Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Savage Collectors 99E.... .243 prints keyholes on paper???

1. Barrel is a carbine?
2. Barrel is toast?
3.Barrel is shot out?
4.Bullets too heavy?
5.Previous owner messed up crown with cleaning rod?
6.Previous owner neglected to clean barrel?

Let's explore......

Well, so far nothing substantive? Ie: what are you talking about? Start from the beginning and describe what's happening. Syntax, man, syntax!!

Could be 2-3-4-5 or 6 I had one that wood not shot anything but lite bullets, any thing heavy it would keyhole it had a 1in 14 twist rate, your 243 should have 1 in 10 we need more info ??

What do you mean?

All of the above contributes too sucky shooting?

I'm on a need to know what else to look for?

All is good with ammo....factory and hand loads.....no good?

This is a bullet stabilizing problem.
1. Carbine barrel, or length, has nothing to do with stabalizing the bullet. Within reason.
2. "Barrel is toast", or "barrel is shot out" is a possibility if the lands are eroded to such a degree that the barrel will not impart the proper ROT to the bullet. Bore scope inspection is in order here.
3. "Bullets too heavy", length is the determining factor here, more so than weight. Your rifle should have a 1 - 10 ROT which should stabilize any common bullet, if #2 above doesn't apply.
4. "Messed up crown" not sure on this one. Have had several rifles with messed up crowns that showed poor accuracy. Never had one, or seen someone elses, that compromised ROT to such a degree that bullets would not stabilize. Could certainly be a possibility if really bad.
5. "Neglected to clean barrel", again, a possibility if really bad. In theory if grooves are so built up with copper or lead fouling that the lands can't grip the bullet this could happen. Have had some very copper laden barrels at times, accuracy has suffered, but never experienced keyholing.

IMO, first clean the bore thoroughly with a copper solvent, per manufacturer instructions. Shoot, if no improvement have Smith look at crown and scope the barrel.
Best of luck,
Eric

I crossed my T'S and dotted my I's........but this Savage is not cooperating

Excellent.....are they better with a flat base bullet instead of a boat tail?

Short barrel should have nothing to do with stabilizing the projectile;



.243 built for a fast and flat shooting...... and cut holes @ 25 yds?

Maybe you just have a crappy 99 and need to stop trying to make it right.

Maybe it is a 308?

Older .243's sometimes have trouble with modern bullets. Try a 90gr flat base bullet before giving up on it. Heavy for caliber and boat tail bullets can sometimes be hard to stabilize in older rifles. find a cup and core bullet at about 90gr and it might work for you.

OP is a wordie bugger ain't he?
my post mil 243 will shoot about anything. after I fixed the fore end stud bedding.

Can't even start until I know something about which bullets (mfr & weight & style) it's keyholing with.

Barrel been rebored to 6.5 or 7mm?

Rebored to 260 if anything ,,,,,,,,,,See if a 243 bullet falls through bore

Rifle is not a .308...was not re bored.....

All is good now. Barrel was meticulously cleaned and taken back to the range. It still will not print factory or hand load 100GR. bullets very well.........but with 75GR V-max it will print a single hole all day long. Will a bullet with a cannelure print different?

Maybe I just got a finicky one?

When you really try to put them in the ten ring and they fly........not a good feeling or confidence in your rifle. But when you can print hole after hole after hole....without much trying....almost too easy.....you have arrived! I have found what this one likes.

Sounds like the twist rate may be a bit off. There's good bullets for the 243 in the 90-95gr range that are shorter. Avoid boattails, they usually run a bit long for weight.

I will try that also. I was just about ready to toss this one a side. I do not own anything that will not shoot. But I know what the 99'S are capable of, and I did not give up.

How are you shooting? Off hand or off a bench. The 99 does not like having a sand bag under the barrel if the latter. Put the bag under the receiver. Also, the forearm should be relieved a bit where it contacts the receiver. Otherwise it can put upward pressure on the barrel and cause problems. Maybe your problems are coming from something else as it seems like you have exhausted the potential of dirty barrel and reloading issues wrecking havoc with accuracy.

Did I miss where the twist rate was measured and cited?