Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Hunting Rifles Tikka 1:10 twist .243 vs Ruger American 1:9 twist

I am going to pick up a .243, and got a strong (and reasonable) recommendation on the Tikka.

The only reservation I have is the Tikka has a 1:10 twist, where some others, like the Ruger American, have a 1:9 twist, therefore making the 100 grain or 105 grain bullet viable.

For those of you who shoot the Tikka with it's 1-in-ten barrel twist, does this become a limiting factor to you on bullet size??

If it's going to be used for hunting, I don't think I'd be using a bullet longer than a normal 100 grain pill. I have both rifles, in other calibers and prefer the Tikka.

Tikka

A 10" twist .243 is not something I'd be interested in buying...

If it is a hunting rifle then the 10 twist will be fine, load up Nosler Partitions in 95 gr and go kill stuff. If it is going to a "long range tacticool" rifle then you may be better off with the nine twist so you can shoot heavier bullets.

For me the answer is simple - Tikka.

drover

I agree with others, the Tikka 10 twist will shoot 100 grain or less hunting pills like a champ. If you're in the new fad of long slender pills, it's not for you. For hunting, it will work great.

My family has killed a couple small truckloads of KY WT deer using 95gr and 100gr Nosler Partitions handloads in Remington and Savage .243Win rifles with the factory 1:10" twist. For hunting, I would not have any concerns with a .243Win rifle twisted 1:10".

The Ruger American in 6mm creedmoor has 1:7.7" twist.

I just sold my Tikka T3 Superlight, It shot the 87gr Hornady BTHP in to 12mm groups @ 100m (109 yards) @ 3125 FPS and it did that with ZERO load development, I literally just picked a decent powder charge of ADI 2209 43.5gr and went at it. Tikkas are wonderful things to get shooting but are cookie cutter rifles.
Squares are 10mm (about .4 of an inch)

I agree with the first part of this statement, but the second part . . . the OP was comparing the Tikka to an RAR. The RAR is the cookie cutter!

I'd go the 1-9 twist because a 1-10 basically excludes all the best bullets for shooting further out or in wind.

I suspect 6mm bullets are going to get longer and longer.

Thanks to everyone for your thoughts on this.

Much appreciated advice for a "newby" on the .243 cartridge and the barrel twist options, and what has worked for you.
Have a great weekend.

The Crab.

Old_Crab - check out "bobnob17's" answer. 1:10 twist works for the older cup/core bullets but may not stabilize the newer GMX, TTSX type etc. bullets as they are a tad longer than the older slugs. The Ruger's 1:9 twist will, however, spin the new stuff fast enough to stabilize them. Invest in the latest edition reloading manual (Hornady etc.) for background on these changes. Homesteader