AR in 243???

[Night Hawk 223]

does anyone know if there is an AR-15 made in 243? that would be fun to play with. if so who makes it?

Thanks Alvin

[Ridge Runner]

Olympic arms makes a 243 WSSM, its also available in the 223,25 WSSM cartridges, and they make they're version of a 7mm and a 308 cal based on the WSSM case. they also offer ammo for the 7mm and 308 Olympic mags. If you want a custom upper for production prices look to a man named Mike Milli, he's built hundreds of uppers and he has exclusive rights from Oly to build custom uppers in the WSSM line, he uses all Oly parts and they shoot awesome (I have a 25 WSSM built by mike). He can be reached at dtech1@paulbunyan.net
RR

[rost495]

Should be able to get any of the 308 based rounds from Armalite. I just have had too many bad experiences with Oly to trust dropping big bucks with them again.

[Nomercy]

Night Hawk, I believe that all of these rifles you're looking for aren't AR-15's, they're actually the AR-10 with the .308based action simply using a smaller dia bbl.

I've only ever SEEN a .243 AR-10, I didn't get the opportunity to shoot it. I've seen SEVERAL AR-10 "conversion Uppers" that are HONEST TO GOD the same exact upper as the AR-10 but with a .243bbl installed. I've also seen a few bbl liner converters that would reduce the bore diameter of your rifle...this seems like it would probably be more expensive than the other option, since you'd have to have your bbl reamed out to accept the liner.

At any rate, it would be a lot of fun to have a .243 AR-10, the muzzle hop and climb and recoil of the .308 AR-10 is pretty steep when firing at high cycle rates, but the AR-15 .223's always seem like they're lacking when you need an extra 100yrds on a coyote, or would like to take it afield after whitetails...

Buy an AR-15 and an AR-10 with a couple of different uppers and you could have as much versatility as a T/C Encore!!!!

[rost495]

for more range look at the AR upper(15 not 10) in 6.5 Grendel. Its super accurate and about like a 260 but on a cheaper 15 platform. For power look at the 50 Beowulf on the 15 platform. There is the 6.8 but I don't care for it at all.

Jeff

[Dtech]

rost495, What kind of problems did you have with Oly? I have been dealing with them for about 12 years and they have always taken care of any problems quickly.

As far as uppers with the short-action power on the AR-15 platform: The WSSM line has become very popular with the varmint, predator and big-game hunters. I have built and sold dozens of these uppers in both .243 and .25 WSSM.

I used the .243 WSSM for hunting out west this fall. I used the Hornaday 87 gr. HPBT for long-range varmint and the 85 gr. Nosler Partition for big-game. The two loads had almost the same POA so I could switch from varmint to big-game without adjusting my scope.

I took 3 northern whitetail with the AR in the WSSM this fall. I was very impressed with the .243, it dropped the deer like you "turned off a switch"

Over the last 12 years I have shot hundreds of thousands of rounds through ARs of every configuration imanginable in multitudes of chamberings. The first time I fired the .243 WSSM at game, I was astonished at the amount of energy that it had! Now a year later, I'm still amazed. To be able to send a 120 grain bullet out of a 22" barrel @ 3000 FPS and be able to buy the ammo at Walmart is great!

[rost495]

Can't comment on the wssm line of cartridges. Have never shot one so have no input.

On the oly barrels-- I bought 2 SUM for my CMP rifles. Neither came close to the advertised accuracy levels. Mind you I'm a top ranked national shooter and load more than most folks in a year so I know how to make a tube shoot. To top it off one barrel would not extract any MT casings. I'd dealt with oly and they had that tube back 2 times and said it was fine. It never would extract so I have no clue how it could be "fine" Years later I got hold of a rep and I requested a new tube. That rep sent it to me and as I do not care for their chamber I requested just the tube with no gas port and no chamber. Came with the stock gas port which upset me further as that port for competitive shooting is a bit on the large side and damages case rims due to volume of gas.

Had another top ranked national shooter that had the same accuracy issues with them. He continues to use them for a combat barrel in rapid fire NTIT events as the requirement for accuracy is less.

I just dont' see them being 1/4 inch barrels. To get to that level you've got to step up a bit.

Anyway thats my experience with them.

[Dtech]

Wow, That's wild. I have used somewhere between 700-800 of their SUM barrels and they have been the most consistently accurate barrels I have used. I have used many barrels in the past and some of them have been every bit as good as the Oly SUM but the barrel-to-barrel consistency has not been as good as the SUM.

I have found that if the Oly broach-cut barrel won't shoot "one hole" groups, it's bad.

I have been dealing with Oly for about 12 years now and they do have huge issues with following instructions on an order. I have been in their factory several times and spent a fair amount of time in their barrel shop and have learned some of the "ins and outs" of getting what I need out of them with the least amount of trouble.

[rost495]

I'm wow with your results too. Its very rare, IMHO that a factory barrel would even think about being a one hole barrel. While the barrel steel and rifling may be up to the task, no one takes the time to properly chamber, crown etc....

Jeff

[Dtech]

I buy quite a bit of blanks and use them for ARs and some of my private projects. Some of the barrels that I order I get "short chambered" The pricing that I get doesn't justify my time in threading and profiling. I finish the chamber and I'm done. I have had very good results that way.

Truthfully even the "stock, off the shelf" barrels that I have used have been very good.