Hunting rifle to go with my 'low' recoil round.

S

sneasle

New member
Now that I've basically decided on .243 for a hunting round for whitetail (see my other thread), I need some suggestions as to what to be looking at as a platform.

I guess the standards will be brought up and I'm going to add the CZ550 to the list just cause I've been really impressed with my two rimfires from them so far. Anyone I'm forgetting?

Rem700
RemM7
Edge
A-bolt
Tikka T-3
Vanguard
CZ550
 
I'd throw out the Edge/Axis rifle I just don't like them no matter how well they might shoot.

It all really depends on the features you like in your rifle the best. If you are looking for nice wood and blued metal then I'd look at the Browning and CZ. Remington's are pretty nice as well but their wood is rarely as nice as CZ and Browning, and their options in synthetic stocks is pretty good. Tikka and Vanguards are decent rifles as well with Tikka having the accuracy guarantee without having to pay extra for it.

I'd look at T/C Icon/Venture, Savage M10, and Win M70 rifles as well.
 
Just go to the store and start playing with them.
You'll find one that fits YOU way better than the others. Maybe one is screaming deal that day. Maybe one is too heavy. Maybe one comes with a scope.

Everyone is going to tell you a certain brand is the "best one" to get. Nobody can honestly tell you which one tho. Thats for YOU to decide. You'll know it when you find it.

I have a Rem and my wife has a Sav and they both shoot equally as good. BUT, hers fits her better than me, and mine fits me better than her. In my opinion, fit is more important than brand.
 
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I'm partial to Winchester Model 70's myself...but there are plenty of good platforms to go around. Good luck with your purchase.
 
I think it would be best if you included some more details on what exactly you were looking for in a rifle. The ones you listed are good guns, but each one is different in its own way. How much do you plan to spend, because that is a huge factor. Have you only read about these rifles or actually handled each one in the store yet?
 
Well, this would be a hunting gun, so preferably something solid yet still light enough for a day or trekking through the woods. I'm not really a fan of synthetic stocks, but understand their purpose in life. Aftermarket support isn't a deal breaker, but I would like to be able to order and replace parts on my own should something break.

I've handled/held Rem700, Edge, Tikka, and the Vanguard, all felt good and shouldered well so I don't really hold a certain favorite right now.

If I had my way I think I would love a nice RemM7 with a SS barrel :).

Lets put a cap of $600 on it for arguments sake.
 
I am going to say that if you want a solid .243 for target/hunting with a wood stock for around $600 go with the following:

Tikka T-3
Savage M10
Ruger M77
 
Get the Savage and Vanguard off that list. Replace them with the Marlin XS7. It's a far better rifle.


The Marlin XS7 will be, by far, the best bang-for-your-buck.
If it was me, I would change the list to the following:
Marlin XS7
A-bolt
Ruger M77
CZ550

Pick the one that feels the best to you. (and doesn't have a price tag that makes you cry)
 
I might consider the Rem Mod 7 except that I don't like 20 inch barrels in a hunting rifle. It is too loud, and loses too much velocity in my view.
For me 22 inch is the ideal barrel length for a non magnum hunting rifle.

I also do not like the short action as it limits the oal of the round. For 100 gr Sp bullets I like to load them out as far as I can.
I have a Rem 660 in 6MM Rem. It is a short action and has a 20inch barrel. I can get 150 fps more from my M70 FWT in .243 than I can with the 6MM.I realize that some rifles are naturally "faster" than others of the same cal, but it is my opinion that the combination of the short action and 20 inch barrel severly limit my 6MM velocity wise.

I would get as light weight as I reasonably could.

Regards,
Jerry
 
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You have a wide range of choices there. I like the CZ
 
At this point, just the rifle. Not sure what my plans for optics for this would be, probably a solid 3-9x44.
 
I'd take the Savage Edge/Axis off of the list too. Instead I'd go to Walmart and look at the Savage Model 10's they sell. These include the accu trigger which is a great trigger, and are overall, just lot nicer than the Edge for not much more. Our Walmart sells these with a Simmons scope and a sling for $387. One about an hour away has them for $397, but either way they are always under $400 and better than most anything else you can get in that price range.
 
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