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A couple years ago I bought a Stainless Ruger in 243, it has a 24" sporter weight barrel on it. To make a long story short two years of factory and handloads it still will not shoot. So my choices as I see it are: Sell the gun, Have it rebarreled seeing how I don't really care for the 243 anyway it would be a different caliber, or take it to a smith and see if they can straighten it up. I would like to know your opinons on the subject. The new 5/35 SMc round interests me, is the bolt face on a 243 the same size as the 6mm BR? What are some other cases you guys like with this size bolt face? Keeping in mind that I am looking to stay in the varmint calibers. Thanks in advance for you input. | ||
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I'd turn it into a .338 Fed or a .358 Win and use it on those big ole eastern Oregon elk you've got there  BT53Elk, it's what's for dinner..  | |||
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I owned two Rugers. A 223 VT that was brilliant as it came out of the box, and a 243 RBZ that was anything but.. Rebarreled the RBZ, using a Maddco #5 barrel, after which it shot superbly, and took many a long range bunny. | |||
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I'd rebarrel it to 22-250. | |||
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Come to think of it, a 250-3000 would be kinda neat. | |||
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Have you bedded and floated it? Maybe pillar bedding the action would help. There are probably cheaper and less invasive procedures to try before rebarreling. Just my thoughts. And if that doesn't work, rebarrel it to something fun. _____________________ A successful man is one who earns more money than his wife can spend. | |||
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good advise above... As desert ram indicated about the bedding....I'd check to see if the screws are all tight... if the one holding the floor plate in isn't tight, it will throw bullets all over the place.... the other thing I'd do, is put it in a different stock if possible and see if it shot any better.. that might indicate if it is a stock or bedding problem... at least ruling it out... I own several of the same rifle....all are very accurate....ONe barrel was shot out and I put a stainless magnum contour barrel from Pac Nor on it, with a one in 8 twist and had it rechambered to 22.250 from a 223....it is a tack driver and the 75 and 80 grain bullets are excellent long range performers.... But a 6BR or a 6.5 BR or 250 Savage sound kind of neat...if the chamber is what is messed up, reboring it to a 6mm Ackley wouldn't also be worth considering and probably a lot cheaper than a rebarrel... or the 338/08 doesn't sound like a bad plan either... or 260 Rem or 7/08 Rem... see there is a lot you can do with it! good luck over there in Eastern Oregon! cheers seafire  Good luck with it.... | |||
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SELL it and buy a Remington!!! Dr B | |||
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Does it have the plastic stock, or the timber laminate? If it's timber, try bedding it first. If it's plastic, they are a real pain to bed (get a gunsmith to do it for you!). If all else fails get the action trued up by a 'smith, and rebarrel to something you want. 338/08 or 358, are good choices for the larger critters, or maybe a 260 Rem, for the smaller deer? Or just sell it. Cheers, Dave. Cheers, Dave. Aut Inveniam Viam aut Faciam. | |||
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Sell it and buy a Savage, or a Winchester Model 70 | |||
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Thanks fellas for the abundance of ideas, As for the Remington comment above, I'm a Remington fan myself I own several but I'm most partial to my CZ Varmint in 17 Rem! As for the Savage I've heard they are tack drivers but I've never owned one. The Ruger is a black plastic stocked Stainless model, I've tried everything, the barrels been floated which made it worse, the bolts are tight. Right now I might be leaning towards a 6mmBR with a longer and heavier contour barrel. Its a good action I love the controled feed so I hate to just sell it. Is the bolt face on the 6mmBR the same as the 243 Rem? Again thanks guys for all the great advice. Blacktail53: don't you mean all those big ole eastern Oregon elk we USED to have, before the tree huging dikes on the western side of oregon outlawed hunting cats with dogs. Now we mainly just have alot of big cats, hardly any deer or elk and from what I've heard the Wolves are soon to have a foothold, so I figure that will about put the nail in the coffin. Oh well the sheeple have spoken. Thanks again guys, anymore ideas out there???? | |||
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My gunsmith has talked me out of taking expensive measures to tighten groups on several occasions. He says that it's always best to try the following easy fixes before considering anything pricey. You may have already tried them things when you were experimenting with loads, but I fugured they were worth mentioning. Set the torque on the stock screws, they're ofter are much too tight. I've seen it several times. Be sure the factory brl. is really free-floated and if it's not free float it. I prefer composite stocks and I've never had a problem like this with a composite stock, but I have replaced floppy factory composite stocks with a much better repalcement stock. Lighten the trigger to a reasonable figure. I had a M77 that came with a scruchy 8.5 lb. trigger! A good trigger job or replacement trigger is a good investment. I've never owned a centerfire rifle that wouldn't shoot under 1" with these simple fixes. Next he trys some pressure forward and then glass bedding. He says it's rare to need either. All this stuff is cheaper than rebarreling. Unless you're a competitive shooter or want to hunt beyond 400 yrd.s these things ought to be adequate. I don't think I'd bother re-barreling a gun that didn't shoot well after the above. If it's still not right I would sell it and buy another gun rather than spending more time and/or money on a dog. B.T.W. If the gun is shooting well my gunsmith is also a fan of cryro-treating to make a well shooting gun shoot better. I've seen cryro-treating alone cut groups from just under and inch to one ragged hole. Sei wach! | |||
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All good things to try above. I can only add one to that list: try a box of David Tubb's Final Finish through a barrel that won't shoot. You might be surprised at what $28 buys you. | |||
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Re: cryogenic treatments. A friend of mine is a senior metallurgist at GE Aircraft Engines in Cincinnati. He hold a PhD in metallurgy, and I was picking his brains regarding cryo-freezing. His professional opinion is that it does nothing to relieve stresses in barrels. I know dozens of people will fwd now with testimonials and anecdotal evidence. But causality does not imply correlation unless you run some fairly rigorous experiments. In any case, unless someone here has better credentials in metallurgy than my friend, I'll save my money on cryo. | |||
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Rechamber it in a real 243 cal., the 6mm REM. Jay | |||
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Bearcat When you say it won't shoot what are we talking about 3"@100 1"@100 what??? Your reloads FL sizing or neck. I have just spent the better part of a year trying to get a 700 BDL to shoot and this past week it shot it's first MOA 5 shot group matter in fact it shot 3 all with the same load, it took me that long to find a combo, you name it I tried it 8-9 different bullts 6 different powder 4 different cases 3 scopes 3 sets of rings and mounts and free floating the barrel. ONE MORE THING A BRASS WOOD SCREW AND VALVE GRINDING COMPOUND. Eagles from above | |||
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US1, Have you tried 39.5grs. H4895 with a 70MK? Fellow at work swears by this load, all in the same ragged hole. Jay | |||
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Bearcat: When you say it won't shoot, what are the specifics. Ruger stock screws can be a problem, as others have mentioned, but if it is an awful shooter, why not send it back to Ruger with a letter of explaination, and see what they will do. I sent a 220 Swift back to them,after I shot the barrel out, and when I got it back, it shot like a 3 shot bench rest gun, no kidding. Cost me $135.00 Bucks. I have 2 Remington 700 vs's in 220 Swift also,and the Ruger outshoots them both, by a little, 1/4" or so. I have heard of some Rugers, that would not shoot, but I have never PERSONALLY been around one. In my group of shooting buddies there are several Ruger hunting rifles, including a #1 in 30-06, and they are all excellent shooters. Good Luck Jerry NRA Benefactor Life Member | |||
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US1: I'm talking inconsistant groups sometimes it shoots a 1" but more often than not its more like 2.5 or larger. I've tried both full length sizing and neck and lee collet dies, I've tried a half a dozen powders and bullet weights ranging from 55g up to 70g seems to be no difference. Jerry E: I could try sending it back to Ruger and see what happens, problem being on top of it not shooting well I really don't care for the 243 case all that well so I think I'm leaning towards rebarrel, if theres nothing wrong with the action I don't want to sell it because I really like the control round feed action and I think it could be a great base for a great shooter, but I think the barrel and the stock need to go and the action needs to be check by a smith. This is the first experience with Ruger that I've had go bad, I've owned several including a #1 in 223 that was a wonderful shooter. But my best luck has been with Remington and CZ, have a couple of Rem 700's that are .5 moa shooters one in 223 the other in 22-250, the CZ is a Varmint model in 17 Rem, it shoots between .5-.75 moa great fun to shoot and call your own hits. | |||
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bearcat: If you send it back, and they put a new barrel on it for nothing, then you can fancy it up latter. Like an AI or something. As far as the action is concerned, I wouldn't worry at all about using it, I know there is nothing wrong with the action. I like CZ'S as well, I have a 527 in 223, that shoots in the 3's, 3 shots. Jerry NRA Benefactor Life Member | |||
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Bearcat: I ran into that exact same problem with my 06. Put another scope on that thing and see how it does!!!!!!! No kidding, just might be your scope is haywire inside and you'll never get that gun to shoot with it. I had an old K4 Weaver fail, then put a new el cheapo on and damned if it didn't do the same thing. Had a buddy that liked gun challenges work with it and he put one of his scopes on and the gun and loads were tight groupers. Several of us learned a new lesson, I'm just trying to share it with others. Isn't that what these forums are for?? Might be something to try with another gun too. Group one, then put this scope on it and shoot another group. That'll prove the scope one way, or the other. Another thing. Slug that bore, make sure the slug makes even constant contact full length. Patch and measure the twist too. Then compare the weight bullets you're using to the twist/weight charts. IF you don't have one, call a barrel maker with your info and ask what's the best weight for this twist. I'll bet, if all the screws are tight, one of these will prove what's wrong for you. Let us know what you find. George "Gun Control is NOT about Guns' "It's about Control!!" Join the NRA today!" LM: NRA, DAV, George L. Dwight | |||
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bearcat, Lots of good suggestions here. I would suggest being patient and trying to find THE problem. Selling at a reduced price or rebarreling will be costly and may not solve problem! Good Luck ________ Ray | |||
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The Accurate Reloading Forums THE ACCURATE RELOADING.COM FORUMS Rifles Small Calibers What to do with a Ruger 243 that never has shot worth a crap!
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