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

How about a Marlin XS7 with a scope for $279. Just shoot the pizz out of it, and use it as man-bun creedtard repellent.

This would also save you from a Browning lower back tattoo.

I have considered those CDNN Marlins. Pretty hard to beat the price. But how do they shoot in 243? Will it be a 1/2 MOA rifle?

I don’t have the most experience with the XS7, but the little I have leads them to be very accurate. Especially for a sub-$300 rifle. This thread is making me want to get one though.

Buy two, send one to me.

I'd buy another old school Remington heavy barrel from the 80's.
This thing has slain all kinds of critters.

That is exactly what I was going to recommend.

My wife's nephew just purchased a Tikka TX3 lite in SS and that thing is a dream to carry and shoots lights out!

If I was in the market, it would be tops on my list!

Elk Country

Rem 700 SPS - you'd be very lucky to shoot 1/2 MOA. Most of the others, I think you'd be real lucky if they shot that good.

Maybe a Savage would get you there?? If not, it would be easy and cheap to buy an action wrench and gauges and a Criterion sporter barrel from Northland Shooters ($300)....and you'd still probably be under $1,000.

You could also Remage a 700 SPS if it didn't shoot.

As someone else mentioned the Remington Model Seven Predator with its fluted barrel is really hard to beat for the price. Also previously mentioned, the Howa Alpine is a nice handy little package.

I do like the Howa's and Weatherby Vanguard. And they're fairly cheap. Might be a good option. No way in Hades that Model 7 Predator would be a 1/2" rifle in factory form.

And currently available at very good prices. https://www.hinterlandoutfitters.co...t-action-fluted-mossy-brush-p-23917.html

That may or may not be true but at sub $450 there's plenty of room to tweak if necessary.

My Winchester M 70 .243 that I still have.

Where are you finding a new Kimber Montana in .243?

$1099 at Reeds w/free shipping. And there's more on Gunbroker.

https://www.reedssports.com/kimber-84m-montana-green-243-win-22in-tb-3000803-669278308036

I’d wait for Tikka to make a 6CM...

If it's for any time in any weather I'd get a Montana, mount a VX-III 2.5x8 in Talley light weights. Light and weather resistant. Otherwise what floats your boat. I have a M77 MKII stainless 243 boat paddle with a VX-II 3x9. I've taken several deer with it. 100 gr CoreLokts 41gr H4350. Never had it fail me.

Without much to go on like preferred weight, barrel length, intended use, I'll say:

Two that I handled recently and liked were a Rem Model Seven SS and a Tikka T3 Lite.

If I intended more long range shooting I'd opt for something a little heavier maybe with a longer barrel.

I have a Kimber Hunter in 6.5 mm, and would get another in .243 if I were in the market.

Ok then, here's more specifics...

All up, rifle, scoped and belly full of ammo, under 9#

Barrel 24" or shorter.

Intended use, deer, coyote and plinking paper and steel out to 500 yards (which is much farther than I could shoot under 99% of hunting conditions around here).

CRF or push fees doesn't really matter but definitely make it a bolt action, right handed.

Wood, blue or as, synthetic don't much care. But it's gotta be capable of 1/2 MOA and preferably w/o me bothering with a gunsmith. Loading for it is in the cards and bullet selection on the table too.

Still have a hard time wanting a Remington but I suppose I could get talked into it.

Have already had a fair number of Winchesters and Rugers.

The Howa mentioned made the shortlist and I looked at a Kimber Hunter (used) that I should have bought. Oh well.

Keep em coming.

1/2 MOA, if it's a real 1/2 MOA, is likely going to be hard to reach for the rifles mentioned.