New Tube/caliber for the old Remmie 700

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Picher

New member
I've been thinking lately of rebarrelling the old .22-250 Rem 700 into .243 Win. I don't have as much use for the .22-250 anymore, but there are lots of coyotes around and the .243 would be just the ticket for them and for long-distance varmints during windy weather, which is about all year around here.

I visited a good gunsmith yesterday and discussed barrel options and we settled on a stainless, Super-Match, Pac-Nor 24", 6-groove, 1/10 twist, and 11* crown. Contour is similar to the Rem sporter barrel. Today it was ordered and there's a 6-week waiting period.

Now, I'll burn up the ammo loaded for the .22-250 at the range and not feel guilty. The old barrel is still very good, so I'll hang on to it and could re-install it, but probably won't. It shot a lot of chucks and crows and won many turkeys and other informal matches, but it's time to put it out to pasture.

This is the first time I buy an after-market centerfire barrel. I'd normally sell the rifle and get another, but this one is my baby, a perfect ADL, made in '83 with a walnut stock, polished bluing, cut checkering, and great trigger. It's irreplaceable!!!

I'll keep you posted on how things work out.

Peesh
 
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mrawesome22

New member
Almost every 243Win on the planet is 1 in 10" twist. Just for shooting coyotes and groundhogs, I'd say you're much better off with the 22-250. If you're gonna deer hunt with it, that's another story.
 
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Picher

New member
One in 10 is the recommended twist for the 6 groove barrels and was the Winchester standard.

If someone has much better information on twists for the 80-100 grain bullets than the Lyman and several other loading manuals, numerous magazine articles over many years, etc., please let me know.

Picher
 
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mrawesome22

New member
The 1 in 10" twist is what gave the 243Win an advantage over the 244Remington that had a 1 in 12" twist. The 1 in 12" twist would not stabilize the heavier bullets.
 
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Picher

New member
The coyotes in Maine are larger than most, having interbred with wolves, and can weigh around 70 lbs. Besides, I'm not looking for pelt, just want something that can hit something larger than a blade of grass and not blow up, or deflect as much as the .22-250 in the wind.

And yes, it's not out of the question that in the hands of grandkids, it might kill a deer or two, but at this time I don't intend to hunt deer with the rifle, though it's killed a few already, as a .22-250.

This project is the result of long-term planning by a fairly knowledgeable gun nut; one who's had a 6mm Remington in the past and loved the caliber's abilities, (but not lugging arond the relatively heavy varmint rifle it was in).
 
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roninflag

New member
.243

i use 37.5 of I-4064 and 85 sierra bthp . killed a lot of coyotes with it. also varget and 70 gtain balistic tip
 
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Picher

New member
Thanks for the load data. I've been using light loads of IMR 4895 in the grandkids rifle, but I'll take advantage of the 24" barrel, probably using slower powder for better velocity at moderate pressure.

Pac-Nor has just advised me to go 1x9 twist, but didn't say why. I'll go with their recommendation, since they obvously know their barrels better than anyone. Still, 1x10 is recommended about everywhere else.

I've had friends/relatives pass on recently and have more powder on-hand than ever, so I'll use that up first, but have some IMR4064, a favorite of mine, even though it's not great in the measure. I always weigh charges to 1/10 grain anyway.

This is going to be a really fun shooting season!!!

JP
 
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roninflag

New member
.243

i have several sakos they have a 10 twist. winchester has a 10 twist. i won the first 1000 yard match i ever shot in with a 12 twist hart and 88 grain berger bullets. if you want to shoot the match bullets of 105 , 107 ect you may need a 1 in8 or 8.5. the hunting bullets 100 grain sierra/horn are great out of a 1 in 10. for deer/coyotes i used the 85bthp. for strictly coyotes 70 baltip. for just deer the 95 nosler partition ( which will stabilize in a 1 in 12).i have shot deer with the 100 horn and sierra too . but favor the 95 partition. an 85 at 3000 or a 95 at 2800 are plesant and deadly.
 
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Picher

New member
Having two .243 Win rifles will be great. I have two grandsons who want to hunt deer. The Remmie won't be used by the kids very often, at least until they learn to be careful with nice guns. The H&R will have to serve that purpose.

If both kids want to hunt, one will be with me and the other with his father. I'll take the one with the Remmie, in an attempt to get it home in good condition.
 
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TRguy

New member
All Savages Barreled in 243 come with a 1 and 9.25" ROT.

Mine started out a 12fv with a 26" barrel, chopped it to 22" and re-crowned with a 11* target crown. Still very accurate.
 
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