.243win 26' to 20/22' who's done it?

[BallisticPrimate]

Considering chopping my .243 barrel from 26' to 20 or 22'

My main match rifle is a 6.5x47 and the .243 is typically a range/steel toy that's occasionally used for shorter PRS style matches and hunting.
Currently I'm easily pushing 105 hybrids to 3100fps using H1000- wondering where I'll land with a 20' bbl - I expect I'll have to switch to 4350 but barrel life isn't a concern as I'll be rebelling to 6.5x47 when this one is toast.

Enlighten me

BP

 

[Yoteski]

I get right at 3000 fps with my 22" bartlein barrel 6 creed using 41 grains of h4350 running my tbac ultra 7; 108 eld bullet.
Love it for coyote hunting and running suppressed in matches.
Don't know how applicable it is to your 243 but it might give you an general idea.

 

[steve123]

I lost approx 125 fps cutting a 27" to 22" in 6x47L with the same load, 105's at 3150 vs 3025 fps.

 

[keithp]

I had a 243 AI with a 20'' barrel ran 3250fps or there about with 95g Ballistic tips for hunting only shot it at 100 at paper but one hole groups all day every day

 

[natdscott]

I have one at 18". It's a blasty SOB, but still 3/4 Minute with 85 GameKings, and though it does lose a fair bit of speed compared to a 22-24", the coyotes, deer, etc. do not seem to like it one bit.

It's also about the weight of a sporter 20" A2 AR. Kinda handy, but I wouldn't want it on a range for targets only.

 

[BallisticPrimate]

Thanks for the replies. So I split the difference and asked my smith to chop it to 21' - please educate me on the best killing bullet I could run (for deer) out to 500m. Berger makes some relatively high BC pills I believe, I've never used their hunting bullets. I have a stack of 87gr Vmax's, but the BC on those is 'only' G1 .4

 

[MarkCO]

103 ELDx

 

[BallisticPrimate]

103 ELDx

That does seem a great option. Anyone poke a deer with a 105gr hybrid?

 

[natdscott]

please educate me on the best killing bullet I could run (for deer) out to 500m.

There isn't one. It is not an adequate cartridge for that range on anything but a Roe Deer.

 

[redneckbmxer24]

That does seem a great option. Anyone poke a deer with a 105gr hybrid?

It does well, I’ve killed several. I wouldn't call it the best killing bullet though. Barnes 80gr TTSX or 85gr TSX would get my vote. Yes they don't have the highest but it's only 500 yards, you don't need a super high BC bullet for that.

 

[redneckbmxer24]

There isn't one. It is not an adequate cartridge for that range on anything but a Roe Deer.

BS. Put a Barnes in the shoulder and deer sized game will die just as dead as they do at 100 yards.

 

[BallisticPrimate]

There isn't one. It is not an adequate cartridge for that range on anything but a Roe Deer.

An 103ELDx with a conservative MV of 2925fps will be doing 2037fps at 500m - can't imagine that's inadequate for fallow deer

 

[MarkCO]

The 103 ELDx is the best I have seen and it does well out far. The Barnes look and sound cool and all, but they do not expand (pencil through) when the velocity falls off below about 2100 fps. I have given up on them for all game past just a few hundred yards or so.

 

[natdscott]

An 103ELDx with a conservative MV of 2925fps will be doing 2037fps at 500m - can't imagine that's inadequate for fallow deer

I ran numbers at 2,950 @ 1,000' AMSL, 40F.

I agree. That's a lot better bullet, by the numbers, than I thought...should deliver almost 1,000 lbs of energy. Provided a shooter can be fairly surgical with it and takes high probability shots, it should be fine.

There. "Bullshit" over.

 

[KM375]

I have an old Remington 788 that is a factory carbine in with 18 inch barrel. The longest distance that I have taken a white tail deer with it is about 200 yards. I haven't lost any deer with it but I generally wait for the right shot. It is a sub MOA rifle that will now go to one of my boys. Not a match rifle by any means, but I have taken it out to 600 yards with no issues on an old service rifle course. I generally shoot the 100 grain winchester power points with good results. Looking forward to trying the ELDx.

 

[redneckbmxer24]

I have an old Remington 788 that is a factory carbine in with 18 inch barrel. The longest distance that I have taken a white tail deer with it is about 200 yards. I haven't lost any deer with it but I generally wait for the right shot. It is a sub MOA rifle that will now go to one of my boys. Not a match rifle by any means, but I have taken it out to 600 yards with no issues on an old service rifle course. I generally shoot the 100 grain winchester power points with good results. Looking forward to trying the ELDx.

I highly doubt you're going to get the ELDX to shoot at all in that barrel since its going to be slow twist. Your best bet for BC that will stabilize in the slower twist barrels are the 87gr Vmax and 87gr BTHP. Most will stabilize the Berger 95gr classic hunter if you can run them fast enough.

 

[KM375]

Ill have to check the twist rate on my particular rifle, but Im finding 1/9, 1/9.25 and 1/10 on the web. I Have shot from 80 grains to 100 grains in mine and the 100s group the best with the old winchester power point.

 

[SlimySquirrel]

Thanks for the replies. So I split the difference and asked my smith to chop it to 21' - please educate me on the best killing bullet I could run (for deer) out to 500m. Berger makes some relatively high BC pills I believe, I've never used their hunting bullets. I have a stack of 87gr Vmax's, but the BC on those is 'only' G1 .4

The Berger 95 VLD Hunting works well.

I've used it on Reds and they didn't travel far.... Muzzle velocity was 2950 and that was mild but accurate in my rifle.

 

[redneckbmxer24]

Ill have to check the twist rate on my particular rifle, but Im finding 1/9, 1/9.25 and 1/10 on the web. I Have shot from 80 grains to 100 grains in mine and the 100s group the best with the old winchester power point.

The 100gr hunting bullets will typically shoot in a 1:10 because they're pretty short. Any of the 100+gr match type bullets you're going to need a 1:9 at minimum, most need a 1:8.

 

[natdscott]

Which, as a point of fact, basically means that slow twist rifles are directly impacted in range at which they can be employed on animals due to the length and weight restrictions on bullets imposed by said twist rates.