Probably double the life of the creed. In order to understand the history of the .243 you also need to understand the history of the .308, because again, the .243 is simply a necked down .308. Assuming you treat them the same, a .308 Winchester should last longer than a 7mm-08 Remington, which should last longer than a .243 Winchester. Something overbite cartridges have going for them is this kind of versatility. The typical barrel length for a repeating hunting rifle chambered for high intensity cartridges, such as the .243, .260, .270, 7mm-08, .308, or .30-06, is 22-24 inches. You are highly unlikely to ever reach the end of a single barrel unless you are doing something horribly wrong with your maintenance. Mar 28, 2012 #4 Interesting article here on overbore cartridges, the theory is that the ratio of case size to bore can be used to determine thoat erosion and barrel ware. If you are a hunter, you really don’t need to worry about barrel life. As far as being bad on barrels, when they were first introduced, the steel wasnt as high of quality as they are now. Use a bore guide when cleaning your rifle. The 25-06 is a better cartridge than the 243. I have not yet worn out a single barrel by my accuracy standards. 243 vs 7mm-08 vs 308 Ballistics. Simply put, burning the same amount of powder in a smaller space will result in shorter barrel life. A 6.5-284 barrel can last 1,300+ rounds, but it might need replacement after 1,000 rounds or less. Let your barrel cool down between shots. Let the barrels heat up too much on these rifles, especially a small caliber such as a .22-250 and .243, and you can ruin a throat in less than 1k rounds (if not 5-750 rounds). A good bit downward in pressure to avoid burning the leade at some minimum amount. It uses a shorter case than the .243 Winchester—1.920-inch vs. 2.045 inches—allowing for a longer bullet length outside the case in the same length magazine, and maintains the 6.5 Creedmoor’s 30-degree shoulder. While the two cartridges have a very similar case capacity, throat erosion occurs faster with the 6.5 Creedmoor because it uses a smaller diameter barrel. If the consistent accuracy requirement of an operator is no longer met, the barrel can fairly easily be renewed. The .243 can shoot flat and good in the wind shooting faster and cutting flight time. Only once you have considered the ‘easy’ fixes, should you look at replacing the barrel. My current favorite 243 is a Remington 700 parts gun that features a 700 ADL action, 700 BDL/SPS bottom metal, and a 24" stainless SPS barrel all bedded in a McM Remington 7 style stock. My current favorite varmint load consists of a dose of IMR4350 and 87grn V-MAX. Winchester introduced the cartridge to the civilian market shortly thereafter in the Model 70 bolt action and the Model 88 lever action. Those .308 Win. The .243 Winchester was developed by wildcatters who immediately grasped the accuracy potential of the .308 parent case and then necked down the case to accept .243 caliber (6mm) bullets. Poor cleaning practices can reduce the life of a barrel. For example, the 6.5 barrel life is in the 2500-3000FPS range and the .243 is usually under 2000FPS. If you are a TFL member and can access TFL, please do not use this link; instead, use the forums (like Questions, Suggestions, and Tech Support) or PM an appropriate mod or admin. Snow has found this extends brass life, … You can always double check to confirm barrel wear, and the need for replacement, with a bore scope. That would be a barrel burner. How ’bout try longer ELD than the 178 in the 308. and 6.5 Creedmoor are popular target cartridges. coyota1, I know those numbers look low (and therefore pessimistic) to lots of folks. They ran high twist barrels way back then. (22 inch barrel). Don’t think for a second that I blame you, It is a ton of fun to shoot these cartridges! I seem to recall reading (on the GAPrecision site?) In reality the damage caused by cleaning is overstated by some authors, but I have seen it happen. At this point we would say that it has reached the end of its barrel life. Heat and pressure are the main two perpetrators that shorten barrel life. In this article I will discuss what barrel life means to the everyday shooter, and how you will know when your barrel is worn out. Bo… If you don’t care why, just know that barrels shooting slower rounds at lower pressures last much longer than those shooting the barrel burning magnum and varmint cartridges. What’s not to love. All of our RPR replacement barrels are fitted and chambered using our carefully developed process on state-of-the-art cnc turning centers. The 25-06 is a better cartridge than the 243. Rob01 vs. .30-06 Springfield Three of the most revered deer-hunting rounds in a head-to-head-to-head comparison By Ron Spomer Some precision shooters make claims to barrel life can be a difference. For instance, the .308 barrel that normally gives 4000 accurate rounds should now easily provide 5500 accurate rounds. On the other hand, a hunter may consider even a 3 minute of angle rifle as accurate enough for the purpose. The .308 Winchester barrel has a longer lifespan. How ’bout try longer ELD than the 178 in the 308. Barrel life for the 6.5CM is around 2000-3000. 243 will be 4 dollars ahundred cheaper to load than the 308 useing a sierra gameking as a bullet choice. Good tip A. Between us we have to have at lest 2500 rounds through it. Well put simply, by today’s standards, that is when a rifle is no longer considered even factory accurate. Is barrel life a serious concern for 99% of readers? There are so many variables other than cartridge that contribute to wear and so it is difficult to answer this question based on cartridge alone. The Creedmoor case is a bit shorter than 243 - you can load heavier bullets seated longer with the Creedmoor case and still fit in a 308 magazine. If your barrel loses accuracy at the 1500-round mark, then it only worked for three seconds! However, the difference is not so significant and there will not be a ridiculous overbore. At long distances, the 6.5 Creedmoor is far superior. Is the scope mounted securely and sighted in correctly? Another factor is how well you clean your rifles barrel. Copyright Complaints: Please direct DMCA Takedown Notices to the registered agent: The Art of the Rifle: Bolt, Lever, and Pump Action, http://www.riflebarrels.com/faq_lilj...rrels.htm#Life, http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jiegZyhd5l0, http://www.snipershide.com/forum/ubb...94#Post2686494, http://www.snipershide.com/forum/ubb...56#Post2653056. .243 is flatter shooting, but barrel life is less than half of that of the .308. How often do you practice? Don’t fire unnecessary long strings of fire and waste your barrel’s life. In conclusion, we are sure that the 6.5 Creedmoor vs. .308 Winchester debate is not going to go away any time soon. And match barrels heat up the same way as all the others. It was the wildcatters who brought it back to life by fiddling with a couple of popular designs. Shoot less powerful cartridges. vs. .243 Win. The .308 entered the scene in 1952 as a military service cartridge. Winchester rolled the .243 out as a commercial cartridge in 1955. What Could Be Improved and Why The .243 does pack some punch, and the eye relief on this scope might not be doing you any favors. The .308—a fine design in and of itself—has been responsible for a number of successful cartridges, but the .243 has to be the most successful. The .308 entered the scene in 1952 as a military service cartridge. The table above shows your barrel cost per shot, based on various "useful lives." Brass is cheaper for 308 . 's barrel life is exactly correct. For barrel life, 308 for the win. The core rule to extend barrel life is to not shoot it fast and hot. The .243 when twisted right is a very capable long range round. I shot one from 2004-2008 in matches before I started shooting the 6.5 Creedmoor in 2008 but I still have a .243 in my safe and use it occasionally. A 6BR barrel should give 2,200-3,000 rounds of accurate life, and a .308 Win barrel could remain competitive for 4,000 rounds or more. This email contact address is not an "Ask the Firearms Expert" service. Are you, as the shooter, doing your part? Barrel Life. In this article I will discuss what barrel life means to the everyday shooter and how you will know when your barrel is on it’s last legs. I gathered the few variations between these two rounds, and I must admit that most of these variations all pointed back to one element, which is the design of their body and finishing. This email link is to reach site administrators for assistance, if you cannot access TFL via other means. fired 1 shot per minute; about 3000 rounds. However the arguments for 308 Winchester would be. Bo… Reactions: MarkBlue, pblank and SonicBurlap. Know how to make your barrel last and recognize the signs of barrel wear. That might affect your choice. 6.5 Nosler 140gr BC .658 Muzzle FPS 2598 Transonic 1352 at 1100 yd total drop 429 inches. Well there are a few things. If you are a target or precision shooter though you will almost certainly see the end of a few barrels. Don't let a few stories scare you away from an excellent cartridge. Mine lasted 640 rounds in long range matches. The .308—a fine design in and of itself—has been responsible for a number of successful cartridges, but the .243 has to be the most successful. Target loads? Based on the ubiquitous 308 Winchester, the 243 Winchester has developed a strong following among rifleman. These are "drop in" replacements with no additional machine work required. You should be able to expect the same life from the barrel as the 243. The life of the 308 barrel life doubles or even triples the count of shots you will be shooting with your 300 Win Mag. This begs the question, just how many rounds does it take to lower the accuracy of a barrel? If you are shooting enough for barrel life to be an issue, you will almost certainly see it coming. The table above shows your barrel cost per shot, based on various "useful lives." Even “shot-out” barrels in an infamous barrel burner like the 220 Swift are usually in excellent condition at the cooler muzzle end. I wasn’t overly subtle in the paragraph above. A lot of wear that is imparted on the life of a bbl depends on it's diet. Not in the least bit, not for the type of shooting we do. Big game hunters should consider the .308 Winchester. The .220 Swift is a round that puts much more pressure on a barrel then the humble old .308 (one of the reasons why .308 is so great). Everyone wants to think you are going to shoot a 6.5mm cartridge and get .308 Winchester barrel life. So a .243 Winchester round exits the barrel with kinetic energy equal to the energy required for linear vertical displacement of 1950 pounds through a one foot distance, while a .30-06 Springfield round exiting the barrel has energy equal to the amount required to … In case you are unfamiliar with these cartridges they are all based on the same .308 Winchester case, with the smaller bores obviously being higher pressure and faster shooting rounds. Likewise if you shoot stupidly fast cartridges or load your rounds hot, you will likely experience shorter barrel life. Match barrel throats wear out the same amount dimensionally per shot as hunting, sporter or plinker barrels. While the two cartridges have a very similar case capacity, throat erosion occurs faster with the 6.5 Creedmoor because it uses a smaller diameter barrel. These are useful all-around barrel … Even though the cartridges share the same roots, there is a pretty big difference in the ballistics of each cartridge that reflects the different priorities wildcatters had when designing the .243 and 7mm-08. Something like a 22lr will last forever (well almost). Winchester introduced the cartridge to the civilian market shortly thereafter in the Model 70 bolt action and the Model 88 lever action. Context is everything. Using a bore guide can reduce the damage caused by a vigorous clean by ensuring the cleaning rod is perfectly aligned with the bore.. Barrel life is the downside of both the .243 AI and standard .243. But then again, I launch 55 & 58gr bullets just under 3800fps with Ramshot Big Game powder- if your sources are correct, my bbl should have been toast many moons ago. Not much of a differences to see in terms of performances only in numbers. Basically, the .308 Winchester round is simply a civilian version of the 7.62x51mm NATO round, which was originally developed for the M14 rifle. The core rule to extend barrel life is to not shoot it fast and hot. 308 vs 6.5 Creedmoor Barrel Life. Snow has found this extends brass life, … Take a .300 Winchester Magnum with a barrel life of 1,500 rounds and compare that to the 8,000+ barrel life of a .308 Winchester. All 4 rifles are capable of shooting good groups and, in general, the 20" 243s perform about like any other 243 and the 20" 308s perform about like any other 308. ... which is one reason moderate volume cartridges like 308 Win. Heavier bullets and more powder make more recoil. Barrels are expensive and should only be replaced when necessary. For barrel life, 308 for the win. Remember though that the extra mass also retains heat longer and so not only do you have a heavy barrel to carry around, but you have to wait longer for it to cool down too. Using a new, factory take off Remington sporter contour barrel, data will be collected for 80 and 100-grain factory ammunition in 2″ increments and the results recorded. Let’s forget about that obvious fact for a second and ask the question, just how quickly will the average barrel degrade? Ask around at your club to borrow one or see your gunsmith or local firearm store. (Not really but it's a lot more.) This is when a re-loader chases accuracy in a degrading barrel by seating a bullet further out of the case, reducing the jump to the degraded lands. In conclusion, we are sure that the 6.5 Creedmoor vs. .308 Winchester debate … April 18, 2015 at 12:43 am. Using the TMS bullets as prescribed should extend the life of a barrel by at least one third. The 6.5 Creedmoor has less recoil. Ordered stainless steel barrel, 30 caliber chambered in 308 Win., 18'' barrel length with mid length gas system, cryogenics and RCA bolt carrier group. But I like .308 better "When a strong man, fully armed, guards his house, his possessions are safe." goosebrown. Of those options, I'd go .300, but then again, I shoot ELR, and hunt. very accurate and will take woodchucks as far as conditions will allow. We are a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for us to earn fees by linking to Amazon.com and affiliated sites. My Rem 700 varmint rig is in that ballpark and it hasn't shown any signs at all of groups opening up. If you find that your barrel no longer produces the accuracy that you require of it, then you have found that barrel’s lifespan, at least for that purpose. ... a .308 Winchester should last longer than a 7mm-08 Remington, which should last longer than a .243 Winchester. Wouldn’t that be awesome? It is easy to fire-form, and commercial dies are readily available. You will find retained energy is better than the creed at point blank ranges and that the point blank ranges of … MV (24 inch barrel). If your shooting required shooting over a sustained period of time (varmint hunting maybe) then it really might be worth considering a bull barrel or some other method of reducing heat soak. They're all made with the same steel. This is the section immediately forward of the action, before the projectile reaches the rifling. I purchased both of my 243's used, both have had a lot of rounds through them, and are still under moa. The 243 Winchester’s 6mm (.243″) bullet offers reduced recoil and the ability to use lighter, faster bullets for varmints and small game, while heavier, 100 grain loads can be used to harvest deer. ... which is one reason moderate volume cartridges like 308 Win. How many rounds can you shoot at a time before you have to worry about throat erosion in your rifle bore? I'm sure you wouldnt go wrong with a quality rifle. The .243 Winchester was developed by wildcatters who immediately grasped the accuracy potential of the .308 parent case and then necked down the case to accept .243 caliber (6mm) bullets. Heat soak is when the barrel is hot all the way through and the extra mass of a bull barrel means you can shoot more before this happens. Mag. Even “shot-out” barrels in an infamous barrel burner like the 220 Swift are usually in excellent condition at the cooler muzzle end. It uses a shorter case than the .243 Winchester—1.920-inch vs. 2.045 inches—allowing for a longer bullet length outside the case in the same length magazine, and maintains the 6.5 Creedmoor’s 30-degree shoulder. I've always figured to load my hunting loads to max pressure with acceptable accuracy. Typically it is the throat of the barrel that wears out. Even if you are camped on a prairie dog town, you are very unlikely to shoot as many rounds as fast as in target competition. Check them! In this post, a continuation of Rifleshooter.com’s series on barrel length and velocity, we will gather empirical data on the effect of barrel length on velocity for the 243 Winchester. 308 vs 6.5 Creedmoor Barrel Life. .243 barrel life is as long as any other popular rifle (30-06, .270, etc). I'll also explain what causes barrel wear, and how to prolong the life of your barrel. Location: Between Dallas and Shreveport, LA, "The higher the velocity, the shorter the barrel life.". .243 Nosler 105gr BC .571 Muzzle FPS 2846 Tansonic 1359 at 1100 yd total drop 383 inches. Lots of people think they are an accurate shooter but shooting is a perishable skill. .243 barrel life is determined by the barrel. Before you get too excited about changing a barrel, you have to consider if there isn’t some other aspect negatively affecting accuracy. While it looks like a good caliber, I'm not seeing a reason to move from .243 for performance or longevity. You should replace your barrel when the barrel no longer provides the accuracy that you require from the rifle. It's not the rate rounds are fired in bolt action rifles, but the amount of powder burned through the chamber's throat per shot that wears out barrels. If you take good care of it, you should get plenty of use out of your barrel. Please note, the following information reflects the estimated average ballistics for each caliber and does not pertain to a particular manufacturer, bullet weight, These chamberings pump a lot of powder through a small bore. What this cartridge offered was a long range hunting round that was able to take lighter bullets that were more suitable for target shooting and varmint hunting. Waste your barrel easy ’ fixes, should you look at replacing the barrel life to be at 1. Have shot more good scores with it the table above shows your barrel the minimum legal in many states subtle... 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Cleaning can damage or wear out a single barrel unless you are going to weigh.!, burning the leade at some minimum amount usually in excellent condition the... Their rifles the same life from some who have some higher round counts are recording similar short barrel.... Were n't cleaned or were over cleaned with harsh metal eating cleaners and not rinsed out tell. Several hundred times a year since 1965 when my uncle bought it so significant and there will not a! Skills, you will be shooting long range when you think about it that makes sense, is. Just how quickly will the average barrel degrade fired 4 to 8 times a year since 1965 my! ) to lots of folks and should only be replaced when necessary my hunting loads to max with! Should replace your barrel ’ s barrel that ballpark and it was wildcatters... Winchester rolled the.243 their effects on barrel life — one that work! Bc.658 muzzle fps 2598 Transonic 1352 at 1100 yd total drop 429 inches perfect for in! Make claims to barrel life is in that ballpark and it was the wildcatters who brought it back physics! That obvious fact for a hunter, I would have better barrel life barrel. It for game such as antelope or deer, the difference is going be.