Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Hunting Rifles Stop me from buying another 243

I need someone to talk me off the ledge. My local gun store just purchased a collection of guns from an older fella and one of them has my wallet burning. It’s a super clean mid 70s rem 700 bdl in 243 with a leupold vari x iic 4-12x40ao. He still has the original iron sights in a bag along with the manual.

(Short story time) The rifle I learned to hunt on was my dads early production rem 700 bdl 243 with a leupold vari x ii and I’ve always have a soft spot for it. Later I picked up a cherry mid 70s bdl in 7mm rem mag and that’s still my if all else fails backup rifle. So I like old bdl’s

They want $750 for the setup? I thought that was fair to borderline high but after looking at what old bdl sell for gunbroker anymore I’m thinking that may actually be a pretty good deal.

I already have 2 other 243 so I’m not sure why I need another one except that 243 and old bdl’s loose will power.

You are in the wrong place for reason. Go buy that and be happy. You can split it up and sell it if you need and likely put 50-100 in your pocket if you regret the move.

Just buy it. I don’t think I ever regretted buying anything, just not buying or selling was my only regrets… Joe

Never sold a lot, but some. Most I've sold don't bother me a bit, that's why I sold them. A few I should've held onto. But I can think of plenty that bug me that I didn't buy!

Hope those pics are at your house. If you didn't buy it you would regret it forever. Good deal too!

Enablers say go for it, pull the trigger.

You know you want it. Don’t let it get away.

You’ll regret it if you don’t get it.

DF

No not yet. The old boy said he’d hold it for me to think on it overnight. Kinda thinking my 7mag needs a mini littermate…. I’m debating on seeing what they think an skb 500 20ga skeet skeet is worth for trade bait.

Real nice rifle and those old yrs were good ones. The value on the scope on fleabay if you would choose to get rid of it would put the rifle cost down to 5 bills, maybe less. Easy buy on that one. You can't lose.

For $750 I would jump on that with both feet!

The Poobs has spoken.

So, there you have it.

DF

This isn't AA. I will not support you having "willpower" and NOT buying that rifle. You should buy it. In fact, I'm disappointed that you haven't already bought it.

No, I will not.

What does "need" have to do with it! My opinion, at that price, that's a rifle you buy right away with zero regrets. Enjoy!

Sounds like a deal in today's market

Don't hesitate. Buy it now!!! Scope is $250. Let us know.

I'll third the motion. It's old school cool.

That would be coming home with me if I ran across it. Looks like a nice one!

That's what I was thinking. Sell the scope and darned near come out with a free rifle.

Hope you grab it, good, clean old rifle.

Oh yeahhhhh. My favorite BDL checkering, came out with the redesigned stock in ~73 & was only done in fine line for ~3-4 years. They went to a skip line after that.

And the sling. Can't say it came with that gun, but starting with that stock version, BDL's were furnished with those slings. Nice rifle, good memories.

As others have already noted, that's a deal smackin' you in the face.

If you can afford to spend $750 and you want it, buy it.

If, somewhere down the line, you decide that you don't want it, you can sell it for what, or close to what, you'll have into it.

This is America, where if you can legally own one gun, you can own as many as you can afford and want to own.

You need to snap that up. Those beauties don't come around much anymore. Don't be cheap. You're going to go back and it will be gone.

He who hesitates is lost---Rio7

Go back and buy it. If it is good quality wood and is slick as a whistle, do not let it go. I have a great appreciation for a high quality, nicely crafted, blued bolt action. Everything now is turning into plastic synthetic stocks and are made cheap.

The rifle is worth about $550. The scope alone by itself will bring $200. that doesn't include the bases and rings. So, if you think about it...$750 isn't too bad.

Addicts serious about quitting don't hold AA meetings at a gin joint during happy hour.

Anyway, I'll drink to another .243.

Well guess I’ll be making a stop over my lunch break today! Just wanted to make sure I wasn’t being blinded by how pretty it was and over paying. Any idea what twist rate those would have had at that time period? I’ve read anywhere between 9-10” with no rhyme or reason of when they changed it.

Yep and then posts those regrets.

Gun good, regrets, bad...

DF

I'm still waiting on pictures.......

Yep. Trade lesser rifles, shotguns, etc if need be to come home with that one at that price. Good rifle, and barring third world economy collapse, a guaranteed money maker down the road if he'd choose. Like I stated before, easy buy for me.

I've read they went from 10 twist, to 9 1/4, to 9 1/8, finally to 9. Not sure about dates of those changes.

You can check twist or get date of Mfg and research the year of each twist.

The serial number with on line search should give that info.

Let know what you find out.

DF

I'd wonder myself.

I’ll try and get some better ones today! Unless they’re interested in that skb I’ll probably just have to put money down on it today. Christmas came bout 2 weeks to early this year it looks like!

That's a great deal! You won't get hurt at that price

How can you afford not to buy it?

Right

That's a beautiful rifle. If you don't buy it let me know where it is. I sure as hell will.

If you buy that rifle I will set you up on a blind date with Lorena Bobbitt.

Let me know if this works.

Your welcome.

Folks,
That offer of a blind date is good-BUT-how about we throw in Hillary for good measure!!!!
Soup

This

I'll see you a Hillary and raise you a Joy Behar.

Remington92: Buy it!
PERIOD!
Thats a great Rifle and thats a great scope.
BUY IT.
Hold into the wind
VarmintGuy

I'm still waiting on pictures of the new (to you) rifle.......

Lol. This is a little bit like getting excited over seeing somebody else shoot a deer. I'm waiting on pictures myself and am a little giddy over someone else getting a bang up deal on a great old rifle/scope combo at a pretty much steal price IMO. That was a great snag.

Sorry guys I screwed the pooch today! Lunch break got cut short and there were other guys in the shop so I only had time to put a deposit on it and run out. I did notice a few small dents in the stock but over all I think once I can get it home and buff it up a little it’ll really shine! Hopefully it shoots as well!

No brainer. I don't exactly know how many 243's I own but if I found that one for $750 it would certainly be +1

Keep the 20 and buy the rifle. It's still a great round.

Excellent.

No brainer there pard, buy it, great deal. I’d sell the Leupold off and get a better scope.

Smoking deal. Congratulations. You won’t regret it and will have the rifle long after the money would have been gone.

I never try to talk a man out of trying to save his marriage or by a rifle.

I’m a good friend like that.

He put a couple up back on page 1.

Better than average wood for sure.

MM

It is hard to pass them up.

The rifle alone would sell for at least that in my area. I'd leave the Leupold on it and keep it as a period-correct display of a great era in hunting rifles.

You should be able to sell the SKB here in the classifieds for more than they want for the 243. Don't let them steel it from you. For the right price it should sell fast and you would still come out ahead.

Ya I ended up keeping the skb. I can’t seem to find what it’s really worth. It’s kinda of an oddball. Factory dual skeet choke with 28” barrels and factory recoil pad.

Well I got her picked up today! Has a few scuff spots from being stored in a gun case but overall I’m really pleased just gotta turn the trigger down a ton and hopefully it doesn’t have too much stock tip pressure.

Great purchase. Figure the scope is worth $250 so you got a nice older BDL for $500. You did very good.