Damage by firing .243 Win out of .308 Win. rifle (now with pic)?

H

Hunt

New member
So I did something I never thought I'd do. I had been reloading some .243 Win. and .308 and decided to take them both to the range today. While switching from one gun to another, I managed to forget to swap out the box of cartridges sitting on the bench as well. Therefore, I managed to shoot a .243 Win (loaded with 35.5 gr. Varget and a 85 gr. Sierra HPBT). My question is do you think this caused damaged to the bore of my Remington 700 LTR? The cartridge's neck did not split...It did however bulge to the tune of looking like a tapered funnel.

I had been reminding myself not to do this, not to do this, not to do this. However, $hit happens. Any info. appreciated.
 
Hmmmmm...Never tried FIREFORMING 308 Win out of 243 Win before.... /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smiliesmack.gif /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/shocked.gif And I thought P.O. Ackley was a pioneer /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif---2MG
 
I'd agree with Phil H, highly unlikely that it could cause damage, more likely, pressure would be greatly reduced by the massive blowby due to the undersized slug. Very surprised that the case neck didn't split. Don
 
Have you shot the gun since this happened? If accuracy is the same, then I would think you did no damage. As a rule when I am at the range with more than one gun, the ammo of said gun is only at the bench.
 
Ammo of said gun was the only ammo at the bench...I forgot to swap it out and was distracted by talking to friends and father-in-law. I did shoot the gun afterwards...However, before doing so, I looked down the barrel as the shot didn't sound right and there was little kick. In looking down the barrel, there was some unburnt Varget powder sitting in the bore. I tilted the gun to let it run out and then all looked fine. I shot it about 10 more rounds afterwards and accuracy was unchanged. I think the case didn't split due to all powder not being burned and my reloads were on the light side ~ 35.5 gr. of Varget.
 
Chances of damage are minimal probably for one round. Seriously doubt bore has any damage. Might be worth a look at chamber and bolt areas for gas cut? Thankfully many of us survive these things so we can pass on the lessons learned.
 
Man I always wondered what would happen if this happend. Like all the others i don't think anything bad happend. If you are worried have your gunsmith look down the bore with a scope.
 
Copper would have a hard time damageing a steel barrel. I would say it did nothing but make you pay attention to what you are doing. NO DAMAGE TO THE RIFLE/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif
 
just be thankful it wasn't the other way around, the rifle would have been toast. saw a guy shoot a 308 in a 25/06 once, rifle never fired again.
RR
 
I know a fella who, as a kid, used to fire .35 Rem (?) rounds out of a little single-shot .410 shotgun. Nothing bad ever happened to him, but only because he was very fortunate. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smiliesmack.gif
 
If you had fired a 308 cartridge in a 243 you might not have been so lucky... Be more careful... /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/tongue.gif /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif

$bob$
 
My father once fired a 308 thru a 30-06 with no damage to the rifle. The bullets hit reeaaaaly low, sound was bloop, bloop, bloop. (3 shots fired). The only damages were to his self-esteem (he's a very good shot) and the cases of the ammo (have you ever seen a straight-walled 308 case???)
Mark
 
Quote:
was bloop, bloop, bloop. (3 shots fired).




Why? /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/confused1.gif


Wouldn't the first case give you a pretty good hint /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smiliesmack.gif
 
Here is a pic of the fired .243 from a .308 chamber. The cartridge on left is a normal .243 fired from .243 chamber:

P5290152.jpg
 
A pard got a 7mm RUM from the factory that was marked 7mmRUM, but the bore and chamber was a 300RUM. Fired a bunch of 7mmRUM shells before they realized the horrible accuracy and lack of recoil was due to the bullet being undersized for the bore. Put 300RUM loads in it and it shot just fine, no problems.
 
Years ago a common error was firing 8mm mauser through a 30-06. Usually only done once. [Not to mention the WWI German problem of S bore vs. non S bore.] The 7.62 mm (i.e., .308 Winchester) NATO was developed with the capability of using it in a .30-06 in a real pinch during the transition period from M-1 to M-14 and 1918 BAR and 1919A6 to M-60. Split case necks are the most common result of that combination with no damage to the gun. There is also an insert (several actually, the Navy ones seemed to be the most trouble free) designed to allow intentionally firing .308 in full auto .30-06 weapons, again for use in a pinch. Biggest problem using the inserts were, they would stick in the gun barrel and become welded in place if not cleaned often, or, they would be too lose and extract with the fired case.
 
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Nothing is wrong with your rifle ..... I'd like to see you stuff a 308 in a 243.



Thats exactly what I was thinking. Pretty impossible to make the opposite mistake. Would be like trying to get a square peg in a round hole. I have seen a 9mm fired down the barrel of a .40 S&W Glock. No damage to the weapon.
 


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