.243 barrel life

MPFD

MPFD

Well-known member
I have a Rem 700 BDL that only seems to like light fast bullets. It shoots a 58 g. Vmax at 3800 fps. into very good groups @ 100 yds. It seems to really do a good job even at distance. I've tried tons of other loads and nothing does as well. So I decided to just run the 58 g. and designate it as my Varmint rifle. My plans are to shoot the barrel out and replace it with a .260 REM or 7-08 eventually. How long do you guys think it will live with that hot load. It's not gonna see a lot of hard repeated use like a long afternoon at a PD town. Probably more like a backup rifle to shoot while my AR cools down and some coyote calling.
 
This really depends on how hot you get the barrel. Keep the barrel fairly cool and your going to get several thousand rounds out of it. Shoot it red hot and it'll kill it quick.

I'm shooting 55 grain Nosler's out of two different 243's at just over 3900 fps, but I'm not doing the high volume PD thing. I expect years of use and when the time comes I'll spend the bucks to replace the barrels and just put it down to the price of my shooting hobby. I use both mine for calling rifles along with rock chucks and a few ground squirrels. I also shoot a 204 Ruger in a CZ 527 so I'm not burning up one gun for everything. One of my 243's is a 700 VLS and the other is a Ruger #1B.
 
I've had my 700 ADL for over 25 years and bought it used. I've probably put well over a thousand rounds down the tube, mostly 60 grain Sierra HP's loaded pretty hot. Shoots just as good as when I got it. Never used it much for 'chucks or squirrels. Mostly deer and coyotes. Most rounds were shot working up loads and just target shooting. Keep it clean, don't let the barrel overheat, should last at least a couple thousand rounds.
 
I did not find any difference in barrel life between an 85g bullet at 3150 with 37.0g of H 4895 and a 60g bullet at 3750 fps with a max load of Win 760.

I did wear a few throats egg shaped with the cleaning rod until I got a Neil Jones bore guide that has a bushing that fits on the rod to keep it centered in the rod guide.
 
It'll last until accuracy starts to go. Depends on how you treat it. You have to use some common sense. When the barrel gets hot, give it a break. I shot 60Sierras at 3800 through a blue 700Varmint for several years and the barrel was still fine when I sold it. Now, one .243AI has about 1500rds through it.....there's some throat erosion and rifling wear in the first inch or so, but the gun still shoots very well.
 
It won't get over shot, it will most likely see very limited use. I can't bring my self to take it hunting it's too pretty. I just ordered a Nikon 6-18x40 AO Buckmaster for it. Does anybody have one, and what do you think of it?
 
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It won't get over shot, it will most likely see very limited use. I can't bring my self to take it hunting it's too pretty. I just ordered a Nikon 6-18x40 AO Buckmaster for it. Does anybody have one, and what do you think of it?



I have that scope with the side focus. Clear powerful scope. Works fine but its just sitting around now. 6-18 was way more power than I could use.
 
I have a 1986 Ruger ultra light with a little pencil barrel. I shoot and hunt with it alot. 100 rounds in an afternoon for hunting practice ain't unusual.

It is on its 3rd barrel now, and 2200 rounds is approx barrel life. Groups will grow, and bullets will yaw ever so slightly when fired at paper. Its like shooting a too long bullet with a slow twist.

Eventually accuracy can't be trusted, and a new barrel will be needed to restore things.

I shoot 85 grainers only at mid velocity, but the 243 will eat a barrel quicker with higher velocity.

Still worth it though.
 
What powder are you guys getting that kind of speed from ?I loaded some 60gr Sierras with Varget and AA2700 from a 24inch barrel brand new Remington SPS and even crept up to over max charges and never got over 3650fps.
 
venatic, you may just have a "slow" barrel. Using 760 and AA2700, somewhere in the 37.5-38.5g range, you should be getting 3750+ with extreme accuracy. I suggest that you use Win or Rem brass with a Mild heat primer such as a Fed 210. Seat the bullets to just kiss the lands if possible.

If you have ended up with a slow barrel, not to sweat, because it is the accuracy that really counts. You can't miss them fast engogh to kill them.
 
I got around 3500 rounds thru the tube of my Tikka T3 Stainless before it opened up. I shot the majority of my loads (60gr Sierra HP) at max velocity. This wasn't heating the barrel up more than a few times, got carried away a couple of times is about it.

I gave it a very thorough cleaning around 3200rds, and the groups were stuck in the 1.75" area, I decided at 3500 that it was time to trade 'er off before the barrel was completely gone. Good thing is I bought my Tikka when they first came out, and I only lost $75 from what I paid for it brand new when I traded.
 
Ackleyman you must mean 47.5 to 48.5 of AA2700 because I loaded 46.5 and the 60gr Sierra and got 3500fps. If that is the case then yes I could see getting those type speeds but I was loading for a good friend and I did not want to push the charge quite that high.Besides that I have done research and your last sentence is absolutely correct according to my findings. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grinning-smiley-006.gif
 
The 243 becomes a copper problem down the road, but will still have a lots-o-life left in her. I thought of a rebarrel of my 243 to a 243ai, its min $500 plus the die costs, that is unless you can do this yourself. I will go with another gun.
Jim
 
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