ZIPPERWILDCATS
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22-243 MIDDLESTEAD DIES? DOES ANYONE NEED LOAD INFO, DIES OR GENERAL INFO?
22-243
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ZIPPERWILDCATS
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22-243 BRASS FORMING INFO
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ZIPPERWILDCATS
New Member
Hello Len, To answer your question marks, I have been looking for information on the 22-243 winchester and the middlestead to use in prs competition and some hunting, so fast forward a couple years and after a ton of research. I built one of each and have made the dies, developed load data for the 90 grain a-tip. The Winchester barrel is 7 twist and the middlestead is 6.5 twist to run the 95 grain smk. These rifles are super cool and fun to shoot and I have manage to unlock a huge portion of the mystery that seems to surround this fine caliber. So I am basically wanting to start threads about the uses of the 22 243 with modern custom barrels and bullets. I have tooled up to be a resource for myself and others who want to try this caliber.
Varmint Hunter
Well-Known Member
FWIW - I've been shooting a 22-243AI and, more recently, a 22-243 (plain) for many years. My primary use is for taking fat PA groundhogs at distance. I've shot a ton of them between 600-1,000yds with a 75gr A-Max. I've found the cartridge to be amazingly accurate and shot my all time best group with it, .625" at 600yds.
The 22-243 can be very addicting.
The 22-243 can be very addicting.
sable tireur
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The .22-243 , Middlestead, or Ackley Improved are all fine cartridges and are right up at the top of the .22 caliber cartridges for performance.
https://www.ballisticstudies.com/Knowledgebase/.22-243.html
I've had my days with all of these variations and enjoyed them a lot.
But with the advent of the .22 Creedmoor brass from a factory supplier, Peterson, there is no reason to pursue any of these cartridges currently unless nostalgia is the driving force. Given an appropriate twist rate in the barrel of your choice, you can shoot anything from the 40 grain Varmint bullets in the slower twist barrels to the 90 grain Long Range Target bullets in the faster twist barrels.
https://www.ballisticstudies.com/Knowledgebase/.22-243.html
I've had my days with all of these variations and enjoyed them a lot.
But with the advent of the .22 Creedmoor brass from a factory supplier, Peterson, there is no reason to pursue any of these cartridges currently unless nostalgia is the driving force. Given an appropriate twist rate in the barrel of your choice, you can shoot anything from the 40 grain Varmint bullets in the slower twist barrels to the 90 grain Long Range Target bullets in the faster twist barrels.
Varmint Hunter
Well-Known Member
The .22-243 , Middlestead, or Ackley Improved are all fine cartridges and are right up at the top of the .22 caliber cartridges for performance.
https://www.ballisticstudies.com/Knowledgebase/.22-243.html
I've had my days with all of these variations and enjoyed them a lot.
But with the advent of the .22 Creedmoor brass from a factory supplier, Peterson, there is no reason to pursue any of these cartridges currently unless nostalgia is the driving force. Given an appropriate twist rate in the barrel of your choice, you can shoot anything from the 40 grain Varmint bullets in the slower twist barrels to the 90 grain Long Range Target bullets in the faster twist barrels.
I use 243 Lapua brass that is simply run through my 22-243 FL die. Never had an issue with attaining quality brass for the 22-243. Not sure what the 22 Creed has to offer that the 22-243 doesn't but it's great to have choices.
sable tireur
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Just trying to keep up with the times and offering information about other choices.
Varmint Hunter
Well-Known Member
I'm good with that - thanks for your input.Just trying to keep up with the times and offering information about other choices.
Varminthunter what kind of speed with the 75 grain Ajax? Must be quite an explosion of chuck when hit in the center with that bullet
dan belisle
Well-Known Member
I've had a 22-243 Middlestead for about 25 years or so. Great cartridge, easy to form brass (just run 243 brass into the 22-243M dies). Before that I had a couple of 22 CHeetahs, ballistically very close. As mentioned, the 22 Creedmore is basically the same thing. 243 brass is extremely easy to find though, so there's that. - dan
I built my 22-243 from a Savage donor years ago to reach out on Colorado prairie dogs that were beyond the reach of my 204s. It was my first "wildcat" but it was so easy, I hardly consider it a custom cartridge. I ordered a Shilen barrel, already chambered with 1:8" ratchet rifling. I bought a set of Redding competition dies, and I just size my Winchester brass in one operation with the appropriate bushing (I do turn necks on all my cartridges I use bushings with.) I shoot 88gr ELDMs at 3400fps with H4831SC. The 8 twist bore has no problem stabilizing the 88s at that speed. The rifle does its job well, taking PDs past 800. The most enjoyable aspect of this cartridge/rifle is the lack of recoil, keeping the 13lb gun on target allowing me to spot impacts/misses. I rarely shoot a PDs inside of 400 with this rifle - I use the 204s on those, but watching an 88gr bullet at around 3000fps launch a PD into orbit is amazing!
Varmint Hunter
Well-Known Member
Shooting from a 26" custom match barrel the 75 A-Max (moly) bullet would record 3,670 ft/sec at the muzzle. The 75gr A-Max was literally instant death at any range on groundhogs.
The first image is the 22-243AI. The second image is the same barrel reduced to 23.5" and rechambered to 22-243 (plain).
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That would be a heck of a long range wolf killer, sweet accuracy
