Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Hunting Rifles 18" Barrell on a 243????

What is going to happen if I whack off my 243 from 24" back to 18"?

I did this to one 308 sporter and it is real real handy now back east in the thick cover. AND my CJ5 just ain't got many nice places to put the longer rifles!!!! arggggg.

Any advice real appreciated.

Thanks

Dixie,
I have a 19" barrel 25-06 and I can tell you that it is loud and that you will loose about 200 fps for every two inches that you chop off from a 24" barrel. But it is damn handy for a truck gun. If you handload and use slow powders and heavy bullets you will not lose as much as if you use lighter bullets and faster powders.
GWN

Dixie,

I will try to make this as short as I can:

A gunsmith buddy of mine relayed this story to me. He had a customer who had a Remington M-7 with the original 18 1/2" bbl. He had shot several deer with it and liked it very much. He had used factory Federal ammo with the Sierra 100 gr. BT and equivelent handloads. One day my buddy was at the local range doing some chronographing when this fellow showed up.

A conversation ensued and my buddy was asked to chrono said .243. My buddy advised him not to do it. (Ingorance is bliss, you know) But the fellow insisted. Well, the Federal factory loads didn't even make 2500 f.p.s. And if you can believe it, the handloads were worse. Shortly after, I ran into my buddy at a gun show. He has this M-7 in .243 on the table. I asked where he had gotten it. He then relayed the above story. When the owner found out what it was really doing, he was so discussted with it, he was sending it down the road.

Now considering that these days of affordable chronographs, Shooters are more hung up on velocity than ever. In the old days, we were very happy with our handloads with what we thought we were getting out of them. Personally, I think shooters are more hung up on velocity than is necessary. I generally load for moderate velocity. If I need more power, I probably have a bigger rifle.

You may take the above story for what it's worth. <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif" alt="" /> But I suspect you would probably be sadly disappointed if you whack it off that short. IMHO, you might better look around for a used M-7 with the 20" bbl and give it a try. Just my $.02 worth...the9.3guy

I've seen a few M7 and M788 Rems with 18.5" barrels, that shoot just fine and kill deer fairly dead. Ignorance is truly bliss, if something shoots well, is handy to tote and suits a person's needs.

Probably why I never had any great urge to own a chronograph, but delight in an accurate load that kills stuff fairly dead on a regular basis. That said, a bud bought his kid a M7 in 7mm-08 and was impressed with the thing, but always was more partial to the one he bought for hisself, with the 20" bbl. Never noticed that either one had an edge on deer though. <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif" alt="" />

My daughter's Model 7 Youth (243 with 18.5" bbl) squirts a 100 grn Partition at close to 2800 fps with a stout load of IMR 4350. Initial work-ups were disappointing using the Sierra & Lyman manuals with other powders. This load is a little over book but I am seeing no signs of pressure. Extraction is easy, brass life is good & acurracy is very good. Some rifles like it hot, I guess.........



badger

Three things:

#1 If you believe Charlie Sisks barrel shortening experiments, you will loose about 20-25 fps/inch. He found that even big cased magnums don't lose any more than that.

#2 You will have a short handy rifle which is what you want and need.

#3 Any critter that you shoot with it will be just as dead as before.

JimF

What with the expansion ratio of a 243 and it's borderline position as to big game I would leave the 24" barrel alone and either find a way to carry it or sell it. If it really shoots well as it is then it's a varmint rifle.

Just select some other larger bore to use that will get more out of a short tube.

There is nothing like reality to change ones mind on borderline tools. When some big animal gets up and runs on you after a good hit you will wish for more gun!

Dixie - I have a factory Rem 700 takeoff 243 Youth barrel It has about 30 rounds thru it. I think it is 18.5" $25 & shipping from 37211 and you can have it. That way if you don't like it you can go back to your 24"

I'd probably not make a 243 my first choice as a deer rifle either. However, no one can deny that it has been used sucessfully enough to remain a runaway best seller for 40+ years.

The 120-150 fps lost by shortening the barrel is irrelevant to it's effectiveness. (or lack of same)

'twill be a trifle loud though...... <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/wink.gif" alt="" />

JimF

The loss of 150 fps or so may actually increase the effectiveness of a lot of 6mm
bullets on game. Not every rifle does its best work with the X, so a more conventional
projectile at moderate speed might be just the ticket.

Dave

A 788 Remington 243 that I chronographed extensively would ocassionaly break 2500 FPS with 100 grain factory loads--it made a great, blasty 25/35 level rifle.

After lots of experimentation with the 18.5" barrel it became a 22/250 Ackley with a 26" barrel.

Keep the 24" and be happy.