Accurate long barreled 243

[Raptor1956]

I currently own a 6 year old Bushmaster Varminter AR-15 with a 24 inch heavy fluted barrel and floating handguard as well as a 2 month old SA XD 357 sig handgun with 5 inch barrel and I'm thinking about building or buying a long barreled 243. My goal would be to have an accurate rifle with a 24-26 inch barrel to make the most of the propellant charge but I'm open as to actions and make/model.

If I could build to spec I'd like it to have a 26 inch heavy barrel, perhaps fluted, with a twist rate that might permit a 100gn bullet but I suspect I'll tend to stay more in the 68-80gn range with an occasional use of even lighter bullets when I want to blow stuff up. So, assuming I use factory loads what twist rate would be preferred? If I were to handload and didn't do full case resizing so I had more case capacity what twist rate would that drive -- again, assuming a 26 inch barrel?

Lastly, I think I'd like to swap my current AR scope,Leupold 6x24 mildot) onto the 243 and maybe get an Eotech for the AR.


Thanks,

Brian

 

[Dans40X]

Purchase a Rem 700 Varmint chambered in 243 with its 1:9" twist Bbl for your entry level Tactical/Varmint/Hunting rifle.

A 1:8" twist Bbl would be a better choice for the 243 with VLD bullets for long range shooting.
A better caliber choice would be a 260 Rem chambering with a 1:8" twist Bbl to push 140/142 VLD bullets.
A 7mm-08 Bbl/stock could be fitted for silhouette shooting.
A 308 Bbl in 1:10"-1:12" twist for the 4th switch barrel.

A 1:8" twist 22-250 Rem Bbl pushing 80-90gr VLD's will run away from your "Mouse Gun" for a 5th option on the same action.

 

[CPorter]

7 or 8 twist for 115 gr VLD bullets or lighter
9 or 10 twist for 100 gr standard bullets or lighter
12 twist for 80-87 gr bullets like the ballistic tip or max and lighter bullets


The faster twist gives you more options but you loose a little bit of accuracy with the lighter bullets. An 8 twist will allow you to shoot the ballistic tips and the VLDs. You can also shoot other bullets but you have to be careful of lighter constructed bullets. If you launch them to fast they will disintegrate.