Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Hunting Rifles Thoughts on buying a 243?

Yes

I was planning to post the same response.

Howa / Ruger M77 - all steel - no plastikka!!!

If you have more coin - Sako M75 or M85

Gus

A model 14 Savage can be had in 243, and has a beautiful walnut stock. I have one in 250-3000 Savage, and it is a fine shooter.

I think, and this is just my opinion, your best chance of getting a rifle that will shoot factory loads well is the Tikka. The 243 is a very fun gun to shoot, and it's more fun when you can shoot itty bitty groups at 200 and 300 yards, and the Tikka excels at that.

Just the answer I was looking for!

In your shoes i'd be looking for a nice used 700 adl circa 1976 to 1990 ish, and i did. I've only loaded two loads for it, but they are both sub moa without effort. They can be bought for $400-$500 and have decent walnut/nice bluing. My .02

Thanks for all the insight, guys. Very good info... especially distinguishing the twist rate on certain brands. I have some shopping to do now... I'm in no hurry, so hopefully I can come across a decent deal on a nice rifle.

The Remington BDL 6mm in the classifieds would be a good route. Blued and wood like you're looking for, and the 6mm Remingtons I've been around have been exceptional shooters.

Browning has some with some nice wood and shoot good too. I don't and won't understand why there are so many Browning haters.
On the other hand, different strokes for different folks but why does so many bash the Browning, bad experience or what?

I have a browning a bolt 243 and on one hand really like it, its light, I like the mag, bolt throw and safety. On the other hand I wish it were a 1 in 8 or even 1 in 9 twist. Mine hammers with 70 to 90 grain bullets but anything as long or longer than the 95 nosler BT (my favorite 243 bullet) shoots terrible. Maybe this is just my particular rifle but I can't help think more twist wouldn't hurt. Forget even trying any VLD or match bullets in a 1 in 10, they will hit sideways. My vote is for whatever rifle you like best with a 1 in 9 or faster. You will have more versatility.

I love Browning shotguns.

My 243 1-10 LOVES 105 VLD's so, "with all due respect" .... hog wash.

I've owned a few 243's from a Browning lever to a Ruger 77 varmint. A couple of Win 70's, post 64 have been very accurate. A current pre 64 is just plain cool and the afore mentioned 77 is what I have set up to shoot tactical with. Savage makes really good rifles these days and their price is very attractive. The Ruger's are neat but generally in my experience not as accurate as some others. Being a Rem 700 fan I would suggest that but it's not on your list. I've not owned a Browning a-bolt personally but have shot them and they do well. On your list I'd do the Savage first and the Ruger second but shoot, get one of each and let us know which you liked best!

Sako Classic

"Thoughts on buying a 243?"



My thoughts are don't.

remington cdl or kimber .

I have a pair of '60s Browning Safaris on small ring Mausers with pencil barrels. The .308 is scary accurate and the .243 is not far behind. 100 grain NP at just under an inch, and 70s a bit better. We were not overly sophisticated about twists back then. They either shot or not.

Jack

Stainless tikka!!!

The most accurate .243 I've ever had was a Savage. I screwed a factory stainless, fluted heavy barrel on it and it would always bug hole 95gr Black Hills SSTs. I never should have sold that rifle.