Talk to me about .243 Winchester

[BigDon]

It's not rude, but you're missing the point a little bit..........inches (weight) out at the end of a barrel make a huge difference to a 10 year old.......especially a girl with their muscle structure. An adult, not so much, I agree make it longer. It sounds like I need to get my velocity up, and I might be happier..... that "might" isn't enough for me to put money on a new 243 blank. Who knows maybe I got the odd balls right in a row and the next 20 would be DRT.....

All in all, I think it's interesting how all of our experiences can be different and can mold our thinking one way vs another.....A classic one man's junk is another man's treasure, which can lead to some heated arguments. In reality, neither one is right or wrong! For the cost of some Hammer bullets, I may try them in it as it sits and see what happens......... I read through the absolute hammer thread and didn't see anyone trying the 243, is anyone here trying them?
Thanks all- I do enjoy reading others results and opinions!

Check your twist rate first before you order your Hammers.

 

[Ckgworks]

I need to......online says they have a 1-9, but I need to verify.

 

[Lefty7mmstw]

My Pops has used a 243 extensively over the years. For a spell it was the only rifle he shot deer with; he eventually hopped over to a 300win and then to a 7mm stw but the 243 was flat out mean on whitetails; he also dumped mule deer with it including bucks. He always used a 100 hornady interlock with enough I4064 under it to net 2900 fps or so from a 22" bbl. He killed more deer with it then I'll say in print as he was usually the one dumping the wounded ones for the other guys who couldn't shoot worth squat.

 

[westcliffe01]

Most factory 243's dont have a rifling twist rate that is acceptable with the heavier / longer bullets. Then having it shortened to 17" makes no sense since its probably a lightweight profile in the first place.

I started my trip with a Savage 12 LPR with a 20" barrel that had a 9.25 rate of twist. Stainless barrel/action. It was a nice looking fluted barrel, media blasted back in the days before savage went crazy with the grit size, just a sort of satin finish on mine. But like most factory barrels it was mediocre in the accuracy dept and I wanted to be able to shoot the 105gr Bergers at least. So I ordered a 24" Shillen, Varmint profile (3/4" muzzle) with a 1:8 twist rate and with the select match lapping.

I have shot Hornady factory ammo (95gr SST plastic tipped ammo), 95gr VLD reloads. I forgot to mention that my chamber is an ackley chamber and so far I am still fire forming brass, so with the extra chamber volume I'm getting sub par velocity compared to a regular chamber but its still shooting great, reliably 1/2moa and vastly reduced wind drift and retained energy out at 350 yards compared to the 223 I was shooting prior. The 2 coyotes in my avatar were taken with this rile and the 95gr ST ammo and the exit wound was probably 3" in diameter.

Now for a stalking job I would not recommend the 24" varmint barrel, a 20" heavy sporter would be fine and have much better balance. Load development might be a bit more sensitive with the lighter barrel, but should just take a few more iterations to work out. My rifle would be fine out to longer distances. Many people use this format for Elk out to 600-750 yards, usually with the 105gr Berger bullets. My next step up is the 6.5x284. A barrel in that caliber is going to have a similar life to the 243. Neither is going to last much over 1500 shots and its definitely not a rifle I would use for blasting targets because the accuracy is going to fall off pretty quick over 1000 rounds.

Now compared to that, the 308 or 223 will last a very long time as a bolt gun and both of those are my main training rifles. The 223 is going to tell if you are on form and the 308 is going to give better insight into the repeatability of your shooting position and grip since it has more recoil (mine is loaded with 175 SMK bullets). Drop and wind drift with either caliber is much higher than the 243 loaded with heavy VLDs or the 6.5 that is traveling at 3200fps with a 140gr bullet with a 0.6 BC. So one will have to know your "dope" and apply it properly so as not to embarrass yourself with the training guns. Most factory 223 rifles also have inadequate twist for anything but the light varmint bullets. So just keep that in mind when buying a new barrel, get a 1:8 twist. Mine is now set up for the 80gr Berger VLDs, some people shoot these out to 1000 yards. I just need to get the chamber throat modified because I currently cant seat the bullet nearly as far out as the magazine allows, to have more powder capacity available.

 

[Ckgworks]

I didn't have it shortened to 17". It was 18" to begin with and had a horrible rough spot at the bore so 1" was removed to clean it up and see how it shot. Also the ranges we're talking about aren't really that long of range are they? It seems like a 1-9 twist should stabilize a 100 grain 243 even at 17", or am I missing something?

 

[CBH Australia]

Well, I'm a fan of the 7mm-08, bit that's out for you. I shoot foxes with it but I guess you keep you coyote skins.

I met a fella through another forum who could write a great rant about his distaste for the .243
My wife has one and has shot foxes and pigs.

I'm sure the 17" barrel will reduce performance in any calibre. The .243 is probably slowed right up for a cartridge that might need some velocity to be effective.

I like small fast calibres and the effect of large slow, heavy calibres to the difference in throwing house bricks and cinder blocks.

Both are going to do damage in a different way. But that slow old cinder block is coming down hard it it hits its mark.

In Australia we would calm it a Besser block. You have it half right.

I think there is some more info needed to evaluate your performance from that rifle like load data, shot placement, etc.

That being said I'd look really hard at the 7-08 for a rebarrel. I have a Grendel as well and if I was in your situation the 7-08 is where I'd be headed!

7mm-08 is a nice do all round. Great terminal performance. Can be loaded with 120gr to 162gr bullets.

 

[Hard rock]

Well, I'm a fan of the 7mm-08, bit that's out for you. I shoot foxes with it but I guess you keep you coyote skins.

I met a fella through another forum who could write a great rant about his distaste for the .243
My wife has one and has shot foxes and pigs.

I'm sure the 17" barrel will reduce performance in any calibre. The .243 is probably slowed right up for a cartridge that might need some velocity to be effective.

I like small fast calibres and the effect of large slow, heavy calibres to the difference in throwing house bricks and cinder blocks.

Both are going to do damage in a different way. But that slow old cinder block is coming down hard it it hits its mark.

In Australia we would calm it a Besser block. You have it half right.

You have allready witnessed the effects of a 6.5 cal bullet if I rebarlled it would be a 260 rem same case as the 243 neck up to 6.5 cal if you want to teke it a step farther do a 260 ai but the standard 260 rem would be fine do it in a 1-8 twist or 1-7.5 and yollbe better off than the factory 1-9 load some 124 or 123 gr hammers and you can kill any deer walking if you want to reduce recoil go with even lighter hammer I think 109 gr now you have a souped up 6.5 grendal

 

[Quintus]

You have allready witnessed the effects of a 6.5 cal bullet if I rebarlled it would be a 260 rem same case as the 243 neck up to 6.5 cal if you want to teke it a step farther do a 260 ai but the standard 260 rem would be fine do it in a 1-8 twist or 1-7.5 and yollbe better off than the factory 1-9 load some 124 or 123 gr hammers and you can kill any deer walking if you want to reduce recoil go with even lighter hammer I think 109 gr now you have a souped up 6.5 grendal

There are also several good varmint bullet options for the .260. 100 grain B-Tips and 107 Sierra MK are fantastic! I still think you will find great performance as currently configured with lighter bullets and a bit more speed.

 

[Muddyboots]

I would bet the 80HH would be huge improvement in any .243. The biggest issue is the 17" barrel that will kill any small caliber performance. A barrel this short is like shutting down half a V-8 or putting a governor on it.

The 80HH is a 3600 fps screamer out of 26" 700 VLS. The .243 has been a good deer killer since day one but like ALL small cartridges it REQUIRES velocity to perform which REQUIRES barrel length.

 

[Hard rock]

There are also several good varmint bullet options for the .260. 100 grain B-Tips and 107 Sierra MK are fantastic! I still think you will find great performance as currently configured with lighter bullets and a bit more speed.

I personally dont have a 260 rem but do have 6.5 swedes 6.5 grendal and 6.5 prcs and every cal in between includind 243 win that includes the 308 that recoil is bit more than a youngster can handle the 260 rem is a great cartridge mild recoil especially with lighter bullets pushed over 3000 fps if it were the 1-8 twist or faster the 6.5 creedmore might have never been heard of rebarrel too the 260 rem 1-8 or 1-7.5 22 in or 24 in story over skys the limit load 124 gr hammers or 99 grainers go kill some deer

 

[Orange Dust]

I would bet the 80HH would be huge improvement in any .243. The biggest issue is the 17" barrel that will kill any small caliber performance. A barrel this short is like shutting down half a V-8 or putting a governor on it.

The 80HH is a 3600 fps screamer out of 26" 700 VLS. The .243 has been a good deer killer since day one but like ALL small cartridges it REQUIRES velocity to perform which REQUIRES barrel length.

Steve might chime in, but I have my doubts that a mono would be the answer in this gun, with its short barrel. They require high velocity to perform properly, seems like the more the better. The reason for the widespread disagreement on the .243 as a deer killer are due mostly to terrain and pressure. Calm unpressured cervids are very susceptible to high velocity shock on the first shot. This is why many will drop in their tracks. I think it also matters on lungshots weather the animal has just exhaled or has his lungs full of air. The .243 will kill him every time with a proper hit. To prove this, you will get less runners with a .220 Swift than a .243 even though they have similar energy. I have never had one run off with a Swift and 55gr Gamekings. This is why we tried the 55gr Ballistic tips in the .243 after the runners with 80-100gr bullets, and got similar results. The biggest problem with a 6MM is poor blood trails in the heavy cover we were hunting. They can be difficult to track even with a .270, and don't get good enough to reliably follow until you reach the 7mag class of cartridges. In the same case the 7-08 and .308 are much more reliable. In more open country the .243 has a much better reputation. I have always felt when hunting with kids that it was very important for the child to see the animal fall. They get so excited.... "I got him!" When it runs off the disapointment on their faces is truly a bummer. Taking all day to find it is too, but you will scour the ends of the earth to find it for your child. This is very much like taking a kid hunting with a .410 shotgun. These little guns are really experts guns, deadly in the right hands, but just don't have the power for anything other than perfect shot placement.

 

[the blur]

I use .243 on deer. All day, every day. 95gr, or even 80's. The exit hole is golf ball sized.
6.5CM or 7mm-08 on bigger game. No reason for magnum cartridges..

 

[Lionel Boyd Johnson]

The OP said that he/she loaded heavy soft points to accuracy (?), and never got exit wounds. Shots were under 250 yards. Am I the only one who thinks this is unusual? Unless the MV is extremely low, too low to even expand the bullets, and they still don't exit?

 

[manitou]

Wife and kids have used a .243 for 25 years, killing some very big deer at times. Never lost an animal. None have gone more than 30 yards and most go less. My wife's model 700 shoots the Remington Core-lokt so well, I don't even reload for it.