Powder selection....

[meles meles]

I like the Ramshot powders that I've used but sometimes there isn't the data available for a particular calibre so you have try a powder you haven't used before and before you know it you have a collection of different powders!

Whoa, gritgrasper, WHOA ! You already talked us into buying several bangsticks and trying pawloading: we don't need to start yet another new hobby as a powder collector !

Why go through the hassle of necking your 7.62 down to 243 - if you're that desperate, I can get some 243 once fired brass off a mate of mine!

Why ? Well, we have some used 7.62 GGG cases around, need some loading practice, don't like to see stuff go to waste so we thought "Why not ?"

[meles meles]

For all my cast boolit shooting out to 600 yrds in any rifle calibre over .222" and up to .45" I use fast rifle powders like Vihtavuori N110 or N120, Alliant 2400 or Reloader 7, Ramshot Enforcer, IMR4227 4198 or 3031 and such like powder.

Quickload is a useful predictor for powder with no data for a starting load

We have some Ramshot ZIP which is close to TrailBoss and a tad spicier than most of the other powders you recommend. Given that we'd start with a low load and work up, and be using a case with lower volume anyway, might that be a fair start ? We'll go google "Quickload"

We're not wrong in thinking a cast lead bullet would be okay at the sort of loads and speeds we have in mind for this .243? The barrel is new and so not copper fouled.... Might we need a gas check ?

[dromia]

Zip is too fast and will pressure spike before you get velocity.

As gascheck would probably be helpful, not because of the velocity but because of the twist rate. They don't actually check gas but they are the cog that fits the rifling and holds the boolit in place without stripping.

Trail Boss is one of the most overrated and over priced powders available, it is fine for CAS shooters who want full 45 colt and 44-40 cases perfoming at low velocity but beyond that ground match heads does better.

[meles meles]

ground match heads does better.

We can't find reliable data for match heads. Should we use Bryant & May, Swan Vestas or them there new fangled safety match types that won't work if you rub 'em on sandgroper?

[dromia]

It is a box of Lucifers that you will be wanting.

Consult Quackload.

[dromia]

BTW (A1WU) safety match is an oxymoron.

[meles meles]

BTW (A1WU) safety match is an oxymoron.

Isn't oxymoron the descriptive term for half the current Cabinet?*

* The other half having gone to cambridge and presumably being Cam-morons...

[dromia]

You are too kind.

[Laurie]

Why go through the hassle of necking your 7.62 down to 243 - if you're that desperate, I can get some 243 once fired brass off a mate of mine!

Why ? Well, we have some used 7.62 GGG cases around, need some loading practice, don't like to see stuff go to waste so we thought "Why not ?"

You'll likely have to neck-turn reformed 308. A 60 thou' diameter reduction will see a substantial increase in neck thickness, possibly to dangerous levels vis a vis clearance in the chamber.

[meles meles]

Hmmm, the brass will have gone thick at the neck, thus will hold the bullet too tight and give an increased pressure? So we needs to shave a fraction off the neck to compensate?