New Rifle- Remington Model 660 in .243 Winchester

[tinkerpearce]

Going east of the mountains for mule deer next week and was planning on mounting an optic on my Abilene .44 Magnum, but after talking to my hunting partner shots will most likely be in the 100-150 yard range. I need a lot more practice with that .44 to be confident on a 100 yard shot. Hell, 150 yards is stretching things for my 7.35mm Carbine (with iron sights.) Linda said, "So get a scoped rifle." Lord I love this woman!




I examined the options at Pinto's and thought about the terrain we'll be trekking through- called the Scablands if that gives you a clue- and selected a Remington Model 660 in .243 Winchester, which came with a scope and sling mounted. It also has an aluminum replacement for the original plastic trigger-guard. The scope is nothing special, a variable power truGlo, but it's adequate. $475 for the whole deal, which I reckoned to be pretty good. I bought three boxes of PPU 100gr. soft-points and today I headed out to Renton Fish and Game today to try her out, and the results were decent... and a little weird.





I decided to shoot the first group at 100 yards unsupported. Fired three rounds at the upper left square, looked through the spotting scope and was pleased to see a 2" group. Not bad for off-hand. next I used a sandbag rest to see what she can really do. Three shots, looked through the scope and saw... a 2" group. Huh. Tried it again. 2" group. Ooookay. Got down the Steady Rest, mounted the rifle, got it dialed in and... 2" group.




Not what I was expecting from a rest, but I won't feel bad shooting it at a deer at 100-200 yards. Is this maybe the limit of accuracy from the ammo at that range? If it was just the off-hand group I'd assume I needed more practice, but I got an identical result from the Steady Rest. I got reloading dies for .243 Winchester, and some 100gr. bullets but I am leaving Weds. morning at zero-dark hundred, so I don't really feel like I have time to mess about experimenting; I have a lot to do between now and then and these will do well enough.



I do love the rifle. Short and light enough for scampering around rough country, excellent trigger and sweet handling. Likely before next year I'll float the barrel and bed the action, but for this year I am happy.

[bradshaw]

tinkerpiece..... these little dogleg carbines are sleepers. And the .243 Winchester a sleeper cartridge. You may be correct to not expect more from that no-name ammo; South African, by any chance? Your offhand group matching rested shots gratifying always, not the surprise some might think. Avoiding the loading bench at your own suggestion uncluttered preparation. The .243 Win and 6mm Remington are great offhand cartridges, rounds requiring and delivering pinpoint performance. So armed, I avoid shots inviting to a .30-06. The 6mm’s shine with lung shots.

Accuracy from your dogleg carbine may at this moment be defined more by the scope than the rifle. All of which can be sorted out later. Speaking of later, I would not float the barrel or pillar bed the action without first checking the scope for parallax. And, since it is a variable without name, and with shooting at various magnifications, I’d want to be certain POI doesn’t change when you crank the X.
David Bradshaw

[jgt]

I would also recommend a good cleaning with foaming barrel cleaning product, then a couple of "seasoning" shots before the hunt. Once you can afford it, a good scope and mounts will probably impress you with the improvements as Mr. Bradshaw so apply suggested. Congratulations on your choice of rifles. I believe you will like your choice even better the more you use it.

[JM]

Those "dogleg carbines" without the rib on top of the barrel look much nicer.

Find one of those scopes with the gold ring around it.

[Rimfire69]

Years ago I had a good run with one of these as my primary coyote gun for a couple of winters. I picked it up at a gun show with no scope and an extra barrel in .308 which never got used. It quickly got a 6x36 Leupold, my sling was stud mounted not banded like yours and I had no sights. It was a great little easy carry rifle, hopefully one of the boys resurrects it one of these days as it has not been out in 25 yrs.

[JM]

Look about halfway down the page: heritage-arms.com/product-category/gun-parts/?product_count=36

[tinkerpearce]

Oct 12, 2019 9:32:13 GMT -5 JM said:

Look about halfway down the page: heritage-arms.com/product-category/gun-parts/?product_count=36

Nice, and thanks! This one is already fitted with the aluminum trigger-guard replacement.

[dhd]

Like others have stated, try different ammunition. Get a box or 2 of Federal Premium ammo and try that after a good barrel cleaning. Who knows when it's been cleaned or how. Having a bore scope for some years, it really changed my thought process on barrel cleaning. Also, I don't know the twist on that barrel, but if it's a 1-9" twist, don't go heavier than a 100 grain bullet. None of the sexy 105's. Not saying you won't get lucky, but the heavier 6mm's want a fast twist.

You can change scopes/rings/mount later. I believe that one (more than believe) uses a 3 screw mount as that is a Remington 600 style action. They are gems to me.

[magnumwheelman]

BTW... I do like the PPU ( Prvi Partizen ) ammo for the brass cases, and reloading

[nolongcolt]

So you got a rifle with a scope, don't even know if its sighted in or even bore sighted. You go the range, and decide without having any idea where your shots will land to shoot it offhand, and somehow manage a pretty much world class two inch group, (with low grade factory ammo) then proceed to do no better when shooting the same set up from the bench, and oddly the shots fall in the exact same place on the target and same size group. Do I have that right?
All I can is, remarkable!

[tinkerpearce]

Oct 15, 2019 22:15:02 GMT -5 nolongcolt said:

So you got a rifle with a scope, don't even know if its sighted in or even bore sighted. You go the range, and decide without having any idea where your shots will land to shoot it offhand, and somehow manage a pretty much world class two inch group, (with low grade factory ammo) then proceed to do no better when shooting the same set up from the bench, and oddly the shots fall in the exact same place on the target and same size group. Do I have that right?
All I can is, remarkable!

I was somewhat surprised, I must admit. I've had a rather bizarre run of luck with rifle accuracy the last few times I got a 'new' one.

[tinkerpearce]

The trip was good- learned the ropes and got the lay of the land. Saw going on 40 deer, out of which one might have been legal... he was 150 yards out and I had him dead to rights, but I wasn't certain so I didn't shoot . If only I'd had a doe tag... These are a few of the many does we saw:
 

 
My partner Jake took these photos after we'd determined there were no legal deer in the group. Needs to be a three-point or larger for Muleys in this state, two-point for white tail and black tail.

[groo]

Groo here
Have one in 308..
Always found the gun was more accurat then I was..
Go with a better quality ammo [federal] of 100 gr.
Don't be supprised if 1 inch groups show up.