Thread: Plan B 17" .243

Instead of seeking a 6.5 barrel with the right contour right now, I might use the Sako as an anemic over bore under barreled. 243

I will buy a 6.5 suppressor and re-thread the barrel (because it has the dumbest Hardy thread ever).

Will end up a 17" .243

Now this is my idea of stupid.

The hunt I was just on was a quick shot for meat animals. There were plenty at 300-400m and we mucked around with the guys I was with eventually shooting two at 60m with major meat damage due to poor shooting.

I had my 45-70 with me.

Numerous shots from 200-400 were available and while I'm happy to hunt, the practicality of just quietly and effortlessly dropping these with a suppressed accurate rifle without stirring the place up was sorely missed. My old Sako would have made it look easy.

The 1:12 243 will fire small projectiles slowly. It's a relatively heavy rifle (wood stainless Sako 75) , so in my opinion this is a terrible rig.

However, it does give me a quiet low recoiling rifle, till I gather the bits to re-barrel it.

I have reloading gear again. Any recommendations for a load? I have oceans of 2209

Ive been recently playing with loads for my Dads old original model 7 (18.5" tube).

I originally had been using 100gr SGK's trying to keep as much retained energy as possible for the 300 yards plus clearings we often shoot. But i used a slow powder (7828ssc) to gain as much velocity as possibly in the short barrel which worked sweet, gaining nearly 300 fps over factory 100gr federal ammo in his barrel. But believe it or not the recoil was bloody stiff, and the old boy (78 with buggered shoulders) wasnt a big fan of shooting it.

So ive recently been playing with both 85gr SGK's (a very popular 243 deer bullet) and 87gr Vmaxs (being used in 243 by a few for good terminal performance on deer sized game at extended ranges).

His 18.5" barrel is pushing both the 85's and 87's at between 3060 -3100.. When looking at the 85gr SGK (3,100 fps) at 400 yards the energy is getting down a bit (688 ft lbs) but still over 1900 fps.

Due to the better BC of the 87 Vmax, starting at a muzzle velocity of 3060 fps, out at 400 yards it retains 895 ft lbs and 2,150 fps. So a better choice out at your 400 yards max range........BUT at closer ranges you'd want to neck shoot, as going by the goats Dad shoulder shot at just over 200 yards, the 87 Vmax just Chernobyl'd them. Instant death, and on inspection (cutting a front shoulder off and opening them up) it was like a little grenade had gone off inside them. Wow!

For the distances, my Dad will be shooting (prob 250-300 yd max) I'll load up the 85gr SGK for him.

why not give bryns projectiles a whirl?
Gimp was doing some pretty impressive things with them wayyy back when I joined the forum

Originally Posted by Bill999

why not give bryns projectiles a whirl?
Gimp was doing some pretty impressive things with them wayyy back when I joined the forum

Whats the weight?

Ran the numbers on the JBM website. I think everything upwards of 80gr is going to be sketchy because of the twist rate.

Nosler 70gr BT gets my vote. ADI show a max of 43.5gr on their website for the Sierra 70gr HPBT.

It'll be 1:10 if it's a factory Sako barrel. Targex used to make a 105 that would work in a 1:10. 2209 is ideal.

They only shoot in a few barrels but if they will shoot they are still "the best". Nosler partitions, choice of 85 or 100's in 6mm

Originally Posted by Tussock

Instead of seeking a 6.5 barrel with the right contour right now, I might use the Sako as an anemic over bore under barreled. 243

I will buy a 6.5 suppressor and re-thread the barrel (because it has the dumbest Hardy thread ever).

Will end up a 17" .243

Now this is my idea of stupid.

The hunt I was just on was a quick shot for meat animals. There were plenty at 300-400m and we mucked around with the guys I was with eventually shooting two at 60m with major meat damage due to poor shooting.

I had my 45-70 with me.

Numerous shots from 200-400 were available and while I'm happy to hunt, the practicality of just quietly and effortlessly dropping these with a suppressed accurate rifle without stirring the place up was sorely missed. My old Sako would have made it look easy.

The 1:12 243 will fire small projectiles slowly. It's a relatively heavy rifle (wood stainless Sako 75) , so in my opinion this is a terrible rig.

However, it does give me a quiet low recoiling rifle, till I gather the bits to re-barrel it.

I have reloading gear again. Any recommendations for a load? I have oceans of 2209

Clearly you have a hate for the cartridge, so don't waste time and money to have something that will not give you any pleasure to carry and shoot. Pull the barrel, sell it and get a T3 barrel in a cartridge that will make you happy. Assuming of course, happy is a place you seek.

Originally Posted by GWH

Ive been recently playing with loads for my Dads old original model 7 (18.5" tube).

I originally had been using 100gr SGK's trying to keep as much retained energy as possible for the 300 yards plus clearings we often shoot. But i used a slow powder (7828ssc) to gain as much velocity as possibly in the short barrel which worked sweet, gaining nearly 300 fps over factory 100gr federal ammo in his barrel. But believe it or not the recoil was bloody stiff, and the old boy (78 with buggered shoulders) wasnt a big fan of shooting it.

So ive recently been playing with both 85gr SGK's (a very popular 243 deer bullet) and 87gr Vmaxs (being used in 243 by a few for good terminal performance on deer sized game at extended ranges).

His 18.5" barrel is pushing both the 85's and 87's at between 3060 -3100.. When looking at the 85gr SGK (3,100 fps) at 400 yards the energy is getting down a bit (688 ft lbs) but still over 1900 fps.

Due to the better BC of the 87 Vmax, starting at a muzzle velocity of 3060 fps, out at 400 yards it retains 895 ft lbs and 2,150 fps. So a better choice out at your 400 yards max range........BUT at closer ranges you'd want to neck shoot, as going by the goats Dad shoulder shot at just over 200 yards, the 87 Vmax just Chernobyl'd them. Instant death, and on inspection (cutting a front shoulder off and opening them up) it was like a little grenade had gone off inside them. Wow!

For the distances, my Dad will be shooting (prob 250-300 yd max) I'll load up the 85gr SGK for him.

The solution for you is really simple! 87 Berger, job done! Try 2206H, increase in bc and velocity and a reduction in felt recoil. And they kill out of proportion to their size.

Originally Posted by GWH

Whats the weight?

Ive got some 95 and 105 Targex if you want to give them a whirl. As gimp said the 105 will work in a 1/10.

The 90gr eld-x shoots well in my 1:10 twist, the 103gr eld-x wouldn't stabilise.
I haven't shot animals at 300-400m with it (goes well on paper and steel to 860m), but it makes a mess of a fallow at 150m.

95g Nosler Ballistic Tip

Originally Posted by 257weatherby

Clearly you have a hate for the cartridge, so don't waste time and money to have something that will not give you any pleasure to carry and shoot. Pull the barrel, sell it and get a T3 barrel in a cartridge that will make you happy. Assuming of course, happy is a place you seek.

I'm genuinely not fussy if it does the job it's meant to do.

I shot some factory cheap arse ammo through it on hares and they took multiple rounds. Put me off.

Very unfair on the rifle overall. The above loads seem sensible.

Having said that if I see a Tikka or Sako barrel in something interesting then I will do exactly what you suggest.

300m max range and the above loads would all do.

For the record, because we did it successfully years ago by screwing a Tikka barrel into a Mark 1 tang safety, you can actually use a Ruger barrel as well.

Originally Posted by 257weatherby

The solution for you is really simple! 87 Berger, job done! Try 2206H, increase in bc and velocity and a reduction in felt recoil. And they kill out of proportion to their size.

Thank you for that suggestion. For some reason, i hadn't considered this bullet at all. It appears to have an even higher BC than the 87 Vmax does, and holds onto its velocity and energy even better as you'd expect. Sounds like its a lot less explosive than the 87 Vmax, but still being fairly frangible it sounds like it still has great terminal performance, being that its actually a medium game bullet and not a varmint bullet like the 87 Vmax.

I'll order some and give them a go. It sure looks like it could be exactly what we're after. He doesn't shoot many of them so the higher cost isnt a big deal.