243 bullet selection

[viking499]

What grain bullets will the stevens 200 in 243 handle with a 1 in 9.25 twist?

Are they good shooters?

 

[NCsmitty]

The Stevens is a great budget rifle and is a Savage in a less expensive mode and features. You can change calibers by just changing barrels if you have the barrel wrench and headspace gauges. It will handle any factory ammo with that twist.

NCsmitty

 

[ECVMatt]

I am guessing..

It is going to like the longer stuff...like the 100 and 105's...

Each rifle is different though. I would shoot a few different types and see what it likes best.

Matt

 

[browningguy]

It should do fine up to 100 grain conventional bullets, the 85 gr. Barnes TSX should work well also. About the only thing it probably would choke on would be the VLD bullets (used in 1000 yd. shooting), you usually can't seat them far enough to get them into the lands due to the magazine length.

 

[viking499]

Does the 1 in 9.25 twist shoot lighter bullets easier than a 1 in 10 twist or vise versa?

Looking for something to shoot something in the 70 grain range......did not know if this twist(9.25) was better or worst for that than the 1 in 10.

 

[Dr. Tad Hussein Winslow]

For medium/light 70 grain bullets, there is a 99% chance that the 1 in 9.25" twist will shoot them exactly the same as the 1 in 10. There is a 0.9% chance that it will shoot them worse than the 1 in 10, and a 0.1% chance that it will shoot them better than the 1 in 10.

1 in 9 or 9.25 is good for ALL bullet weights that the .243 comes loaded in. It is only with 1 in 10" and long 100/105/107s where you might get some instability fliers (or with long all-coppers past 80 or 85 grains).

Therefore, when in doubt, 1 in 9.25 is the better choice, all else being equal.

 

[Der Verge]

I have a 12FV in .243. Remember kids, all rifles are different........
Mine is 1:9.25", but will not stabilize 100gr or heavier. I have issues with some 95gr bullets as well.

As for the Stevens firearms........Every one I have/have had has been a phenomenal shooter, especially when fed with handloads.

 

[35 Whelen]

I've been shooting a 6mm Rem.(kind of a 243 on steroids...or at least protein powder ) with a 1/9" twist for over 30 years now. 99% of what I've fired has been handloads with bullets weighing from 60grs. to 110 grs. The only thing that wouldn't stabilize well was the 110 gr. Barnes SP. (By the way, I have some of these to sell if anyone's interested)

I know there's some question of overstabilizing bullets, that is using a twist that's too fast, but I don't know that's really an issue; I know the 60, 70, & 75 gr. bullets shoot fine in my 6mm. And I question whether or not a bullet can be sun too fast EXCEPT that some light-jacketed varmint bullets will disintegrate when driven/spun too fast.

35

 

[Art Eatman]

A factory load that groups as well as my handloads is the Federal with the Sierra 85-grain HPBT. It's ruinacious on coyotes, and I've killed twenty-some bucks with it. Mostly neck shots.

 

[CBS220]

Most factory .243s will handle most any reasonably sized bullet. When you start handling the really heavy for caliber pills, that's where you see some trouble.

I'm very pleased with the accuracy of 55gr Sierra Blitzkings from my .243s with factory barrels. Big boom, .220 Swift or better speed, and good accuracy.