Loaded some ammo yesterday for my 243 win, using IMR 4350 and Hornady 100 Grain BTSP.

The only Load data I have for a Hornady 100 Grain bullet is out of an IMR powder booklet and is for a 100 grain flat base, it is also data published in 2004. It lists max charge of 38.2 grains.

I have several other more recent data sources nosler, speer and sierra 100 Gr BTSP's that all list charges around 42 grains of IMR 4350 as max. I also just did a load workup with the same brass/primers/powder and a 100 grain sierra prohunter and showed no pressure signs all the way to max published load of 41. something grains.

So does anyone have recent data on 100 grain hornady BTSP's and IMR 4350?

I tended to follow my more recent data from other makes of similar style bullets and loaded 4 each starting at 38 gr and increasing in .3's up to about 40 grains, which is a little below the max of similar bullets.

Plan to start with lower work up and watch for sticky bolt etc.

What are yals thoughts.

What does Hodgdon.com show?

They don't have a load for a hornady, just a speer btsp, but its listed as min 38.5 to max 42 grains.

The starting load of 38.5 is 0.3 grains over the old listed max I have from the booklet of 38.2.

Hodgdon lists a 42gr max for the 100 GR. SPR BTSP and 40.2gr for the 105 A-Max.

I don't see a reason to why you would be taking risks at 40gr for that 100gr BTSP. I'm sure someone here has a hornady manual though.

That was my thoughts. I have a pretty new 1 caliber one book, if you are familiar with them, it has the Hornady info in it, however IMR 4350 is not a listed powder for the 100 grain section.

Sierra book shows 41.7gr of IMR-4350 as max with their 100 grainer.

Jist because it isnt the exact same bullet you're running doesn't mean you can't use that data as a guidline.

As always, start low and work up. And you're doing perfect moving in .3 gr increments.

That's what I was thinking, just hated to go that much against the only published data I had for the powder and a hornady bullet of the proper weight. It just appears that that data is out dated.

I have 5 data sorces, a speer manual, nosler manual, one caliber/load book, hodgdon website, and a copy of a sierra manual, that all indicate 41 grains +/- a grain as a max load with a 100 grain lead core BT bullet, so I think I should be fine and if I see pressure signs I can always stop and pull em.

Thanks for the replies fellas

Hornady Manual, 3rd Edition: 42.4/IMR4350/100 Hornady/2900 fps.

Ken Waters' PET LOADS: 43.5/IMR4350/100Hornady/2999 fps.

Many thanks. I thought I would be safe, but that sure makes me feel a little better about it! I guess 11 years does make a difference in load data.

Thanks Dawaba.

Bob Hagel has published 47 grs behind that bullet for well over 3100 fps. But he was an Elmer Keith protégé and famous for hot-rodding his loads. That he never blew up a rifle is a testimony to the strength of modern actions. If we want to live to see our kids grow up, we should load more sensibly, I figure.....

My Nosler #7 shows IMR 4350 in 243 Win with 95/100gr bullets at 41.5 grs as a max load, and asteriked as the most accurate, @ an 88% fill & running 3060fps....lots of room left in that hull to play with if'n you get a lil crazy...be careful or you need to beat the bolt handle open with a rubber mallet like I did loooong time when I made a 5 grain overload mistake with my 1st scale's settings. Good old SAKO 579 held my DA stupidity with no damage anywhere.

These days I like max load fill rates as close to 100% as possible, 'casue 50 years later you will still remember THOSE kind of mistakes you were able to walk away from with all your fingers and toes.
Ron

No worries if I get the need to go fast disease ill go pick up some 55 grain bt's or something. I just found it odd that the listed max I had was less than the listed starting load for most other manufacturers in a similar weight/style with the same powder.