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Old February 10, 2006, 06:10 PM   #1
Huntinfool
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Sighted in my new .22-243 Middlestead today


I took my new .22-243 Middlestead out to sight her in. It's got a 1 in 8" twist Lilja barrel, Mod 700 action, McMillan stock, Jewell trigger, 6X24 Sightron scope!

Today I shot 69 gr. Sierra MK over 41 gr. of 4831. Didn't do to bad considering the wind was gusting first this way then that 0 to 15 mph I'd say!



2 - 5 shot groups @ 100 yards!





Rick sold me this rifle he aptly named her "The Undertaker" now I know why!



I think I'll keep this one!

Chuck

Last edited by Huntinfool; February 12, 2006 at 02:37 PM.
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Old February 19, 2006, 03:23 PM   #2
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Nice groups!
What length and taper on that Lilja barrel?
I just ordered a #23 for my 6.5mm project.
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Old February 19, 2006, 04:38 PM   #3
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It's a 26" light varmint contour!

I like it!

Chuck
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Old February 19, 2006, 09:39 PM   #4
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Mine is going to be a pig, 30" .925 at the muzzle.
I'll bet you get some great velocities from that chambering .
How many grooves in your barrel?
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Old February 19, 2006, 10:46 PM   #5
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To tell you the truth MLC I can't tell just by looking down the tube. It sure does twist a lot! LOL!

I'll have to ask Truman Wilson the guy who put it together!

I'm not trying to push her too fast just going for an accurate load. There are kickin' out at about 3365 on average with the 69 grain SMK!

Chuck
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Old February 21, 2006, 03:08 PM   #6
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Not firmiliar with the cal. .22-243? what is the case capacity difference between that and the .22-250? I assume 243 parent necked to .22? Looks like a shooter!!
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Old February 21, 2006, 04:57 PM   #7
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It's kind of new to me also but from what I gather it can be a real barrel burner if you load it to the max. I'm just shooting the 69 grain SMK at 3365 fps with 41 grs. of 4831.

Everyone says load it on up and get the most out of it! I always go for the most accuracy rather than the most fps. The main thing about this rifle is the 1 in 8" twist allowing the use of heavier bullets for real long range advantage.

I'm thinking I'll probably settle on the 77 grain SMK for most of my shooting! I'm still in the try and see mode right now.

Chuck
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Old February 21, 2006, 05:54 PM   #8
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But is it a .243 necked down to .22?
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Old February 21, 2006, 06:00 PM   #9
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Oh yea it's a 243 necked down to .224 cal.

Paul Middlestead I believe is the name of the guy who designed it!

Chucki
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Old March 12, 2006, 11:48 AM   #10
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Quote:
Oh yea it's a 243 necked down to .224 cal.
Which means it is actually a .308 necked down to .224. If you do the same thing with a .308 Benchrest cartridge you have the .22 Cheetah. I wanted one of those for years based on velocity and accuracy but it seems like the .308 Benchrest brass went away. Other than that, I think they are the same cartridge.

Gregg
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Old March 16, 2006, 10:19 AM   #11
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They're pretty close. The original Cheetah has an AI type 40 degree shoulder. The Cheetah MarkII retained the original angle, or something pretty close. They are barrel burners! We used a 1 in 10 twist w/50-55 grain bullets @4000+fps. Seemed like the groups got tighter the faster we pushed them! Accuracy will start to degrade after about 1000 rounds of that though. Any way you go, they're just plain fun!
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Old October 20, 2009, 03:52 PM   #12
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22-243...

Huntin man... There's an article in Handloader, 1969 or so... Paul built this rifle for longe range varmintin'. His son did a college thesis on Ballistics, and used this rifle for test data. I have his original rifle, an old model 70, #5 Douglas barrel, set up for single shot. She's sporting a lyman perma center 20x boosted to 32x for benchrest type shooting. I found your site, which I love dearly, looking to see what people are using for loads. I have been out of shooting for about 20 years, but recently got me 2 ex-marine sons in law. We shoot again!!

Anyway, I'm with you. Maranatha, come Lord Jesus.

Matt
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Old October 20, 2009, 09:55 PM   #13
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Kool!

Matt I grew up within 12 miles of Douglas Barrel I have three custom built rifles with Douglas barrels on them!

Keep the Faith Brother!

~HF~
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Old May 30, 2010, 10:05 PM   #14
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.22-243

dang, now this is what you call one heck of a gun. I've seen people push these to the limit with titanium barrels (which are lighter and last twice as long as steel ones) and I've seen people put a .22cal air rifle pellet weighing about 28gr and using a full load of some really hot powder, my friend got up past a mile per second with this beast. and it's amazing what accuracy's like at that peed. he can get a single hole group at 100yds with it, and it shoots so fast that the chrony couldn't even measure it. I'm guessing that this gun is easily capable of 6000fps or more, and I've seen people neck these down to .17cal to make the 17-243, and it is pretty much the same. you'd need a high speed camera rated to at least 1,000,000fps to measure it accurately. all I can really say is that when you break mach 5 it doesn't really matter how fast the wind is, it's going to shoot straight. and the energy is un-matched, I can split watermelons in half with the .17-243 at almost 200yds and I'm sure deer is no problem for it
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Old May 31, 2010, 06:45 PM   #15
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whereat you get them there titanthium barrels?

onliest report i ever seen they only lasted about 400 shots and the company dropped them like a hot potato.

really want to see somebody shooting airgun pellets out of a varmint rifle too.
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Old June 21, 2010, 03:01 AM   #16
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wouldn't the pellet just melt?
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Old March 23, 2011, 11:54 AM   #17
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22-243 middlestead

hey guys im new to this caliber but i am loving it, i have a savage vlp dmb with a 1-9 twist that i had rechambered to this caliber to push the heavier bullets. right now i am shooting 69 gr smk over 43 grains of imr 7828 and its stacking the rounds in a small ragged hole. i am wondering if anyone is using a similar setup and possibly what my fps is on this combo?
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Old March 23, 2011, 03:18 PM   #18
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The 243 is hard enough on barrels, bet that sucker really eats them.
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Old March 23, 2011, 03:36 PM   #19
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I have made that swirly pattern on a bbl before!Low rpm in a lathe,orbital finishing sander.
Have fun,its a tackdriver!You might try some 75 Amax's or Bergers,too,if you are going to whack a coyote or something
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Old March 23, 2011, 04:54 PM   #20
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Quote:
Which means it is actually a .308 necked down to .224.
Unlike most .308-based cartridges, the .243 uses some unique dimensions. It can more easily be considered its own cartridge, than many other .308 offspring.

But...

If you're going to get that technical about it - you need to just say it's a .300 Savage, lengthened, and necked down to .22 caliber. Or... it's an 8x57mm Mauser, shortened, and necked down.

The .300 Savage was the original parent case for the .308 Win.; not .30-06/.30-03, as most people believe.

And we all know where every one of those modern rimless cases has its origin: the 7x57mm/8x57mm Mauser.
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Old April 14, 2011, 01:27 PM   #21
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22-243 middlestead

hey guys i changed my accuracy load to a 70 gr berger vld over 43 gr of imr 7828 ssc with a factory savage vlp dbm. here are some pictures of a 3 shot group at 304 yds with a 4 mph wind that was judged 7 mph. the optics is a swfa ss16x42 scope. can beat this scope for the price of $300.
Attached Images
File Type: jpg IMG00177-20110414-1212.jpg (101.0 KB, 416 views)
File Type: jpg IMG00178-20110414-1213.jpg (78.3 KB, 371 views)
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Old February 18, 2017, 02:33 PM   #22
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Sighted in my new .22-243 Middlestead today

Anyone following this thread, I'd be interested in connecting Rich Middlestead, Paul Middlestead's son. The Middlesteads resided in San Diego. I came to know the family through Rich, who was employed on a project at Miramar NAS. Paul provided me guidance and gunsmith support in building a 22-250 back in the day. If someone is familiar with the family or has a contact address for Rich, I'd very much appreciate the opportunity to contact him or his family. Paul Middlestead was a generous person who made me feel at home in his home during my years of service, away from family and friends. If you are reading this Rich, thank you for reaching out and inviting me to dinner at your parents home. It was a shock to find myself surrounded by your family when I was anticipating meeting your better half, when I had no idea that your were not married, and had actually been invited into your family.

glen hamner
Boerne, Texas
Tangledwood Hollow
where neighbors fly-in/roam-about for treats
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