Home Forums Reloading Varmint Rifles Accuracy issues with my new 243?

Bought a 243 ADL at Academy Sports a couple weeks ago. Tried getting it to shoot in the factory stock but it was pretty inconsistent with about everything. I decided that it needed a stock and I had an B+C stock that came off another rifle, so I bought some BDL bottom metal and put it together. Torqued stock to 50inch pnds and have been trying to get it to shoot my hand loads. I have tried Varget and IMR 4350 with 70gr Speer TNT's. I have used various charges in both powders, all the way from middle of road to max in .5gr increments. I have had it shoot some great groups here and there, then when I load more of the same powder charge, it will not duplicate. I have handloaded for alot of rifles and I usually load to max COL and usually find something that works so I have been seating them to 2.710. Any ideas or suggestions would be great. Getting frustrated a little with this rifle. No apparent stringing, just patterns and occasionally a crazy unexplained flyer? Stock was bedded for a different rifle but seems to fit ok.

Thanks
HeavyBarrel

Have had gun shoot 1/2" groups with a certain charge but can not get repeatability?


HeavyBarrel

Try the Sierra 85gr HPBT with 45.0grs of RL19, that load shoots out of all (14) 243s. Can use the Barnes 80gr TTSX for deer with the same load.

HB

I have had rifles do the same thing. One time I had found a load which on consecutive 3 shot groups shot about 3/8". Went home and loaded 50 rounds and a few days later went to fine tune POA shot 1 1/2" - 3" groups. Same bullet, same COAL, individually weighed each charge, once fired brass etc,etc. I never duplicated that original series. The rifle did shoot another load with a different bullet/powder very well and consistently. This is why it is better to shoot 5 - 10 shot groups to make sure that the rifle shoots consistently and has not randomly produced a "good" group.

You state that the B&C stock was bedded for another rifle, could it possibly have the action under tension/ torsion causing a change in POI with each shot?

I do think that the action might be bound up due to the original bedding being for a different rifle. That may be my problem so I will drop it off at the Smith and let him check it out and re-bed.
I agree with the five shot group idea. I usually do that with my heavy barrel guns. I have my loading bench and rifle range right at my pole barn at house, so when I get a good 3 shot group, I will usually go back in and load 2 more and see if they hit in the same spot. I did this with a couple charge weights and might have 4 in one ragged hole then a flyer. I usually discount the flyer as just a hick up on my part and load 3 more. most of the time they would not duplicate.

HeavyBarrel

I bought an ADL in 243 from Walmart a few years back, and it's been a very accurate rifle, both in the factory stock and in the one I restocked it with. I'd try several different bullets and bullet weights. Every 243 I've ever had liked W760 powder and the Sierra 85 grain HPBT bullet, loaded at max.

Shot again this evening. 47gr IMR 4350, Remington brass (New), Winchester Large Rifle Primer, 70gr Speer TNT, seated a touch deeper at 2.700 COL. This combination has produced several 3 shot groups 1/2", but not consistent, so I fouled barrel with some old factory, since i cleaned it yesterday after shooting, and tried a 5 shot group. Right at 1" at 100 so I let barrel cool and had 3 more loaded up the same and shot a 1.5" 3 shot group. It is not my shooting, I may not be the best but I shoot a lot and have no trouble getting accuracy out of my other rifles. I use a bench jack, and rabbit ear rear bag, and a couple sand bags for comfort and to hold the jack. That is all of the new brass, I guess I have shot the gun 200 rounds or so, at least 100 hand loads of different combos.

I am going to drop it off at the Smith ASAP and let him bed re bed it. Dont know what else to try.

HeavyBarrel

Sell it or trade it and get a Tikka - problem solved.

drover

Lol, got one on the way but it's a 30-06. I sold my Savage coyote rifle, mistake, and bought the 243 to take its place. I mainly bought it because I had the B+C Stock laying around. Figured I could find something to shoot out of it but so far nothing but agrivation! May trade it for another savage. I am gonna get it bedded first and see what happens before giving up.

HeavyBarrel

Dang gun shows real promise sometimes! Hoping the bedding will get it more consistent.

I hate guns like that - all they are is teasers. The biggest issue is that I have found with a rifle that will only shoot one load good is that even if a load is found that shoots good it just doesn't seem to keep doing it very long.

I am assuming that since it is an ADL it has the tupperware stock. If so try putting it back in the tupperware stock but put a couple of piece of business cards under the front of the receiver so that the barrel free-floats. This will at least give you an idea if it is a bedding issue. I have actually had pretty good luck with the tupperware stocks, although they can be finicky, I have had the best results by tightening the action screws pretty tightly. I have also cured a couple of poor shooters by free-floating in the tupperware stocks.

If it is not a bedding issue then cut your losses - sell the B&C stock, sell the BDL bottom metal and sell the rifle to someone who wants an action to build on - then buy another Tikka or another Savage.

drover

I would have the crown checked while it is at the gunsmith. Might be worth a look anyway.
Good luck,
David

Every rifle is different, as far as the bullet/powder combination it likes. Although I've rarely found it to be the case, sometimes cases and primers can even make a difference. Bullet seating depth also plays a part. So far, if I've I read your posts correctly, you've only tried one bullet, the 70 grain Speer. If the rifle were mine, I would have already tried several more bullet weights and brands. That's what I love about the 243...there's a variety of bullets out there to experiment with. I don't think it's fair to judge a rifle on the fact that you can't get it to shoot the Speers like you want it to. Who knows, it might be a tack driver with another bullet. I have a Howa 204 that's my truck gun. I have a dislike for the 32 grain VMAx as a coyote bullet, and tried several other bullets in this rifle. But, the one it consistently shoots the best is.....you guessed it, the 32 grain VMax. So, that's what I shoot in it. I reload for 4 different 243's, all Model 700's. One of them shoots everything good, while the others seem to prefer certain bullets. Experiment, that's the only way to see if a rifle will shoot or not.

Have you tried a different scope?

How about making sure the blocks and rings are tight?

Besides a new bedding job that is where I would look.

I would try some different bullets and seating depths. I have had good luck with nosler 70 gr bt and berger 69 gr high BC varmint bullets, over varget. My oal on the noslers is 2.730" and the bergers are 2.745".

I thought along these same lines after I had posted last night.

For what it is worth here are some suggestions to try before you take it to the gunsmith.

1. Check the scope ring bases for tightness. On the front base remove the front screw and check for it hitting the barrel threads. If it is the threads may show a slight crushing and the screw may show some marks on the bottom where it has contacted the threads. This can really create havoc with groups since the front base is not tight if this is happening.

2. Check the screws in the rings to be sure they are snug and not letting the scope shift.

3. Try a different scope, preferably a "known good" scope. If you do not have one laying around then take the scope off your 243 ADL and try it on another rifle of known accuracy.

I ran into a scope issue recently which caused me to scratch my head just a bit. I wanted a bit more power on my 223 for shooting groups, I removed the scope on the 223, installed what I was sure was a "known good" scope and instead of shooting 5 shot half-inch groups it was now shooting inch and one-half groups. Since I had not shot the rifle for a few months I checked action screw tension, bases, etc and tried it again and the results were very similar to what you are getting - sometimes 3 or 4 close and a flyer or two, but no real consistency. I used the old trouble shooting technique of going back to the last thing that was done before the issue occurred. I put the original scope back on and was right back to shooting one-half inch 5 shot groups.

Sometimes you cannot even trust "known good" scopes and it is necessary to test them on a different rifle.

If you do these things and you see some improvement or consistency in the groups then you can try the rifle in the other stock to see what occurs then.

Just some more food for thought.

drover

When I acquire a new rifle, I always start load development with a Sierra Matchking.

I want to see just how accurate the rifle can be, then I try to get close to that with my hunting loads.

The other day, I read the phrase "if your rifle won't shoot Green well, you have a problem rifle".

JamesJr I have tried many different bullets, hand loads and factory. The 70gr Speer just showed the most promise of them all. The Federal Fusion Factory ammo did ok also.

Scope is a brand new Leupold. Guess it could be an issue??

Might try the tupper ware stock and shimming.

Yes if I take it to the Smith, I will have him check the crown.


HeavyBarrel

I once had a Howa 6.5X55 that I could not get to shoot as I wanted it o, despite trying a bunch of different loads. As a last resort, I called the company, and they said send it back and they would replace it. They did, and the new rifle shot better, though not tack driving material by any means. Which leads me to say that it certainly is possible you have a rifle that just may not shoot as well as you want, no matter what you do.

IMR 4064 and the Hornady 75 gr V-Max