.243W - Best twist ? Barrel Length?

[Rec1er]

I`m going to build a .243W using a Rem 700 action , it will be used for long range steel plate and varminting , I`m undecided on the stock , maybe an HS Precision but what ever I want it to use AI magazines , what would you use and why ?

Barrel Length?

Barrel Profile ?

Barrel Twist?

Trigger?

TIA

 

[Country]

As far as barrel twist rate goes you need to pick which projectiles you want to use as the lenght of the bullet determins the twist rate needed .

 

[Rec1er]

As I intend to use it long range I`ll be using heavy bullets , maybe Matchking HPBT 107GR or even 110 GR which will mean 1:7 twist for the latter but I`m not sure if they will fit in the AICS magazine ? plus I`m not sure how lighter bullets will perform in a 1:7 barrel?

 

[Country]

If the length needs the twist then that's better than an unstable bullet down range .

 

[IndianaRem5r]

I recommend against the .243 and suggest any of the other popular 6mm cartridges with 30+ degree shoulder angles and shorter case length. Yes, you will have problems fitting in a magazine with the .243. You will have to trim your brass excessively with .243. You will use more powder to get given velocities with the .243. 6mm Creedmoor is not a bad choice for many reasons. This is a resource for 6mm choices:

Rifle Caliber – What The Pros Use

Welcome to “What The Pros Use” 2018 Edition! I recently surveyed the top ranked shooters in both the...

precisionrifleblog.com

 

[Rob01]

A 7.5-7.7 twist would allow you to use most heavier bullets for long range and some lighter without tearing them up.

Contour would depend on you need for weight. anything from a Rem Varmint/Med Palma up would work for extended shooting.

Length I wouldn't go less than 26".

Timney makes some good triggers for 700s.

 

[sti_warrior]

How far do you plan to shoot?
I shoot 95gr bullets up to 500 meters with 1:10 twist and its spot on.

 

[Rec1er]

How far do you plan to shoot?
I shoot 95gr bullets up to 500 meters with 1:10 twist and its spot on.

1000 yards hopefully.

 

[stello1001]

Twist it fast and stick it long. Maybe 7.5 twist in nothing shorter than a 24 inch barrel...

Just curious, but have you considered 6CM?

 

[6brshooter]

I recommend against the .243 and suggest any of the other popular 6mm cartridges with 30+ degree shoulder angles and shorter case length. Yes, you will have problems fitting in a magazine with the .243. You will have to trim your brass excessively with .243. You will use more powder to get given velocities with the .243. 6mm Creedmoor is not a bad choice for many reasons. This is a resource for 6mm choices:

Rifle Caliber – What The Pros Use

Welcome to “What The Pros Use” 2018 Edition! I recently surveyed the top ranked shooters in both the...

precisionrifleblog.com

Cant really agree with this post, nothing wrong with a 243. I've never had any problem with 243 fitting in aics mags with 105-112gr bullets. 7.5 tw will stabilize all heavy 6mm bullets fine. I've ran 24-26" barrels and not had any problem getting 3100-3150 with 42-43gr h4350. If you want to run h4831sc for longer barrel life, 43- 43.5gr will yield 3020fps. There is some trimming, but if you want to maintain a specific cart length all will need trimmed each firing. If you bump shoulder .001-.0005 each sizing cycle, you will not see much over .003 case growth per firing. Max length is .010 over min length. 243 will have longer barrel life, albeit slight, over 6creed.

 

[sti_warrior]

1000 yards hopefully.

Yeah 95 grain wont make make it that far down the range without drifting, maybe a heavier bullet, if you want to start cheap id get a vortex viper HST 6-24x50, I started out with this optic a year ago and had very good results, I have now moved to a Leupold mark5hd. I think I saw a deal for a viper hst under 500 somewhere. Pretty nice scope never had any issues.

 

[Kevins750]

I have a 26" 8 twist that shoots 105, 107 and 108's very well.

 

[Shutrmgavin]

Cant really agree with this post, nothing wrong with a 243. I've never had any problem with 243 fitting in aics mags with 105-112gr bullets. 7.5 tw will stabilize all heavy 6mm bullets fine. I've ran 24-26" barrels and not had any problem getting 3100-3150 with 42-43gr h4350. If you want to run h4831sc for longer barrel life, 43- 43.5gr will yield 3020fps. There is some trimming, but if you want to maintain a specific cart length all will need trimmed each firing. If you bump shoulder .001-.0005 each sizing cycle, you will not see much over .003 case growth per firing. Max length is .010 over min length. 243 will have longer barrel life, albeit slight, over 6creed.

My first time reloading or shooting precision rifle was/is 243. After about 30 rounds of load development I loaded 5 rounds of 107 smk and 44.1 grains of h4831sc and they all went through the same hole more or less. Then I made 10 more of those and all 10 were less than a half inch and then I put 5 in about 4 inches at 850 yards. So yeah, I chose this round for supposed ease of development and it didn't disappoint.

 

[lash]

Cant really agree with this post, nothing wrong with a 243. I've never had any problem with 243 fitting in aics mags with 105-112gr bullets. 7.5 tw will stabilize all heavy 6mm bullets fine. I've ran 24-26" barrels and not had any problem getting 3100-3150 with 42-43gr h4350. If you want to run h4831sc for longer barrel life, 43- 43.5gr will yield 3020fps. There is some trimming, but if you want to maintain a specific cart length all will need trimmed each firing. If you bump shoulder .001-.0005 each sizing cycle, you will not see much over .003 case growth per firing. Max length is .010 over min length. 243 will have longer barrel life, albeit slight, over 6creed.

Agree with this. All of it. Amazingly, long before people were shooting any of the wonder 6s, 6 Creedmoor, or even 6.5 Creedmoor, guys were using .243 Win very successfully in matches that were the predecessors of what is now largely referred to as PRS or NLR.

And, while the heavier bullets will buck wind some better, the 95s will hammer steel at 1000. We have a 10 yo kid outshooting many others on the line using 95s at 1000, using an off the shelf Ruger RPR in .243.

 

[6brshooter]

Me and other 243 shooters all chuckled at new proponents of 6mm creedmoor, about 7yrs ago. They claimed less powder, higher fps, and barrel life in the upper 2k-3k. I remember telling j.gorski there is no free lunches. If you have less powder and equal speed, the chamber psi will eat barrels quicker. I have got along fine with 8tw and 105-107, but a 7.5-7.7 is probably safer bet with the 112gr. I have an old wore out Krieger 243ai that has lost 100fps, it's an 8tw. I switched over to 112gr barnes since I couldn't get anymore speed out of it with 105hybrids. That 8tw stabilizes the 112gr barnes at 3050fps and shoots nice groups at 850yds

 

[6brshooter]

Since no one had pics in this thread...groups at 100 and 750 or 850(cant remember). Aiat in 243, really wanted to do a 243ai or 243cutright, but at mag wouldn't work with improved case shoulders.

 

[chevy_man]

Going to an AI helps with the brass growth.

I don't load them hot, so I'm fine pushing the bullet into the case a bit to make mag length with 105's.

 

[6brshooter]

Yep, zero brass growth. Kinda helps that the fireform stage initially shortens brass about .010 shorter than minimum length. I've had some hotrod 243ai, 105@3320fps, that didnt grow more than .001 per firing. That barrel slowed to 3280fps after 1300rds, and is still shooting fantastic at 1700rds for the guy I sold it to.

 

[Rob01]

The .243 is a very good long range round when set up right. Like Lash said it came about around 2004 with George Gardner building some fast twist rifles and using the 115s mostly. I started using it in 2004 myself for matches. No need to super hot rod it either. You can get longer barrel life and still good performance. I run mine around 3000-3050fps, same as my 6 Creed, and it does great. When I sold my first rifle with 1880 rounds down it and it was still half MOA rifle. My original was set up with a 7.5 twist as I used the 115s but my present .243 has a 8.5 twist as I only use 105 BTHPs in it. If you get the rifle chambered properly you can easily fit a .243 in a AICS mag with even 115s.

The 6 Creed is basically identical ballistically but offers the major advantage of relitively inexpensive factory match ammo that the .243 doesn't. Hand loading it's a push as both have excellent brass options and ballistically the same.

 

[sti_warrior]

Id stick with .243 you'll find factory ammo almost anywhere

 

[Rob01]

Id stick with .243 you'll find factory ammo almost anywhere

Hunting ammo. Not match ammo.

 

[lash]

Hunting ammo. Not match ammo.

This is true.

 

[6brshooter]

243w on left and 243 cutright on right. Should have a 7.5tw bart med palma ready for a curtis when I get back from vacation. It is a 243w case ran through a 243 cutright sizer, bumps shoulder back .050. A fireform load blows shoulder to 37.5° and straightens body out to 6br specs. Ends up with a very stable case, with a .135-.185 freebore it fits in aics mags easily. Bearing surface is above nk /shoulder junction.

Mags without plate allows plenty of room to chase rifling, on my high mileage 243/243ai, I haven't saw more than .060 erosion. Use something like a 107smk or 112 barnes and chasing lands isnt super critical. Fireform loads are equal to hot 243w and will shoot in the .3s

Heres some dummies I set up for a .020 jump in a .185 freebore chamber. The 112 barnes still has .050 to chase rifling before it's at max mag length.