Soooo I’m thinking about .243- few questions

[Shraggs]

Mtwarden, flip phones were fine, but the smart phones proved more functional!

You have a lot of experience and possibly haven’t been into this “new” stuff. Ie accubonds vs match Bullets as you mentioned. There is a lot of info here if you haven’t read it.

Interesting to me the 243 and 95 nbt - a very rapid expanding bullet was maybe the best most capable well rounded combo including elk to 400 yards. It’s still a great option and epitomized more frangible concept decades ago for big game in a meager caliber. Softer more explosive bullets can offer greater range and better wounding in smaller powder cartridges vs controlled expansion bullets.

Today the tikka is an affordable better action, the 6cm is similar with two fundamental differences. The chamber is longer allowing use of longer heavier better bc bullets and a faster twist to stabilize them.

As mentioned there are heavy for caliber high bc bullets in factory ammo available like hornady 6mm 108 eld m or 103eld x. Extending range without going up in caliber and recoil, way better shooting in the wind even if you cap it at 400 yds. 95 nbt an option no problem still. Tikka does now make a 243 in an 8 twist too.

 

[Lawnboi]

An 8 twist tikka probably isn’t going to do you much good compared to a 10 twist if you don’t reload. Though some of the little guys might make you ammo with heavier, more efficient bullets.

 

[slatebuilder]

243’s are great. My dad, brother, myself, and my kids have killed a lot of stuff with them. My dad always loaded 41 grains of IMR 4350 with Nosler Partitions. Worked fantastic. A few years ago we were running low on partitions so we loaded up a bunch of 100 grain interlocks with 42 grains of RL19. Last year my daughter wanted to shoot 95 grain ballistic tips because she liked the purple. 42 grains of RL 19 worked great with those too and dumped her doe in its tracks.

 

[mtwarden]

@Shraggs - yeah probably need to set aside a little time for more reading

The thing that's slowing me a little on the Tikka is the weight. Once you carry a sub 6# (all in) rifle, that's what you want to carry

I'm looking at the Compact (it's only offered in 1:10 however) for the 20" barrel as I'm already convinced I'll have to get an aftermarket stock anyways to get the rifle in the 5-ish # range.

I like the Superlite (1:8), they show they are offered in 20", but only finding them in 22.4"????

Also the Compact can be had for less than $700, closer to the price of the Hunter.

 

[Brontosaurus]

Sooo... with that said I'm now looking at Tikka's

A very Rokslidey statement

 

[Brontosaurus]

@Shraggs - yeah probably need to set aside a little time for more reading

The thing that's slowing me a little on the Tikka is the weight. Once you carry a sub 6# (all in) rifle, that's what you want to carry

I'm looking at the Compact (it's only offered in 1:10 however) for the 20" barrel as I'm already convinced I'll have to get an aftermarket stock anyways to get the rifle in the 5-ish # range.

I like the Superlite (1:8), they show they are offered in 20", but only finding them in 22.4"????

Also the Compact can be had for less than $700, closer to the price of the Hunter.

Get a superlite and send it to Chad at lri for a diet. I.e. wildcat stock, sheep port, bolt fluting etc. Some guys on here have done it and gotten tikkas down to nearly 5 lbs flat.

 

[SloppyJ]

Only problem with the superlight is there's no barrel threading. If that doesn't concern you then go to town!

 

[Shraggs]

My tikka t3x 223 super light weighed 6.3 lbs bare.

It’s now dressed with my first suppressor which added about 5.5 oz. Did not cut it, the jk 155 is short.

Scope is heavy, but it will work if I drop it!

 

[NRA4LIFE]

I have an older A-Bolt in .243 which is my absolute favorite hunting rifle. When I bought it (1988 I think) I had just started reloading and didn't even know what twist rate even meant. I've been shooting 100 gr Interlocks out of it since day one. Accurate as hell. I've probably drained MT of 50-60 critters with it, mule deer and antelope. Of course, I have poor eyesight and have rarely ever taken a shot over 300 yards.

 

[CBB1]

Ok maybe this needs to be its own thread but I’ll start here. I’ve been kicking around the .243/6CM idea in my head for a while. I want a rifle that is cut to 16” for a suppressor and can handle whitetail hunting to 400 yards. I currently have a Model 7 with a 9.125” twist that shoots 95gr NBT well out of a 20” barrel getting 2850 with my hand load.

For a a hunter, in my situation what do I gain from buying a 8” twist Tikka 243 or rebarreling my model7 to a 6CM? It would be easier to just cut down my current model 7. But then I’m not buying a new Tikka to join the cool kid club.

I guess the best way to sum this up is what is the true benefit of building a gun to shoot the 108eldm when I already have one that shoots the 95grNBT?


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[TSnave]

I think the operative term there is, "I want". If you have the coin to do it, what's holding you back? I just picked up a 257 Roberts. I don't need it, I've got more "hunting" rifles than tags in a season. It won't do anything that my 6mm won't; they're based on the same case for heavens sake! But I've always wanted one.

 

[darpoh]

@Shraggs - yeah probably need to set aside a little time for more reading

The thing that's slowing me a little on the Tikka is the weight. Once you carry a sub 6# (all in) rifle, that's what you want to carry

I'm looking at the Compact (it's only offered in 1:10 however) for the 20" barrel as I'm already convinced I'll have to get an aftermarket stock anyways to get the rifle in the 5-ish # range.

I like the Superlite (1:8), they show they are offered in 20", but only finding them in 22.4"????

Also the Compact can be had for less than $700, closer to the price of the Hunter.

I’m not sure about Cabela’s US, but on the Canadian site the 243 compact is only offered in 1:8.

 

[sargent]

I'm looking at the Compact (it's only offered in 1:10 however) for the 20" barrel

I used a hacksaw, file, and miter saw to trim a little off both ends of a Tikka T3X Lite. It brought the weight down 5.5 ounces and made the rifle's dimensions nearly identical to my Kimber Hunter with 19" barrel. Honestly, the hardest part was taking the plunge and cutting that sucker up.

The thing that's slowing me a little on the Tikka is the weight. Once you carry a sub 6# (all in) rifle, that's what you want to carry

I know what you mean. Last fall, I carried my Kimber Hunter .308 (6.5# loaded), then switched to the Tikka .223 with an SWFA this year (7.5# loaded). Next year I will likely be hunting a .243 minimum for elk state and I plan on packing my Model 7 .243 (7.75# unloaded). I definitely noticed the difference while carrying the Tikka this year, but the lower recoil combined with a heavier rifle also seemed to improve my accuracy.

I plan on shooting the Winchester Silvertip 95 grain ballistic tips at game. Anyone have a reasonably accurate, inexpensive 95 grain factory .243 load they use for practice?

 

[mtwarden]

I’m not sure about Cabela’s US, but on the Canadian site the 243 compact is only offered in 1:8.

1:8 better yet

I've perused through their lineup via their factory code book- they have a few 20" .243's, one in the "regular"Lite, one in the Superlite BUT appears neither are offered in the US for some reason. In the US seems only the Compact is available in 20", the 12.5 lop wouldn't work for me, but if I'm going to replace the stock.......

@sargent "light is right"

my gunsmith shortened (&crowned) my Hunter for less than $50, I'll let him do it if there is an chopping to that needs done

 

[mtwarden]

Avg MV loss when cutting back barrel is 25 fps/inch.

I’d be looking at the 90 ELD-X or 85 Partition. Maybe even a couple of options in 95 grain like NBT or SST.

JBM Ballistics stability calculator doesn’t take into account the hollow point occupied by plastic tips, so it could calculate instability when in fact the bullet stabilizes fine. Not sure if AB subtracts out that void or not.

Form has pointed out the 95 TMK NBT was designed for elk hunting out of standard twist .243 Win rifles.

Found this (same guy that did the .308 some years back, which convinced me to cut 3" off my .308) for .243

Looks like he found about 35-40 fps/inch of barrel removed, so 22"-> 19" should be ~ 100-120' loss, negligible for my use

https://rifleshooter.com/2016/04/24...eduction was 39.6,a reduction 338 feet/second.

 

[TxxAgg]

1:8 better yet

I've perused through their lineup via their factory code book- they have a few 20" .243's, one in the "regular"Lite, one in the Superlite BUT appears neither are offered in the US for some reason. In the US seems only the Compact is available in 20", the 12.5 lop wouldn't work for me, but if I'm going to replace the stock.......

@sargent "light is right"

my gunsmith shortened (&crowned) my Hunter for less than $50, I'll let him do it if there is an chopping to that needs done

The compact 20" version comes with a spacer so the stock can still size up to a normal 13.5" LOP.

 

[mtwarden]

The compact 20" version comes with a spacer so the stock can still size up to a normal 13.5" LOP.

Damn- that’s good information to have! Appreciate that . Makes it an easier choice.

 

[Big_Sky_Guy]

I don't think anyone mentioned the 100gr Partition...that's a killer combo! .243/100gr Partition.

 

[Wildhorse]

My savage 243 is a 1-9 twist and stabilizes the 90 accubonds great as well as the 100 partitions that rifle has taken many elk with those two loads and stays a sub moa rifle. The 90s and 100s should stabilize just fine with that 1-10 twist in your rifle. I personally wouldnt cut down below 22 I've shot some 18" 243s and I personally in my opinion like the performance in the 22-24 range best.

 

[mtwarden]

^Thanks- I'm 99% sure I won't be going as long as 24", but not so sure on 20 vs 22"