Thread: How short a barrel is too short for .243?

Hey all,

Probably flogging a dead cat but my forum/web searching has not really turned up anything.

14"-15" too far? It's currently 17 1/4 and shoots amazing but would like to bring suppressor right up to stock. If for no reason other than to make it more compact and because honestly I just want to give it a crack, see how it goes.

And yes I know there are better calibres to use, less overbore etc. but I have a cheapo .243 that I would like to get as short as possible.

Max range is realistically 200m and is suppressed with a DPT sup with stainless baffle and an extra normal one.

Understand I would need to be reloading (not currently) to experiment with different powders/projectiles etc. in order to regain some performance.

Be gentle.

*Edit - it's a 1-8 twist barrel.

What's wrong with a 20 inch barrel? If you really want to chop the cheap rifle then may as well cut it so the over barrel suppressor is flush near the stock

Nothing wrong with a 20" barrel but it is already 17 1/4".

That's why I asked, because it will be around 14.5" if I decide to bring suppressor close to stock.

Not being rude but I'm guessing you haven't spent much time crawling around the Desert Rd Manuka. 20" feels a LOT longer.

I want to try achieve something light and short that doesn't mean buying another rifle or molesting the.308 any further. For reference the complete current rifle weighs less than my .308 with red dot on it.

I know it's maybe not practical so that's why I asked, might just have to cough up for a new short .308 but still keen on opinions.

so buy a gunworks spartan,the skinny one...it will only weigh SIMILAR to 5 baffle DPT...will be at most 1" further forward than DPT, BUT the rearward part will be up closer to forend as it is....thats what Ive done with the new HOWA and surely cant complain with handling... find one and try it,even not threaded on will give you idea of balance... I prefer the balance of the skinny to the shorter fatter model spartan,and have tried/measured skinny,mid size and DPT on same rifle.

I have no issues with Gunworks, but I have found that I prefer the DPT modular.

Food for thought though MD

well i will TRY to be gentle with next bit too..... you have rifle that shoots amazingly.....you have the fast twist barrel so many .243s dont have so can utilize the heavier slipperier 105 hornady explody jobbies at reasonable range...
are you really really really positive you want to mess with a good thing for the sake of a couple of inches less to cart around????
I did cut a cheap rifle down short and used as bush rifle and loved it...then realized it couldnt do job any betterthan slightly longer one in cabinet at home that hit harder and could safely shoot further...so I on sold it...no regrets for doing it at all....
just would hate for you to bugger a great shooting rifle and kick yourself afterwards.....or bugger it just do it.........and you dont need to reload.... you dont put the plurry thing anywhere near a chronicgraph....just sight it in and go shoot stuff and BE HAPPY......if you dont know how fast/slow it goes IT DOESNT MATTER.
you not going to shoot past 200 so WHO CARES how fast/slow it goes...if it kills ok and you like carting it around.....just BE HAPPY.

Yeah i reckon the original model 7s with 18.5" tube was about as short as you wanna go.

Ive got two of them here. A factory 18.5" and a rebarreled one finished at 18". Neither are suppressed.

But i know what you mean about being as short as you can be when suppressed, ive got a M7 708 chopped to 15" with a DPT with only 2 baffles on it, it sure is nice for pushing thru the tight stuff.

If 200 yds is your max and thats the only type of hunting you'll do with it, im sure going down to 14-15" will still give you well enough performance to do what you want.

They use 15" barreled pistols for hunting in the US, chambered in rifle cartridges like 708 etc, i assume 243 as well.

Originally Posted by nor-west

18 inches, I went 17" on a mod 7 lost a bit if zip now 19" on the Kimber.

As per OP, I can't add barrel length. Not super concerned about the loss of zip, unless it's going to make it unusable at 200m-ish.

And again, I know there are better options for sure. But I have everything I need already (minus a chop) and don't really want to spend $ on a new rifle (would rather put better optics on the .308)

Shorten it. You will then be happy and I bet inside 200 yards won’t make one bit of difference performance wise.

They get noisier even with suppresser the shorter you cut.14 inch would be bloody loud.

Ive just looked up the 15" Pistol 243 data on Hodgdons site.

80gr at 3,000 and 100gr at 2660 fps from 15" 243 win with H414.

80gr has 1k+ ft lbs to 200 yards and plenty of velocity.

The 100gr holds the same to 250 yards.

So get the hacksaw out fella.

Originally Posted by Trout

They get noisier even with suppresser the shorter you cut.14 inch would be bloody loud.

I bet!

With the 17 1/4" barrel minus extra baffle it definitely has a bark to it. Unsuppressed it's more than a bit rowdy.

Originally Posted by GWH

Ive just looked up the 15" Pistol 243 data on Hodgdons site.

80gr at 3,000 and 100gr at 2660 fps from 15" 243 win with H414.

80gr has 1k+ ft lbs to 200 yards and plenty of velocity.

The 100gr holds the same to 250 yards.

So get the hacksaw out fella.

Well.......that's good enough for me. Similar with the current data with factory ammo at current length.

If it works, I shall post results. If it doesn't, radio silence (or I just forget).

FYI will be gunsmith shortened.

Originally Posted by Preacher

Nothing wrong with a 20" barrel but it is already 17 1/4".

That's why I asked, because it will be around 14.5" if I decide to bring suppressor close to stock.

Not being rude but I'm guessing you haven't spent much time crawling around the Desert Rd Manuka. 20" feels a LOT longer.

I want to try achieve something light and short that doesn't mean buying another rifle or molesting the.308 any further. For reference the complete current rifle weighs less than my .308 with red dot on it.

I know it's maybe not practical so that's why I asked, might just have to cough up for a new short .308 but still keen on opinions.

Last week 2 dudes shot a monster red stag from their wagon on the Desert. Stuck the barrel out the window and smoked it.

Originally Posted by TeRei

Last week 2 dudes shot a monster red stag from their wagon on the Desert. Stuck the barrel out the window and smoked it.

Yeah, good on them. It's all good if you are off of the public road and within public hunting area during legal hours. Or have Iwi rights in certain areas (old forestry tracks etc)

I don't shoot many animals per year but I those I take will be fair and lawful public hunting.

Massive problem down here with spotlight/thermal/truck jockeys