havent played with length on the .243 yet. What do you guys do that have one?? Load to fit magazine (which has a lot of room) or load factroy length and dont worry about it? I guess I need to get a OAL gauge and mesure the chamber and then decide but thought someone might have had the same dilema, and searching the net doesnt come up with much..... Thanks

bump

I don't have a 243 version, but I would start with the COL that is listed in the reloading manual for the load you intend to use... I wouldn't worry about lengthening the COL to match the magazine.  Hopefully that will result in a COL that will feed well for you, and then you're set.  If not, then experiment.

If you don't know your chamber dimensions and how much free bore you have with a particular bullet, don't load longer than the max C.O.L. listed in the reloading manual.

That is the key.  I reload for my AR-10 chambered in 243 Win, and I shoot most of my heavier bullets .020 off the lands or closer.  That being so, I am still shy of reaching my max mag length, which is intended for a 308 round at 2.800" oal.

For best function along with accuracy in my rifle, I settled on H4350.  Most powders faster than the 4350 would not cycle my action properly.  It may be different with your gas system in the DPMS.

I do not think the magazine will allow you to get to close to the lands in a DPMS. I do not have a 243 but a 308 and load my ammo as long as the magazine will function. Seems to well for me. I also used the bullet with the sharpie truck to check and I could not fund the lands.

AL

If that is true then there better be .180" more free bore in the 243 DPMS barrel than there is my AR-10, or mag length ammo could go kaboom.  When one of my Hornady 87gr hpbt bullets is seated at an oal of 2.690" it is tight to the lands, yet it is still at least .190" shy of my max mag length.  I am willing to bet that if the op loads up some 243 dummy rounds at mag length that they will not chamber.  Actually unless he is using a fairly long and heavy 6mm bullet, there will not be much left in the case neck when seated to mag length.

Wow I was typing that fast and probably came off like a freeking imbecile. I had the wife screaming at me to do something.

I have to add that I was loading 165 nosler and 168 grain A-Max bullets. I have a 180 grain SST load for hunting that I just load at the crimp groove. There is not much room to move the bullet out anyway with  180s.

AL