Why not a 243 AI??

[NZ_Fclass]

I agree that the 243AI is a good (better than 243 Win), but run at high pressure with H4350 type powder, will burn the throat fairly quickly -particularly used as a range gun. I opted for the 6mm SLR - not so far back in performance, good accuracy, running H4831. It will easily achieve 3000fps with a 107 SMK and easy to tune.

 

[urbanrifleman]

243 is awesome except for the short neck and donuts.

 

[Lightfoote]

Anybody have a standard 243 set back and AI’d? What smith and what cost? Bout the same as a full thread and chamber job?

 

[ggshoots]

Anybody have a standard 243 set back and AI’d? What smith and what cost? Bout the same as a full thread and chamber job?

What kind of rifle? If its a barrel nut set up its a pretty simple procedure. I do my own. So cant tell you what the charge would be.

 

[Lightfoote]

What kind of rifle? If its a barrel nut set up its a pretty simple procedure. I do my own. So cant tell you what the charge would be.

Sako, fixed shoulder

 

[swd]

I barreled one for a friend a years back. He liked a lot. It was accurate and fast. He shot it for F Class and Varmint match’s and the barrel life was toast at only 700 rounds. He said while he liked it he wouldn’t do it again because of the barrel life. Under hunting conditions I would expect about twice that.

 

[Idaho-Lefty]

I barreled one for a friend a years back. He liked a lot. It was accurate and fast. He shot it for F Class and Varmint match’s and the barrel life was toast at only 700 rounds. He said while he liked it he wouldn’t do it again because of the barrel life. Under hunting conditions I would expect about twice that.

Yup,.. This ^^^
Hence WHY, I went to, the 6 XC for, 3 times, the Barrel "Life" with, losing, a couple Hundred FPS Less Velocity and using, LESS Powder ( a NICE Feature, in Today's Economy & with, the Ugly, Prices of, Powder ! )
I can Drive, a 108 gr. Elite Hunter Bullet, 3,000 FPS and that, will Kill, MOST any, Medium sized, Big Game animal,.. just Fine.
It's a LOT of Work and Time, Proofing / Testing & working up, Loads etc,.. so I WANT, More than, 700-800 Rds of, Accurate Barrel Life after, "Building" a Rifle.
The 6MM SLR, would Be, a Better Choice than, the .243 Ai But, I LIKE Everything I see about, the 6 XC !

 

[Capt. Oblivious]

Yup,.. This ^^^
Hence WHY, I went to, the 6 XC for, 3 times, the Barrel "Life" with, losing, a couple Hundred FPS Less Velocity and using, LESS Powder ( a NICE Feature, in Today's Economy & with, the Ugly, Prices of, Powder ! )
I can Drive, a 108 gr. Elite Hunter Bullet, 3,000 FPS and that, will Kill, MOST any, Medium sized, Big Game animal,.. just Fine.
It's a LOT of Work and Time, Proofing / Testing & working up, Loads etc,.. so I WANT, More than, 700-800 Rds of, Accurate Barrel Life after, "Building" a Rifle.
The 6MM SLR, would Be, a Better Choice than, the .243 Ai But, I LIKE Everything I see about, the 6 XC !

Fill that 243AI case up with N165 and it will rival the XC in barrel life and still smoke it in the speed department.
243AI is prob the most used 6mm on the continent that I life and unless your shooting Fclass strings or high volume Varmints with it a barrel will last many more moons then 700 shots. If you run that 6XC with 108gr Bergers @ 3000fps in Fclas and shoot 20 shot strings youl be pulling that barrel allot sooner then 3 times longer then a 243AI.

 

[Dgd6mm]

Fill that 243AI case up with N165 and it will rival the XC in barrel life and still smoke it in the speed department.
243AI is prob the most used 6mm on the continent that I life and unless your shooting Fclass strings or high volume Varmints with it a barrel will last many more moons then 700 shots. If you run that 6XC with 108gr Bergers @ 3000fps in Fclas and shoot 20 shot strings youl be pulling that barrel allot sooner then 3 times longer then a 243AI.

This mimics my 6mm Competition Match using H1000 or N165.

 

[Idaho-Lefty]

Fill that 243AI case up with N165 and it will rival the XC in barrel life and still smoke it in the speed department.
243AI is prob the most used 6mm on the continent that I life and unless your shooting Fclass strings or high volume Varmints with it a barrel will last many more moons then 700 shots. If you run that 6XC with 108gr Bergers @ 3000fps in Fclas and shoot 20 shot strings youl be pulling that barrel allot sooner then 3 times longer then a 243AI.

Ya, HEY,.. I DON'T/ won't,.. Subject,.. ANY of My Rifle Barrels to, that kind of,.. Abuse ( Sorry ! ).
Deer, Antelope, Varmints and, Steel Plates, shot WAY out There ( Keeping Barrel, COOL ! ). are My,.. "Cup of Tea" .
And the "Way" I use my Rifles, they LAST,.. a Long, LONG,.. Time.
The .243 Ai, is FINE for, "Hunters & Casual Shooter's" and, probably fine for, "F Class", for Those with,..
Very, "Deep Pockets" !
The .284 Win, .284 Shehane, 7MM -08, "Class of Cart's", etc., would probably Be, a better Choice for, F-Class, if,..
any, real Wind

 

[K22]

I would like to toss a "turd in the punch bowl".

In 1993, David Tubb won both the High Powder Championship and National Silhouette Championship with the 243 albeit with a faster twist than conventional factory rifles.

While probably no top competitor today would choose the 243 for these applications, it does demonstrate the capability of the cartridge in the hands of a skilled rifleman.

I have shot the 243 Win for well over 50+ years now, albeit as dual-purpose hunting cartridge, i.e., deer and varmints / predators. It does take some level of rifle / cartridge proficiency to take critters with small vital areas at a distance. I never found the 243Win lacking, even for recreational target shooting at the range.

I suspect the criticisms of the 243 Win are more due to the lack of shooter skill or experience with this very fine and excellent cartridge.

Feel free to unload on me, I can handle it.

 

[Capt. Oblivious]

I would like to toss a "turd in the punch bowl".

In 1993, David Tubb won both the High Powder Championship and National Silhouette Championship with the 243 albeit with a faster twist than conventional factory rifles.

While probably no top competitor today would choose the 243 for these applications, it does demonstrate the capability of the cartridge in the hands of a skilled rifleman.

I have shot the 243 Win for well over 50+ years now, albeit as dual-purpose hunting cartridge, i.e., deer and varmints / predators. It does take some level of rifle / cartridge proficiency to take critters with small vital areas at a distance. I never found the 243Win lacking, even for recreational target shooting at the range.

I suspect the criticisms of the 243 Win are more due to the lack of shooter skill or experience with this very fine and excellent cartridge.

Feel free to unload on me, I can handle it.

You can throw John Widden's name in there as well

 

[pertnear]

I understand that the OP's barrel is already chambered in the .243AI so his question is about experiences with that wildcat. I too am intrigued by wildcats. I was just thinking though, a .243AI really just duplicates the 6mm Rem cartridge? If someone was so inclined, would a re-chamber to 6mm/.244 clean up the chamber & provide the benefit of factory brass & renewed throat? Just thinking out loud....

 

[urbanrifleman]

This mimics my 6mm Competition Match using H1000 or N165.

Competition Match would be my choice.

 

[JLT]

I understand that the OP's barrel is already chambered in the .243AI so his question is about experiences with that wildcat. I too am intrigued by wildcats. I was just thinking though, a .243AI really just duplicates the 6mm Rem cartridge? If someone was so inclined, would a re-chamber to 6mm/.244 clean up the chamber & provide the benefit of factory brass & renewed throat? Just thinking out loud....

I think that's about right. A formed .243 AI and a 6mm Rem have essentially the same case capacity. The remaining differences between them are marginal. As PertNear mentioned, no need to fire form the 6mm Rem is a substantial benefit to some, IF you can find factory brass/ammo. The AI case configuration has less taper and that 40 degree shoulder combines with the minimal taper to render trimming brass an infrequent (if ever) task.

I hate trimming brass. Guess which one I chose?

 

[Infrequent Shooter]

This mimics my 6mm Competition Match using H1000 or N165.

the 6mm competition match is an improved 243 w 30 degree shoulder? where did you get your dies and or reamer? I see that Redding makes custom dies...

 

[Dgd6mm]

David Bruno that has smithed Joe Hendricks barrels has done mine. He also made my first fl die.
I have a second one I bought in a deal off here that is a Redding. The custom I like better because of finish. The Redding makes good ammo. Today if I was going to have a barrel done or looking for about the best 6mm Competition Match die to buy, I'd get it from Chad Dixon. The man is definitely up in knowledge on this cartridge. Dave Bruno had short, mid, long length freebore reamers.

 

[holstil]

Great round!. I have a 8twist barrel chambered in 243 AI. I bought what I thought were 243AI dies but they’re not. In fact, I believe most dies are 243 improved but not Ackley improved. The difference, about .005” at the shoulder diameter. I just use the improved dies with more lube. Shoots pretty good. Maybe one day I’ll fork out the cash for custom dies or buy a roughing reamer to make my own.

 

[Jrjones]

David Bruno that has smithed Joe Hendricks barrels has done mine. He also made my first fl die.
I have a second one I bought in a deal off here that is a Redding. The custom I like better because of finish. The Redding makes good ammo. Today if I was going to have a barrel done or looking for about the best 6mm Competition Match die to buy, I'd get it from Chad Dixon. The man is definitely up in knowledge on this cartridge. Dave Bruno had short, mid, long length freebore reamers.

I have a 12”tw .243 AI 26” krieger rig smithed by dave bruno. It flat out drills! I shoot 70’s in it for varmints and it puts “english” on em. Dave has been great to me.

 

[ebb]

The only drawback is barrel life. Worse than 6.5-284. Everything else is great.