22-243 Middlested

Historical Notes:

This cartridge was developed by Paul Middlested of San Diego, California, and is based on the standard 243 Winchester case necked down to handle .224 inch bullet. The body dimensions remain unchanged, but the shoulder angle is increased to 30 degrees, thus resulting in a longer neck (0.300 inch vs. 0.241 inch). Forming cases for the 22-243 is a  relatively simple operation, 243 Winchester cases are simply run through a full length 22-243 sizing die and trimmed to length, if needed. This is a major consideration in choosing wildcat cartridges. Case capacity of the 22-243 is about 5 percent more than the 220 Swift, resulting in velocities easily exceeding 4000 fps. While staying on the upper end of the velocity spectrum, this cartridge gives up nothing in the accuracy department. Five shot 100 yard groups of 1/2 inch MOA are commonly reported. When planning a rifle for this caliber round, it is a simple matter to rechamber a 22-250. However, rifling twist rates should be taken into account. If one is going to stick to lighter bullets, then the standard 22-250 barrel will not pose a problem. This cartridge excels with heavier bullets in the 68 to 75 grain range, and with them a rifling twist rate of 1 in 9 or 1 in 8 inches should be considered. The case uses large rifle primers.

General Comments:

If any wildcat cartridge deserves to become a commercial round, the 22-243 would certainly fall in that class. It can provide high velocity along with excellent accuracy, providing a slightly longer "reach" over the 22-250 and 220 Swift. Both form dies and reloading dies can be obtained from RCBS. The 22-243 is a spectacular performer on varmints and small game.

Source: Cartridges of the World

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