Fast twist 243

Anyone done one?
Most likely receiving my 20" 243 1:7.5" next week if another storm doesn't close the roads.
Chambered to shoot 85-90 gr copper bullets (factory ammo) for reds, quite possibly some 90-110gr lead if I can be bothered but most likely I'll buy some factory 90-95gr and be done.

The 1:7,5" simply because that's what the gunsmith had on the shelf. 243 because I had the dies and couldn't be arsed with 6 XC (also have the dies).

Yes I know, there's more modern 6mm's but I can't get factory ammo here and dies are getting ridiculously expensive.

What Rifle / Action are you using ?
What Cartridge OAL does the magazine allow ?
The whole idea of fast twist is to throw heavy for Caliber projectiles , but that can be complicated by not having enough room in the magazine for those Long bullets .
.243 is a great Cartridge with many different Factory ammunition choices available.
Please keep us updated on the results :thumbsup:

Not sure how you expect to kill anything with a 243, its so old fashioned and not trendy at all

You should have great success with that,the option of using pretty much all off the shelf ammunition will be handy indeed. Should get great expansion with the faster twist.

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Originally Posted by blip

Not sure how you expect to kill anything with a 243, its so old fashioned and not trendy at all

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Quite right! No self respecting animal would allow itself to be shot with anything but the latest cartridge. Imagine the shame telling the others in the herd that your brother was shot with a 3006 for example.

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Originally Posted by blip

Not sure how you expect to kill anything with a 243, its so old fashioned and not trendy at all

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That's why I rebarreled mine to a modern cartridge, 257 Roberts.

Check out the 95g Nosler Ballistic Tip

Designed by Gail Root for all of his Africa Plains Game hunting

Good BC, a jacket thickness controlled expanding lead core with a solid copper boat tail for deep penetration of vital organs

I have a t3 1:8 shooting 108 ELD-Ms @2900 and 85gn Maker trex @3200 (22.4" bbl). Nice to shoot and kills stuff good. The 108s could go faster but they shoot well and have killed from 30 to 425 yards. I haven't used the 85s on game yet.

108s work terrifically

i have a 243 with a trueflit 1:8 24" barrel, I started with berger 87gr and 105 gr ELD hunters, the 87gr are great on deer and goats massive internal and exits, I struggled to get the 105 gr 's to group as expected and changed to 108 ELD-M's and my first load just worked just over 3000 fps. RL26 and still room to go faster but I don't need to.
Not so great on goats, they are just a bit thin. My last deer with that was 2 fallow hinds. 120mtr walking away uphill, went through the hip joint, gut, liver, lung and brisket and found just under the skin.
PS a fallow hind looking at it from the rear and above is very narrow!!!
Z

105 Targex trundling along at 2900fps from a 20" 9.25 twist. whatever it gets pointed at dies without arguing the point.

https://bulletin.accurateshooter.com...the-cartridge/

Performance will be basically the same as 6mm Creedmoor, 1:7.5 twist is well within the normal range guys run for heavier projectiles.

If you already have dies and want factory ammo then sticking with 243 is a good option.

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Originally Posted by blip

Not sure how you expect to kill anything with a 243, its so old fashioned and not trendy at all

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I once read "only gunwriters can't kill a deer with 243".
I grew up with the same gunmagazine nonsense. First season I used a 243 on roe (87 Vmax) I didn't have a single runner. First season I used 6 XC on reds (105 Amax) I found that it dropped them just as hard as my 6,5's.

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Originally Posted by Ground Control

What Rifle / Action are you using ?
What Cartridge OAL does the magazine allow ?

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It's a custom barrel for my Blaser R8, it's setup for COAL closer to 74,2mm with Hornady 90gr CX (on right) so it can be set properly in the case, magazine should offer no limitations.
Attachment 272657
From left: Nosler 95gr BT, Hornady 90gr ELD X, Hornady 90gr CX

After surfing abit online and looking at what's available I found that there was plenty hunting ammo with 90-95gr Nosler AB/BT lying around on shelves at very reasonable prices (from speaking with the importers, 243 rifle sales is approaching zero in Norway but those that do have them really use them).

I'm picking up the rifle today, will post some pics when able. Shooting it is still a few weeks off.

Here it is. A tad heavy, but at least weight is "normal" weightwise.
Attachment 272658
Attachment 272659

Used a barrel stub from Akila to get an ordinary picatinny rail and not go via Blaser mount. Slightly heavier profile on the barrel
Attachment 272660
Attachment 272661

Stock is Carbonomix
Attachment 272662
Attachment 272663

Nice bipod attachment point.
Attachment 272664

It appears I have an IBI barrel
Attachment 272665

Norway, that should be a nice rifle to carry and shoot. Can you tell me where the stock came from / who was it made by?

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Originally Posted by Norway

Here it is. A tad heavy, but at least weight is "normal" weightwise.
Attachment 272658
Attachment 272659

Used a barrel stub from Akila to get an ordinary picatinny rail and not go via Blaser mount. Slightly heavier profile on the barrel
Attachment 272660
Attachment 272661

Stock is Carbonomix
Attachment 272662
Attachment 272663

Nice bipod attachment point.
Attachment 272664

It appears I have an IBI barrel
Attachment 272665

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That’s a nice setup :thumbsup:
What Scope and Suppressor are you going to use ?
Please tell me your not going to do your usual spray can camouflage job on that beautiful Stock :D
It will be good to see your new .243 appear on your upcoming videos ……I can’t wait to see the results.

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Originally Posted by Ground Control

Please tell me your not going to do your usual spray can camouflage job on that beautiful Stock :D

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No.*

Carbonomix made the stock

https://carbonomix.si/



(*
I need warmer weather for that.)

Barrel is interesting. Canadian. https://internationalbarrels.com

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Originally Posted by Marty Henry

Quite right! No self respecting animal would allow itself to be shot with anything but the latest cartridge. Imagine the shame telling the others in the herd that your brother was shot with a 3006 for example.

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well those using a 45-70 must crawl home in disgust and 303 dont even think about it ( despite the fact shot more deer in NZ than any other calibre )

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Originally Posted by Barry the hunter

well those using a 45-70 must crawl home in disgust and 303 dont even think about it ( despite the fact shot more deer in NZ than any other calibre )

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303: only because there wasn't a useful alternative at the time. Otherwise they would have been stacked 50 high at the dump.

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Originally Posted by Tahr

Barrel is interesting. Canadian. https://internationalbarrels.com

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I have an IBI barrel on my Tikka 6x45 , it is the most accurate Rifle I own .
I’d recommend them if someone is in the market for a new barrel:thumbsup:

Attachment 272697
I've been shooting a 243W as well as the Ackley with either 1/7.5, 1/7.75 or 8t since forever.

Im currently using this tikka fitted with a Trueflite, 7.5t, pushing 109gr Bergers at 3050fps. Basically the same performance I got from my 6mm Creedmoor.

Nothing wrong with 243W mate, still hits way above its weight class.

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Originally Posted by Ground Control

That’s a nice setup :thumbsup:
What Scope and Suppressor are you going to use ?

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Not sure. Currently have my Minox ZP5 5-25x but too heavy. Also have a Kahles Helia 3-18x50 which is ok, but in use on another rifle. Have a fixed power Swarovski 7x50 but no; heavy and no benefits. New scopes are ridiculously priced now so looking at the secondhand market with half an eye; Schmidt & Bender with BDC turrets (a moust for me) tends to pop up regularly. Suppressor will be my Atec Optima

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Originally Posted by Tahr

Barrel is interesting. Canadian. https://internationalbarrels.com

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IBI has made quite a name for themselves here. With US export regulations, the Canadians took that market (non-chambered barrels require next to nil paperwork) and they've proven themselves with the PRS shooters especially. I asked my gunsmith to dip my stainless steel barrel in the bluing bath, normally this will give the lightest of grey colours. With the IBI, the bluing didn't take at all due steel quality.

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Originally Posted by Ground Control

I have an IBI barrel on my Tikka 6x45 , it is the most accurate Rifle I own .
I’d recommend them if someone is in the market for a new barrel:thumbsup:

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IS that the 6mm-223 wildcat or something else? What do you shoot it in? Used to have a 6x45 in a Sako Vixen, lovely cartridge as long as I didn't shoot the deer in the lungs.

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Originally Posted by Jaco Goosen

Attachment 272697
I've been shooting a 243W as well as the Ackley with either 1/7.5, 1/7.75 or 8t since forever.

Im currently using this tikka fitted with a Trueflite, 7.5t, pushing 109gr Bergers at 3050fps. Basically the same performance I got from my 6mm Creedmoor.

Nothing wrong with 243W mate, still hits way above its weight class.

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That's my opinion too, with shot placement it just works.
What powders do you use? I was going to try Vit N560 (what I have), if not ok then try Vit N160/Norma MRP (what I can easily get)

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Originally Posted by Norway

IBI has made quite a name for themselves here. With US export regulations, the Canadians took that market (non-chambered barrels require next to nil paperwork) and they've proven themselves with the PRS shooters especially. I asked my gunsmith to dip my stainless steel barrel in the bluing bath, normally this will give the lightest of grey colours. With the IBI, the bluing didn't take at all due steel quality.


IS that the 6mm-223 wildcat or something else? What do you shoot it in? Used to have a 6x45 in a Sako Vixen, lovely cartridge as long as I didn't shoot the deer in the lungs.

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Your correct my 6x45 is also known as a 6mm-223 . A single pass through the Die expands the neck of a .223 case up to 6mm .
All I did was rebarrel an old Tikka T3 , I chose the T3 for a couple of reasons but the main reason was because I can use a Waters magazine ( Australian made ) which allows a Cartridge OAL of 2.6 inches without any other modifications. When my Gunsmith chambered the barrel he throated it for a dummy round that had assembled using a Sierra 85 gr hpbt seated out long . The case is so small you don’t want to have the projectile seated to far down in it reducing powder capacity.
It throws those 85 gr Sierra’s at 2865 fps out of a 22 inch barrel using ADI 2206H ( Hodgdon 4895 ) powder into tiny little groups .
It’s my favourite Rifle :thumbsup:
When I was looking for a new barrel I asked my Gunsmith what he would recommend . He had a few different makes on his shelf but he suggested that I buy an IBI from another shop ( he didn’t have one available at the time ) and he would chamber and fit it .
He said that the IBI barrels were some of the most consistent and accurate barrels he has used over the years . I think he was correct and I appreciate his honesty and not trying to just sell me something that he already had .