The development of the 243 Winchester Ammo is partly owed to the famous gun writer Warren Page. It is based on the 7.62x51 military case, which was necked down to .242. The reason behind its creation is that hunters would have access to ammo that would perform well on predator/varmints and deer-sized games. The .243 Winchester Ammo delivered excellently on this expectations.
When you use 90 and 100-grain bullets, it will handle deer and pronghorn antelope easily. However, the lighter bullets work excellently with foxes, woodchucks, and many more like them. In addition, it offers a light recoil, ensuring that shooters can accurately place their shots. This is possible irrespective of their recoil sensitivity. This balance between versatility and light recoil is why it is one of the most famous rifle chamberings in the world.
The .243 Winchester Special is being chambered in the Model 70 and the Model 88 lever action. Both offer accurate shots and ensure varmint hunters enjoy precise shot placements. Additionally, its best virtue is the killing power it provides for medium games. It provides the killing power at a noise and recoil level that helps hunters shoot calmly and accurately. In addition, it has enough power to penetrate a medium-sized deer's shoulder without exiting the broadside.
The .243 Winchester Special is ideal for games weighing 80kg because it cannot ensure sufficient penetration on larger games. Although it will cause free bleeding, the killing will be slow, allowing animals to run considerable distances. The fastest kills are achieved within 200 yards and at impact velocities between 2650 fps and above.
The .243 Winchester was introduced in 1955 by necking down the .308 Winchester case to accept .24 caliber bullets. Wildcatters began experimenting with a .24 caliber cartridge after the 6mm Lee Navy cartridge was discontinued. It has become one of the most popular deer rifles in the world.
.243 Winchester History
.243 Winchester Usage
.243 Winchester Usage
The .243 Winchester is considered a dual purpose cartridge; it can take medium sized game with heavier bullets and varmints with lighter bullets. It is available in single shots, bolt actions, lever actions and semi automatic firearms.
.243 Winchester Trivia
The .243 Winchester is the minimum caliber cartridge legal to use for deer hunting in at least 10 US States and the United Kingdom. The .243 Winchester has very low recoil, even less than the 30-30 Winchester. It is considered the lowest recoil cartridge for deer hunting.
.243 Winchester Trivia
.243 Winchester Design
.243 Winchester Design
The .243 Winchester is a rimless, bottleneck cartridge with an overall length of 2.7098” and a case capacity from 53.7 to 54.8 grains (H2O) depending on bullet selection. It fires a .243” diameter bullet using large rifle primers with a maximum pressure of 60,000 PSI. Standard rifling twist rate is 1:10” but faster twists of 1:8” or 1:7” will stabilize heavier bullets for better performance.
.243 Winchester Types
The .243 has several ammunition options available in soft point, hollow point, and polymer tipped and weights from 55 grains to 115 grains depending on intended use. 80 to 100 grain loads are the most common.
