Winchester Model 70 featherweight in 243wssm shooting terrible?

Originally Posted By: tuneredHeavy bullets are harder on any barrel in any calibur, just because they go faster dont mean they are harder on barrels,bullet dwell time in the barrel.

Huh? Please explain.
 
Try playing with the torque on your lug bolt, go mildly firm and shoot a few shots, then try good solidly firm, if you see a difference try it even firmer and see if there's a torque it likes. I've had a few rifles that weren't shooting worth crap that were very fussy about action torque and improved dramatically.

I have the heavier model 70 coyote, it shoots the 55's under half an inch but won't shoot the 95's under an inch and a half or two inches.

Also try resting your fingertips on the barrel out toward the end of the stock, or if you have enough scope clearance rest your fingers across the barrel. I've seen tighter groups by changing the barrel resonance with some dampening on the barrel.

Some rifles just won't shoot, it happens. If mine had shot the 95's great and the 55's lousy I'd already have a new rifle, I wanted fast and flat out to 500 yards and I've got what I want. It puts coyotes down with severe prejudice.
 
A heavy bullet takes longer to exit any barrel, so you have a longer time for the powder to heat the throat, most barrels are good for about 6 seconds of actual fire time, sounds crazy dont it??
 
Originally Posted By: CatShooter
Chill out Jason...

... it was a JOKE!!


I wasn't getting mad, I was just stating facts. It doesn't matter what forum I read, it's always the same with the WSSM's.


Originally Posted By: EJ Reichenbach
Why do u think people feel that way ? Why do u think they stopped clambering them? Well I hate to burst your bubble but they just kinda suck I had one and changed barrel and still hated it mostly because of the brass.

Your not really bursting my bubble. I realize the limitations of this round and the crappy brass. The only reason I own one is because I wanted a .243 in an AR, I just didn't want one in the AR-10 platform, so I went with the WSSM. If I were to want a .243/6mm in a bolt action, it wouldn't be a WSSM.

In my AR-15, my .243 WSSM shoots great with 80 & 88 gr Bergers over H4350. I was just out a couple weeks ago and was able to consistantly shoot five shot groups under 3/4" with the Shilen barrel.

 
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I had a Browning in 223 wssm and it was actually a good shooter, had hang fires with BR2s, and never really beat factory 55s Win supreme handloading for it, the factory ammo would shoot 1/2 to 5/8 consistently.It was supposedly the chrome bore.
 
I would like to Thank everybody for their input. I'm going to try heavier bullets and if that doesn't work this thing is down the road. I will let you know how it shoots and somebody might get a good deal on a bolt action scatter gun. LOL
 



You have a light hunting rifle, 2in@100 and 4in@200.
I think it shoots great. You can kill deer all day long with your rifle.
You have a Winchester rifle.
 
Originally Posted By: willy1947


You have a light hunting rifle, 2in@100 and 4in@200.
I think it shoots great. You can kill deer all day long with your rifle.
You have a Winchester rifle.






2"@100 is a lot of things, great is NOT one of them.
 
Originally Posted By: wmig2I would like to Thank everybody for their input. I'm going to try heavier bullets and if that doesn't work this thing is down the road. I will let you know how it shoots and somebody might get a good deal on a bolt action scatter gun. LOL

Try the torque thing, it's way easy, there's a reason guys buy fancy torque screw drivers, it can make a difference.
 
I have a supershadow in the same cal. The 55 g factory ammo was not the most accurate in my rifle either. The 100 grain pp shot the best and would shoot 1" at 100 no problem. If you really want to get the most out of that caliber you need to load for it. I have had good luck with imr 4350 and win 760 powder with bullets in the 70-100 grain range from Nosler and Hornady. Good luck with it and keep us posted!
 
Remember reading in the Hornady Reloading Manual that just working up loads for a rifle, that they had significant throat erosion with the WSSM.
 
Originally Posted By: joedNo new word? I'd like to hear how it does.
I'm in N.C. and S.C. doing some coyote hunting with friends no luck these down here are just as skittish. I need to find some dumb ones. lol I did buy some Winchester 95 grain down here and will be trying them when I get back.
 
Update: I shot some Winchester Supreme 95 grain Ballistic Tips at 50 yds. I'm liking the results vs the 55 grain. It shot a nickle group at 50 yds. It would of been better I moved on the one I think. I will be taking it out to a 100 yds. when I get a chance. I like this gun hope it groups good at 100 yds. I don't want to get rid of it.
 
Update: I shot it at a 100 yds. I'm okay with it now. It started out shooting all over but started grouping inside an inch after 6 shots. It will probably be a safe queen.
 
I have a Winchester WRAC M70 featherweight in .223 that I had difficulty getting to shoot. Once I found that it liked a hard hold ( right hand on the rear grip/ trigger & the left hand holding onto the fore-end on the front rest), it began to shoot 5 shots into and inch or less. Those light barrels tend to jump around if you try to shoot them like a BR gun off the rests.
 
I learned something a while back from Accurate Shooter website. I have been reloading for 40 yrs give or take a couple and you are never too old to learn something new. I own a 6.5-270 WSM and a 308 that I shoot a lot and when the accuracy starts to drop off I always give them a good cleaning with Bore tech eliminator which gets all the copper out. BUT it doesn't really do anything for the carbon ring that forms at the end of the case. I learned that if you take a brass or bronze brush and give it a dose of bore cleaner and scrub the barrel real good at the throat area and then down the barrel about 20 times and then run a wet patch it will come out black. I run a couple wet patches till they come out clean and my accuracy comes back.
Just a suggestion to give it a good scrubbing if you haven't already.
I like the short mags, they ZIPP, mine is supposed to go about 900 to 1000 rounds before it will need cut and rechambered, that is why I did it my self and have the reamer to do it again.
Good luck with your rifle, you're getting there.
Tarey
 
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