.243 questions/advice needed

.243 and scope

I've become a .243 fan in the past few years, primarily because I started killing deer w/ one, and so has bamaboy. They are easy rifles to shoot well, due to low recoil and their inherent accuracy. The few I have worked with have all been accurate with factory ammo or handloads w/o any special search or fuss. My older carbine does especially like 100 gr Noslers but still delivers about 1.5 MOA. The full size bolt rifle shoots about anything we feed it well.

My Dad was never a great shot due to cross dominance primarily, but also a flinch habit. In his later years, he shot better, primarily because hew switched to the .243 anbd it did not beat him up.

I think the great all arounder in sport scopes is still the 3-9x variable, and I am a big fan of Leupold. A Vari-II, or whatever they call their second level scopes these days, is fine investment and will not break the bank. And I know several guys who hunt the entry level VX-I scopes and are not unhappy. For portability, I'd not go larger than a 40mm bell.

If you want to really simplify, I would go on to suggest a fixed 6x Leupold. As long as you do not intend to hunt really small varmints at long range, and stick to deer and hogs, a fixed 6 offers fewer parts (less to go wrong?) and enough x power for reasonable long range and bench tests at 100, and not to much in the woods. The 6x helps you find holes in the brush and count points that a lower powered scope will not. I try not to shoot at running game, but a 6x at all but rock throwing distance does not seem to be a hindrance. Look at the 42mm version if you will hunt alot from shooting houses in low light, as it might help brighten things a bit. The 36mm version works just fine for me as an all arounder.

Good luck w/ youir new rig.
 
Thanks.

I have a question regarding twist rate. The 7600 has a 1:9.125 twist. That rate will stabilize 105 gr bullets OK? How does it do with lighter bullets. What weight would you recommend for pigs?
 
Can I ask: Do you really need/want a scope?

This is not a sarcastic question but rather one based on much experience here in Florida and tempered by your noting that this is a rifle for hog hunting.

Part of the fun of hunting hogs is that you have a fair chance of walking them up, even of getting VERY close if you work at it. Fact is that when they are in a group, assuming you work in from down wind!!, they often make enough noise to where you can stalk to within a few yards, if not feet. Done so many times in the last 40+ years of hunting. Even shot a few with the bow while hunting this way.

Last one was on Christmas morning, all of 15 FEET.

Now I point this out simply because getting close is one of the things that makes hog hunting exciting. Sure, you can set up a feeder and blast away at a hundred yards, it works and the hogs shot this way will eat as good as any you slip up on. Might even be that for reasons of health or due to club rules this may be how you have to do it.

But......if you plan on stalking, or if you set up in tight woods, of which there are a whole lot here in Florida!!, it's a good bet that few if any of your shots will be at more than 75 yards or so. And the possibility of getting MUCH closer is very real.

This being so I would suggest you try a red dot sight of some sort......at least as a experiment. You can get very serviceable ones from Bushnell ( Lifetime warranty. ) for less than $100 new, even cheaper is you buy off eBay used.

Mount it and shoot it at the range, OFFHAND, and then see what it will do from a rest a 100 yards. The offhand shots will give you a real idea of what happens in the woods while stalking and the bench rest shots will convince you that it is easy to attain very serviceable accuracy should you decide to hunt over corn.

And do take a few shot with the red dot up VERY close, 10 yards or less. Take note of how fast you can get on target and how intuitive it is to use.

Then do the same with a scope. Sure, the scope will be more accurate from the bench but do consider that the 1-2 inch group attained at 100 yards from the bench is functionally no different than the 2-3 inch group you most likely shot with the red dot ( The wife's .243 will do 2 inches easy with the red dot. ).

And then consider the offhand.......especially the up close and the acquisition speed aspects. The red dot will win these hands down.

I know that in the standard is for everyone to want a "scope" and I'll admit that I have them on a couple of rifles. Fact is there is a need and a very large place for them when hunting all sorts of game, even times when one is almost indispensable.

Still, for HOG HUNTING it's worth considering the alternative.

And do note that if you buy one off eBay used and find not to your liking you can resell it and have spent $20-40 to try it.......AND.....you'll have had a excuse to play with your new rifle and to go to the range a extra time. Both of which are good enough excuse in and of themselves to try the red dot.

Last thing......the Aimpoint Micros are spectacular for this especially when mounted in a Scout position........kind of expensive though.
 
The place where I ordered the .243 also has a 7600 synthetic in .270. I'm thinking about getting that one as well. Those two rifles would take care of just about anything in the lower 48, let alone Florida, I'm thinking.
Click to expand...

I'm a fan of .270 Winchester. I have been shooting them my whole life, and I believe the cartridge is adequate for anything in the Americas.

However....
For some one that doesn't plan on having several dozen hunting rifles to choose from, and is likely to have only a .243 Win and something a little bigger for a while, I'd recommend picking up a .30-06 as the 'big brother'.

With .30-06 you have more ammunition choices and a better economy of scale (they sell much more of it, so it's often cheaper than .270 Win).


One last thing-
Before you fall too far down the rabbit hole, be sure you know where you'll be chasing hogs, and that the rifle will be legal. Some areas don't allow firearms at all, and some areas only allow firearms during deer/hog season. The rest of the year, your rifle just gathers dust.
 
To answer questions/comments: re: the scope issue, I am not opposed to a red dot for hog hunting, in fact I have a couple ARs set up that way.

Frankenmauser, I appreciate your comment re the 270/30-06. As it happens, I actually do have a bunch if rifles, probably between two and three dozen in a variety of calibers and actions BUT, none in 243 and no pump actions. I do like the extra versatility of the '06 for its potential with larger game, i.e. moose and big bears. I'm still on the fence regarding the 270/30-06. Up to now I've been primarily a collector/shooter, but want to start hunting in earnest, hence all of the questions.
 
One of the 1-4x scopes would be perfect. For whatever reason the 1-4x scopes all seem to be pricey though.

A red dot would likely be sufficient though.
 
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