Purchased a Handi in 243 last weekend. Have 110 rounds down the tube, as of today (50 shot today).
I purchased this rifle to shoot varmints, of the prairie dog variety. I believe the throat is exceptionally long for 87 grain Hornady HP boat tails. If I seat at/near the lands, I will have, approximately 0.100" of the bullet in the case mouth.
I started at recommended OAL, increasing 0.005" per set of five rounds (same primer, powder charge, & case). Accuracy definitely started coming in....from a starting group 4.5" x 2", down to 1.25" at 100 yards. These groups were shot with the rifle box stock.
The trigger pull was ok out of the box - 4.5 pounds, but is down to 2.5 as of tonight. I floated the forend tonight as well.
243 load standard deviation varied from 3.05 (2.370 oal), 17.4 (2.360 oal), 16.7 (2.350 oal), 6.07 (2.330 oal), 7.02 (2.320 oal), 16.79 (2.310 oal), 11.01 (2.305 oal), 37.22 (2.300 oal - cold barrel)...all of these OAL's are measured with a Stoney Point gauge. As the OAL got longer, the groups definitely started to shrink.
This is a nearly identical story on my 204 Handi as well. I do not believe I can even come close to the lands with bullets in this 204. Standard deviation between 9 and 17 for my handloads.
Is everybody giving their Handi "the works" before the groups start shrinking?
Thoughts?
