16" .243 that's deer legal...?

BunnyDoom

Well-Known Member
This is just an academic question, as I've pretty much decided what to get on my next variation - however I was looking at the RPA woodland stalker in .243 before I saw all the recent bad press... it would seem that cutting down a .243 takes the ballistics down to a questionably legal level...?

I liked the idea of a short barrelled .243 for woodland stalking for roe, muntjac, and the odd fallow... however it looks as though having a .243 cut down to 16" is a big no-no if I wish to retain a legal calibre (though I could bring up the whole Legal UK Calibres for Deer argument again I'm not going to!). Assuming I want to retain the velocity & calibre it's generally accepted I should have, then is a 16" .243 unachievable? Would a cut down .270 be more viable?

I know a 16" 308 behaves like a .303 (ish) so thanks-but-no-thanks on any comments on this as I've already started a thread on that and everyone was kind enough to give me some excellent answers already.
 
dont see why with homeloading you couldnt get a 100gr or 105gr up to legal levels

losing 4" wont kill MV that much
 
iirc you lose around 100fps per inch removed
If you use a fast powder you can get the velocity in a shorter barrel ;)
Do you know anyone with "quickload" ?

Daz
 
If the length of the rifle is of that much concern then don't use a bolt action unless it's a bull-pup design. Think break action or falling block both of which give a much shorter receiver then you can still have a sensible length of barrel and more improtantly rifled tube.

As was recently pointed out a 16" "barrel" length means in fact you only have about 14" of rifling :eek:. Don't know about you but to me that's getting to be pistol not a rifle.

Despite what we read on the web by the short barrel fans the problem will still be that you will run into the pressure barrier/wall before you can re-coupe the lost velocity. Faster powders can only mitigate so much loss of length as they climb the pressure rate faster so run into the wall faster.
 
Thanks all - Brit I think you've mentioned falling block before in a previous thread I posted - can you reccomend any as I haven't found much going by this description?
 
Ruger No1 is a falling block design. I have seen a lovely 20" barrelled .243 made by Neil McKillop. It was stainless with a synthetic stock.

Also look at the Thomsom/Centre Arms Encore break action rifles. I shoot one with a 14.5" barrell in .243 only for fox. 75gr v-max at 3200fps
 
Ruger No1 is a falling block design. I have seen a lovely 20" barrelled .243 made by Neil McKillop. It was stainless with a synthetic stock.

Also look at the Thomsom/Centre Arms Encore break action rifles. I shoot one with a 14.5" barrell in .243 only for fox. 75gr v-max at 3200fps

Thanks ScotchEgg - couldn't find any links to Neil McKillop's stuff? Is this the Thomson rifle you're talking about?: Firearm Details - Thompson/Center
 
There is soem real beauties, modern one too, being made in the break down formatt in the US. Sadly they don't have importers here as yet but they sure are nice :drool: Here you go get a towel for the key board then look:-

http://www.luxusarms.com/html/m11-models.html

Makes mine wet every time. Switch barrel too.

There is also the Browning modern copy of the Winchester 1885:-

http://www.chuckhawks.com/compared_browning1885_rugerNo1.htm

Plus of course there is the Dakota Arms Model 10.

I have never understood why no one has built a modern version of the Martini rifle.
 
Thanks ScotchEgg - couldn't find any links to Neil McKillop's stuff? Is this the Thomson rifle you're talking about?: Firearm Details - Thompson/Center

That's the one. I'll pull up a pic of my rifle. Mike Dickinson of Carlton moor tunnel fame was most smitten by it.

I missed one in 6.5 creedmoor last year at £650 on guntrader. I've been kicking myself ever since.

I've taken deer with it prior to the chop and I must say in woodland ranges how often do you need a follow up shot and secondly how often can you get a second shot off that is aimed and not out of red mist.

My dream barrel for my encore is a 7-08 16" bergara. But I already own a 7-08 and getting bergara's isn't easy.
 
£650 for an Encore :eek: Jesus never knew people would pay that much for them.

Personally I would plumb for the Ruger No1.

As Muir knows I dislike the look of the Thompson break actions intensely.
 
c60d211e.jpg


Now next to the work horse 7-08 browning A bolt with 19.5" barrel with and without mod

9ff9b41b.jpg



aaf1b990.jpg


You really really don't want to shoot without a mod and no hearing protection. It hurts :doh:
 
Sorry Brit I hadn't see your last reply on page 1.

Bunny I've never run deer bullets through it.

:cool: No problems.

For some reason I just don't like them. I recall Bruce Potts going on and on about a custom Contender he was building up, long before he got into print and long before the Encore as on the scene I believe. His was a.22 C/F but I cannot recall which cartridge it was now. It had beautiful wood on it and it shot very well but I just don't like the look of those actions.

Oh yes Bruce was an established member of the Rifel and Pistol club I had joined hence my getting to know him a little. Thos days he worked for Beechams and it was quite a bit prior to him making the video:-

"A year in the life of the Roe Deer"

Have not seen nor spoken to him for years now.
 
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