.243 rebarrel or new gun ?

[Renton83]

A few years ago I got a used Tikka T3 heavy barrel in 243 Winchester. I use it mainly for target shooting out to 300 yards. I love the caliber and have started hand loading it. I would like to shoot the heavier bullets like the 105g or heavier. From what I read they are better for long range target shooting and also better suited for Deer hunting. My rifling is 1-10 so it won't stabilize something that heavy, am I better of getting another rifle with a faster twist or getting a new barrel for mine? I don't know how difficult or expensive it would be to replace the barrel on a Tikka.

 

[Captcurt]

Shoot some first.

Just because everyone says you need a 1 in 9 twist doesn't mean that your gun won't handle the heavier bullets. Try a few and see. If it ain't broke, don't fix it.

 

[FL-NC]

Gunsmithing and parts are almost never cheap.

 

[Renton83]

Good point I will try loading some 100g bullets and see how it shoots.

 

[stringnut]

Several bullets that weight 100 grns or less in 24 caliber will nock over any deer that walks. A 85 gr premium bullet will do a, better job than a poorly constructed 100 gr bullet that sheds it's core or fragments. As far twist goes length is a very important part of whether a bullet will stabize or not. Often using a flat base that is shorter than a same weight boat tail will be more stable. Find what shoots well and is designed for the game you're hunting and you should be good to go.

 

[Wildfire]

I have to agree with all the answers you got here. Accuracy is better than speed too.

 

[stringnut]

Several bullets that weight 100 grns or less in 24 caliber will nock over any deer that walks. A 85 gr premium bullet will do a, better job than a poorly constructed 100 gr bullet that sheds it's core or fragments. As far twist goes length is a very important part of whether a bullet will stabize or not. Often using a flat base that is shorter than a same weight boat tail will be more stable. Find what shoots well and is designed for the game you're hunting and you should be good to go.

 

[rbernie]

Good advice - you may not decide that you actually need a faster twist barrel.

But if you do, you will not likely find a rifle both with a faster twist and with the same level of fit and finish and refinement as the Tikka for less than the cost of a rebarreling. If I had a Tikka in 243 and I absolutely had to have a faster twist barrel, I would rebarrel the Tikka before I would get rid of it and get another rifle.

 

[FL-NC]

100 grain Winchester power points from wally world never failed me on deer.

 

[witchhunter]

If you need a faster twist barrel, if you like the rifle anyway, rebarrel, that is what I would do. Custom barrels are better than factory, easier to clean and generally more accurate. Just my opinion.

 

[Renton83]

Yeah I love the rifle, smoothest action I've ever used. I am also considering getting it in 260 Remington. Wish I could change the barrel myself but getting the head spacing correct sounds a bit tricky.

 

[witchhunter]

You will be happy with a new Kreiger or Bartlein, Have a great gunsmith do the work, and have it pillar bedded. You will love it forever. If you buy a new gun, you are taking a chance, but a competent gunsmith should make it real nice to shoot.

 

[climbnjump]

Just because everyone says you need a 1 in 9 twist doesn't mean that your gun won't handle the heavier bullets.

Well, there's heavier and then there's heavier and even if they weigh the same, they aren't necessarily equal in regard to the twist rate required to stabilize them.

If hunting with a 100gr bullet is your primary goal, then is is possible that you will find a flat base 100 gr soft point that will shoot fine in your 1 in 10 twist barrel.

But if your goal is to use a high BC bullet for long range, say a 105 gr A-MAX or a Berger 105 gr Match Hybrid or VLD, then no, you won't get adequate stability from a 1 in 10 twist barrel.

But atmospherics also play a role, so it depends on where you live or do most of your shooing. A bullet that is marginally stable or unstable at sea level on a 40 degree day might shoot ok - at least over shorter ranges - if you move up to 5000 ft. on an 80 degree day.

 

[ruthkanaya]

Gunsmithing and parts are almost never cheap.
http://**********.info/307/o.png

 

[jmr40]

I'd load some heavies and see what happens. I'm betting they work just fine. Sometimes we over think these things. Sure a 9 twist might be optimal and shoot a little more accurately. But the 10 twist most likely isn't going to start key holing bullets. There may be a very slight decrease in accuracy but most shooters aren't good enough to notice.

 

[CB900F]

Renton83;

Replacing the barrel on a Tikka T3 isn't an exotic task for a good gunsmith. The Tikka uses the same threads as Winchester/Ruger. I found this out when discussing the matter with my gunsmith when I had a Tikka left hand action rebarreled to 6.5 Swedish Mauser. As Tikka is a standard length action, you'd actually do better to rebarrel to the Swede rather than the .260. I used a Lilja barrel, medium sporter contour, 22" long, had it throated to a dummy round, and am very happy with the accuracy I'm getting. The action was blueprinted & the funky floating recoil lug was replaced with a standard type also. It consistently gives three shot 100 yard groups in the .400's to low .500's. That's off a concrete bench with bags, but it's a hunting rifle, not a target gun.

The load is a Sierra GameKing exiting at 2725 fps, and it does just fine on whatever I hunt here in Outer Montana.

900F

 

[Llama Bob]

I'm going to strongly disagree with the suggestion of just shooting heavy bullets out of the 1-10 twist barrel. A 105gr boat tail .243 bullet in a 1-10 twist barrel is going to be very unstable. Even if it doesn't keyhole the when you try it on a target at 100y, there's a very good chance that in less than ideal hunting conditions (lower temp) it will. Even if it doesn't keyhole, all the wobbling it does will reduce the balistic coefficient so much you might as well be shooting a lighter bullet that stabilitzes.

If you want to shoot heavy .243, get a 1-8 twist barrel gun one way or another. That will at least be stable down to 0 degrees F.

 

[jmr40]

I know all of the books say it won't work. But I've seen combos work in the past that weren't supposed to. I don't see that he has anything to lose. Load up some 105's, shoot them and see what happens. If they don't work he is going to swap guns or barrels anyway. The bullets won't be wasted.

 

[Llama Bob]

The issue is the definition of "work":

• One definition is being stable enough to put a round hole in the target at 100y room temperature.
• Another definition is being stable enough to get the full BC you're entitled to with your bullet at room temperature, which probably also ensures you'll at least hit nose first even in dense air and that drag won't slow the spin and destabilize your bullet down range.
• A further definition is to be able to get your full BC in adverse atmospheric conditions - the military is now targeting -40 degrees F at sea level for example.

When heavy bullet unexpectedly "work" in a slow twist gun, they typically meet the first definition only.

Generally when you have the opportunity to pick a barrel for hunting arms, I think the later approach makes sense. There's very little downside to having an excessive twist rate, but a lot of downside to an insufficient one. And sometimes it gets cold when hunting.

When trying to make a slow twist gun work for hunting without rebarreling it, I find it often makes sense to go to a more robust bullet in a flat base configuration and/or a lighter weight to get 100% stable. Flat base Partition bullets are good for that IMO - the 85gr. .243 Partition looks reasonable even in a 1:10 twist gun. For OP's stated application of 300y target shooting, you might as well use varmit bullets - there's no upside to going heavy.

 

[shooter1niner]

In my .243 RCBS (my only wild child) the twist is 1-10", 24" Hart Barrel. I use the 100 gr. Nosler Partition over IMR 4350 and get nice tight 5 shot groups at 100 yds. Also use 75 grain Hornady HP's with same POI.