This is my first post in this section, so forgive me if I may sound naive. I was reading an article recently about .243 Winchester ammo and started wondering why it is not considered by military instead ...say 6.8. According to the article .243 can fire almost the same size bullet as 6.8 at higher velocities. They claimed that it has recoil similar to .223 and is quite accurate. Also, according to the article, all you have to do to modify .308 rifle for it is to change the barrel, because it is the same length as .308. If this was covered here before, I apologize in advance, my search function is not working for some reason.
Why not .243 ?
- Thread starter shogun
- Start date
The .243 is a fantastic caliber, but, it is a larger, longer case than the 6.8. It is also overbore in comparison, thus a weapon so chambered would not last as long as the throat erosion, etc. would be much faster than a 6.8 for example. The longer case of the .243 would require different magazine designs as well as possibly different weapon platforms. If the M14 would have been originally chambered for the .243, its service life may have been extended as the weight could have been cut down. I think that .243 would have been an excellent military calibre.
The things you read about the .243 are technically correct, but when you start using imprecise words like "similar" and qualifiers like "almost", the argument becomes meaningless... for example, it would also be accurate to state that the .243 has more recoil despite shooting smaller bullets. And it also happens to be more expensive to produce, due to it's higher case capacity.
On the subject of expense, it is a simple fact of physics that a larger caliber of the same weight will be pushed to a higher velocity by the same pressure. Likewise, a larger caliber of the same SD will leave the muzzle with greater energy, albeit at a lower velocity. In other words, larger calibers with smaller cases have a great advantage in terms of internal ballistics and economics. They also have favourable terminal ballistics. The area they fall down on is external ballistics.
Conclusion: the 6.8 PPC is an excellent, inexpensive short range caliber. The .243 would be better suited for longer range work... but not good enough to displace established calibers.
On the subject of expense, it is a simple fact of physics that a larger caliber of the same weight will be pushed to a higher velocity by the same pressure. Likewise, a larger caliber of the same SD will leave the muzzle with greater energy, albeit at a lower velocity. In other words, larger calibers with smaller cases have a great advantage in terms of internal ballistics and economics. They also have favourable terminal ballistics. The area they fall down on is external ballistics.
Conclusion: the 6.8 PPC is an excellent, inexpensive short range caliber. The .243 would be better suited for longer range work... but not good enough to displace established calibers.
- Location
- Saskatchewan
I've read a couple of articles about the .243 when it relates to police sharpshooters that said, had it not been for the .223 being created, the .243 would have been adopted as the urban sharpershooters go to round.
In urban situations, shots are likely to be under 300 yards and when loaded right, the .243 needs little compensation at those distances. For example, I use clay pigeons for long range coyote hunting practice. My Savage is loaded with a 65 grain bullet. It's zeroed at 100, no hold over needed at 200, 1 mildot at 300 and 2 mildots at 400. Put that into human target terms and that's centre mass every time.
I'm a huge fan of the .243 when loaded properly, unfortunately there are not many options for off the shelf loads. At least nothing good in my opinion.
In urban situations, shots are likely to be under 300 yards and when loaded right, the .243 needs little compensation at those distances. For example, I use clay pigeons for long range coyote hunting practice. My Savage is loaded with a 65 grain bullet. It's zeroed at 100, no hold over needed at 200, 1 mildot at 300 and 2 mildots at 400. Put that into human target terms and that's centre mass every time.
I'm a huge fan of the .243 when loaded properly, unfortunately there are not many options for off the shelf loads. At least nothing good in my opinion.
300Spartans
CGN Ultra frequent flyer
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- Canada of course
Armalite AR-10s.
"...why it is not considered by military..." Never was a military cartridge. That'd be going backwards in technology anyway. The .243 is just a necked down .308. Militaries want smaller cartridge cases to reduce the weight the PBI has to lug around.
"...any other semiautos that use .243..." Browning BAR, Remington 750(742 and 4) and the Remington R25. The M1A came in .243 for a while too. Very few made though.
"...any other semiautos that use .243..." Browning BAR, Remington 750(742 and 4) and the Remington R25. The M1A came in .243 for a while too. Very few made though.
