.243 Winchester
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| .243 Winchester | ||
|---|---|---|
 .243 Winchester cartridge |
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| Type | Hunting | |
| Place of origin | USA | |
| Production history | ||
| Designer | Winchester | |
| Manufacturer | Winchester | |
| Produced | 1955 | |
| Variants | .243 Winchester Improved (Ackley) | |
| Specifications | ||
| Parent case | .308 | |
| Bullet diameter | .2435 in (6.18 mm) | |
| Neck diameter | .276 in (7.0 mm) | |
| Shoulder diameter | .454 in (11.5 mm) | |
| Base diameter | .471 in (12.0 mm) | |
| Rim diameter | .473 in (12.0 mm) | |
| Case length | 2.045 in (51.9 mm) | |
| Overall length | 2.7098 in (68.83 mm) | |
| Rifling twist | 1-10 | |
| Primer type | Large Rifle | |
| Ballistic performance | ||
| Bullet weight/type | Velocity | Energy |
| 55 gr (3.6 g) BT | 4,058 ft/s (1,237 m/s) | 2,012 ft·lbf (2,728 J) |
| 65 gr (4.2 g) BT | 3,746 ft/s (1,142 m/s) | 2,026 ft·lbf (2,747 J) |
| 75 gr (4.9 g) HP | 3,447 ft/s (1,051 m/s) | 1,979 ft·lbf (2,683 J) |
| 90 gr (5.8 g) SP | 3,203 ft/s (976 m/s) | 2,051 ft·lbf (2,781 J) |
| 105 gr (6.8 g) BT | 2,986 ft/s (910 m/s) | 2,080 ft·lbf (2,820 J) |
| Source: Hodgdon http://data.hodgdon.com/cartridge_load.asp | ||
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The .243 Winchester is a very popular sporting rifle round. It is very effective for deer and pig hunting and long range varmint shooting. It uses what is basically a .308 cartridge case necked-down to accept a .244 in/6 mm bullet. The .243 is well known for its accuracy, very flat trajectory, and relatively mild recoil compared to other deer cartridges.
[edit] History
This cartridge was first introduced in 1955 for Winchester's Model 70 bolt-action sporting rifle, and it quickly gained popularity among sportsmen worldwide.[1] Even Winchester's chief competitor, Remington, was quick to chamber rifles for the .243 round, and all mass-market riflemakers have followed suit. Many companies offer a selection of rifle models chambered in .243 Win.
Since the enactment of the 1963 Deer Act in Great Britain, which stipulated a minimum bullet diameter of .240 in together with minimum levels of muzzle velocity and bullet energy, the .243 Win. has been perceived by UK sportsmen as the "entry level" calibre for legal deer-stalking; and since the 1960s the .243 has been by far the most widely used calibre for shooting small and woodland deer in the UK.[citation needed]
Firearms that would normally be chambered for the .308 Winchester/7.62x51mm NATO caliber are distributed chambered for the .243 cartridge in Countries whose regulations restrict or forbid civilian ownership of "military calibers"; examples of countries with such legislations are France and Spain.
In a non-sporting, non-civilian context, bolt-action rifles chambered for the .243 Win. were utilized by the Los Angeles Police Department's Special Weapons And Tactics (SWAT) unit during its early years.[citation needed]
P. O. Ackley created an Improved version of this cartridge called the .243 Winchester Improved (Ackley). [2] Like other Improved cartridges, this created a steeper shoulder and blew the sides out, plus slightly lengthens the case, giving about 10% more powder capacity, and some small improvement in velocity.
[edit] Performance
The .243 Winchester produces a velocity of 2960 feet (902.21 m) per second with a 100 grain (6.8 gram) projectile from a 24-inch (610 mm) barrel. Commercially loaded .243 ammunition is available with bullet weight ranging from 55 grains (3.6 g) up to 105 grains (6.8 g), typical use being with bullets of c. 75–90 grains (6 g).
The .243 has gained very substantial popularity in the international hunting world, and commercially loaded ammunition is easy to find in almost any gunshop. Along with the .270 Winchester, the .308 Winchester and .30-'06, it is amongst the most popular and widely available of all centrefire cartridges. The .243 is a popular and successful choice for all but the very largest deer, small to medium sized antelope, and for varmint hunting.
In the United States, the cartridge is used extensively in varmint hunting as well as larger deer-sized game. It is also used with good effect in competitions out to 1,000 yards (914 m).[3]
[edit] See also
[edit] References
- ^ Cartridges of the World 8th Edition, Book by Frank C. Barnes, DBI Books, 1997, ISBN 0-87349-178-5
- ^ Handbook for Shooters & Reloaders vol I, Book by P.O. Ackley; Plaza Publishing, 1962, ISBN 978-9992948811 p.305
- ^ 243 Win + .243 AI Cartridge Guide
[edit] External links
- .243 Winchester Cartridge Guide by AccurateShooter.com
- Cartridge Dimensions
