Thought about changing my Tikka 595 Whitetail Hunter 243 Win into a LR shooter.

It is short action with magazine based on the 308 case, 243, 260, 7mm-08, 308 or 338 Federal & 358 Win.

The barrel has about 2000 rounds through with only a few being max or near max loads.

It currently has a 1:10 Tikka barrel.

Haven't gone that route but have a 22-243 with a 1:8 barrel that reaches out there well with 75 and 80gr bullets with little recoil.

There are several options the 243 in a faster twist for the 115's is an option but there are less long range bullets of 244 diameter than there are for 22, 6.5 or 7mm.

I don't think a 1:10 will shoot a 115 gr bullet. But I bet that gun will make a shooter. Rebarrel it to a 1:8 or so and you should be good for all the heavy bullets.


Walter

If you plan to run the 115 DTAC bullets, you will need a 1:8" or the better 1:7" twist barrel. The 115 bullet is one of the worst for exhibiting yaw (or epicyclic swerve, or a cork screw flight path) at 100 yards. I have seen a 243 Win shoot the 115's into 3/4" at 300 yards. Shoot the same exact load at 100 yards, and you get 3/4" to 1" groups. This was with a 1:8" twist. If you run a 1:7", it will help reduce the yaw and make it shoot better at 100. The 115 is a long range bullet and will need to be tested at no closer than 300 yards to determine what load is best. I have spoken with many shooters that run the 115 in a fast twist 243, and it helps reduce the yaw a lot. I would run a 1:7" twist.

If you want to see something cool, shoot a 55 grain Nosler at top speed in a 1:7" twist!

If you want a long range shooter go 6.5mm. The Creedmoor or the 260. You'll benefit from the BC of the 6.5's and you don't have to push them wide open throttle to make them shoot well.

what about some of the 105-107 grain 243 bullets?

I have a savage with 1-9.5 twist 243win. What will the 1-9.5 twist stabilize?

With a 1:9.5" twist, you can shoot the 90 grain Berger BT and should be able to shoot the 95 VLD, if you push it fast. That's about as heavy as you can go for a BTHP.

Nothing like a bullet exploding before you hit a 100 yard target. Had a buddy doing that with his 22-250.

Walter

Yep, That is the puff of blue between the barrel and target

Since everyone has been talking and using 6.5/260, I was thinking about having my 243 rebarrelled and shoot the heavier bullets . Probably won't, but it was a thought from way back.
It likes Sierra and Hornady BTSP bullets. Sierra 80 and 100gr, Horn 100gr.

When you shoot it out, put on a nice cut rifled barrel with at least a 1-8 twist and shoot the heavy bullets and it will hammer and have impressive numbers.

Walter

6.5mm 1:8.5" twist, 140 gr A-maxes. Kill anything, in Texas, big enough to die

No reason to shoot the 115's since Berger came out with the 105 hybrid. It's an awesome bullet and all I shoot in my 6mm's. I shoot a 8.5 twist which stabilizes them fine but on the line...because a nine will not.

I haven't ran numbers on the 140 hybrid (because I don't think I can carry the speed needed to beat the 105 with a x47)but a 105 shooting 3050fps will have less wind drift than a 136 Lapua running 2900fps. After I ran the numbers through jbm I sort of felt stupid building a 6.5x47 when the 6's will out run it and out drift it. It isn't going to have the ft/lbs of the 6.5 but I don't need ft/lbs I need accuracy and all the help I can get in the wind. There isn't much difference via jbm on drift but almost an inch at 700y.

I say get a 1:8 or 1:8.5 and 1000 hybrids and go have fun...when you are done with those bullets that .243 will about be ready for a new one if you are pushing them at .243 speeds.

If you want to have more fun & little better barrel life get a 6br or better yet an improved 6br (brx or dasher) but they don't feed as well through a mag though. Burn less than 33g of powder everytime you pull the trigger and have a super accurate gun.

RW,

You can run the 87 grain VLD's in the 10" twist just fine. Here's a target from last week I shot with a 243 and 87 grain VLD. I love this bullet in a 243 Win. The last rifle I did shot Load C the best, and this one did also. I'm about to offer Load C on my website. It shoots very well.

http://www.texashuntingforum.com/forum/u...3_W#Post5150682

That is also what I am shooting, the hybrid is an awesome bullet, especially with the speed of the 243 and like.

Walter

I need to try these hybrids in my 234AI, it's already one of my most accurate guns, but hey it's always fun trying to make them better.

If you run the speeds and BC calculations, the 105 hybrid will perform better than the 115 DTAC with less drop and less drift, since the 105 has a higher BC. The 105 hybrid is a great bullet. It is a game changer for the .243" bullets. The only down fall is barrel life. In 243 Win I've seen 1000 to 1500 rounds. In the 6mm Creedmoor, they are getting a little more, but not by much.

BC of 115 DTAC- .540 G1
BC of 105 hybrid- .547 G1

I run the 115's in a 6XC with a 1:7.5 and they shoot great. Fortunately though, the 105 gr. Hybrids shoot even better. If you have enough case capacity, you MIGHT be able to get them to shoot in a 1:8 but nothing slower than that. The 105's (and 115's) shoot great all the way to 1000. A 6.5 will likely perform better, the bullets definitely have an advantage but but the shooter is also a big factor. My 6XC outshoots more than a few guys with larger bores.

Would a 22-243 and a 22-08 be synonymous?

Sounds cool to me either way. I just picked up a 22-250 over the weekend. Prior to that I was considering a 224 TTH / 22-6mm Rem.

6.5, 6, or 22 creed. All good options

May just step up to a 7mm-08 and be done with it.

Nothing wrong with that.

I can use my 243 Win brass and neck it up at least once or twice.