.243 underated?

[sako 75 .243]

Hi guys,

 

Stretched the legs of my Sako varmint today out to 650,was well pleased with the results....Was clanging a 6x6 plate 9 times out of 10 ...using Remington 75 grn accu tips.

 

I know there are better long range rounds.......but is the .243 underated as a long range option?

 

cheers

 

Glenn.

[gbal]

The 243w is pretty near 60 years old.It has been and is a pretty good round.It might be somewhat overlooked because there are some pretty credible newcomers,eg the 6.5x47 or 260,fo medium range,tactical,target or field,and the 7-08 class for larger deer.But the 243 has benefitted from fast twist/up to 115 g bullets,as a credible 750+ cartridge-not the best,but better than the old 243 with 87g,and especially with 55-58 bullets,making it a formidable varmint round,few better,even the fancy options.

Easy to shoot,easy to load for -what's not to like.Off the peg,no fuss.But it isn't anywhere near a top/good choice if you really want to shoot well at long range (1000y)-yes,it can get there (115Dtac),but it's not a top option.But that apart,it's other virtues make it still a sound mid range (500+/-) easy to shoot cartridge,that will bang clang with not much fuss.Great varmint round-limited more by 'guidance' than by ballistics.

If you must- but why?-the AI will add a little,and give a go faster stripe,but won't transform it.

As a jack of most trades,it's among the best,except for the specialist affictionado,or more probably someone who aspires to that,but overlooks its virtues.It's the 6mm mondeo,lacks glamour,just is very competent for many purposes.

Gbal

[1967spud]

that last post pretty much nails the 243 on the head

[sako 75 .243]

Gbal,

 

Thanks for that!!.. looks like I will be enjoying the .243 for the foreseeable future !!!

[Laurie]

There's an American gunsmith and toolmaker, John Whidden (Whidden Gunworks), he of dies and pointing dies fame, (now rifle stocks too), who shoots .243 in US Prone Long-Range with great success. He shoots 115gn DTACs or Bergers at a fair bit over 3,000 fps and describes the cartridge as being just like shooting a big BR. He admits the cartridge goes through barrels rather fast at these performance levels.

[Deserttech Europe]

+100

 

I believe the .243 to be a hidden giant with its only drawback being barrel life.

 

Ballistics are amazing, low recoil, good brass, great bullets, available everywhere!!!

 

It needs to be a fast twist 1*7-8 to get best results but then it matches pretty much anything.

 

I dint have my ballistics to hand but from memory it shot inside a 6.5*284 and pretty much matched my 7WSM. (115 dtac @ 3000)

 

I will check this and if I am posting rubbish let you know.

 

Ewen

[Jagged 77]

Another vote for the .243 although mines only a 1:10 twist performance with 90gr Scenars has been superb. Very easy cartridge to load for and get good performance out of. I'm eying up a new AT with a fast twist .243 barrel eventually.

[MJR]

Have a look at this article. Pretty much tells you everything you need to know except the arrival of berger 105 hybrid bullets.

http://www.6mmbr.com/243Win.html

[Laurie]

It needs to be a fast twist 1*7-8 to get best results but then it matches pretty much anything.

 

I dint have my ballistics to hand but from memory it shot inside a 6.5*284 and pretty much matched my 7WSM. (115 dtac @ 3000)

 

 

Ewen

 

I can't find an article on this in AccurateShooter (6mm BR as was), but I'm sure there is one somewhere on John Whidden's use of the cartridge. He runs 115s at over 3,150 fps. Standard .243W, not AI. I'm sure it said he runs two or three rifles in a season which will have different amounts of barrel throat wear, but loads a single match load for them seating bullets right out with very light neck tension and therefore using 'soft seating'. The bullet is pushed back into the case leaving it in gentle contact with the lands as the round is chambered and this method accomodates the throat wear variations. Mr Whidden says that his 243/115 loads 'shoot inside' 6.5-284s he's used previously 'in the wind', and as he's a man who has won the US National Long-Range Championship three times at least in recent years (with his .243s), and shoots for the US Palma / Fullbore teams (with 308 of course), his views are worth respect.

 

I don't know what recipe(s) he uses now, but in an article about him and his practices two, three years back, he used case stuffing loads of Viht N165 that not only gave the results he wants but extend barrel life by use of this very slow burning single-base, maybe cooler burning propellant.

 

On the too-slow factory rifle twist issue, Berger makes the possibly ideal match bullet for factory .243W rifle owners who want to try a bit of competition, but it's barred to most of us here as it's listed as a VLD Hunting design - the 87gn model optimised for 1-10 inch twist and 0.211 G7 BC. The company lists it as a match bullet for slow twist barrels as an alternative use, but unless somebody can persuade Berger to produce a run with 'Target VLD' on the box label in yellow plastic boxes, no-go for us thanks to our ludicrous laws.

[snc_2010]

From memory, .243 Win with >100 grain bullets is a pretty close match to .338 Lap Mag with 250 grain bullets. Can someone with exbal or whatever do a side by side please.

[Gandy]

I'm

 

+100

I believe the .243 to be a hidden giant with its only drawback being barrel life.

Ballistics are amazing, low recoil, good brass, great bullets, available everywhere!!!

It needs to be a fast twist 1*7-8 to get best results but then it matches pretty much anything.

I dint have my ballistics to hand but from memory it shot inside a 6.5*284 and pretty much matched my 7WSM. (115 dtac @ 3000)

I will check this and if I am posting rubbish let you know.

Ewen

 

100% in agreement, I only changed calibres to gain a bit of additional barrel life.

 

I used to have a RPA which shot 105g amax just shy of 300fps out of a 24in 1:8 barrel and it was a brilliant combination.

[abolter]

There's an American gunsmith and toolmaker, John Whidden (Whidden Gunworks), he of dies and pointing dies fame, (now rifle stocks too), who shoots .243 in US Prone Long-Range with great success. He shoots 115gn DTACs or Bergers at a fair bit over 3,000 fps and describes the cartridge as being just like shooting a big BR. He admits the cartridge goes through barrels rather fast at these performance levels.

 

I have had the distict pleasure of meeting John Whiddon at his premises in backwoods Georgia and he is a really sound bloke. I would argue that if its good enough for him its good enough!! I would have no issues whatsoever in taking what he says and running with it. Seemed a down to earth kind of guy and an extraordinary shot

[nowler]

overbore barrel burner, but it is a great round.

[az1]

I have pushed a 87gr vmax out to1040 yds hitting a 10" squire target 2 out of 10 shots not the best result but was my first time over 300 yds and it was the wind that caught me out so as a all round rifle the 243 for me is perfect just gets a little hot so wont last long

[terryh]

Gents,

 

Quite a few years ago the 308 with the 175g SMK was 'it' on the US 'tactical' comps. 90+% used it. Then George Gardener turned up with a 243 set up for the 115 DTAC and people had a go and we all went 'wow' 30% less elevation to 1000 and similar improvements when holding for wind, the rest, as they say is history. Within a few years the 308 did not even feature in the top 20 and only then as the shooter was using his issued rifle, the flatter shooting cartridges had it where demanding, agile shooting was required.

 

Think it is an overlooked cartridge, same as the 7-08, You do not have to run it flat out to have an advantage, off the shelf components it just needs a faster twist barrel.

 

Terry

[gbal]

Gents,

Quite a few years ago the 308 with the 175g SMK was 'it' on the US 'tactical' comps. 90+% used it. Then George Gardener turned up with a 243 set up for the 115 DTAC and people had a go and we all went 'wow' 30% less elevation to 1000 and similar improvements when holding for wind, the rest, as they say is history. Within a few years the 308 did not even feature in the top 20 and only then as the shooter was using his issued rifle, the flatter shooting cartridges had it where demanding, agile shooting was required.

Think it is an overlooked cartridge, same as the 7-08, You do not have to run it flat out to have an advantage, off the shelf components it just needs a faster twist barrel.

Terry

+1 on Terry's comments.Though different barrel twists are needed,the boundaries of the 243w have been transformed by newer light and heavy bullets-as Terry says,the 115 DTAC and fast twist give very respectable long range performance,and the 58g even in standard twist gives pretty impressive varmint performance -cured me of my lust for a 22 Middlestead.And there is Laurie's point that Berger do an 87 VLD,for standard twist barrels-although a hunting bullet,it should be well worth 243 users-often stalkers/foxers-giving them a try (though 87 g was pretty much a favouriite way back too.) If not overloaded (heresy,I know,but max manual is still pretty good) throat life need not be compromised too much-mine has over 5000 and is still about minute of gong.I'd now probably buy a 6.5-08(260rem) instead,but we'll see if/when a rebarrel is needed.

The 243 has two new lives,and is still a pretty good UK small/medium deer stalker in it's traditional form.Even reds for experts.(7-08 is another in the family that can find use beyond it's hunting side).

Wish they did switch barrel factory Sakos? Actually,can decent Sakos etc be made switch barrel? (I've about given up on waiting for Sako to offer different 243 twist,or have I missed that?They did eventually for 223,so maybe .....?

 

Gbal