Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Hunting Rifles If you were in the market for a new 243 Win...

The best buy going on a rifle right now IMO is a Remington Model 7 Predator. They're usually in the $400-450 range. I have 3, 223, 22-250, and 243. All are very good shooting rifles. As far as twist rate goes, I believe all Remington barrels are a 1-9.25 twist.

I'd like options. Could be a ground hog and / or coyote rifle but could also be a deer rifle. My primary stockpile of 6mm bullets currently consists of 85, 95 and 100gr bullets.

Ha! Just sold my M70 XTR Featherweight 243, thus the search.

Have considered Ruger American Predator w/22" tube...hmm

Tikka. My first Tikka was a Model 558 Whitetail Hunter in 243. I bought it new in 1995 and hunted woodchucks and other varmints in NJ and NY States with it. Its accuracy astonished - and spoiled - me. Since then, I have owned a Model 695 30-06 and four T-3s, 6.5 Creedmoor, 6.5x55, 7mm-08, and 308. I foolishly sold the 7mm-08. All - repeat ALL - shoot extremely accurately. My two cents.

I would probably go with the kimber classic, nice and light and pretty too.
Top it with a Swarovski z3 and you're off to the races.

WHY. ? for crying out loud.

I’m not in the market, I have a great 6mm Rem. but I LOVE the
XTR FTWT.

Jerry

700, prefit barrel choice of twist , contour and length.TriggerTech or Timney.

If I specifically wanted a factory .243, Tikka would be hard to beat. 95gr NPT's loaded over an accurate load of Varget... JMO...

I've never had a bad 700 SS barreled action. I'd likely buy a 700 ADL combo gun from Buds, cut it to 22" or so, and put it in a better stock. A trigger swap wouldn't hurt. It would be under your $1,000 mark. Mine shoots the 105 Hornady HPBT well. A faster twist would be dandy, but there are still options with the 1:9.125" twist.

Me too...:)

I bought a Howa Alpine not too long ago for $600, a tremendous bargain IMO. That's my first recommendation and still to be found online. Maybe a Tikka, Mauser M18, Kimber Hunter, or Vanguard S2. Many of the Tupperware rifles shoot well, but I still buy based on keeping the rifle long-term, even though I often don't. Lots of the cheap ones have parts with questionable materials and/or designs, again IMO. You may feel differently.

I've had a vintage Sako, Vanguard S2, Hawkeye AW, and a Ruger 1V. All good rifles, but no more 9-pound .243s for me.

If used is a possibility, a two-lug Sako is a personal favorite, one of the finest rifles ever made, one more time IMO.

I will say that there is no way I would consider a 243 over a 6cm

A visit with my friend Quigley for counseling perhaps.

The close out priced FC’s are what immediately came to mind.

I would search for a closeout fieldcraft, The 3 inch mag box , 7 twist barrel , and being a 108 eldm will kiss at 2.860. nothing else comes close especially at $1150 .

You sold it,a M 70 Featherweight.

Have you seen the Savage 110 High Country yet? Not sure if it’s offered in the 243 but they are awesome rifles. My buddy just bought one in 308 and I helped him mount his optics and get it sighted in on paper. Super nice rifle with nice barrel contour/weight and a good stock and I’m also liking the Accu trigger the more I get to shoot it. Did I mention that Savages are pretty darn accurate? Might be worth looking into.

The deer I’ve shot with my 243’s 100 gr Speer Hot Cor
Never wished they had been shot with a CM so they would be deader..... 😊

Jerry

Tika t3x a SS 3x9 and nosler 95 grain ballistic tips. This combo will likely be very accurate, and very dependable for about everything. You probably will only have to zero your rifle once, it's that good. My son has this combo. It shoots about 1" groups at 2 00 yds, and it has maintained zero for 3 years now, and he dials out to 500 yds quite a bit.