# .243 rate of twist



## wyogoob (Sep 7, 2007)

.243s seem to be popular around here. The versatile caliber can be used for ground squirrels or deer.

But I have found them to be a little sensitive to the rate of twist. If you buy a varmiter .243 it may not be suited for the heavier .243 projectiles. I have an old Remington 725 that has a 9" in 1. (I think 10" in 1 revolution is pretty standard). It likes the heavier bullets. Won't group anything smaller than 95 gr bullets. My best loads is are 95gr to 100gr pointeds with IMR 4831. 

Another .243, Remington pump, I have has a 10" in 1 twist and it's a little more versatile. 

Anyway check your rate of twist if your .243 doesn't like some bullet weights or designs.


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## BPturkeys (Sep 13, 2007)

You guys that are old enough might remember when the .243 Win. came out. Winchester looked at the rifle as a varmiter/deer rifle and chose to rifle it with the 1 in 10 twist so it would handle the heavier...up to 105 grain..bullets. Remington introducted their .24 cal rifle calling it the .244REM with the 1 in 12 twist with the tought that it would make a fine varmit rifle that would handle bullet weight up to 90 gr. To make a long story short...most people agreed with Winchester that these sweet little guns are in fact a great dual purpose rifle when loaded with appropriate bullets. A couple of years later Remington introduced the same exact round as the .244REM with the head stamp 6mm Remington and the rifles under the same name with a 1-in10 twist. Even thought the 6mm Remington is a superior round ballistically, with a two year head start in the .24 cal market, Remington was never able to catch up with Winchester in sales and popularity. Interesting little bit of gun history.

P.S. 95 grains 0f 4831 won't fit in a .243 case. The good news is with the large grained powder like 4831 or 4350, when loading the the .243 or the 6mm Rem...just fill up the case to the base of the neck and she'll shoot like a dream.


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## woollybugger (Oct 13, 2007)

If you're having trouble getting your fast twist .243 groups to tighen, you might try a lighter charge. My .243 has a 1 in 9 1/4" twist, but shoots 70 and 80 gr bullets just fine; the only issue is that I don't get the ultra fast velocities (~3200 fps seems to be the accurate limit for the 70gr TNT, my most accurate load is an 80gr hot-cor at about 3050-3080 fps.) However, I have a load for a 90gr hot-cor (my hunting load) that is 3150 fps and sub MOA. I don't need extra velocity, the fragile lighter bullets still give dramatic results on varmints. I also like the versatility of being able to stabilize heavier bullets.

p.s. I love IMR 4350 fo this caliber! you _almost_ can't go wrong.


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## wyogoob (Sep 7, 2007)

BPturkeys said:


> ......
> 
> P.S. 95 grains 0f 4831 won't fit in a .243 case. The good news is with the large grained powder like 4831 or 4350, when loading the the .243 or the 6mm Rem...just fill up the case to the base of the neck and she'll shoot like a dream.


Woops, I didn't critique my post. I wrote "95 gr to 100 gr pointeds" "Pointeds" means a pointed bullet. I should have worded it different I guess. (95 gr of 4831, haha, need like a .416 Lott case....... my shoulder's sore just thinking about it!)


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## wyogoob (Sep 7, 2007)

woollybugger said:


> If you're having trouble getting your fast twist .243 groups to tighen, you might try a lighter charge. My .243 has a 1 in 9 1/4" twist, but shoots 70 and 80 gr bullets just fine; the only issue is that I don't get the ultra fast velocities (~3200 fps seems to be the accurate limit for the 70gr TNT, my most accurate load is an 80gr hot-cor at about 3050-3080 fps.) However, I have a load for a 90gr hot-cor (my hunting load) that is 3150 fps and sub MOA. I don't need extra velocity, the fragile lighter bullets still give dramatic results on varmints. I also like the versatility of being able to stabilize heavier bullets.
> 
> p.s. I love IMR 4350 fo this caliber! you _almost_ can't go wrong.


You're right I need to back off on my loads. Maybe that's why 4350 and Nosler Ballistic Tips didn't work for me. By the way 4350 is my favorite in most all my 25-06 loads.


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## woollybugger (Oct 13, 2007)

*I don't ever start with max loads!* I start low, and work up from there. I find a the fastest load that will shoot accurately. For an 80 gr bullet, 3080 fps is slow! Max loads are around 3350fps. 60 gr bullets (which my gun does not like!) can be loaded into the 3900 fps range in .243. 100-105 gr bullets only max out around 2950 and like faster rates of twist.


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## wyogoob (Sep 7, 2007)

woollybugger said:


> *I don't ever start with max loads!* I start low, and work up from there. I find a the fastest load that will shoot accurately. For an 80 gr bullet, 3080 fps is slow! Max loads are around 3350fps. 60 gr bullets (which my gun does not like!) can be loaded into the 3900 fps range in .243. 100-105 gr bullets only max out around 2950 and like faster rates of twist.


Good point. Thanks.

I reload for one .243 with 1 in 10" twist and one .243 with 1 in 9 1/8" twist. So I have lots of loads to try. Having two of the same caliber with 2 rates of twist is kinda confusing.

One gun is a shooter (1 in 10") the other gun (1 in 9 1/8") a 1960 Rem 725, is a collector's piece.


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## chet (Sep 7, 2007)

So what you are saying is: a 1 in 10 twist is not fast enough for a 95gr+ 6mm bullet at 3000 fps?????
but if we chucked that bullet at 3300 fps is might be ok?
I think you guys may have just opened my eyes to my current troubles with my 25-06, **** those barnes bullets! they are just too dang long! and I can't push them fast enough to stabilize..... possibly  
back to the bench i guess..........
Is it possible to overstabilize the lighter bullets?


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## Spry Yellowdog (Sep 8, 2007)

I have 2 of the above mentioned 6mm remingtons and its funny one loves 4350 powder and the other loves 4320. Both rounds shooting a spitzer boattail 100gr. The bullet seat is what
seems to make the most accurate round for both. Being a short action bolt the 100gr has to be seated to feed through the mag I cant quite make the barrel lands.

And with smaller sized bullets a 75gr flat base hollowpoint near max pressure with the same powder has very good results. But a boattail will not preform like the flat base. I think its just the bearing surface of the bullet is to small when boattailed but not sure.
Happy Hunting
Spry


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## huntducksordietrying (Sep 21, 2007)

How would I find the twist of my rifle barrel? I have a remington model seven.


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## wyogoob (Sep 7, 2007)

huntducksordietrying said:


> How would I find the twist of my rifle barrel? I have a remington model seven.


Look on Remington's website or in their catalog. It's 1 turn in 9 1/8".


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## wyogoob (Sep 7, 2007)

chet said:


> So what you are saying is: a 1 in 10 twist is not fast enough for a 95gr+ 6mm bullet at 3000 fps?????
> but if we chucked that bullet at 3300 fps is might be ok?
> I think you guys may have just opened my eyes to my current troubles with my 25-06, **** those barnes bullets! they are just too dang long! and I can't push them fast enough to stabilize..... possibly
> back to the bench i guess..........
> Is it possible to overstabilize the lighter bullets?


I never thought about overstabilization. Here's what this guy says about it and other .243 stuff in: http://www.loadammo.com/Topics/July01.htm:

He says: "A term we often hear is "overstabilization" of the bullet. This doesn't happen. Either a bullet is stable or it isn't......................."

It's all interesting, or in my case maybe confusing, information.


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