.243 Varmint Rifle Options.

U

Uhave2

New member
Now that I deiced to get a varmint rifle chambered in .243, I see that Remington doesn't make the 700vs in .243 anymore.
Originally, I thought of going all out and buying a Sako 75ss.
But then reality strikes. I could buy the Rem 700 and a Nikon scope for the price of the Sako.
Do you guys have any suggestions for a synthetic stock, heavy barrel .243 varmint rifle.
You guys helped me decide the caliber about a month ago.
Now maybe you can point me towards a Rem 700vs clone.
Thanks.
 
As a left hander, there's only 2 actions I can use without giving myself a bloody nose...

#1) Tikka's/Sako's

#2) Weatherby's.

I'd buy a Tikka in a synthetic, and then buy a very nice scope. Later on, graduate that Tikka to a Sako. Same action, a little bit cheaper components, but nice barrel.

Can't go wrong with a Tikka..

Albert
 
Tikka is a good choice, but go with the best, a Savage. I have a stainless/synthetic savage in .243. It's a beaut. You just can't beat savage. They still make their own barrels, which would account for their outstanding accuracy.

Chris
 
Anyone try that new Winchester Coyote?

Supposed to be a medium/heavy bbl, comes in .223, .22-250 and .243, I think. Looks nice. Wonder if they shoot worth a darn, 'cause when I start looking for another bolt gun, I might try to find one of them.
 
Theres a million Remington 700 out there in varmint configuration, just shop around, go to a few gun shows.

There shouls not be a problem finding one.
 
Got an Old Ruger M77

It's the most accurate .243 I have (with Handloads):) Outshoots
thw post 64 Winchester 70 by an impressive margin.
I don't know if the modern versions are as good as my
old tang safety, semi flattened bolt handle model, but it is certainly worth checking out.
 
Rem 788 is also a good choice, I've seen them recently for $200-$450 depending on condition. The higher price usually include a scope. I was pleasently surprise to see that the barrel is free floating on all models. Too bad they are no longer in production. But if you look, they are a few of them around
 
Howa 243

I too was looking for a 243Win for varmiting. On a side note first: Let's look at the 243win vs. 22-250 Rem........
Varmit / Deer / Beer
243Win X / X / X
22-250Rem X / ? / ???

The 243 has a lot more flexibility than the 22-250 in bullet weights. With light bullet factory ammo (Rem & Win), it drops less at 500 yds than 22-250 and has almost double the energy. Why is 22-250 so much more popular than the 243??? I didn't even consider the other "varmit" rounds (223 & 308) because at that 500yds range, you aim at the top of the tree to hit somewhere around the roots. Will I take a lot of 500 yd shots? Probably not if I want to hit anything beyond soil. But I don't want to super elevate the gun to the point of losing the target in the scope should the long shot present itself.

Back to the original topic: I finally found my "lightweight" varmit/deer gun....a Howa M1500 Lightning in 243. Ordered it Friday and should have it Tuesday. Best part, with a "budget" conscious Tasco Varmitmaster scope, I will be spending about $430 w/tax to walk out with a bore sighted scoped varmit gun. That's roughly the street price for the "standard" rifles from Ruger, Remington, & Winchester.

Hope you found your 243.
 
jakester, ya gotta remember that the .22-250 (which started out life as a wildcat called the Varminter) is almost 20 years older than the .308. It's purely a varmint cartridge, developed by a PD shooter.

Given modern bullet technology, either will do an excellent job out to much longer distances than back in the 1950s and earlier.

:), Art
 
Hey folks,

The first rifle I ever bought as a young adult was a Remington Model 760 in .243, and, since I have had two more since the first one, I don't think anyone could suggest that I do not like the .243. However, having said that, I would like to suggest that if one is considering a .243, they might also consider a Remington 6mm instead. While some authorities state that the 6mm case is an improvement over the .243 in potential performance, I do not think most end users could tell the difference in either's performance. The one reason I would suggest considering the 6mm is simply because it has a longer neck than the .243, and this simple difference makes it easier to use a wider variety of bullets in the 6mm than the .243. The longer/heavier bullets have to be seated deep inside the case for the .243. The 6mm allows one to keep the base of such bullets within the neck, and that seems like a worthwhile advantage to me.

When did I discover this? When I was reloading for my first .243. Why did I not switch to a 6mm at that time? Because I already had reloading dies and lots of brass for the .243. I still do not have a 6mm, but that is because I already have a .243 and do not change things easily. However, if I did not have a .243 and was considering one, I think I would choose a 6mm instead.

Best wishes,
Dave Wile
 
I have a Win Mod 70 coyote in 22-250 that is a great gun. it shoots very well. (1.2 moa out of the box) more my problem due I needed new glasses not gun. I put 40 rounds thru it on the range and realized it was too much gun for what I wanted. so now it is for sale:( and I am looking for a 22 hornet.
 
Varmit / Deer / Beer
243Win X / X / X
22-250Rem X / ? / ???

I duno, jakester, I think the .22/250 will do beer just as good as the .243 :p

One thing to consider in the mix, is many of the sporter weight barrels will shoot just as well for any practical field consideration than a varmit barrel.

I've a bull-barreled .22-250 & a sporter .243 The .22-250 does shoot a tad tighter groups off the sand bags, but in the field, I am more of any accuracy problems than either rifle. Both account for as much as the other.

.243 is a bit better for way out there & in windy(er) conditions.
 
Thanks to everyone who posted on my threads regarding this topic.
Just one more thing.
Can anyone give me price check for a Rem700vls?
I was quoted $585+ tax at a local dealer. Seems kind of high.
Also, a check on a Tikka Sporter, I'm still waiting on quote from the dealer.
Thanks Again.
 
Rifle Purchased

I own it now. A LSI Howa M1500 in 243. With a tasco varmitmaster 6-24x scope it cost me $474 to walk out the door. Fair price? Will update this thread when I get a chance at some range time.
 
I recently got a CZ 550 American, (made by the same people who make the Brno Mausers I think). Excellent quality, better than MOA accuracy out of the box with S & B ammo. For $439 from J & G, I highly recommend it. also got their 416 Rigby, with similar results.
 
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