Accurate .243

Status
Not open for further replies.

Dinosaur1

Member
Joined
Jul 7, 2013
Messages
249
Okay, I've currently got a couple of .243's in the safe but neither one is a "shooter". I've got a Tikka that will hit a 5 gallon bucket at 100, if there's no wind, no matter what I feed it, what glass that's on it or who shoots it. I've got a $300 Axis combo that will hold around an 1 1/2" +\- with Fed. Blue box. My friends own a Ruger and a TC and they get about the same when we shoot. The Savage is the best of the bunch but still not as good as I would have hoped when I bought it. I have a couple of Axis in .223 that are pretty close to one hole shooters so I gambled on the .243. I had an old Colt/Sako .243 years ago that put pretty much everything I fed it in the 10 so I know it's possible. Does anyone own an off the shelf .243 that shoots really tight groups with off the shelf ammo. I just haven't run into one lately.
 
Indubitably, The Rem ADL 700 with open sights and Rem 100 grn corelocs, I called it my Death Beam.........really.

I made viving for about 4 yaers before I lost it.....

Lost it flipping a boat one fine summers evening on a deadhead in the river. I still think about that rifle, now and then.
 
Yes a model 70 featherweight from the mid 80’s gun is older than I am and it’s a tack driver! 100 grain btsp stay under an inch as if on command
 
My 243 has a custom barrel and shoots very well, but thats not what you ask. I have several friends that own 243's and all of them shoot well. A mix of Remington 700's, Remington 600's, Rugers, maybe some others.
 
Don’t give up yet on the rifles you have.
Most production rifles require 200-400rds through the barrels before the really start shooting well.

My first experience with this was with a E.R.Shaw barrel on a M98 custom build. Nothing shot better than 1.5” 5-shots until I reached 250rds. Then, as almost by magic, it started shooting bug-holes. Even now, 35yrs later, with pits in the barrel, (aquired honestly) it still shoots sub-MOA until the barrel copper fouls.
A Russian Mosin-Nagant refurbished Century Arms import that started out at 5”+ is now down to 2-2.5 MOA after 350rds.

I had an Axis in .243 that initially was 1.5-2moa until I reached 200+rds. On a lark, I ran across some Hornady 65gr V-max on clearance at a Walmart in western North Carolina. I’d read somewhere that IMR4064 was a good powder for this bullet in .243. In Hornady cases, Federal 210 primers, at 2.675”, with 42.5gr of 4064 they shot 1/2” groups! I sold the rifle as I hated the ergonomics of the stock.
I picked up another Marlin X7S as I like the stocks ergonomics. I haven’t really spent much time with it. It shoots 1.2-1.5” with Speer 90gr HotCors. I like the rifle so will likely hunt with it this year.

I see where you don’t reload... try some Federal Premium with 100gr Sierra bullets. Also Nosler BallisticTips. The Winchester Supreme with 100gr CT bullet, is a coated Nosler BT. They too shoot well.

Give your rifles some time.

I’d send the Tikka back for a new barrel. Include two or more targets and a well worded letter. They warranty their rifles to do better...
 
Last edited:
As detailed in this thread, last year I picked up a 1980s vintage Remington 700 BDL in .243 for $425 ... and she shoots.

index.php
 
Last edited:
I have an old Steven's 200 in .243 that was under MOA with Federal Blue Box 80 gr SP ammo. It really comes alive with handloads featuring 70 gr Speer TNT's or Nosler 70 gr Varmageddon Tipped bullets and Ramshot Big Game powder. It does have a Rifle Basics trigger and Hogue recoil pad, but is otherwise stock. Paid $259 for it brand new, IIRC.
 
I put together a budget friendly Rem 700 ADL in 243win for my mom to give to her then boyfriend/now husband a couple Christmases ago. Nothing fancy, bedded optic rail, bedded action and free float barrel, reduced pull factory trigger, and lapped lugs, but it was sub-MOA with factory Winchester Varmint X 58grn (.68moa group there).

08475DD6-445B-4316-B5A7-F1D5BE3A6F7D.jpeg
 
I put together a budget friendly Rem 700 ADL in 243win for my mom to give to her then boyfriend/now husband a couple Christmases ago. Nothing fancy, bedded optic rail, bedded action and free float barrel, reduced pull factory trigger, and lapped lugs, but it was sub-MOA with factory Winchester Varmint X 58grn (.68moa group there).

View attachment 852045
i am looking for something just like that. i have a nice old walnut ADL stock sitting here.
 
Rem, sav, win, howa here, and they all shoot better than the people I let shoot them, been a while since I looked at factory ammo, but fusion was good, iirc winchester makes something like a 95 gr flat base btip that shoots straight no matter the twist rate too.
 
i am looking for something just like that. i have a nice old walnut ADL stock sitting here.

It was a Walmart ADL, bought on Black Friday for ~$400 out the door, with a $75 rebate, and I sold the included scope later for $50. All in with the new base, new optic, and new stock, it was something around $750, less $125 for rebate and scope - pretty handy feedlot rifle that shoots small, and not too bad to look at, for ~$625.
 
I have a Savage 10 Sierra and a Remington 700 ADL that shoot 1" to 1 1/2" with factory. Never really tried handloads in the Savage, but the 700 is 1/2 MOA with 3 different loads. Rifles and women are funny things.
 
I had a Remington 788 and a Remington 700 in .243 and both were very accurate. Two rifles I regret selling.
 
My Savage Model 10 in 243 Win is one of the most accurate rifles I own. It shoots pretty consistent .8" groups at 100 yards with Winchester Power Points. With handloads it gets down into the .4-.5" range.
 
I think maybe I'm going to dump the .243's and just go with a 6.5 Creed. I've never owned one or shot one so I owe to myself. However, if Nightlord wanted to swap out that old 99 I might trade. I had one back in the sixties that was a 30-30 take down. Sold it. Had a Remington ADL in .308 too but if you closed the bolt smartly it would go off so that left. Bought another ADL in .243 some years ago, it wouldn't do better than a couple inches either and the inside of the barrel looked like it hand drilled and rifled in China. If I try another .243 I think it will be a CZ. Anybody got one?
 
Status
Not open for further replies.
Back
Top