Hi,

I am thinking of 243 Winchester for full and half size targets. My other choice would be the 7mm-08 Remington but the 243 shoots flatter. In your experience will I have any issue knocking the rams down? Any advice would be helpful.

Thanks,

Luis

Both of these are way too much power for 200 meters. both will take down full sized rams BUT if you do not download the load with both calibers, you will cause extensive target damage on 1/2 size targets and then you will have a pissed off Match director!

as for 500 meter rams, the 7-08 has the advantage. a 243 may ring a 500 meter ram every once in a while.

The BR family is pretty popular. 6br, 6.5br, 7br all do well in both disciplines, and all are much easier on the shooter and the pocketbook. I recall only a single 7-08 at the recent world championship.

So the high velocity of the 6mm BR is not a problem with damaging the targets? I would have bet its' 2800 fps velocities would be tearing up chickens.

forest341 wrote: ↑Sat Jun 18, 2022 7:22 am So the high velocity of the 6mm BR is not a problem with damaging the targets? I would have bet its' 2800 fps velocities would be tearing up chickens.

In my experience, they do damage chickens.

forest341 wrote: ↑Sat Jun 18, 2022 7:22 am So the high velocity of the 6mm BR is not a problem with damaging the targets? I would have bet its' 2800 fps velocities would be tearing up chickens.

Yes, a 6BR can cause target damage with the right bullet. usually shooting less than 70gr bullets. In fact a 6TCU with 70gr bullet can cause target damage!

But, most of us shooting the 6BR are shooting 105-110gr bullets and I have found no way to get the 6BR up to even 2500 fps in a 15" Barrel. and yes the 1000 yard BR shooters have gotten to those velocities with a 105 gr bullet, but with a 26"+ barrel and most of them are overcharging the load. Also the reason most of them cannot get more than 1500 rounds out of a barrel.

So if a 6BR has to be loaded with the heaviest projectiles,and thus slower, to avoid target damage, what do shooters with 221 Fireball pistols do? There is just only so heavy that they can go with 22 caliber for that cartridge. I think the heaviest projectiles for their 1 in 12" twist that will stabilize reliably is maybe 60 grains. And that is still going fast with common loads. Will that damage targets? Do they knock targets over reliably? Those original Remington XP-100 nylon pistols with 10 1/2 inch barrels must have been sending them out real fast.

forest341 wrote: ↑Fri Jun 24, 2022 8:42 pm So if a 6BR has to be loaded with the heaviest projectiles,and thus slower, to avoid target damage, what do shooters with 221 Fireball pistols do? There is just only so heavy that they can go with 22 caliber for that cartridge. I think the heaviest projectiles for their 1 in 12" twist that will stabilize reliably is maybe 60 grains. And that is still going fast with common loads. Will that damage targets? Do they knock targets over reliably? Those original Remington XP-100 nylon pistols with 10 1/2 inch barrels must have been sending them out real fast.

I have limited experience on this question, but at my range we have a shooter using an XP in 221. he installed a fast twist barrel and if I remember correctly he uses 77 grain bullets. He shoots it in UAS and has occasionally lost a ram but does successfully topple most rams.

221 FB for half scale is fine in the original 10-1/2" barrel. 50-53-55 g all work with 15.5g 4227.

Full scale is a problem only on rams. Bullet construction is the biggest issue. Match hollow points explode too much and 4-6 rams usually stay standing. 50-55 grain lead soft points hit harder and will take all but 2-3 rams. Fun to shoot but scores suffer.

Any chance of having the fore-mentioned shooter that uses the 221 Fireball provide us with some insight on what his/her experience is with the load and barrel twist rate is ?? Mentioned above -- that the shooter shoots the UAS category and wonder about if the attempt has been made in the UASHS category with the 221 Fireball and producing any target damage on the half size critters.
Has anyone in past years used the 221 and attempted to do reduced loads and found any successful results with accuracy using the standard Remington stock barrel and also not to cause target damage ??

Steve 7771