Thread: Fussy 243.

Originally Posted by Marty Henry

Don't believe this?, put up a really big target and I mean big a1 sized at 200 metres and fire a few rounds at it, go look at the holes if there are any. You'll be a convert

The only thing you will get is heartache unless you have a tight twist. Look at the US gunsites . The common complaint is that Sierra never put bold warnings that they needed a tight Twist. Sierra could have taken a cue from Hammer which clearly states the minimum twist requirements for their projectiles. What is hard about that. Sierra spend all the money on development for a new projectile and ignore a simple thing like twist requirements. Sierra if you read FB get a regular flogging from hunters.

Have you check all the scope ring/ pic rail screws? I had the same problem with my rifle until i found that the rear ring screws are loose. The two which holding the ring to the pic rail. Wasted alot of ammo

Greetings All,
I always get a good laugh when I see a thread where a rifle is described as fussy or doesn't like a particular projectile. Rifles are inanimate objects and don't like or dislike anything. They do however have capabilities. The English landscape architect Capability Brown would trudge around the estate of each commission before reporting back to the owners "These are the capabilities". It is the same with rifles. Things like magazine length, barrel twist and chamber dimensions all have an effect on what the rifle can shoot well. As projectiles are becoming longer even when the same weight we are likely to hear more tales of woe like the one in the OP where significant quantities of components shot down range in a rifle that never was likely to shoot them well in the first place.
Some .243 rifles have faster twists Remington 700 rifles have always had 1 in 9" twists recently increased to 1 in 8". Some may be slower as well. The first question when developing a load should be "What is this rifle capable of shooting well?
GPM.

And whilst I have reloaded very little being a fitter turner in a past life I can say that you could get a barrel that has a different harmonic to a bunch in the same batch.
I've had a piece of steel on the later that was just arse to turn. Lots of vibrations when turning and can make finishing cuts problematic. Even hard spots.
Try everything, slow up-slow down, different speeds/feeds, tips, cutting fluids, bits of wood pressed against the material.
If that one was a barrel it could indeed be very fussy compared to its brethren.
There was some scuttlebutt over the ruger mini14s when they first came out.
Bill Ruger supposedly in a cost cutting measure used a very fast aggressive machining technique on the barrels.
For the most part you do read/hear how a lot of those first rifles were minute of A4 at best. That machining technique could well have put stresses into the barrel.
To qualify that in a very minor way an acquaintance some years ago was culling in the north island. One of his fellow shooters had a mini rebarrelled to 222 as it was issued. Thing started to shoot like a demon.
And back on subject there could be just enough leeway on the barrels that some stabilise hundies but only just. The next one just won't.
I think that's why Nosler do 90 and 95gr BSTs. If one doesn't they other one should

ROCK, help your mate. Howa 243s comes with a 10twist barrel, which will stabilize projectiles to a cetain length.

The 95gr TMk, are longer than the lenght projectile a 10t barrel can stabilise.

I would suggest you mate look into Swift 90gr or Hornady 87s, both will work great in his rifle.

Originally Posted by Jaco Goosen

ROCK, help your mate. Howa 243s comes with a 10twist barrel, which will stabilize projectiles to a cetain length.

The 95gr TMk, are longer than the lenght projectile a 10t barrel can stabilise.

I would suggest you mate look into Swift 90gr or Hornady 87s, both will work great in his rifle.

@Jaco Goosen we've gone back to the drawing board. He's ordered some of the speer 85gr btsp and will grab some factory ammo(80gr blue box) to rule out the rifle too. Also looked at the 90gr Eld X but will just try adjusting one variable at a time..
Thanks for the reply. Once I'm back up and running I'll have some work for you too. Cheers!

Originally Posted by TeRei

The only thing you will get is heartache unless you have a tight twist. Look at the US gunsites . The common complaint is that Sierra never put bold warnings that they needed a tight Twist. Sierra could have taken a cue from Hammer which clearly states the minimum twist requirements for their projectiles. What is hard about that. Sierra spend all the money on development for a new projectile and ignore a simple thing like twist requirements. Sierra if you read FB get a regular flogging from hunters.

I don't have a box of the 6mm 95 handy, but is it not labeled like this?

The website clearly states 1:9" minimum required

Originally Posted by gimp

I don't have a box of the 6mm 95 handy, but is it not labeled like this?

The website clearly states 1:9" minimum required

Attachment 261875

@gimp

Yep you're dead right it does after we double checked it.

It's just been a learning curve for me with this thread. Like why a 95gr Targex will stabilize and the Sierra won't despite being the same weight albeit different profiles. Thanks for the info I've learnt a bit!

Originally Posted by Rock river arms hunter

@gimp

Yep you're dead right it does after we double checked it.

It's just been a learning curve for me with this thread. Like why a 95gr Targex will stabilize and the Sierra won't despite being the same weight albeit different profiles. Thanks for the info I've learnt a bit!

An example of the profiles is the heavy for calibre roundnose projectiles.
Like the hornady 117s in 25 cal.
Think that's right.
They are actually quite short for the weight and are meant to stabilise in the slower twist older rifles.
The opposite of the newer high BC long jobbies

Originally Posted by Rock river arms hunter

@gimp

Yep you're dead right it does after we double checked it.

It's just been a learning curve for me with this thread. Like why a 95gr Targex will stabilize and the Sierra won't despite being the same weight albeit different profiles. Thanks for the info I've learnt a bit!

Targex make a 105 that will stabilise in a 1:10 (you need to ask for them specifically cos there is a 105 for faster twists too).

i found the 243 tmk pills terrble in me 243- changed to Targex 95g- primo

Out of interest for anyone reading all this it is not bullet weight that decides required twist rate but bullet length!
if there was a heavy enough core material available I could make a 200gr bullet that would stabilise in a 6mm 10" twist barrel as long as the finished bullet length was short enough.
This is also the reason that plastic tip bullets in various calibers wont stabilise as the bullet LENGTH can exceed the barrel twist even though the bullet weight is supposed to work.
Hope this makes sense.
Cheers.

It's the bullet. Unless your mate has an 8 twist he's pushing shit uphill.

I see it's all been said above, you're onto it now.

Originally Posted by ANTSMAN

i found the 243 tmk pills terrble in me 243- changed to Targex 95g- primo

My experience too.

Round nose heavy for calibre rule supreme up close.... I do recall 100grn .243 round nose being a thing a few years back...