Author Topic: Stop me I am thinking about selling 243 ultra (Read 1775 times)

bja105 · « **Reply #30 on:** May 07, 2005, 12:38:42 PM »

Good cow story!

I'm a little late, but I'd sell the .243, too. If its as picky about loads as mine, it sucks. Factory 100g group 3". Hand loads do better, when the action doesn't open.

I've got 5 Savages. 2 Model 110 .270's, a Model 12fv .223, a Model 340 .222, and a Model 99 in .308. The lever action is by far the worst shooter, and it can do much better than the Handi (somedays.) The 4 bolt actions have all shot under 1" at 100 yards. They shoot all common bullet weights well.

I'm told that the model 200 is the same round receiver as the new Accutrigger Savages, just has the old trigger.

aulrich · « **Reply #31 on:** May 08, 2005, 12:27:47 PM »

So I am at my local shop minding my own business, I just needed some HMR ammo for the days gopher shooting. Silly me went and asked if they had a stevens 200 in stock, they did. I had to borrow some money to hold it but a 270 will be coming home soon (no short actions, yet and how wrong can a prairie deer hunter go with 270 win anyway ), the 243 did not quite cover the whole purchase price.

I have to say it took about 10 seconds to make the decision. The action is the Savage 110 action and the old trigger. The stock is tuperware but it seems stiffer than some of the other savage plastic stocks. The barrel is a light profile, so the whole rig it quite light.

I think both the Handi and the model 200 are cut from the same cloth, inexpensive (cheap implies something else) workhorse. If I can get 1 to 1.25" 3 shot groups I'll be happy, we'll see what happens.

handirifle · « **Reply #32 on:** May 08, 2005, 02:47:56 PM »

aulrich
I agree with your last post 100%. Inexpensive does NOT mean cheap. Non-Savage shooters have cut down Savages for years but secretly wished their $700 guns shot as well. In my opinion, a gun is supposed to do one thing, "Shoot where you point it". All this crap of supergrade custom fancy stocks is a waste of money to me. It'd just upset me when I had to drag it across the rocks when hunting.

I have owned just 2 savage rifles and have never been disapointed with either. They just plain shoot.

The 270 will indeed take care of you in the deer fields and with heavier stout bullets, elk as well. A good 150 or 160gr partition will doo all you ask on deer, black bear, or elk. Nice choice for a "loog and grab" pruchase. :grin:

By the way, I can easily make my 30-06 trigger a 2 pounder. Nothing wrong with the old triggers, just the accu-trigger is better.

I'm waiting for a lafe hand version od the Stevens so I can get on myself.

targetguy · « **Reply #33 on:** May 08, 2005, 07:00:55 PM »

My 243 ultra is also looking for a new home. If the brass didnt stick and it didnt have a bad trigger, I may thinik about keeping it. But they do and it does so its gone.

quickdtoo · « **Reply #34 on:** May 08, 2005, 07:30:09 PM »

Both are easily fixed, so selling is not the only option. :wink:A one hour home trigger job will net a 2¼lb trigger and a couple minutes polishing the chamber will eliminate the stuck brass!

Mac11700 · « **Reply #35 on:** May 08, 2005, 07:57:03 PM »

Here's the second handload group I shot with my 24" 243 Ultra Varmint...sounds to me you just haven't worked up the right load yet...

myarmor · « **Reply #36 on:** May 09, 2005, 05:14:03 AM »

Nice group there Mac. Your 243 seems to be coming along smoothly.
I have been thinking about getting the same 243 barrel further down the road.
Seems like a few people have had some small problems with them though.

Mac11700 · « **Reply #37 on:** May 09, 2005, 06:23:47 AM »

Quote from: myarmor

Nice group there Mac. Your 243 seems to be coming along smoothly.
I have been thinking about getting the same 243 barrel further down the road.
Seems like a few people have had some small problems with them though.

There's more to getting any Handi to shoot good then just running a couple of Hoppes#9 patches down the bore and grabbing a box of Remington core locks...and heading to the range...and I think that's what most of the guys that are having all these so-called problems have done.....or...they are shooting the ultra light barrels...which have never been know to produce a high level of accuracy... it's not that I have anything against the core-locks...but in every Handi I've ever owned...they just haven't produced the best accuracy...and I've owned quite a few...

You have to make sure it's locking up good...you have to smooth the barrel and chamber out...and make sure the chamber is completely dry and oil free.....and you have to be a little paticular in your reloading choices. and techniques....the highest velocity load doesn't always produce the most accurate load...and... some powder/bullet combinations seem to do better than others.. and by now...folks should know that there are certain factory loads that do exceeding well....I know economics plays a part in all of this...and a-lot of people don't want to... or have the time to spend hand lapping the barrels.. or to pay a premium price for their ammo....but the dividends pays off when you start shooting...

The one thing my dad always told me was..." You get out of it...what you put into it "...and when it comes to having great accuracy...this is very true...I doubt seriously I would have gotten as good of groups with my 2 new barrels if I hadn't gone to all the trouble to lap the barrels...and get them perfectly clean to start ...and my choice of a factory load...that has given me outstanding results in the past...and that factory load is the Winchester Supreme line...Every Handi Rifle I own and have owned has always done well with them...and so I try to duplicate it in my cases,powder,and bullets...just as those who reload the 223 do well to replicate the Winchester white box loads...does it work everytime...no...but more often than not...so that's what I start with... and now with the Fusion ammo line hitting the stores shelves...I have another choice too...and it is much cheaper than the Winchester line...

I think if folks would spend more time researching what loads the bullet/powder manufacture show to be accurate...they would have more luck....it doesn't take a-lot to look thru the reloading manuals and see a sweet spot(velocity) for any of the paticular loads...or the very least...put a call into them and ask which load and powder gave the best consistant accuracy and what the best velocity for that paticular bullet is...then choose the powder that has the highest loading density and load some up and try it......all of the technicians will be glad to help.....and once you have a good load worked up.. spend the time prepping the barrel...before the first shot is fired..... then...you can reap the benefits right away...on the first range trip...

Mac

quickdtoo · « **Reply #38 on:** May 09, 2005, 06:32:43 AM »

:yeah: Wish I'da said that!!! Well put, Mac!!! :agree: :agree: :agree:

myarmor · « **Reply #39 on:** May 09, 2005, 08:08:56 AM »

Mac- Point well taken. Some people don't really take time to learn their individual rifle. It's likes and dislikes. Some just casually pick up a box of ammo and go home expecting to drive nails, without really doing much research into what they actually have in their hands. I believe too, that many buy into hype of a caliber from friends that have them. And don't exactly know what they are getting into. I am not accusing our friend of this, just saying it in general.
I have noticed that shooting good with a Handi takes time to get down. We have talked about this before. Bolt action rifles seem to be easier to shoot, and I think if a person isn't attuned to a single shot/hammer fall it sometimes leads to quick frustration. To be so inexpiensive these rifles take more time to learn how to shoot and, with patience, in the end make you a better marksman. In the few months I have been shooting mine, I have noticed a big difference in my consentration and my shooting has really improved.

aulrich · « **Reply #40 on:** May 09, 2005, 05:31:40 PM »

I have got this odd feeling I should defend myself so just for the record: :-D

Powders tried
Imr 4350 (the best normal powder)
H4141
Imr 4831
H4895
Bluedot (suprisingly good results)

Heads

Nosler
55

Hornady
75 and 87

Sierra
60, 75 80

Speer
85

Factory
100 gr (some euopean brand)

So I did my time. My biggest problem was the .006" gap at the breech face. If I lived in the US I would have sent it back, but a shim on the hindge pin fixed it up just fine. A trigger job and somemore load experimentation and I bet it would have pushed and inch @ 100.

I guess the biggest problem is that 243 is a perfect varmint / game comprimise cartridge. And as wilth all true comprimises, it leaves both sides feeling slightly ripped off.

My hope is it like this, you know how sometimes a team trads an OK player who on the other team turns into a star. Like that player the 243 ultra, just was not fitting into my system.

quickdtoo · « **Reply #41 on:** May 09, 2005, 05:54:37 PM »

Aulrich, my points weren't aimed at you cuz you don't have any recourse with H&R but there are a couple posters here that gave in way to soon! They certainly aren't true handi-holics!! :-D

Mac11700 · « **Reply #42 on:** May 09, 2005, 07:45:44 PM »

aulrich:

Quote

So I did my time. My biggest problem was the .006" gap at the breech face. If I lived in the US I would have sent it back, but a shim on the hindge pin fixed it up just fine. A trigger job and somemore load experimentation and I bet it would have pushed and inch @ 100.

Sheeeeeeeeze Louise.... :eek: that was a huge gap you had to shim for...I wasn't talking about you or anyone in paticular... like Quick said...I just get tired of folks who only shoot 1 or 2 factory loads and moan and groan about how inacurrate these 243's are...and really don't take the time or put out any effort in making them shoot...and from all you did and tried looks like you spent a goodly amount of time on working with it...I wish NEF would make arrangements so that you good folk up there could have some kind of recourse for factory problems...and these are the bull barrel ones...not the superlights...most of those have problems whichever caliber they come in...

Mac

myarmor · « **Reply #43 on:** May 10, 2005, 05:33:48 AM »

Aulrich-dido what MAc and Quick said, I wasn't pointing fingers either. And with a gap like that I can see why you had problems.