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From: J.M.Spencer@newcastle.ac.uk (Jonathan Spencer)
Newsgroups: rec.guns
Subject: Ruger M77MkII in 243 and reloading
Message-ID: <36024@mimsy.umd.edu>
Date: 27 Jun 91 19:03:39 GMT
Article-I.D.: mimsy.36024
Sender: magnum@mimsy.umd.edu
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Approved: gun-control@cs.umd.edu

Well folks, I finally bought my .243. It was a long (painfully long :-)
wait before I decided. At the turn of the year, the dealers were asking
around 500 pounds for a Ruger M77MkI or a Remington 700, and about the
same for a Browning A-bolt. So I asked a friend in Georgia (USA not
USSR :-) if he could mail me one. HM Customs and Excise said that if he
mailed me one through the normal mail service, it would be delivered to
my door and I would simply have to pay the import duties to the
postman. Sounds pretty good considering the cost in US (around $400 is
what you guys suggested). Add some mail, insurance, and import duty,
and it should still be a lot cheaper. But if the gun came by a carrier
(UPS etc) then I would need an import licence. (You have just *got* to
see the application form - all the answers are specified in Chapter_93_
 of the Customs Tarif.) And I would need an import agent to collect
the gun, present the licence etc etc. However, my friend tells me that
mailing a gun overseas isn't allowed in the US unless it's a FFL who
sends it. So happens his father in law holds the FFL and could do it
for me. But then my friend became a father and so rifles took a back
seat.

In the meantinme, the Ruger M77MkII was released in UK but only in .223
to start with. I must have at least a .240 calibre for deer (it's the
law :-). Two weeks ago, I saw a dealer offering an M77MkII Stainless in
.243 for 372 pounds which is a whole lot better than 500 pounds. (It's
$1.65 = 1 pound today.) I gave him a call and he offered the wooden
stocked gun at the same price. Seeing as I'd just got an extra 300
pounds which I wasn't expecting, and the roebuck season had opened, I
couldn't resist it :-) :-) :-)

It's a very fine gun and fits me really well. (That's what comes of
being of median build :-)  The Steyr Mannlicher Stutzen I handled last
Saturday was nicer, but it should be at 1114 pounds.

Now some questions.

1	Assuming normal factory loads firing, say, 100 grain bullets, how
many rounds should a barrel last? I've heard 5,000 rounds given.

2	As the barrel heats up, the point of impact will change. How
soon will this occur, after 2 rounds, 4, 10? The magazine is 4 rounds,
what sort of grouping should I expect from 4 rounds fired in succession
at 100 yards starting with a cold barrel? (That question assumes that
_I_ am shooting straight :-) How long should I leave the barrel to cool
down? (let's assume ambiant temperature is around 15-20 degrees C.)

3	I'm planning on reloading (10 rounds of Norma costs 5 pounds
and Priva Partisan (Yogoslavian - cheap and looks it) costs half that).
I've seen bullet weights ranging from 65grain to 100grain. What's the
heaviest bullet available for a .243, I heard mention of 120grain
bullets but haven't seen any. Does anyone have any ballistics for the
lighter bullets? I'm keen to shoot red fox in the mountains at fairly
long range - up to 250 yards if I'm up to it :-)

4	I can get a Lee complete reloading kit for around 60 pounds, or
for that price, just an RCBS press. What do people feel, is it worth the
extra money? I reckon I won't be firing more than 100 to 200 (max)
rounds a month at the very outside.

5	Precisely what do I need to start reloading? (Is this a FAQ?)
For example, I've seen advertised various 'vibratory cartridge
cleaners'.

6	Assuming normal loads, how many times can a cartridge be
re-used? 

Well, that's enough for now.

--Jonathan