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.22-243 shooters?

knockemdown

knockemdown

suburban redneck
Full Member
Minuteman
Apr 10, 2007
1,228
26
#1
Hey guys, I've got a straight up .22-243 in the works that should be done real soon & I'm pretty sure that there are a few guys here quite fond of this caliber already...

If anyone would care to steer me in the right direction with a powder (or load) recommmendation, it would be much appreciated!
My stick will have a 1:8" Krieger, finished @ 24".
I plan to try the 62 + 70gr TSX bullets for killing chit. And the 75AMAX, & 80 gr Noslers & Bergers for the long stuff...

Thanks in advance!
 
#3
Re: .22-243 shooters?

I have had two 22-243Winchesters. I just sold one. It shot a 75gr Amax with 48gr Rel25, Win brass, and Fed 210. I have not shot the new one yet, but I will be trying Retumbo in it. 8 twist is perfect for the 75gr Amax. I would not be scared to try H1000 either.
 
#4
Re: .22-243 shooters?

A 22-243 AI is my next acquisition so I will be interested to see how yours works out. I am going with a 1-7" twist to shoot the 90gr Bergers. I figure those ought to be able to reach out there a ways.
 
#7
Re: .22-243 shooters?

Prolly not very long in round count (<1000 rds.), but quite an acceptable lifetime in dead coyote corpses...
wink.gif

Did some more searching around and looks like I could use powder on hand, in H4350 for the lighter pills, and H4831sc for the heavys...

If either don't make me smile, RL25 in on deck.

I'll follow up when it's rockin'...
 
#8
Re: .22-243 shooters?

I would think of it as a slightly more efficient reincarnation of the .220 Swift.

Personally, I'd consider the .22-250 to be about the max case capacity I'd want to put behind a .22 caliber bullet.

But then I'm weird in other ways, too...

LOL!!!

Greg
 
#10
Re: .22-243 shooters?

I can't remember exactly what mine was doing with the 75gr Amax, but I'm thinking it was around 3500 fps. If I get a nice enough day, I'll get my new one shot and let you know for sure.
 
#16
Re: .22-243 shooters?

i have a 22-243 AI with a 1-7 twist barrel and i am shooting 90 grain Bergers @ 3220 fps. only problem is, 2 out of 5 bullets don't make it to the target....i talked to berger at SHOT and they said that 3300 was max velocity for those pills. im thinking with the 1-7 twist the jackets are coming apart st the near max velocity i am running.
 
#17
Re: .22-243 shooters?

I just checked some cases for capacity, as I am making up a pair of 40X repeaters as coyote rifles.
This is what I found.
22-250 38 gr IMR 4064 up to base of neck.
220 Swift 40 grains up to base of neck.
6.5x47 Lapua 40 grains up to base of neck.
243 45 grains up to base of neck.
I have not decided what to go with yet. Will not be the swift or anything AI with the 40 degree shoulder. I favor the 22-250 now but the 22x47 Lapua is some case. Not sure about the small primer. I have two Bartlein barrels, 28" finish length, and two McMillan stocks on order. (A-5's with no adjustments) Badger lugs and Badger bottom metal. (Alloy) I will be using two S&B 4x16 scopes with the fine reticules, Talley rings and bases. I have about 30 boxes of factory ammo for the 22-250 and about 1500 new unfired weight sorted cases. I also understand that Lapua is to have 22-250 brass in country by April. I might sell the 22-250 stuff and go with the 22-47 Lapua. I am leaning that way. Need to check feeding.
 
#18
Re: .22-243 shooters?

The 22x47 feeds fine in my wifes deer deer rifle using HS mags. I have a couple of these, actually one is a switch barrel so it makes 3 chambers. I have a 7.5 twist barrel and a 14T barrel for the switch barrel and the hunting rifle is an 8 twist. It is a great little round for anyone who shoots f-class with a 6x47. I had 800 pieces of my old match brass I wanted to do something with. Now if I did not have a bunch of brass on hand already I probably would have gone another direction. The small primer will not give you any problems, especially with cci 450s and it contributes to these cases being so darn tough. I was running 40 v-maxs over 4300 fps and exploding prairie poodles at 800 yards with it. We got some neat video when my buddy and I were shooting at the same PD at a touch over 900. We fired at almost the same time, one of us hit the dog and kicked him up, one of us would have missed but the dog got thrown into the path of the second bullet, total carnage. I wish that one would have made it on video. When the wind picked up I switched barrels and made a 1200 yard hit on one using the 90gr bergers.(Truthfully there were 2 side by side. I targeted the one on the right and hit the one on the left, but I will take it) I started losing bullets with that barrel with about 300 rounds down range. I am going to try the SMKs this year and hope the thicker jacket will help, but I hate to lose the BC.
 
#19
Re: .22-243 shooters?

I think the .22-243 holds the edge over the .250AI, or even a Swift AI for that matter, in the performance dept...
Although the 22x47 seems like a dandy, I can use my existing .243 neck die (with a smaller bushing), same seater, and Lapua brass for the 22-243. That sealed the deal for me...

Didn't want to mess with firemforming on this one either, so its one step to neck down for a TSX rocket launcher from a 8 lb. carry rifle...
 
#21
Re: .22-243 shooters?

Thanks for that info, Jered.
Funny, I emailed Mr. Berger with questions about how the various .224 caliber Bergers would hold up to my velocity expectations. With regard to the 70grVLD @ 3700 his response was:

"I question this velocity but if it is achieved you will generate 333,000 rpm's and I question if the bullet will stay together"

Followed later by:
"You did not ask but I will say it any way you are asking for a lot of head aches with this project. Good luck Walt B".

I appreciated Mr. Berger's honest answers very much. And I'm still gonna try lobbing some 80VLDs out to 1K, just for the heck of it...
smile.gif



 
#22
Re: .22-243 shooters?

It's a lot of work but they have their moments. I have over a 1000 rounds through my Broughton and even though the throat ceased to exist a long time ago this thing still hammers. If you back down to a moderate mid 3600 area brass will last past one firing which is always a plus. At 3900 you'll be throwing primers in the pocket on round two.
 
#23
Re: .22-243 shooters?

I run 75 AMax's at 3750 in a 22/6mm AI with H4831 or H4831SC. Can run up to 39xx, figure I might try to extend the life of the barrel a little bit.

Of note, we have just over 1000 rounds of 300 gr SMK out of the Rock Creek barrel chambered in 338 RUM. Throat looked great. But, have been coating all but the first fifteen bullets with WS2/Danzac.
 
#27
Re: .22-243 shooters?

so what twist do you guys recommend: 6, 6.5, 7, 7.5, 8? I'm getting my build together for a 22-250ai and looking at barrels. I'm only interested in shooting the heavies: 90 berger, 90smk, 80amax. Would appreciate any input.
 
#28
Re: .22-243 shooters?

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: WunderDog</div><div class="ubbcode-body">A 22-243 AI is my next acquisition so I will be interested to see how yours works out. I am going with a 1-7" twist to shoot the 90gr Bergers. I figure those ought to be able to reach out there a ways.</div></div>

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: 762frmafr</div><div class="ubbcode-body">i have a 22-243 AI with a 1-7 twist barrel and i am shooting 90 grain Bergers @ 3220 fps. only problem is, 2 out of 5 bullets don't make it to the target....i talked to berger at SHOT and they said that 3300 was max velocity for those pills. im thinking with the 1-7 twist the jackets are coming apart st the near max velocity i am running. </div></div>

I run an 8 twist broughton on my 22-243AI. Right now I'm running 90vlds at 3500. I think with a 7 twist you are really over spinning this bullet. I'm getting 315,000rpm versus 318,000rpm that a 22Dasher running a 7 twist at 3100 would get. My 8 twist 22-250AI runs 80's at 3300.
 
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