Remington 700 bdl 243 barrel shortening

[KEN KAAR]

Hi all. I would be grateful for your help please. I have a synthetic stock. 243 Remington bdl that I bought new in around 2001.
I have had to fit a Hush power moderator and it makes the rifle too long. The question is how much may I shorten the barrel by while retaining its usefulness as a deer rifle. I do not know the barrel twist.
Thanks
Ken Kaar
Galway
Ireland.

 

[Acera]

Welcome Ken,

I think that a lot has to do with the types of loads you are using, if you handload, what the specific laws of Ireland are regarding barrel length and what level of sound are you comfortable with.

(In the US, we have a minimum barrel length that we can go to easily, shorter requires permission, a $200 tax and a long wait.)

Don't know if that is something you have to worry about in your home country.

Also, do you want to get the most from your moderator by using sub-sonic loadings? Or you still want to keep the velocity of that .243 high, and use the sound suppression system to just bring it down to a more managable level??

Target shooting, or do you plan to hunt with the rifle?


.

 

[243winxb]

Velocity loss in shorter barrels

Remington Mohawk 600-243 win. 18"
My Mohawk- IMR 4350 (Dupont)-42 gr-85gr Sierra hpbt #1530- Rem. 9 1/2 primer- 2680 fps average. You will loose about 30 to 35 fps per inch, when compared to a 27 1/2 " barrel. The bullet will have less RPMs at a lower velocity. The barrel twist rate and bullet length have to match. http://www.bergerbullets.com/twist-rate-calculator/ "] [/URL] Your barrel twist rate is 9 1/8"

 

[olafhardtB]

Some original BDL's came with very short barrels. In 1965 I bought one with a beautiful walnut stock and either an 18 or 20 inch barrel in 243 Winchester. It has a five digit serial number. For over a half century it has been a superb rifle and I have no qualms about it being a proper medium game caliber.

 

[KEN KAAR]

Thank you all very much. I am bringing the rifle to the gunsmith tomorrow for shortening and recrowning.
I will follow up with results.

Thanks again.