243AI advise!

[shrek]

Alrite guys, as some of you know im looking into building myself a 243 Ackley, however what twist and lenght would you guys reccomend for my barrel, im hoping it will be a lightish rifle for stalking so will have to be fluted and will need to take some heavier 6mm bullets (for the deer), but will still want to push some light fast round through it for foxes whilst lamping and if possible also shoot out to 1000 round at about MOA! Any advise would be much appreciated!

[Guest varmartin]

Forget about it being a ` lightish rifle for stalking` then....and get a heavy 1-8/ 26 inch tube

[shrek]

I would like to martin however ive told myself if im going to build it its going to be light!... Well Lightish!!

 

All my other rifles are dam heavy, accurate, but heavy and i now just want a somthing abit lighter for carring around, especally for winter when the ground is so wet, all my lamping gets done on foot! and my 6BR weight somtimes makes it a hinderance!

 

More that likely it will get built, and it will be heavy. But needing a light rifle is a good excuse to get another one

[Guest varmartin]

My 1-8 twist will shoot every thing from a 58 vmax to a 105 Berger VLD all are less than MOA...way less....but the 90 Berger LTB are in the low .2`s when I do my bit !!!

 

The 105 Amax in a 243 AI is all you could wish for at long range or the 90 Nosler BT for stalking..

 

Re thinking your original Question...its only the first shot that is important so go with a lightish tube..you will be fine, and as you know...... just dont get to much heat in it when shooting for group

[mildot]

I have a sako 75 with a 21" ackley barrel. once the mod is on it feels perfectly balanced. i can carry it all day long and just handles superbly. It fires 100gr gamekings at 2950fps and thats while fireforming the brass. Im just waiting to get out and load test the same bullets along with 87gr vmax's so im hoping to be able to get them upto 3100fps which shouldnt be a prob, providing they are still accurate.

Both the 87gr and the 100gr Gk were shooting under 1/2moa.

[1967spud]

I have a sako 75 with a 21" ackley barrel. once the mod is on it feels perfectly balanced. i can carry it all day long and just handles superbly. It fires 100gr gamekings at 2950fps and thats while fireforming the brass. Im just waiting to get out and load test the same bullets along with 87gr vmax's so im hoping to be able to get them upto 3100fps which shouldnt be a prob, providing they are still accurate.

Both the 87gr and the 100gr Gk were shooting under 1/2moa.

 

what load are you using there mate

[mildot]

While fireforming i was using 43gr of IMR4350 this gave 2900 with the 87gr Vmax and 2950 with 100gr Game King

 

The velocities are off the top of my head as i cant actualy remember what they were but i can remember one lot was 50odd fps faster than the other and they were under 3000fps.

[ejg223]

No idea about 1000yds,

but my friend just received his rifle with a LW 1450 profile fluted (heavy mag sporter) which

is a nice compromise. I'm making him a stock that weighs 750g (26,5 oz)painted with buttpad.

Save what you can on the stock and put that towards the barrel and scope.

Manners & Mcmillan also make ultra light stocks.

 

edi

[shrek]

Not to fussed about it being ultra light, im a hefty lad, and i do my fare share or wrestling unwheldly beef cattle in the sheds, just want to have somthing that is average weight, but you guys would reccomend a 1-8 twist? i was thinking down those lines as my 6BR is a 1-8 and i'll shoot anything.

 

But as i said to a good friend of mine on the phone the other night, "everyone needs atleast one firebreathing b*****d of a rifle in there lives at sompoint!"

 

Jusy need to se what D&G firearms have to say about yet "another" variation!!

[Ronin]

I have a 243AI reamer thats throated for 115 Dtacs with a .270" NK

 

If you want a specialist cartridge that is - not sure how long the free bore is or how this would perform with "lighter bullets" (80 - 100 grainers)

 

Think a 1-8 twist and a .800" muzzle would be nice (straight taper with flutes or sendero profile)

[shrek]

Just been looking on border barrels website, and weighing you my options on barrel contours!

 

What are the availabilty of Dtacs like andy, i thought they were like rocking horce poo in this country!!!

 

I suppose im really being abit of a ballistic idiot when it comes to loads, the most likly case will be.... if i build it i'll try one type of bullet, find a load and not change untill i burn the tube out!!!

 

105 Amaxes would be alrite in that sort of chambeing wouldnt it, i dont know the dimentions of either bullet but they surly cant be far away size wise!

[Ronin]

Hi mate

 

the 115 DTAC is made by Sierra, I am guessing that these are available from Sierra stockists, my thoughts would be from bigger stockist where traget shooters would buy large lots (Reloading Solutions, Nobby Clark, Trent Firearms, Kranks, Minsterly etc)

 

Alternatives of "similar" length would be the 105 A MAx, 105 Berger and without measuring them I couldnt say how much difference there would be in jump to lands from a bullet seated to the base of the neck.

 

Pretty sure that unless you used a long action it would be a single shot though, ,,,,,

 

BC for DTAC is only marginally better than the Berger or Horanady offerings.

 

Barrel profile, how portable do you want the gun - get above a .900" muzzle and they become heaaaaavy,,,,,, my own preferance for "conventional" rifle is the Sendero / PSS contour form Border or a straight taper (fluted) at .800" muzzle.