98Z5V Posted February 24, 2020 Report Share Posted February 24, 2020 New rifle, new caliber for me. Reminton 783 Varmint, .243 Winchester. Had to make a serious decision about this one. It's another ".308-based, .308-Parent-Cartridge" round. There's six, total, including .308 Winchester. .243 Win, .260 Rem, 7mm-08, .308 Win, .338 Fed, and .358 Win. I'm alright with the .308, .260 Rem, and .338 Fed. That's half, if I just stop there. I know, though, that if I bought this bolt gun - why stop at 4 out of 6 in the .308 Family?! This bolt gun will end up (also) costing me a 7mm-08 AR, and a .358 Win AR. Eventually... Beautiful laminated wood stock, 26" free-floated heavy barrel - this is the same exact barrel profile as my Rem 700 Long Range, the .300 Win Mag. But the bore is alot smaller... That means this barrrel is heavy as HELL!!! 4-round detachable magazine for feeding, plus 1 in the pipe. Mmmmm, okay. At least it's mag fed. Like all bolt guns should be. Comes with the 0-MOA rail already mounted on it. Detachable (threaded) oversized bolt knob. Adjustable "Crossfire" trigger system - and it WORKS! It came set at 3.5lbs pull weight, and I've already adjusted it down to a tick over 2lbs. The adjustment system really works. Remington should put this trigger in all it's 700s, too - because that X-Mark Pro "adjustable" trigger sucks so bad. This Crossfire trigger system really works. But thumbs up on that. It won't over-ride my complete disdain for the X-Mark Pro, but it's a step in the right direction, and something that you don't need to shell out your own "extra money" to fix. I'll have alot of work to do with it to get it ready for the Spring Shoot. Glass, something from Athlon will go on it. Either a 4~14 mildot or a 6~24 mildot. Warne Maxima steel rings, as low as I can go. Extra mags. Scope bubble level. V-TAC Mk1 FDE sling. MagPul bipod. Gonna be tough to make it, just 2 months out, but I'll work on it. Ran up the numbers on the oldest ammo I can find for it, that you can find almost everywhere - 100gr Remington Core-Lokt PSP. There won't be any time for dies, Lee crimp die, powder experiments and all that - prior to Spring Shoot. Gonna have to run shelf ammo. Kinda surprised at how the numbers worked out for that ammo - 2.8 mils drop at 500, 7.4 mils drop at 850, 10.3 mils drop at 1,000. It drops below 1,000 lb/ft of energy around 375 yards, so for deer hunting, it'll be limited to about 350 yards - but that's 1.5 mils of drop. Here's the initial chart on the 100gr Core-Lokt: I'll REALLY be itching to try out the Hornady 90gr ELD-X and 103gr ELD-X, once I do get to reloading for this thing... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cliff R Posted February 24, 2020 Report Share Posted February 24, 2020 Nice rifle! One of the most accurate rifles I ever had in my inventory was a model 788 in 22-250. With a Speer 52 grain BR bullet backed by H414 every round virtually in the same hole. The 788 was considered Remingtons "bargain" rifle back then and came with a cheap stock and rear lug bolt. Decades ago I logged a LOT of time with the 243 and 6mm. Owned several rifles in those calibers years ago and worked up some very accurate loads for them. Without exception all those calibers and my 22/250 were very fond of H414. I had a chronagraph at that time and getting good velocity with it as well and nearly all in the same hole accuracy at 100 yards. Of course my info is a it dated as I had worked everything up and quit experimenting with them around 1990. I eventually sold off all those rifles and loaded the safe up with AR platforms in various calibers instead. The 243/6mm's are dubbed a very capable deer cartridge. However I had several really bad experiences with them on deer at longer ranges so went to bigger calibers instead. If you don't mind the extra recoil over a 223 or 22/250 they are EXCELLENT for coyotes, groundhogs and other varmints......IMHO...... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mrmackc Posted February 24, 2020 Report Share Posted February 24, 2020 I had 47 minutes ago, Cliff R said: Nice rifle! One of the most accurate rifles I ever had in my inventory was a model 788 in 22-250. With a Speer 52 grain BR bullet backed by H414 every round virtually in the same hole. The 788 was considered Remingtons "bargain" rifle back then and came with a cheap stock and rear lug bolt. Decades ago I logged a LOT of time with the 243 and 6mm. Owned several rifles in those calibers years ago and worked up some very accurate loads for them. Without exception all those calibers and my 22/250 were very fond of H414. I had a chronagraph at that time and getting good velocity with it as well and nearly all in the same hole accuracy at 100 yards. Of course my info is a it dated as I had worked everything up and quit experimenting with them around 1990. I eventually sold off all those rifles and loaded the safe up with AR platforms in various calibers instead. The 243/6mm's are dubbed a very capable deer cartridge. However I had several really bad experiences with them on deer at longer ranges so went to bigger calibers instead. If you don't mind the extra recoil over a 223 or 22/250 they are EXCELLENT for coyotes, groundhogs and other varmints......IMHO...... I had a similar experience with the Remington 788 In the late 1970s and early 80s I had a couple of custom Winchester , Mauser, and Remington bolt guns in .243, 3006 .and .35 Whelan when I had a Gunsmith shop as a second job. I had a friend that wanted something more powerful than his 94 Winchester for deer. I had read about the Remington 788 and ordered a new one in .308 for a song. I took it to the range after mounting a Weaver 4 power scope I got in a trade. It shot one of the best groups I had ever shot at 200 yards. I attributed it to the fastest trigger I have ever seen on a bolt gun. I traded it for my friends pre 64 94 Winchester and cash. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
98Z5V Posted February 25, 2020 Author Report Share Posted February 25, 2020 13 hours ago, Cliff R said: Nice rifle! One of the most accurate rifles I ever had in my inventory was a model 788 in 22-250. With a Speer 52 grain BR bullet backed by H414 every round virtually in the same hole. The 788 was considered Remingtons "bargain" rifle back then and came with a cheap stock and rear lug bolt. Thanks, Cliff! - This is the new budget rifle from Rem, now. Just like that 788. They made the receiver from a piece of CNC'd pipe - no kidding. It's nowhere near as involved as making a 700 receiver. Machine tube, machined out the ejection port, machined out the bottom for feeding, done. I didn't know this before, but the Varmint version here has all the options - some of the other 783s don't have a removable bolt handle, nor is it oversized. No rail, etc. MSRP is $625, I've seen it at the mid-$400s to higher $400s online. I got it from my Gun Pusher for $511. Could have got it a little cheaper online - but that doesn't support my Gun Pusher. I can't wait to shoot this thing, but I have to wait to the point that I've got it ready to shoot (scope, etc). That's crushing me... Load development is gonna be fun for this one. Can't say enough about this trigger - they finally did it right. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mrmackc Posted February 25, 2020 Report Share Posted February 25, 2020 8 hours ago, 98Z5V said: Thanks, Cliff! - This is the new budget rifle from Rem, now. Just like that 788. They made the receiver from a piece of CNC'd pipe - no kidding. It's nowhere near as involved as making a 700 receiver. Machine tube, machined out the ejection port, machined out the bottom for feeding, done. I didn't know this before, but the Varmint version here has all the options - some of the other 783s don't have a removable bolt handle, nor is it oversized. No rail, etc. MSRP is $625, I've seen it at the mid-$400s to higher $400s online. I got it from my Gun Pusher for $511. Could have got it a little cheaper online - but that doesn't support my Gun Pusher. I can't wait to shoot this thing, but I have to wait to the point that I've got it ready to shoot (scope, etc). That's crushing me... Load development is gonna be fun for this one. Can't say enough about this trigger - they finally did it right. What Caliber 98Z ? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
98Z5V Posted February 26, 2020 Author Report Share Posted February 26, 2020 (edited) 11 hours ago, mrmackc said: What Caliber 98Z ? .243 Winchester, Mack - The little .308 necked down to 6mm! I can't wait to shoot this bastard... Edited February 26, 2020 by 98Z5V Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mrmackc Posted February 26, 2020 Report Share Posted February 26, 2020 12 hours ago, 98Z5V said: .243 Winchester, Mack - The little .308 necked down to 6mm! I can't wait to shoot this bastard... I had a .243 Win. in a Remington 700 ADL, It was fun to shoot and reload for. sold it in 1981. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
98Z5V Posted March 2, 2020 Author Report Share Posted March 2, 2020 (edited) Picked up the glass, rings and level Saturday, mounted/leveled everything up Saturday night, and shot it today, for it's maiden voyage - great rifle! Went with the new Athlon Argos BTR 6-24x50 in mils, the new Gen 2. Rings are Warne Maxima steel rings, medium height. I might be able to squeeze that scope into Warne's low rings - and I might have too much scope on this rifle like this... Might switch it out to a 4~14 or 2.5~15 instead. The 4~14 would definitely run on some Warne low rings. Scope level is Vortex 30mm. So, it shot GREAT. Right after mounting and leveling everything up, I hit is with the laser boresight and set everything up - very minimal rounds expended to zero that scope at 100 yards. Ran it at 200 and 250 yards, and the dope chart I made is right on the money - at those distances. Had a target out there at 500 yards, and I couldn't see impacts, or any dirt splash. Don't know if I was connecting out there at all. Medium wind, 5 gust 8, but I wouldn't think it would push it off that much... Don't know... This is the only experience I have with a .243. Main goal today was help a guy zero his Savage .338 LM bolt gun. Once we got out there, he handed me the gun and boxes of ammo... to zero his gun. Got that done at 100, moved over to the 500 to find out what his drop was at that range. 2.3mils of drop using S&B 250gr HPBT loaded ammo. Good day, overall. Edited March 2, 2020 by 98Z5V Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
98Z5V Posted March 2, 2020 Author Report Share Posted March 2, 2020 Athlon Argos BTR, Gen 2. Differences... The original model used plastic spacers to "stack" and set your zero-stop. Brass internals/dials. The new one went to the zero-stop setup like I got on that Athlon Midas 2.5~15 scope - and that's a slick system. I got that first gen Midas at a steal, because they were blowing them out to clear inventory, and launch the Gen 2 Midas. Difference - all stainless steel internals and dials, including the zero-stop. That's the same change made to the Argos BTR Gen 2, from the older first gens that I have. Overall - better zero-stop setup, and stainless internals/dials. Great upgrade that they've made. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
98Z5V Posted May 22, 2022 Author Report Share Posted May 22, 2022 On 2/23/2020 at 9:15 PM, 98Z5V said: This bolt gun will end up (also) costing me a 7mm-08 AR, and a .358 Win AR. Eventually... Check. The .358 Win needs some weight in the ass of it, badly - more buffer weight. It's a fucking BRUISER right now. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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