243 good bad news

[wyohandi]

Ok so I was working on the brother in laws 243 got it fit to his action real nice and snug. Cleaned it all up went out and
it shot fine,1-1 1/2" 10rds  just about as fast as I could load and shoot. I proclaimed it healed and gave it back to him.
We went to the range and at 200Yds it wouldn't hit the 4x4 target board!??? So he said junk!!!! sold me all his 243 stuff
and gave me the barrel. I cleaned it fit it to my action, 1- 1 1/2" for 10 rds then all over the place. When I cleaned it this time
I could feel a tight spot about halfway down, so I figured free barrel lets experiment. I took a 223 jag wrapped it in steelwool
and after oh a million strokes I couldn't feel any tight spot,even left some rifling!! Took it out to test my Handi work,
25 rds later about 1 1/2" so I kept going 50Rds later about a 2 - 2 1/2" group for 50 rds no cleaning, over about 1 hour.
Oh yeah the wind was blowing about 15-20mph, so I guess thats not too bad. Then I cleaned it, no tight spot! Went out
today and shot a 3" group at 200yds 5rds.  Not too bad for a free junk barrel. (I hope he buys another one that won't shoot)

[Smoke Wagon]

Congrats... it's a great feeling to make it work on your own. It should get even better with time once it's broke in

[stimpylu32]

I heard the same things about the 243 super lite barrels before I got mine , wrong , they will shoot - just needed a little TLC to make it happy . 

stimpy

[Couger]

Does fire-lapping help clean-up these delinquent Handi non-shooters?



I'll add it doesn't surprise me to hear that it might take a couple hundred rounds to "break in" a new barrel.  In fact that is often the "norm" many of my friends and me have experienced.

Still, good info in this thread.

[wyohandi]

If the steelwool wouldn't have worked I was going to try the Tubbs abrasive bullets.
I have never tried them, would appriciated hearing from anyone who did. I think it
would be a whole lot easier and more fun to shoot the barrel good than to hand lap
for 5 or 6 hours.

[Smoke Wagon]

The Tubbs bullets have been brought up before, and if I remember correctly there was concern that they might be to aggressive for the rifling of the Handi. I polished both of my barrels as explained in the FAQ section. My hornet is very accurate and am currently getting my 500 set up for this years season.

[quickdtoo]

I only recollect one individual using the Tubbs bullets in his Handi, it shot mediocre before and worse afterwards.  I would recommend something considerably less aggressive.

Tim

[wyohandi]

Thanks quick, thats all I needed to hear. I guess if it sounds to good to be true..........