243 accuracy problems

[Gallahad]

I bought a used 243 handi, with the cinnamon laminate stock and ejector. looked almost new.$200. after scoping it, I tried some partitions, 100 gr. with h1000. @2950fps. seated almost touching rifling. (just far enuf away so as not to get stuck in them.) lee carbide neck sized, dead length bullet seater, no crimp. groups are @ 4" at 100 yds. Tried 100 gr. corelocts to make sure and same group size. I know there is no problem with scope/mounting, I had the gun resting on a sandbag just in front of trigger guard, and pulled through trigger.I haden't eaten for 4 hours, and was ready to shoot. with the factory ammo I for sure should have gotten better groups. can anyone help me? It seemed to be shooting one high, one low, one high, one low....

[quickdtoo]

Check the scope base, sounds like something is loose if it's not the scope itself. Also follow the tips in the Handi Basics 101, could be inconsistent latch engagement.

Tim

[Gallahad]

scope is mounted great, as is the base. it's an NCstar. NOT the most expensive, but I got my best groups ever out of one, and usually have good luck with em'.  I did not shut action forcefully when shooting. I will be sure to do that next time.

[quickdtoo]

Even the best scopes fail, I would try a known good scope if making sure the latch and shelf are clean and dry and closing the action firmly doesn't help, you wouldn't be the first to swear up and down the scope was good, only to find out it wasn't, very frustrating. 

Tim

[Mac11700]

Pull the forearm off of it and see if you have any movement when it's locked up..If you do..you might want to try bedding the forearm..or at least try a few tooth picks on the front side of the barrel stud between the forearm and the stud..then put the forearm screw in. I found my 243's all shot better with a lot of resistance from the forearm pushing back against the frame..and helped with the lock up on them..Shimming in the FAQ's is the best way..but this will let you know pretty quick if you need to go that route
Mac

[trotterlg]

Sounds about on par for a .243 Handi.  Some have gotten them to shoot great, but if you look back in the postings they seem to have the biggest accuracy problem of any of the H&R chamberings.  Larry

[lonewolf5348]

I find my 243 cal. has a mind of its own
I can blink my eye of feel the shot went off wrong and yet with any grain bullet under 87 grains the bullet hits same group
I played with 95 grainers to 105 some day days I can put 3 shots in the same hole other days maybe a 1" group

[ndindy]

I've got a .243 as well, irritates the living heck out of me and I haven't had the time to try and fix it.  First job was getting the ejector to actually eject, hard to judge grouping when you can get 1 shot and a stuck case, then realize you left the rod at home.   It's at least consistent though, it shoots every bullet and load I've tried just as badly as the last 

I haven't decided if I'm going to work it, rebarrel it or sell it.  My .223/45-70 though, love that gun.


It's got a much more impressive looking scope on it now. 

[guns-o-fun]

I have a 243 Bull on choate synthetic.  At first, it did not shoot the way I would expect a 243 to shoot.  I checked the crown.  It was visibly irregular right out of the box.  I hate shipping things back and forth, so I just cut a new crown with a PTG 11-degree cutter.  I also free floated the barrel by trimming down the sides of the forend and surrounded the forend screw with a series of rubber washers to try to isolate and stabalize it (the choate has a tapering screw hole - so I had to use more than one size).  It will now shoot 1 inch groups at 100 yards from the bench if I do my part.

PS The forend screw on mine has to be really tight to get any benefit from the rubber washers in the screw hole.

[Trapper-Jack]

Gallahad
You said that you resized with a Lee carbide neck sizing die.  When I began with my .243 I was using a Lee full length die but only partially sizing to only size the neck.  I too got irratic results.  I found I was not getting consistant lock up.  I began sizing full length and bumping the shoulder back to where I got consistant lock up and things began to improve dramatically.  I don't know how fast your h1000 burns but I tried using 4064 and didn't get very good results with the heavier bullets until I went to a slower burning IMR 4350.

ndindy
I fixed my stuck case problem by polishing the chamber.  I spun a fired case coated with tooth paste in the chamber by threading the primer pocket for 1/4 inch thread, threaded a bolt in (minus the bolt head) and spun it with an electric drill. 
Also make sure the cases are trimmed back.  They tend to grow, especially with hot loads.

[Roy D]

Is it a Superlight? We got one of those that wouldn't shoot well either.

Turned out that the new scope I put on it was bad from the box. Another new one cut the groups from 6" down to 4". After that I sanded down the inside of the forearm so that there was no way it could touch the barrel anywhere and prepard to bd it if necessary. Then I tried putting an O-ring on the forearm. Now my 12 yr old can shoot a 1 1/4" inch 3 shot group at 100 yards with it. That's when I stoped tinkering.

With that O-ring on the front, it shoots best with the screw snug. If I tighten it, it gos back to being erratic.