243 advice?

308mike

Private
Minuteman
Apr 5, 2011
83
0
57
Burt, Iowa
my father wants to shoot 600yd matches with me he has a 700 rem bdl gas bedded heavy barrel 243 that shoots well at 100 but he is old school and has never shot much past 200 using 75 gr bthp but they really dont perform out past that very well what is a good bullet for 600 in 243
 
Re: 243 advice?

243 is a very solid performer and it is my go to round out to and including 1k. I shot the 105gr A-Max bullets and would recommend them if your barrel has the proper twist. Many others also love the 115gr DTAC bullets.
 
Re: 243 advice?

Does your father handload? If so, he should give these loads a try:

85 Gr. Sierra Gameking
Lapua brass
36 Gr. IMR 4064
CCI 200 primers
2.648 OAL (.020 off the lands)
.272 bushing (.001 nk tension)

100 Gr. Sierra Gameking
Lapua brass
36 Gr. IMR 4064
CCI 200 primers
2.658 OAL (.010 off the lands)
.271 bushing (.002 nk tension)

105gr AMAX
47.0gr Retumbo
CCI 200 primers
Lapua brass
2.284 to ogive, .02 out

Shoots great in my 9 1/8 twist all the way out to 678 yards (as far as I've been able to shoot).

If he doesn't reload, I've had great results with the Federal 85 gr. Seirra Game King loads and suprisingly, the cheapo Winchester 100 gr. powerpoint loads. The 95 gr. Federal Fusion loads also shot really well in my rifle.
 
Re: 243 advice?

Like many other have mentioned, the 105 or the 115 DTAC is the way to go. I currently run the 105 AMAX and scenars out of my stock Remy barrel. Once the barrel is burn out, I'll be switching to a faster twist barrel chamber for the 115 DTAC.
 
Re: 243 advice?

Sounds like your dad has a similar setup to mine. I had a hard time shooting anything over 90 grains and being consistant. you might be supprised what a projectile in the 70-80 range is capable of.
 
Re: 243 advice?

243's are awesome flat shooting and minimal recoil. I believe your dad will have the best result on bullets in the 85 to 90 grn range with a factory twist 1:10 or 1:11, They will shoot well out to 400 and good enough to let him get a taste out to 600 + they are readily available in factory ammo. Get him a good tac scope and have a ball! if he likes it and he reloads he can rebarrel with a good match grade 7 1/2 - 9 twist and tighter match chamber the 105 - 115's are smokers out to 800 and can definatly be shot very well to 1000

Good luck, have fun and burn some powder!
 
Re: 243 advice?

This is a good choice. Lapua cost a little more.

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: Jagged77</div><div class="ubbcode-body">I use the 90 grain Scenars out of mine (1:10 twist rate) and they work consistently well out to 800 yards with my set up.</div></div>

this one also,

SIE1537 .243 / 6MM 95 gr. HPBT MatchKing

It should have the twist rate to shoot these. Sierra's are a bit cheaper as well.
 
Re: 243 advice?

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: anchorman</div><div class="ubbcode-body">243's are awesome flat shooting and minimal recoil. I believe your dad will have the best result on bullets in the 85 to 90 grn range with a factory twist 1:10 or 1:11, They will shoot well out to 400 and good enough to let him get a taste out to 600 + they are readily available in factory ammo. Get him a good tac scope and have a ball! if he likes it and he reloads he can rebarrel with a good match grade 7 1/2 - 9 twist and tighter match chamber the 105 - 115's are smokers out to 800 and can definatly be shot very well to 1000

Good luck, have fun and burn some powder! </div></div>

I've never seen a 243Win chambered Remmie,that wasn't 9" and small change. The 244 of course another story,back in The Day.
 
Re: 243 advice?

thanks for all the info my dad does handload and has been for 40+ years really didnt know factory heavy barrel twist rate but you say it 9 and change that will help a lot thanks again you guys are great. there is a lot of knowledge on this sight.
 
Re: 243 advice?

The 243 with the heavy bullets will shoot well past 1000 at 4500' altitude, it is the wind you really need to watch out past there as well as the hits are harder to spot then some of the bigger rounds.
 
Re: 243 advice?

yes i am just starting to teach my father wind drift affect on a bullet he never beleived it would move a bullet that far. but most shooters have a hard time rapping there mind around that for some reason
 
Re: 243 advice?

I turned my Surgeon into a .243/.308 switch barrel, got some great advice here (from Rob01 especially) and I've never regretted it. I went with a Shilen 1/8 twist @ 27". Mine will throw 115dtac's over 3050fps before I start to see significant pressure signs. Accuracy load is right @ 2950fps with 41.6gr H4350 (AR2209 in australia).

Here is a pic of my most recent ladder test @ 500m/547yds

IMG_0354.jpg


The setup:

IMG_0319.jpg


Rath
 
Re: 243 advice?

a stock Rem700 will stabilize the 105. about 43 gr of H4350 under it at 2.800" COAL should put it about .015 off the lands and burn it out there at 3100ish fps.
the 243 shits all over a 308 in terms of ballistics.
 
Re: 243 advice?

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: drunkhumpinmonkey</div><div class="ubbcode-body">
the 243 shits all over a 308 in terms of ballistics. </div></div>

Can I get an AMEN?
 
Re: 243 advice?

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: Goin'Hot</div><div class="ubbcode-body"><div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: drunkhumpinmonkey</div><div class="ubbcode-body">
the 243 shits all over a 308 in terms of ballistics. </div></div>

Can I get an AMEN? </div></div>

No, you can't. I love my 308...big meanie.

I am surprised to hear that the 243 shoots so well at such distances. May have to give this a try.
 
Re: 243 advice?

+1 for the 95 SMK. I worked up a load using that bullet, and if it didn't like it, I was going to try the 105 A-max. Never made it to the A-max...the 95 SMK shot so well.

Rem 700 SPS-V .243 9 1/8" twist
95 SMK
Lapua brass
H4831 43.0 gr
CCI BR2
2.825" OAL

Slower than most @ 2930 fps, but usually 0.25-0.5 MOA @ 400 yds.
 
Re: 243 advice?

Just remember the cost of all that performance.....

Very short barrel life, 1500-2000 rounds.

That's just practice and a couple of big matches for many people.

But it is an unbeatable combo of ballistics and low recoil.
 
Re: 243 advice?

well my father has been shooting this 243 for 30 years and about 300 to 400 rounds a year and it still shoots quite well but i do think the accuracy has fallen off a little trying to talk him into rebarreling it with a shilen. thanks for all the input again I'm gonna buy him some 105amax and 95smks and see what he can do
 
Re: 243 advice?

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: farmsniper</div><div class="ubbcode-body">well my father has been shooting this 243 for 30 years and about 300 to 400 rounds a year and it still shoots quite well but i do think the accuracy has fallen off a little trying to talk him into rebarreling it with a shilen. thanks for all the input again I'm gonna buy him some 105amax and 95smks and see what he can do </div></div>
Close to 9000 and it's still shooting? wooh? Rebarrel w/8twist and trigger job and he'll be sending 105's 600 easy peasy lemon squeezy. My 12 year old has no problems shooting 600 with 85 or 90 grain projectiles out of my 10 twist hart. Loads mentioned shoot very well.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O1bnl8470V0
ok it's only 500, but 600 is just about as easy.
 
Re: 243 advice?

rifle already has a 1# trigger and yes I can not believe it shoots either he has been shooting 75 gr spitzer at orund 3120the rifle was used when he got it in 1973 and he target shot and hunted with it for several years and has been hunting fox and coyote with it since. my dad is 66 and still crawling out in fields on his belly at -20 below zero to kill a fox...very few get away
 
Re: 243 advice?

Here is one of my favorite videos of the 243 105 Berger vld's at work.

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