Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Long Range Hunting Sporter 243 A.I. Revisited

It's got Archiballs written all over it (it's under the paint).

There is NOTHING to NOT love about a sub 8lb 243 A.I. spittin' .5 BCs at 3100+. I can see this one being the gun to convert many non-believers...

I picked up a 700ADL 243 on the cheap today. Synthetic stock, old trigger, sights, see-thru's and a Hubble. The gun is in really good shape. I'm thinking I found a good platform for my 243AI.

Guess you don't need that Mtn Guide now...

Hell yes I do! Mtn Guide will stay a 7-08...

It ain't the performance he's criticizing....

I might try some nosler 107 grain custom comp HPBT's outta my .243 AI
Listed bc is .534
Hope I can achieve 3100 fps outta my 23" tube

I know what he's criticizing, I'm just sayin...

Awesome rig, Tom! What are you shooting out of it right now?

105 Amax's
85 TSX's

How are they shooting?

Loads?

I'll have to look my loads up and get back to you.
Don't have em with me.

And they both shoot pretty good....still doing load development so I'm not 100% settled.

Sweet. Those are the 2 bullets I'm most interested in, kind of funny you shoot 'em too.

The 85 X at 3400fps will knock the wet off of schit, no doubt...

Tan man,

You already know about my A-Max load, so I'll spare you the pics.

These squares are 1". Seated 0.050" off the lands, this was the first load tried with this bullet. Velocity is 3485fps from my 25.5" barrel.

Phew! That sucker shoots... Funny how those X bullets love to jump like that.

That's one I might have to give a try... definitely nice insurance for closer shots on game.

Yeah, that's a 0.56MOA group. I stopped development there. I might be just a wee bit sad when this factory Rem 700 barrel pukes. Then again, I can't shed a tear when screwing on a Krieger or Bartlein

I plan to carry the rifle with a 5-round AICS mag full of those TTSX bullets when hiking in to a stand, and the potential for close or jump shots exists, and then swap out for a mag full of the 105AM when I expect to shoot long.

It hits dead center POI wise compared to the 105 too right? Just a bit higher? That's awesome.

Blasphemy, I bet that factory 700 is cobby and has a TERRIBLE crown. I can see those powder burns on the target.

I like your thinking.

Yup, just 0.5MOA higher than the 105AM.

Surprisingly, nearly all of my rifles behave this way when I get it right at the reloading bench. A TTSX and a good LR bullet (usually an AM) hitting either the exact same POI, or the TTSX hitting just a tiny bit higher.

For conversation- The low shot was the fouler following a tube full of WO being swabbed from the bore. The next 2 TTSX bullets went into the same hole 1.5" above the fouler. 7WSM Montana and 140gr TTSX. 100 yards.



That group was immediately followed up with three 162gr AM fired at the next target over. Note POI compared to the 140TTSX.


When I work it just right, I can swap ammo completely interchangeably. Which one I grab simply depends on the application.

Sweet shooter.

What steps are you taking at the bench to try to achieve POI intersections between different bullets?

Jordan,

I'm not doubting your experience, but most rifles I've owned don't behave that way. It doesn't matter if its a 223AI, 243, 260, 7-08, etc. I shoot a bunch of TTSX's and my POI hasn't been the same with other (heavier) bullets yet. This being with all things considered --low SD/ES for each load.

I don't know why, but I've seen a trend of TTSX's being up and to the left. Not a bunch, maybe 1" to 1 1/2" both ways.

Your thoughts on this?