recoil comparison of a .223 and a .243?

new2turkey

new2turkey

New member
I will be buying a .243 tomoro and I was wondering if it would be safe letting my 7 year old brother shoot it. He has shot a .223 numerous times, and hits anything he aims at. He is a great shot, and I don't want him to develope a flinch... Open to any suggestions, thanks all.

PS He'd be shooting from a table with a bipod.

Nick
 
The 243 will have a bit more kick, but not much. If your a handloader, you could work up some reduced loads with Trailboss to start him out with, and work up from there.

I think in the 243, you can get some loads that are between 1,200 and 1,600 fps with a 100 grain bullet. This kind of load would definately be as mild as the 223.
 
I built my son a 6mm Rem. when he was 8. He weighed about 60# or so. The first 5 shots he fired off the bench went into a nice 5/8" group. The next 5 into 1/2". Then groups started to open up.

I suspected a flinch but he would not admit it and it took several trips to the range to prove it. Finally slipped an empty chamber on him and sure enough.....

Since I didn't regard the 6mm as having much recoil, figured the problem was with his light weight. Set up a video camera beside the shooting bench and filmed him shooting the 6mm and me (185#) shooting a 300 Win. Mag. The 6mm pushed him back as far as the mag. pushed me and since he was new to CF rifles, it affected him a lot more.

If your brother is slightly built, you may want to take that into consideration.

Regards,
hm
 
He is more than excited to go... I think what I will do is see what his groups look like. He is not a heavy kid, but he's pretty muscular for his age. His groups with a .223 were amazing, and he could hit targets to 75 yards with ease.

He plays football, and by no means a whiny boy, but I know a flinch has nothing to do with that. I will let him shoot and see what happens. Thanks guys!
 
If in doubt, get a Simms slip on recoil pad for him and have at it. They help a good bit and are easily removed.
 
Be sure and watch him close if you have a scope on the rifle.He may do fine but get to close one time and can get a nasty embarrassing bruise or cut.Check him every shot.243 is enough more than 223 to bump him.That would be a bad thing to happen.I have seen grown men do it.I handed my 22-250 to a Korean war vet and he got a nasty cut.
 
Good idea ARCOREY.

tnshootist, he will be wearing shooting glasses, but I will make sure to check him before each shot to make sure he doesn't get bit by the scope.
 
Just start on some lighter loads. The 243 has a good bit more muzzle blast then most 223 platforms. That will make a flinch faster then anything. Just use some nice and tame load to break him in right.
 
.243 is my current top end of recoil shooting from a bench after global shoulder reconstruction...over that I wear a Cabelas [PAST equivalent] shoulder recoil pad. Hunting is a different story as usually not a large number of consecutive shots.

Keep a close eye on his shooting form and don't let him get beat up by creeping the scope or shooting too many rounds at one time.

I'm 73 and just an old trigger puller however have seen more than a few younger guys take unnecessary beatings from someones .50 BMG or .500 S & W..may not realize that your body has to last a lifetime..better treat it like the gift it is.
 
Try some of the Remington reduced recoil loads first and then work from there.Never mind the smallest load is for a .260 no .243's.
 
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