8 replies to this topic

[huntfishski]

I will be hunting deer in the high country this year and because it is hard to breathe up there I want to use a light gun. I have a pre '81 BLR in .243. I love this gun but I am not getting it to shoot as well as it should. Last year I hunted up there and had to take a 400 yard shot. I was using my .270 so it wasn't a big deal. But this year I want to use the .243. I am trying 90-95gr. bullets with various powders and cant get it to group better than 1 1/2" then I get a flier. I want to use a pretty heavy round for the distance. I am thinking about having the end of the barrel re-cut or ground. Any suggestions would help.
Thanks

[catcapper]

The crown in your barrel probably has a nick or chip in it. I had a 7mm that did the same thing.

[TexAgBQ81]

since you mentioned you are trying various powders i will assume you reload. is the flyer the last of the group---ie--hot barrel? are you weighing each round or throwing with a thrower? have you tried varget? my 243 uses 38.0 grains behind an 87grain v-max with cci 200 primers. if you have decided to take it to a smith have him recrown it before you cut cut it down. like catnapper said there may be a problem with the crown. my 2 cents....hope it helps

[yotefixer]

think about what catcapper said!!

[youngdon]

I agree have the crown checked first.

[huntfishski]

Thanks guys I have been thinking the same things. The crown doesn't look like it has a nick but that is why I am baffled. I do use Varget for my .223 loads and it is great. I have thought about it for the .243. I use IMR7828 in my .270 loads with a 150 gr. partition and that same powder is recomended for the 100gr. bullet in .243 so I tried that, then all the guys at the range are suggesting all sorts of different powders to me. I am also thinking of trying a smaller bullet with the varget. But mabey what I need to do is forget about the saddle gun and just bring the .270! It is a Remington 700 that I have had for 31 years and still shoots great. I just don't want to drop it. My Savage .243 will shoot just about anything great so I might bring that. Thanks.

[catcapper]

Most of the time you can't see a crown problem. Guys that carry thier rifles barrel down on the floor in a pickup truck develope problems with the barrel crown from the dirt/mud and small rocks that are on the floor mats. I had a BLR in .308 I used for Elk---good rifle.

[Furhunter]

If the crown has been damaged enough to effect accuracy you most likely will be able to see it. There are lots of other things I would consider before the crown. Are the bases and rings tight? is the scope known good? How about the reloading. Is your brass all the same headstamp, trimmed to length? Have you changed primers to see if that helps? what other powders have you tried? How far off is the flyer?

[huntfishski]

I took a hard look at the gun again this weekend. The bluing is pretty worn around the crown. I think that I will have the crown done. As far as the scope goes it has is a Burris 3-9x by 32 with a Leupold base, I haven't had any problem with that. The loads are as close as I can get them. I haven't tried any different primers. I think that I will try a smaller bullet with the Varget. Maybe a 70gr or so. If I have to go smaller then I wouldn't feel confident shooting deer at distance.