243 Blues

I just tried the 100gr bullets because it was suggested.

I have checked the crown with a Q-tip. Seems OK as the swab didn't hang up on the crown. About the only way I have to really check it.

I have bed the recoil lug area and about an inch in front of it. Also the rear tang area as well. I have also made sure the barrel floats in the channel.

When I clean the barrel, I feel no tight areas and it cleans up pretty quick with very little copper fouling.

About the only thing to do now is just start from scratch and run the load testing again. All out of 80 grain Blitz which was the bullet of choice but I have several other grain weights and brands. I think an 80 grain Nosler first then maybe a 75 or 87 grain V-Max. Maybe an 88 grain Berger as I have had good luck with them in the past. Nothing like a challenge!!
 
Possible parallax issue with the scope?

Even new, out of the box, scopes can have parallax issues. I have mounted and bore sighted hundreds of new scopes for customers, (15+ years gun counter at BassPro/Cabelas), and every once in a while, a new scope has parallax issues.

With all the work you've put into it, and it still doesn't shoot, I'm down to parallax or a bad barrel.

I've mentioned on here before, that my son had a Winchester Shadow in 223wssm. It was the worst shooting rifle I've ever encountered. The best group was 2", with a 60gr Vmax and 45.5grs H4350, and if I deviated from that load with 1/2gr powder, the gun would put 1 or 2 on paper (somewhere), and the rest off paper. Most of my notes say 7", 10" or more groups, or 1 on paper, the rest off paper.

Traded it for a Browning in 223wssm, and this one shoots great.
 
Well, another disappointing trip to the range today. Results were the same. And they sucked! Time to decide on Plan B. I feel I'm wasting components on a dead horse.
 
Sometimes stuff happens.
I am a firm believer in a 243/6mm so don't give up on the chambering. Brand of rifle or barrel maybe.
 
Man, hate to hear your issues, most of my rifles are full customs but I am in a similar boat with a factory Model 7 in 260Rem and the best I've been able to get is about 1.5MOA. Trying to do load development during these times of component depression is zero fun as well.

I'd suggest throwing the towel in because you've obviously done due diligence! Get a custom barrel like a nice Krieger or Bartlein and never look back!

Greg AKA Bugholes from Southern Precision is where I've gotten my last 6 or so custom barrels and he's usually got lots of options and good prices. Goodluck
 
You might be giving up to early.
Start at the start.
Are the action screws bottoming out?
Are the front scope base screws bottoming out?
Is the magazine box loose in the stock when everything is tightened down?
Try a different scope.
Make sure the barrel isn't touching somewhere. I would not bed the first inch of the barrel. The lug area, the front of the action and the tang, then shoot for groups.
Is the lug inline with the action screws? This is a normal Rem. issue.
Load 100gr.sp flat base bullets with RL26 and Rem 9 1/2 primers. Max the seating out the bullets will just clear in the magazine.
Tighten the action screws to 65" lbs.

The magazine box could be the culprit.
Did you install it back in its original stock?
 
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I've always had a 243 or 243AI in the rack. Some have been a little testy but always have found something that would shoot. I've tried everything from 55 grain up to and including 100 grain and groups were just not satisfactory for me. I admit I'm a little more picky than some on how a gun should shoot. I guess that's what having custom barrels and accurate rifles do to a person.

I have a few more ideas I haven't done yet. Been holding off doing them. Might have a new crown cut and even shortening the barrel by a few inch's. Don't figure I have much to loose at this point and might change the harmonics enough to make a difference. At this point if I flip it, I'll loose money and if I re-barrel, I spend more money on it. Any way to slice it, its going to cost me.
 
Originally Posted By: pyscodogI've always had a 243 or 243AI in the rack. Some have been a little testy but always have found something that would shoot. I've tried everything from 55 grain up to and including 100 grain and groups were just not satisfactory for me. I admit I'm a little more picky than some on how a gun should shoot. I guess that's what having custom barrels and accurate rifles do to a person.

I have a few more ideas I haven't done yet. Been holding off doing them. Might have a new crown cut and even shortening the barrel by a few inch's. Don't figure I have much to loose at this point and might change the harmonics enough to make a difference. At this point if I flip it, I'll loose money and if I re-barrel, I spend more money on it. Any way to slice it, its going to cost me.

That's why I was very specific on the 100gr. load. 47.0 gr. of RL26
behind a flat base 100gr. has worked in 4 243's I load for.
The mag. box is the culprit 9 times out of 10. If it is snug with the action screws torqued up then it causes the action to bind.

If it shot ok in its original stock but when you restocked it things changed then it's mechanics of some kind dealing with the new stock or the aluminum bedding block.
 
It didn't shoot OK in the original stock. It shot about like it does in the B&C. The mag box fits the Vanguard like in a Remington. It fits into the action. I could shim the bottom metal a little to possibly relieve any pressure or grind the bottom of the box. Shimming would be quicker and easier. As to bedding, its a 50/50 million dollar question as to bedding in front of the lug or not. I have always bed just a little ways in front. I also bed the tang area as well.

The recoil lug on the Vanguard is part of the action and the front screw goes through the lug. Not much I can do there. And the screws aren't bottoming out. Scope bases and rings are torqued as well as action screws. The scope is doing what it suppose to. The rifle shoots groups, just large ones.

As for 100 grain bullets, I have some but no RL-26 and doubt there is any to be had. I'll have to look.

I appreciate everyones help and suggestions. It just seems I have started over so many times and with close to 200 rounds through the rifle and no groups even good enough to fine tune, that it may be time for something a lot more drastic. I can't say I have given up but I've worn a bald spot on my head from scratching it wondering what do I do now. LOL!
 
I don't know what bullets or powders you have on hand but if a .243 Winchester won't shoot well with a quality 95-100 gr. bullet and around 41 grains of H4350, give or take a half grain of powder, then it's best used for a tomato stake.
 
Just got off the phone with my gunsmith/shooting buddy. I'm taking the rifle to him in the morning and he's going to cut me a new crown on the barrel. I guess I'll start there and see what happens. Maybe I'll get lucky.
 
You might get lucky.
How sure are you there is not a carbon ring?
You may have a bad barrel, but on a Weatherby?????
I would take metal off the bottom of the magazine box until I could reach a finger in there and wiggle it easily with the action screws tight.

I've had a couple of rifles now where I could torque the action screws down and the scope base screws down to specs. The rifles shot ok but not great. Then I discovered that the front action screw and the front base screw were bottoming out on the barrel threads. After trimming the screws down the accuracy was superb.

H4350 is always a good 243 100gr. powder, but RL26 is awesome in a 243 using 95 or 100gr. bullets.
 
Originally Posted By: GCI don't know what bullets or powders you have on hand but if a .243 Winchester won't shoot well with a quality 95-100 gr. bullet and around 41 grains of H4350, give or take a half grain of powder, then it's best used for a tomato stake.

GC, most all I shoot is quality bullets. Never been a fan of FMJ or the sort. Usually Sierra, Nosler, Barnes, Berger, Hornady. Powders, H4350, Varget, H4064, IMR 4064, IMR 4320, RL 19,H414 are powders I've used.
Bullets 80 Blitz,87 V-Max, 70 V-Max, 80 Nosler, 75 V-Max,90 Sierra Game Changer, 80 TTSX, 100 Sierra and !00 Pro Hunter.

Not like I haven't run the gambit. I'm going to see if a new crown helps at all. If it doesn't I'm going to re-barrel it.
 
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Read through hoping I could help but it looks like you've bent over backwards on this one already. Of the numerous Vanguards I've owned I had only one that didn't shoot well. Contacted Weatherby and they offered to take the rifle back and check/repair it. They said if I wanted I could keep shooting it until I got over 100 rounds through it as they often tighten up.

To my surprise almost right at 100 my group sizes were cut in half. Your probably north of that round count though.

I can vouch for their customer service.
I'd bet they would take it back and make it right without any drama if it's not re-crowned already and you wanted to go that route. Another option at least.

I hope you get it squared away!
 
I thought about sending it back but I had done trigger work already and not sure about how they would handle that and just got back from the smith's. I cut two inch's off the barrel length and re-crowned it as well. Its all mine now. LOL! Hoping cutting two inch's off might change the harmonics in my favor. If this doesn't help, its a new barrel.
 
I'm to the point of taking it to a witch doctor if I thought it would help. I've pretty much decided that a new barrel is not far down the road. Wasting sacred bullets on a dead horse is getting very disappointing. I have a lot of 6mm bullets, just don't have a lot of each weight. When they are gone, they are gone. Same as with my LR primers.

One decision is barrel manufacturer, Wilson or Douglas? I know these aren't premier barrels but I'm not building a bench gun, just a solid hunting rifle. Another is caliber, 243,243AI or 6AI? I like the 6AI and have dies and brass for it. If I go 243AI, I start from scratch.
 
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