.243 how hot can you go?

[bigbfever]

well I'm sure you guys have heard these kinds of questions plenty of time but I could use some clearification so I'll ask anyways.

I have a old rem model 788 that shoots good,3in group @ 300) but it seems to have little change through powders/bullets. I don't want to invest any $ into the gun being low end and older, so my question is if I load the rounds up hotter will it stabalize the bullet any better or will i just be shooting the barrel out of it? I'm fairly new to all this, it just seem that I'm putting a lot of rounds down range with very little result.

next question how does everyone one feel about the 25-06, these are hunting rifle and not papper rifles, I have a good deal on a 25-06. that I could potentionally build on, would it be worth it or should I just start saving for a .260

 

[1000yardstare]

I know a lot of guys that would be happy with 3 inches at 300 yards with a low end hunting rifle. That is moa and would put you in the F Class 10 ring. I would say stick with those loads and save your barrel.

I have a Rem stainless SPS in .25-06. Shoots moa with most loads. Now and then it squeeks a half moa. But I never shoot it in hot weather. It is hard enough on barrels as it is. Just work up some good hunting loads and then save it for hunting. The Mohawks on the Reservs in southern Ontario seem to prefer the .25-06 and .257 Weatherby, another barrel burner. They do just enough target work to sight in and then save the rifle for hunting. They must have a lot of long shots at coyotes over bean fields or whatever.

The .260 Rem is based on the .308 case. Another excellent cartridge based on the .308 is the 7mm-08. It has enough thump for moose with 150 gr bullets. I read a story about a young woman taking an elk with the 7mm-08 and 140 Nosler partitions. Also the 7mm-08 is available in a wider variety of rifles. The .260 seems to be suffering the same fate as the .338 Fed and .358 Win. Excellent cartridges again based on the .308 but they just haven`t caught the imagination of the average hunter.

 

[30378]

Yeah, 3' groups is pretty good. Not sure I would even want to take a deer with a 243 much past that distance. As far as a new rifle, I'll give 2 thumbs up to the 260. I have a couple of 260s that are great deer rifles. With the proper bullet, the 260 will take all but the biggest North American bears. Very accurate, cheap to shoot and not quite as hard on barrels as a 25-06.

 

[bigbfever]

Thanks for the advice guys, ended up getting the 25-06. I just couldn't pass it up. Remington 700 for $275. Gonna start shopping for a good gunsmith, get it blue printed and swap the barrel out. But the 260 will be the next on the list. I know I should be happy with the .243 but I've got an itch for accuracy and it just hasnn't been scratched yet.

 

[CPorter]

Stabilizing bullets depends on bullet length, barrel twist rate and speed. If you think the bullets are key holing go with a shorter,lighter) bullet. The 1:10 twist the .243 Win usually comes with will stabilize up to 100 gr bullets in round nose and spitzer. If you want to use VLDs then you will need a faster twist and thats money you don't want to spend.

 

[2506]

Shoot that Rem 700 25-06 before you go doing anything to it. Make sure you have the barrel free floated in the stock and use either of these loads.
Load 1: 52 grs H-4831, CCI-BR2 primer, Rem case, 117 Sierra pro hunter, and OAL ten thousands off the lands.

Load 2: 49 grs IMR 4350, CCI-BR2 primer, Rem case, 117 Sierra pro hunter. and OAL ten thousands off the lands.

One of these loads should shoot lights out in your rifle.

I and my buddy use to control hunt a big farm in East NC for many years. We were to take 100 deer each year off this farm for crop damage control purposes and we did. We shot deer with about every caliber bullet combination going and we will both attest that there is nothing like the 25-06 for flat out dropping a deer in it's tracks 99% of the time.

My main deer rifle is a Rem 700 with a 26' #6 SS Shilen barrel in 25-06 in an H&S Precision full aluminum bed stock. It will put five shots under 1' at 300 yards on a calm day with load number 2 above. It has accounted for a number of rail car loads of deer over the past 20 years and it still is a tack driver. Don't shoot the barrel until it gets real hot and keep it clean and it will last you as a hunting rifle a life time.

 

[bigbfever]

thats what i'm talkin about, 2506 thanks for the recipes