Tikka .243; 1:8 or 1:10?

[Alder]

Lurker and had a quick question. Sorry, I just don't understand bullet-stability to twist rate very well. Maybe too MUCH reading has muddied the water.

I'm not doing any handloading and am interested in shooting factory (for deer and antelope):

80 & 85 Barnes Copper, 90-100gr Partitions / Nosler BTs, and 87 V-Max (live in coastal PNW so most shots will be low elevation).

So my question is does the 1:8 or 1:10 twist cater to the bullets I want to run? It seems like heavier gr the 1:8 specializes in isn't available to me as factory.

I also read bullets can poof if ran out of too fast a twist?

Thanks for your time.

 

[BjornF16]

10” will work just fine

 

[sportsmans challenge]

Lurker and had a quick question. Sorry, I just don't understand bullet-stability to twist rate very well. Maybe too MUCH reading has muddied the water.

I'm not doing any handloading and am interested in shooting factory (for deer and antelope):

80 & 85 Barnes Copper, 90-100gr Partitions / Nosler BTs, and 87 V-Max (live in coastal PNW so most shots will be low elevation).

So my question is does the 1:8 or 1:10 twist cater to the bullets I want to run? It seems like heavier gr the 1:8 specializes in isn't available to me as factory.

I also read bullets can poof if ran out of too fast a twist?

Thanks for your time.

Don't worry about the poof, that is typically real fast lost of twist and the bullet can not hold together from all the rpm's, a barrel can have some issues or can get enough copper in it that with a fast load that imperfection in the barrel may upset the jacket and you could blow a bullet.

If all you can get is a 10 twist you should be able to get most of those to go, but may be on the edge of stability. Google berger bullet calculator or bullet stability calculator and you can check for your self and see if you like it or not. If you can find a 9 or 8 twist from factory that opens up some bullet weight range and gives you some insurance on what you are wanting to shoot.

 

[Alder]

Don't worry about the poof, that is typically real fast lost of twist and the bullet can not hold together from all the rpm's, a barrel can have some issues or can get enough copper in it that with a fast load that imperfection in the barrel may upset the jacket and you could blow a bullet.

If all you can get is a 10 twist you should be able to get most of those to go, but may be on the edge of stability. Google berger bullet calculator or bullet stability calculator and you can check for your self and see if you like it or not. If you can find a 9 or 8 twist from factory that opens up some bullet weight range and gives you some insurance on what you are wanting to shoot.

Thank you, that was very informative!

I can get a factory 8 twist (apparently), which I was surprised about. So it started the rabbit hole. The 10s are still around locally though.

 

[LongWayAround]

Thank you, that was very informative!

I can get a factory 8 twist (apparently), which I was surprised about. So it started the rabbit hole. The 10s are still around locally though.

I have seen the 8" twist on the shelf at my local retailer. The barrels are stamped as such. FYI

 

[sportsmans challenge]

Look at what twist your bullets recommend from factory. Then look at the stability calcs.
If you are on the edge you could get a 10 that shoots them and a 10 that doesn't. For the weights you are talking a 9 twist would be good, but if you think you may shoot heavies or solids down the road you may go 8.

 

[Alder]

I have seen the 8" twist on the shelf at my local retailer. The barrels are stamped as such. FYI

That's good to know! I'll make sure to check before I purchase then. Makes it easier. Thanks!

 

[PredatorSlayer]

There is no reason to not get the 1:8.

 

[Steve300xcw]

Either will work just fine for what you want.

I would get the 1:8 just because it allows for a few more bullet options. Though I cant say I have ever felt handicapped with a 1:10 243

 

[Bfish22]

I have seen the 8" twist on the shelf at my local retailer. The barrels are stamped as such. FYI

What retailer? I’ve been watching for one but not many local options and no one has any 243’s in stock to check the barrel.

 

[LongWayAround]

What retailer? I’ve been watching for one but not many local options and no one has any 243’s in stock to check the barrel.

Scheels. My observation was that some of them were stamped 8" and others had no stamp of twist rate.

 

[LookinforDirt]

I have a cheapo Savage Axis 1:10 that is one of my most accurate guns. It shoots a 100gn Interlock very well. Shoots an 87gn V-Max even better. Hornady’s reloading manual says 1:9 and faster for their 105gn and 1:8 for their 108gn. They test 100gn and lower with 1:10.

I see no realistic need for a 1:8 .243 unless you are setting up a target rifle and you reload. If a 1:10 doesn’t shoot a 100gn well then it is likely because the rifle doesn’t like that bullet or ammo. Not the twist. From what I’ve seen, any factory ammo over 100gn (e.g. Copper Creek) uses match, not hunting, bullets. They have a couple Berger hybrid loads. You rifle, even if 1:8, may or may not shoot them well. Just like any rifle ammo combination you might try. Then what? Not many/any more factory ammo options to try. And the ballistics of the heavy bullets don’t really come into play until you are at distances you probably shouldn’t be shooting deer with a .243. 1:10 will more confidently allow you to shoot the lighter bullets if you choose to do that with it one day.

IMO, for the rifles described use, a 1:8 twist would be for the scenario you will likely never see and a scenario not even described for your needs. A 1:10 twist is exactly the twist for what you will use it for.

 

[sportsmans challenge]

I have a cheapo Savage Axis 1:10 that is one of my most accurate guns. It shoots a 100gn Interlock very well. Shoots an 87gn V-Max even better. Hornady’s reloading manual says 1:9 and faster for their 105gn and 1:8 for their 108gn.

I see no realistic need for a 1:8 .243 unless you are setting up a target rifle and you reload. If a 1:10 doesn’t shoot a 100gn well then it is likely because the rifle doesn’t like that bullet or ammo. Not the twist. From what I’ve seen, any factory ammo over 100gn (e.g. Copper Creek) uses match, not hunting, bullets. They have a couple Berger hybrid loads. You rifle, even if 1:8, may or may not shoot them well. Just like any rifle ammo combination you might try. Then what? Not many/any more factory ammo options to try. And the ballistics of the heavy bullets don’t really come into play until you are at distances you probably shouldn’t be shooting deer with a .243. 1:10 will more confidently allow you to shoot the lighter bullets if you choose to do that with it one day.

IMO, for the rifles described use, a 1:8 twist would be for the scenario you will likely never see and a scenario not even described for your needs. A 1:10 twist is exactly the twist for what you will use it for.

You may be mistaken unless you rebarreled your rifle, but savage typically doe 1:9.25 twist on the 243 so it is more well rounded for the factory ammo. That has been my experience many years ago as well.

This is a savge axis in the pic

 

[LookinforDirt]

You may be mistaken unless you rebarreled your rifle, but savage typically doe 1:9.25 twist on the 243 so it is more well rounded for the factory ammo. That has been my experience many years ago as well.

This is a savge axis in the pic

I stand corrected! Thanks for pointing that out. I guess then if I were focused on 95-100gn+ bullets I’d go 1:8 if it was between 1:8 and 1:10. Personally I’d shoot 95gn or lighter at deer and stick with 1:10 if I felt I would want to shoot the lighter .243 bullets too.

 

[BjornF16]

80 & 85 Barnes Copper, 90-100gr Partitions / Nosler BTs, and 87 V-Max (live in coastal PNW so most shots will be low elevation).

Look at what twist your bullets recommend from factory. Then look at the stability calcs.
If you are on the edge you could get a 10 that shoots them and a 10 that doesn't. For the weights you are talking a 9 twist would be good, but if you think you may shoot heavies or solids down the road you may go 8.

Barnes load data lists a 10” twist for the 80 and 85 grain TTSX. Nosler load data lists a 10” twist for 95-100 grain bullets.

For what you listed in OP, a 10” twist barrel will work fine. So will an 8” twist.

You’d only need the 8” twist if you were going to launch >105 grain bullets or the 95 grain Berger VLDs

 

[Steve300xcw]

I have ran a pile of 105gr bthp's through a tikka 243 with the 1:10. No issues yet

 

[Kurts86]

I had a 1-9.125 Twist .243 and it struggled with 105gr Amax loads. You had to push the speed pretty hard to get stability and it lost out on accuracy.

I wouldn’t buy any sub 30 cal centerfire rifle today that didn’t have a 1-8 or fast twist rate. I fought slower twist rates in the past and I won’t do that again.

 

[vonb]

1:8 for future proofing.

 

[Mike 338]

The 10 twist covers a lot of ground for this popular caliber in Europe, AU and S. Africa. Fox and rabbit control and such. IMO though, a 243 anything causes a lot of pelt damage so if that's what you're after, the caliber itself will make an expert sewer out of you. If you're just doing varmint control and nothing else, a 10 twist is perfect. An 8 twist will stabilize heavier bullets if you hunt deer and/or want to use bullets with a higher ballistic coefficient for long range shooting to better buck the wind.

I have a 10 twist and it works just fine. I got that cause it was on sale and that's all they had at the time. If for some reason, the barrel wears out, which it won't, I'll get an 8.

 

[Bfish22]

If anyone is looking for a tikka 8 twist 243, eurooptic has them in stock and on sale. Just ordered a lefty version for myself along with some Berger 108 elite hunters.