Why is the .243 superlight so finickey?

[centershot]

What's the deal with the .243 superlight, I really want a light kicking - light weight rifle for my son (and me) and thought this to be ideal.........until I read all the horror stories. Does anyone have a good shooting superlight? I want it to shoot 3 shots into 1" or less at 100 yds under ideal conditions - the 243 is typically not a picky caliber and almost any bolt gun will shoot 3 shots into 1" @ 100 yds. Do the other taper NEF barrels shoot better? Thanks.

[quickdtoo]

The heavier barrels are much easier to get to shoot good, but that's not saying the superlight can't shoot good either. Do a search for Howard NZ, he's got one that shoots real well. Perklo has a post in the FAQ on his, too.

[bladerunner]

I've got a superlight that was shooting very poor groups,so i sent it back to the factory....I'll let ya know how it is when i get it back (prolly this week)
GREAT handling rifle,and shoots good groups @ 30 yds,but about 10" groups @ 150  

[PEPAW]

I had the same problem with a .243.  Bought it from a fellow who was unsatisfied with the groups.   I gave up.   Now I have a new .270 barrel that is better, but not nearly as accurate as my worst bolt.
 
New scope,  remounted base, new lower rings, new stock, new barrel, new o-ring.   I haven't shot it much (40 shots), so I am not giving up on it yet.

pepaw

[Fred M]

Centershot.

If you follow my directions how to accurize a Handy you will find it to shoot 1" 3shot groups unless you have a largely oversize bore.

I am pretty sure they can be made to shoot. These light rifles have to be  tightened up and the forearm bedded full length. No gaps in the hinge or the standing breech, and full support on the latch with and a  #2 steel shot pellet under the latch spring. Of course you would need a trigger job.

Never heard back from Perklo and his Super light fix and how it shoots.

[Supplyguy]

I have a Superlite and I get decent accuracy with handloads out of it. It shoots 100gr bullets within 1 1/2" at 100yds and would probably do better if I tweaked it some.

  I used Hodgdons youth load with Hornady 80gr SSP bullets and it gets sub-MOA. This load is plenty powerful enough for deer out to 200yds IF you put the bullet where it's supposed to go. I've killed one deer with this load, took off the top of the heart at 60yds. The deer ran 30yds dead on her feet.

  I've done none of the accurizing tricks here on the forum but it still shoots good enough until I can develop a "pet" load. Just my 2 cents worth.

[Broken-arrow]

 You're right, the .243 win. is normally not too picky about what you feed it as far as accuracy goes. I'm sure I'll get flamed for this ( Won't be the first time )  But the Handis are kind of a crap shoot as far as  HUNTING accuracy is concerned.  Shooting from a bench with the gun rested just right has squat to do with hunting accuracy.  The .243 is a fine deer cartridge , BUT ,proper bullet selection and shot placement is critical with the smaller calibers especially.    I say buy the kid a Stevens 200 and never look back.  IMHO

[Fred M]

Yah Tim, but it ain't a 243. There is a big difference between apples and oranges. :toast:

How much does a Superlight weigh with a light 3-9 scope?

[quickdtoo]

ANY superlight that shoots good is worth attention, they seem to be few and far between!!

[Fred M]

Tim.
Since the poster above was talking about a 243 Superlight. I thought I point out that you can't compare the performance of a 223 to 243 in spite of the same name. Same as you can't compare a 22 Rimfire to a 22 ctr fire.

With all things being the same in both the 223 and the 243, the 223 will be be a better shooter simply because it sets up less vibration, less uplift on the latch, less back thrust, less torque, less recoil than a 243 all this will equate to a better shooting rifle. In this context a comparison between the two super lights is not valid.

Naturally the 223 should be the better performer. Really I can't see why these rifles shoot so poorly. Also no one ever investigated the reason, which is not surprising. How about putting some light to the matter, and find out why one shoots good and the other bad?

Just as a side note my 257R approaches the Supperlight weight and it shoots pretty good. We know light barrels can shoot.

[quickdtoo]

My uneducated guess is the .243 just gets hotter quicker in the thin contour, so it's more critical....no rocket science there. :wink:

[Mac11700]

 You're right, the .243 win. is normally not too picky about what you feed it as far as accuracy goes. I'm sure I'll get flamed for this ( Won't be the first time )  But the Handis are kind of a crap shoot as far as  HUNTING accuracy is concerned.  Shooting from a bench with the gun rested just right has squat to do with hunting accuracy.  The .243 is a fine deer cartridge , BUT ,proper bullet selection and shot placement is critical with the smaller calibers especially.    I say buy the kid a Stevens 200 and never look back.  IMHO

 
 
Your absolutely correct...you are going to get flamed over it...and here's why...the 243's in Handis...are picky about what they are fed...and more to the point...you have to find a workable load and tailor it to your rifle...and shooting style,especially with the the light weight barrels...bedding them as Fred has said does help..just as with any other lite weight rifle...but in a Handi...they are still picky on what shoots best out of them..they aren't the 223...  
 
Shooting from a bench where the gun is hinged..has a-lot to do with showing you how it shoots in the field...if it won't shoot properly from the bench...in all likelihood...it won't shoot good in the field...the bench is where you learn the nuances of the trigger and the way the rifle recoils to you..not when your aiming at a animal..  
 
Recommending he buy some bolt gun on this forum is nuts...the 243's will shoot good...but the superlight weight barrels take more time to find the right load for them..  
 
The heavier bull barrel can aid a youngster settle his hands down when a big buck walks into his field of view..and will make him be deliberate with his movements...either finding a stable shooting position..or taking a rest against a tree,fence post,or in a sitting position...and certainly will reduce the recoil of the gun...you would need a very good carrying strap for it...one like the Alaskan Magnum from Butler creek..it is by far the most comfortable strap I have ever used..and you don't hardly notice the rifle is on your shoulder.. Teaching a youngster how to shoot a rifle that weighs a few pound more than the light weights isn't difficult...and the exercise will do them more good than sitting on there backsides playing video games...If you don't want to go a few pounds heavier...go for a good ole 30-30..and put a good recoil pad on it...and a soft cheek piece...it will work fine.....Stock fit..no face slap..and no bruised shoulder goes much further in aiding a young person in shooting than buying a light weight gun that you will have to figure out what will shoot accurately out of it...unless ofcourse you have the time...and the money to burn ammo...just to find out....

Mac

[bigblueraptor]

i have a 243 superlight and it shoots great
it can shoot 3 to 3.5 inch groups at two hundred yards all day long

it had burris medium rings and a prostaff 3-9
i shoot fusion ammo

you just have to take your time shooting it

shoot it and then shoot something else
shoot it again and then shoot something else for a while

if you give it plenty of time between shots it makes wonderful groups

it now has six marks on the stock for my girl friend and her deer kills

i diid notice one thing about the forearm on this gun compared to other handi's i have
it is extremely tight against the action and barrel
the forearm screw is very tight

[Fred M]

Tim
I was not talking about rocket science either. But how hot do shoot a 243 Super light. Three shots one after the other is the accepted number of shots to test for accuracy and how hot does a barrel get at that rate? If a barrel  distorts at that temperature it is junk for sure. Even at that it wont shoot 8" groups.

Over the years I had some really light barrels one 06 in particular. This rifle weight on 6.75 with a 4x scope and a 19" barrel. no trouble with three shot groups and good accuracy.

My friend had a 303 Mk4 rebored and rechambered to a 458 win Mag x2"
The barrel on the end is do thin Ron Smith how did the rebore said it might split. The end is like a shotgun barrel. Does it shoot you bet it does with 410gr cast bullets. So much for thin barrels.

Next time I go and see my friend I take a picture of the barrel end.

Yes like Mac says all Handis and more so for the 243 Supperlight finding a load that is compatable with the rifle can be chore. I would think light bullets and moderate loads would go a long ways in that direction.

But we were not talking about load development. I am going hunting in the morning so I am shutting down. Have a good night.

[mt3030]

I think Mac has many good points, but must admit that I have found Handi 243's to indeed be a crap shoot. I've given up on two 243 Ultras, neither of which would not settle down and group. Now, before i get accused of not having any "Handi Sense" again, let me assure you I am not new to H&R/N.E.F. single shots. For me, some calibers are just not worth MY time to continue to tinker/cobble with. But it is obvious that others have had good results with 243s. To some shooters, the needed tinkering is a challenge, part of the fun factor. To each his own. I have had excellent results from my 30-30s, 45-70s and 25-06.

Wally

[Mac11700]

MT3030...I'm not doubting your handi sense...but....making a barrel a shooter isn't easy...I've got becoup hours into mine with lapping and polishing.....my loads were the first shots fired from a new barrel and I would take any of the 95 grain loads hunting......all one has to do is to take a look at the groups I fired as fast as I could load settle and shoot 20 rounds under 4 minutes...I had 4 different powder weights and 4 different groups of 5 and all shot better than MOA...that goes to show you these barrels can shoot...and no..it wasn't a super-light...it was the 24" bull barrel...which is why I recommend them over the super-lights any day of the week to anyone wanting to shoot a 243 in a Handi...they will consistantly out shoot the other barel configurations everytime...I have no need for these whippy little barrels...and I do hike in some steep terrain...no mountains...but vine choked river bottoms and draws...and 100-200 foot high ridges...yes..the extra weight can be a burden sometimes..but..one I'll carry gladly for the accuracy I get with them...

Here's the range report on it...I was having one of those.."good days" that day..http://www.graybeardoutdoors.com/phpbb2/viewtopic.php?t=62494&highlight=3006+ultra+comp


Sometimes it might seem easy getting it to come together..but what you don't see is the hours spent working towards the end before going to the range..like.. how the ammo was loaded and with what type of equipment...how many hours of lapping and polishing went into the barrel...all the little stuff I do to make my rifles tack drivers.....does it help..well I would like to think so...and mitchell is having fun with the end results on a couple of them...could I make a new Ultra-light barrel shoot as good...I think I could given enough time...but there in lies the problem for most other folks...they don't have hours and hours to spend on them...they want to buy it...clean it(sometimes anyway ) and then go shoot 1/2" groups with the first on sale factory load they pick up at Walley World...somehow I don't think that will happen...

Mac

[centershot]

Thanks for the replys - interesting reading. I'm still temped to buy that little gun - With the rebate I could get it for $209. I'd use it for a hunting gun and probably pick up a .223 barrel for more shooting the rest of the year. Would be nice to know if 1" to  1 1/2" 3 shot groups at 100 yds could be accomplished without a lot of reloading fuss. But, sometimes the reloading fuss is fun too.

[tanoose]

Thanks for this thread guys now i ill for sure get the 30/30 handi for my son.  The rifle does look sweet i guess we'll have to see. Later Tanoose

[bladerunner]

I said i'd post the results on this thread of how my superlight shot at 100yds after sending it back to the factory......it shoots SWEET...at least to me.....just over an inch at 100 yds with federal fusion.....you can put a quarter on the group and it cuts all the holes in half  

[tanoose]

Bladerunner, what did they do  to achieve the better accuracyor did they give you a new barrel? Tanoose

[bladerunner]

nope,they say they put a new barrel latch in it.....whatever they did....IT WORKED!!!!