.243 accuracy problems

[jd95young]

I recently purchased a H&R handy-rifle in .243 for my 9 yr old to deer hunt with. When we went to the range to sight it in we encountered problems. First of all, it has a factory mounted 3x9x32 scope that was bore sighted at a local gun store. At 25 yds. the gun shot a little high but I was able to adjust the impact down until I was hitting bulls. The problem started when I went out to 100 yds.- the rounds started hitting real low. At 50 yds. the rounds were hitting about 4 or 5 in. high. Oh yeah, we were using win. supreme 100 gr. rounds. Can somebody help me?

 

[browningguy]

So many possibilities, but the obvious thing to check first is the scope mounts, even factory mounted scopes can get out without being properly tightened. It's also possible the scope itself is bad. Generally with these loads if you sight in dead on at 50 yards it should be about 1.5-2" high at 100. The fact that it went from 5" high at 50 to low at 100 indicates a scope problem, most likely either the mounts not tight or a bad scope itself.

There could be a problem with the fore end not being properly mounted also, so it's worth removing it and then reinstalling. Generally these are pretty decent guns for the price. A young shooter I got started with the same model could get 1.5" groups at 100 yards with his.

 

[Jason M]

It is the ammo, possibly.

My CVA Optima Elite (single shot, break action like the Handi-Rifle) is 1:10" rifle twist as I believe the H&R and NEF rifles are, too. My 1:10" rifled, 22" barrel HATES 100 gr factory ammunition. I shoot 1" groups with 70gr and 80gr bullets (both factory and my hand loads), but 100gr is the threshhold. My groups open up to nearly 4"-5" at 100 yards with heavy bullets.

For .243, 1:9" rifling is the accepted norm for 100+ grain bullets. Use some Hornady 87gr ballistic tips and you will be fine.

Jason

 

[rangerruck]

if you are shooting hi at 50 , that is a prob. with a scope, you should be shooting somewhere between .5 and 1 inch low at 50 yds; as the bullet is still coming up. try that first, and make sure your groups are consistent at 50 , before moving out to 100. Secondly, you could have a bad scope, or even bad mounts; I had a hairline crack in one, and you could not see it at all, but it was making crap groups at 100. the only way the crack would show, was to take it all apart; then put the rings back together, then put a wood dowel inside the ring, and twist. Suddenly , a crack appeared in one of the ring bases...

 

[Old Grump]

Scopes will loosen and must be checked regularly the first few times you shoot. Once you know you are where you want it set for eye relief loctite it in place. I shoot at least 3 weights of bullets the first few times because every gun has its own little tricks. I can barely keep 147 gr on paper at 100 with my 308 but shoot under an inch as long as I can stand to shoot with 180 grains. Weight of the bullet has nothing to do with it the length of the bullet has everything to do with it. The same weight bullet in a different configuration may work for you. You might want to go down to a box of 70 gr and 85 gr and try to see which is more accurate. I am shooting the same gun you are, just using 308 instead. If your son is up to it you might consider a 30-30 barrel or maybe a 7mm-08 for his gun but try the lighter bullets first.

 

[whiskey]

Oh man, I hate to tell you this. There are a lot of accuracy problems with the Handi's in .243.

Did you get the Superlight Youth? The one with the really thin barrel? These seem to be the most problomatic.

There are things you can do to help. All hope is not lost. First you need to head over to Graybeard Outdoors Forums and check out the Handi section. They do not have a good search function, but just read the FAQ post. It will tell you that you need to shoot a few boxes through the gun to break in the barrel. That you need to not rest the gun on the forearm, but on the frame and allow the barrel and forearm to float while firing. You will have to wait 15-20 minutes between shots. You also need to close the action very firmly until it breaks in. Try shooting the gun 3 shots with the forearm removed and the gun rested on the frame only, nothing touching the barrel. Make sure the barrel cools between shots. Then shot 3 shots with the forearm on and resting only on the frame and each shot from a cool barrel.

Try several differant ammo weights. The Handi's seem to be ammo sensitive.

GOOD LUCK! I gave up and bought a Remington 700.

Taken from GBO http://www.go2gbo.com/forums/index.php/topic,116451.0.html



Handi Basics 101

1. Trigger pull must be all the way to the rear, don't release it at the break, or the transfer bar will drop out of place and inconsistent pin strikes will occur. See Misfires here

2. Close the action with some force, when new this is extremely important, the latch and latch shelf need to mate and that doesn't happen real fast, takes some open and close cycles for the parts to get used to each other.

3. Place the front rest just ahead of the trigger guard under the hinge, if you push the guard right into the front rest, it will be in the same position each time. On my rest, the rear sling stud is also against the rear rest.

4. Even after polishing the bore, it may take well over 60-80 rounds to start shooting well, my 223 Ultra started shooting real well after 80 rounds after polishing.

5. If you want to find out if the forend is affecting accuracy, remove the forend and shoot it, just slip it back on to reload and remove it again to shoot. If the forend needs work, it will shoot good without it.

6. Take your time shooting, most Handis don't shoot the best groups when the barrel is hot, specially without some forend work.

7. Always make sure the latch and latch shelf are dry, this is especially important if you clean at the range, it's real easy to get solvent on the latch shelf since it's directly below the chamber.

8. Make sure the brass and chamber are clean and dry, any lube left on the brass will make em stick, oil or solvent in the chamber will do the same.

9. With a barrel locked up good, the barrel release should be loose, the release should be snug with none or little looseness with the action open.

 

[R.W.Dale]

Oh man, I hate to tell you this. There are a lot of accuracy problems with the Handi's in .243.

Yep I had one of these 1.5 inch groups one day 6 the next and back to 2 inches with the same ammo

 

[ranger335v]

There is nothing in any rifle or good ammo that will make a .243 hit 4-5" high at 50 and low at 100 EXCEPT a change in the sights. In your case, that means the scope-rings-mounts combo. Anything can fail but most rings and mounts are pretty good, even the inexpensive ones, IF the screws are tight.

Confirm that you are still hitting high at 50. Bet you ain't. I strongly suspect you have a failed inexpensive scope.

 

[cliffy]

Scope Culprit

Most likely a problematic scope. A scope can be a joy or a nightmare. BUY a 3-9x40mm Burris Fullfield scope. This should solve many sighting problems, and your son should enjoy the accuracy, for the $200 spent on accuracy.

 

[Ridgerunner665]

Those barrels are not stress relieved...thats most likely your problem.

It does not show in all of them...but in the few that it does, its bad.

 

[rangerruck]

the biggest prob with single shots is, you must have your front rest , in exactly the same place, everytime. This has been eluded to above, with all the instructions mentioned to do when testing.
I allways put the front bag, right up against the trigger guard, and nice and tight. Any kind of diff pressure, put up front under the bbl, by moving your front rest, is really going to create havoc for groupings.

 

[jd95young]

All right I'm going to try it again this weekend. I'll check the rings and mounts before I go. Now, what grain bullets should I try this time? does anyone have exp. with any particular manufacturer?

 

[243winxb]

Do not rest the barrel on the sand bags when shooting. Hold the forearm in your hand, you hand on the sandbag. If that does not correct the problem then its scope or scope mounts.

 

[cliffy]

Expensive bullets: Top Accuracy

.243 caliber 90 grain Swift Scirocco II bullets have no peer concerning accuracy, mild recoil, accuracy, violent striking force, accuracy, and 51 cents per bullet. If one gets what one pays, Swift Bullets are a prime example. Midway, USA carries them. If these bullets don't work for you, something else is radically wrong. I suspect your scope. 90 grain bullets should work well with 1-in-10" rifling passed 300 yards. Setting the C.O.L. at 2.687" should be close enough for top accuracy. If you don't handload, check with Midway, USA to see what company offers these in factory loadings. They won't be cheap, merely great. cliffy

 

[MachIVshooter]

if you are shooting hi at 50 , that is a prob. with a scope, you should be shooting somewhere between .5 and 1 inch low at 50 yds; as the bullet is still coming up.

We don't know how high his scope is mounted, but regardless, with a 100 yard zero, the bullet will be above LOS at 50 yards. If it hits low at 50, it's gonna hit lower at 100. If his scope is ~1.5" above bore centerline, the bullet should cross LOS at about 30 yards and impact about 1/2" high at 50 for a 100 zero. The bullet's highest point in it's trajectory should be about 1" above LOS and that should occur around 70-75 yards. At 200 yards, he should be about 2" low.

Now someone with a ballistics program that hasn't gone on the fritz please run the numbers. I wanna see how close I am here.

 

[rangerruck]

I get what you are saying mach man, and i considered it, but with a lot of real world shooting i have done, and seen at 50, I will still say he is on the low side , just barely , at 50, especially if the bench is higher than the target he is shooting at , downrange.


dude, try a winchester or remmy round, standard silver , or yellow box, between 90 and 100 grains, most mfgrs make their rifles to shoot this ammo well, as it is the most common ammo.

 

[Ridgerunner665]

Not real close MachIVshooter,...but not waaaay off either, ( the important thing you forgot about is...the bullet is still rising in its trajectory at 50 yards)...the bullet is never more than .1 inches above LOS with a 100 yard zero with this setup.

With the scope 1.5" above the bore, MV at 2850 fps (rough estimate)...at 50 yards he would be .2 inches low with a 100 yard zero.

With a higher 1.75" scope...its .3 inches

This was figured for 1,300 feet in elevation (my elevation here), 70 degrees F, 60% humidity

And where's Shawnee...he should have this stuff memorized.


Edited to add: Sight it in dead on at 70 yards...that should be dead on at 100 yards too.
And since my previous post was ignored, I'll say it again...those barrels are not stress relieved...some shoot great, but others have major stress issues...especially when they get warm. I have seen it with my own 2 eyes...not hear say.

That said...I hope its your scope or mounts...but it don't sound like it to me.