How little recoil from a braked .243 AR-10

[wisam]

I’m considering building an AR-10 on the .243 Winchester cartridge. I’m thinking of a 24-26 inch barrel with a heavy barrel and a scoped weight of 10-11 lbs.

I’m wondering if I get a good muzzle brake if it will be possible to maintain sight picture and watch the impact or if this is only possible with something smaller like a .223.

Basically, I’m looking for a long range plinker for shooting things like bowling pins. At 600 yards and above with my .308 bolt gun, I can regain my sight picture in time for the hit, but it would be so much cooler if it were possible to reduce the recoil to near .22 levels. If I could watch the trace all the way to the target it would be really cool, but that’s probably kind of a pipe dream.

 

[Barikade]

Re: How little recoil from a braked .243 AR-10

http://kwk.us/recoil.html

The break WILL not be an easy calculation as that works on as much impulse (rate of change in momentum) as total force. Should get you close.

 

[Goin'Hot]

Re: How little recoil from a braked .243 AR-10

At 600, you should be able to spot your hits. It still comes down to the basics. Line up behind your rifle and have proper trigger control.

 

[CPRifle]

Re: How little recoil from a braked .243 AR-10

Good luck on the weight. Have you held a scope AR-10? My DPMS LR-260 weighs around 16lbs built out (24" barrel, bipod, scope, sling). I'm guessing it's closer to 17 or 18 with a suppressor.

Mine is clambered in 260 and recoil is light, and spotting hits is very doable providing you have good fundamentals.

 

[Pat M]

Re: How little recoil from a braked .243 AR-10

+ adjustable gas block also

 

[Tx_Flyboy]

Re: How little recoil from a braked .243 AR-10

Wisam,

Heavy guns, unless dedicated as bench guns, quickly loose their appeal. You are less likely to pull it out of the safe, less likely to dry fire it, and because it's unwieldly to handle you will end up spending less time with it.
I too am about to build a 243 winchester in an AR paltform. Honestly, i would not waste my time on a heavy barrel or bull barrel if you think that there is a reasonable chance that you may hunt or compete with it. I have seen light weight barrels outshoot heavy barrels and vice versa. I would just get the lightest match barrel i can.

My recommendation (such as it is) is to get something in a light weight barrel profile (no more than .750"). I also recommend that you get the lightest weight stock, fore-end and scope you can find. All these efforts will keep the weight of your rifle without optics in the 8-9lb range empty. With a 20rd magazine and a your light weight scope, you should be able to meet your 10-11 lb goal without too much effort.

However, if you fall for the tacticool look, and add rails, a bull barrel, a PRS stock, a heavy scope, etc, the rifle weight starts climbing. Those are traps. stay away.

If however, you are interested in bulding a bench gun, then ignore my advise and get what you like.

The 243 winchester is a fun, all purpose cartridge with low recoil in a bolt gun. It should be almost recoiless in an AR platform. A good compensator such as the Primary Weapon System compensator will help you watch the bullet impact the target...i can do that in a 308, so it can be done with a 243.

Good Luck.

 

[sobrbiker883]

Re: How little recoil from a braked .243 AR-10

When voicing opinions it would be so nice to hear people say things like "I feel", "its been my experience" etc rather than making blanket statements.


I'm perfectly happy with a 15+ pound comp gun.....

 

[wheelchairman]

Re: How little recoil from a braked .243 AR-10

I have shot one that probably weighed 13-15lbs and had the gas turned waaaaay down. I'd say it kicked equal or less than my lightweight target ar15.

 

[wisam]

Re: How little recoil from a braked .243 AR-10

Thanks for the input. Out of curiosity, was the AR-10 that kicked like a .223 braked? What weight of .223 would it jump equivalent to?

Any particular brakes recommended? I'm not so much interested in eliminating strait back recoil as I am keeping the gun from jumping causing me to loose sight picture.

 

[JasonB]

Re: How little recoil from a braked .243 AR-10

So little recoil that the loss of your manhood will be felt more with each shot

I am kidding ... Maybe

 

[wheelchairman]

Re: How little recoil from a braked .243 AR-10

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: wisam</div><div class="ubbcode-body">Thanks for the input. Out of curiosity, was the AR-10 that kicked like a .223 braked? What weight of .223 would it jump equivalent to?

Any particular brakes recommended? I'm not so much interested in eliminating strait back recoil as I am keeping the gun from jumping causing me to loose sight picture.

</div></div>

Yeah, it was braked.... my ar15 weighs around 9lbs.... not sure of the exact weight.

 

[sobrbiker883]

Re: How little recoil from a braked .243 AR-10

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: wisam</div><div class="ubbcode-body">Thanks for the input. Out of curiosity, was the AR-10 that kicked like a .223 braked? What weight of .223 would it jump equivalent to?

Any particular brakes recommended? I'm not so much interested in eliminating strait back recoil as I am keeping the gun from jumping causing me to loose sight picture.

</div></div>

If you are shooting a standard LR308 platform chambered in 243 platform off a bipod and rear bag and are unable to see your impacts on steel at 200 and out then I would suggest you look into operator software rather than system hardware.....

 

[Kyshooter]

Re: How little recoil from a braked .243 AR-10

I agree with Mr. Fish,

It will be virtually impossible to make that weight goal.

I know my DPMS based .308 weighs 12-12 1/2 pounds...

That was as light as I could get it and that was with a mid-weight contoured 18 inch barrel, DD light rail, PRS stock and SS 3-9x optic.

I would argue that that is about as light as you can possibly make an AR 10/LR 308 sized platform be without all kinds of crazy weight saving measures.

That said, I bet a semi auto .243 would be a kick ass little rifle. Just understand you will be hard pressed to get under something like 14 pounds with a 24-26 inch barrel.

 

[Tx_Flyboy]

Re: How little recoil from a braked .243 AR-10

Kyshooter,

Wisam's weight goal is not impossible, it is very attainable, as long as he avoids the traps that make guns unnessarily heavy;
1. Bull Barrel or Heavy barrel profiles
2. Heavy buttstocks (A2 w/lead weight insert, PRS, UBR, etc)
3. Heavy handguards (Most railed Hanguards except Troy MRF).
4. Heavy Rifle Scopes.

If he decides to have any of the above listed items, then the weight goal becomes progressivey more difficult to meet.

As an example, the Remington R-25 weighs 8.75lbs empty. The reason it comes in light is because;

1. It uses a light weight barrel profile (.750 under handguard & .680" past gas block)
2. It avoilds a heavy buttstock. Although lighter buttstocks can be had (VLTOR Emod, Magpul MOE or CTR, etc)
3. No Rails. Just an aluminum Hand guard. Lighter handguards can be had. The one on the remington weighs approx ~.92lbs. DPMS carbon fiber handguard weighs .475lbs.


I have a DPMS LR 308 with a 20" upper, It is a heavy barrel profile, .983" under the handguards, .750 under the gas block, and .725 past the gas block. The rifle weighs 9.75bs empty. With my current scope, a Sightron SII big sky 6.5-20x50, the all up weight is just under 11lbs. I intend to get the barrel re-profiled to .750" under the handguard, and i'm told that i could shave up to 1lb off the empty weight...even if i only saved .5lbs of weight, my rifle would still be well within his stated goal.

As you can see, the OP can easily meet his stated goal of 10-11 lbs. He needs to be sure to choose components that dont weigh too much, otherwise, he may exceed his weight limit.


Hope this helps.