.243 calibre swap.

[NullMac]

Looking to the future, my .243 barrel won’t last forever.
When it’s time to replace the barrel l was wondering if there’s a better option.

What does better mean?

Crow bashing and a bit of steel targets are the main interest.
Bucking the wind is high on the list, easy shooting,easy to load for, good barrel life would also be nice.
Range would be around the 300 to 600 yards.

Fast twist 243. Launch the 108gr eld-m. Zero recoil better drift than 65CM. Can still run factory through it.

But better? There is very very little to separate calibres in the group really. People sweat the margins that paper says exist but if you stuck them behind the gun I doubt they could tell the difference.

I run a FT 243 and a 65CM. If I was shooting little things and steel I would have the 243 any day

 

[scotch_egg]

Is this on a Sako S action? Do you have any issues with COAL in the mag or extracting an unfired cartridge? A 1:7 twist 6mm Creed in a Sako 90 or Tikka T3x is still calling me. The 26" creed isn't stalking or car friendly. I'd shoot the Yew Tree 80.1gr/ 95gr or Hornady 108 ELD-M. The COAL of the YT 80.1gr in my current rifle is 2.8". I don't have any YT 95gr, but they look as though they would increase COAL.

Yes, it is built on an 85 “S” action. COL isn’t an issue at all. I’m currently shooting 87gr v-Max at a ridiculously slow 2700fps with 42.7gr RS62 this being max data for 6XC after the N150 wasn’t giving obturation with book max. I’ll be trying some N140 in the near future. I’ll be sticking with the 87gr v-max until the 1000 or so I’ve got are gone. I’ve got a couple of 1-7” sassen cut blanks for the future.

As for OAL there is plenty of room and ejection of a round is controlled, there is enough room to get your hand in and pluck the round off the bolt face without a plunger trying to throw it out of the ejection port. Which is the reason I went with the 85 over a Tikka.

The issue with Sako’s is the limited composite stock options. There is the Nz carbon stock maker or Staffordshire Synthetic stocks.

To be honest my .223 Tikka T3 in PSE is getting more use, with an SL5i can it’s much quieter and half the recoil. I would probably go the Tikka route in the future. But just remember, Sako and Tikka barrel tennons are the same. Proof Research advertise their prefits for Tikka and Sako so you can swap barrels about (allegedly).

That or wait for American Rifle Company Coup De Grâce actions to make it over here…

 

[Bowland blades]

Looking to the future, my .243 barrel won’t last forever.
When it’s time to replace the barrel l was wondering if there’s a better option.
The rifle is a sako 85 stainless varmint .243.
Crow bashing and a bit of steel targets are the main interest.
Bucking the wind is high on the list, easy shooting,easy to load for, good barrel life would also be nice.
Range would be around the 300 to 600 yards.

Been running the 6 creed and the 243 win through my head a while now , as a NV tool . This will be for night culling deer and fox mainly having a 260 rem above it and 223 and .22 hornet below it . Initially i was leaning to the 6mm creed , however I wont be needing the longer / heavier / higher BC because 300 yards is a very long shot at night rarely taken to say the least of the matter and that would be fixing a rare mistake regards deer (rare) or a long distance fox and i have shot a load of them with lighter lead 243 bullets
Frankly i should just get a re-barrel but just up the twist rate the the longest bullets you need to use and get the correct twist to stabilize them and fit them into your mag . Using 100 grain 6.5 mm Barnes tTSX copper in my 75 and the longer 120 grain tTSX . Some might say you might blow up the 55-60 grain bullets made of lead with thin jackets and they might be right but no crow or fox can argue with say a 70 grain lead Nosler BT and it has way better ballistics than the light pills so use them ! A year or two on we will all likey have to be on copper while shooting crows and fox but look at the upside you dont always need to remove the carcass ( depending on landowners wishes etc )

 

[JTO]

I have had a 7mm-08 itch for some time. Supposed to be better than a .308 at 1000 yards, but not allowed in FTR.
Not sure if you could neck up your 243 cases, but you can neck down .308 cases, I believe.