Need help with picking handi

[albrectwolfe]

I am looking at getting a handi-rifle in .243 ... I was doing some bouncing around websites trying to figure out what type of accuracy i can expect since the .243 is a naturally accurate round but I became a bit concerned when I started seeing LOTS of reports of great accuracy with everything except the .243 the report said anything from 3-6 inch groups at 100yds then there was talk that it doesn't sufficiently stabilize anything over a 75 grain bullet .... now i wanted to talk to a bunch of guys who can appreciate the handi for what it is and basically give the same answer "if you want a better gun save your money," and "you get what you pay for" and " It depends on what ammo it likes" ..... SO .... with that being said what kind of accuracy can i expect with an off the shelf .243 with out hand loading (using premium ammo) .... can I expect the spent casing to get hung up in the chamber... how does it handle ammo in the 100 gr area??  Thanks ahead of time guys oh just in case this comes up I plan on using it for varmint , deer and hogs (head shots mostly). Also what ammo do you use type and grain if possible.

thanks guys

[quickdtoo]

Welcome aboard! I now have two 243 Ultra Varmints, if the first one didn't shoot well, I sure as heck wouldn't have bought another!! Sticking cases is a non-issue, all current production are extractors, but even my ejector 243 works flawlessly unless I let the chamber get dirty or forget to wipe it out after cleaning, too hot loads may stick too, but that won't be an issue with an extractor. Mine shoots cheap 100gr Federal Power-Shoks and 95gr Fusions inside an inch, well inside on a good day!! The Superlight is the 243 that has a bad reputation, but even it can be made to shoot well, just don't shoot too fast and keep the barrel cool and it will do well with the right load.

Tim

[MnMike]

I only have three barrels at this time, so I am not an expert.

The .243 was the reason I bought my first Handi. I wanted a .243, but had no real use for it. So since the Handi was cheap, I bought one. I mostly got it to shoot, through a lot of hand loading and trying things from the FAQ. That is OK since experimenting is part of my attraction to the hobby.

Since barrels are cheap, I got two more. The Ruger .204 was no fun. It shot MOA with the first load I tried. The .500 S&W took a couple of tries, but was not much of a challenge.

I have heard others say that the .243 is difficult. If you are not a reloader, maybe the 25-06 would be a better choice. I have not heard any bad things about it.

mike

[statelinerut]

Very well said Tim. If you get a 243 and get you a box of Federal Fusion95 grain, you will never look back. Mine shoots under an inch, and it performs very well on whitetail.