$250 rifle score

So today I am asking one of my Marines who stores his rifle out at my place when he is coming out and shooting it again. It is a simple Model 10 in .243 with a synthetic stock and an accutrigger. His reply was that he was going to sell it. So I asked how much and when $250 came out of his mouth I already knew my wife was going to be angry.

Well, now I am staring at it and wondering whether it is going to be used by my daughters or myself this season on deer. Maybe I could swap the barrel in a couple years for my favorite cartridge .257 Roberts? A new stock might find it's way on later too. Too many options to think of when I have an DPMS to do up in .257 first.

First, first to go out and play with it once the weather clears a bit. I have 80 rounds with it and guess I need to see how it shoots. Then bullets, my Varget (I stashed away 20# of it now since all my rifles can use it), and primers will find their way into the spent cases. So I guess I need dies too; a neck sizing die too perhaps?

Oh, the joys of a new gun. I know it isn't the fanciest, but the only rounds out of it have been out at my place and that has been only about 50 rounds. It is a cheap combo model, but great for a beater gun for now.

I guess I am set for this season now. I felt bad last season being the only one gunned up for a distant kill with my old Mauser 98- of course in .257- while my kids were using .223's. Now a .308 for Kenzie (the DPMS right now) and this .243 for Kala.

johnboy711 said:

so how did it group with the 50 rounds you shot?

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When I shot a few it did really good. I only put about 5 through it though to try it out. Hit the clays from 200yds for me. The owner? Well paper plates at 200yds and clays from 100yds. I will group it later, but figure it can't be too bad.

Note: My standards are pretty cruel so I doubt it will meet them right now. I used to get rid of any rifle not sub-MOA. Kids change that a bit.

I have a good amount of experience with the .243Win. I used to have an odd Argentine Mauser 98 that had a decocking knob on it like a Springfield. I regret getting rid of it due to a worn out barrel. That gun killed 'yote after 'yote for me. 70gr BT's at 3500fps were devastating and 55gr Blitzkings zipping along at 22-250 velocities made short work of its barrel in the end. I fired about 4000 rounds through it (mostly the 70gr pills) and loved every one of them even the misses.

My kids are arguing who gets this one and who gets the DPMS for season time. Either way, I can't wait. I am thinking of loads now in the 85gr range for these small NC dogs- I mean deer.

Oh yeah, my kids are not new anymore. The oldest (14) is a bowhunter, muzzleloader, shotgun, and rifle hunter. The younger (12) is a shotgun and rifle for the moment. My boy will be out next year (7) as he has not shown the maturity yet.

adelbridge said:

Let us know how ?

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I have an LAR-308 to tear into for the project. Probably next year. For now it serves plinking duty and will be called in .308 form for this year's deer season. I hate the 7.62, but it will work this year.

http://www.thehighroad.org/showthread.php?t=675404

Here is the thread of my brainstorming for it. I have sourced all parts and the work I can't do myself. I will have about $1800 including the rifle I will be tearing apart. I could more easily go .243 for it, but I just want to be different I guess.

I will see how my LAR turns out fiirst, and wear out this barrel too. I was playing with it a bit last night making a few tweeks to the scope, trigger, and having my kids work it a bit (safely, of course). The rounds with it are all factory 100gr loads so those will be tried out this weekend. I am not expecting greatness, but you never know. Pics will be posted

As for the kids, I pass as much on as I can. I have the oldest working on her project motorcycle with me, an old XS650. Both learned to shoot as soon as they showed the drive and maturity to do so. they own their own bows and guns (my oldest prefers the bow like me for hunting), and it kills me to have to put locks on their guns here in NC. They still keep them in their rooms though. Oh and guess who loads their shells? I just watch now out of that protective instinct we all have.

GooseGestapo said:

Although the 'Bob will fit the ~2.800" magazine length, You'll need to be sure you don't get the 3" 'Bob chamber (.257Roberts is affectionately called the 'Bob). Make sure your barrel builder knows what he's doing. The SAAMI chamber is a short throat and max. cart. lenght is 2.775" oal. An easy fit to the magazine. However, there is a lot of case and neck there, as you know.... Most cannulures on .257" bullets now days are for the .25/06 and .257wby, making a round seated to the cannulure and crimped too long....

I have the 3" .257Roberts chamber in a M98 also. I dearly love it, and have killed over 100 deer with it since having it built in 1983. However, for your project with the AR10 action, I'd strongly recommend you go with the Very, Very similar .260Rem. Either it, or it's "clone", the 6.5Creedmoor will give even better performance (slightly, admittedly) than the Roberts.
I have a .260Rem (Rem. Mod-7) and it's a delightful rifle. It's very close to the performance of the .257Robt and didn't involve building a custom rifle. (Not to mention my Rem Mod-7 in 7mm08, but it's a different animal altogether, not much removed from the 7.62x51 parent cartridge).

Good luck with your project and let us know how the "Bob" works in the semi-auto action.

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Thanks for the advice. I know it isn't a good idea to do the Bob (didn't figure many knew that nickname here) in a short action. It loses powder capacity due to seating which cuts it down to .243 capabilities. I just think it would be cool to have something so different.

This bolt gun will probably stay in .243. I can customize it just fine that way.

I took her out today. It gave me a few fits as I remember us putting it away sighted in. Well, something must have moved so I started over again. I got her on pretty well in about 10 rounds. Then I basted some clays too.

My kids tried it out and both came to the conclusion that it packs a punch. I never really thought of it though. I mean it does come off target, but the kick seemed just a notch over my AR. To girls who shoot 20ga and a 50cal ML this gun should be a toy. They can get used to it later. I put them back on their .223's and .22's for the rest of the morning.

It did put repeated 1-1.25" groups on paper so it isn't bad especially considering the price. It doesn't hold a candle to my AR (.5 most of the time), but definitely a good 250yd deer rifle here in NC.

I might bypass the AR for this gun tomorrow evening for a 'yote hunt. Or I might wait and get some loads done up for it. I hate hunting with ammo I didn't prep.