WildRose
Well-Known Member
Do you plan to load your own ammo or stick with factory?
.243 for deer hunting out to 350 yards
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Out Back
Well-Known Member
Find a used Remington 700 Most will shoot very well and in the future if you want to get a new barrel, be thankful you found a used Rem. 700 Most Gunsmiths prefer the 700's some wont work with anything else...................
300 Driver
Well-Known Member
For the ranges you mentioned, under 400 yds, most of the factory guns will work. The problem is that you will be limited by factory twist rates. There aren't any 1:8 twist factory barrels out there that I know of and that limits you less than 100gr bullets for the most part. The 87gr Berger, 85 game king, and 85 tsx all come to mind as good bullets for the ranges you mentioned. I'd recommend the Savage long range with the 1:9 twist. Try to stay away from the 1:10 twist guns.
FOr what it's worth, I shoot a savage 10 that I replaced the barrel for a 1:8 twist barrel. I have shot whitetails from about 80yds to 540yds with the 105 Amax and none of them have moved more than 10 yds. Some may not agree, but this has been my experience. I really like the 243 Win for target and whitetail.
FOr what it's worth, I shoot a savage 10 that I replaced the barrel for a 1:8 twist barrel. I have shot whitetails from about 80yds to 540yds with the 105 Amax and none of them have moved more than 10 yds. Some may not agree, but this has been my experience. I really like the 243 Win for target and whitetail.
just add a good trigger. jewell , timney , shilen.
athanasios23
Well-Known Member
The tikka t3 hunter for $500 on eurooptics is the way I would go. They still have great prices on there liquidation sale. I would say its the best deal out right now. I also would check classifieds daily. Many people get bored and want a change, so they sell nice guns at a great price to get into a new platform.
I personally like the Tikka because for me it is one of the better factory triggers that you can adjust down to 2 pounds but, some people like Ford, some Chevy, same thing, everyone has their preference. One thing if you are new to shooting is every rifle is different. What I mean is no two will shoot the same ammunition equally so which ever brand you buy you may have to go through several different brands, weights, and types of ammunition to find what your rifle likes. I have rifles that I have gone through 5 or 6 different types to finally get the accuracy I wanted. If you get one box and it does not perform well, just try another until you are satisfied with the accuracy of that bullet. If you reload, then you know what I'm talking about.
ltcjwb
Member
I think Roninflag hit it square on the head. If you choose the Rem 700 SPS Varmint, at under $800, you have the advantage of a 26" barrel, which will give you a bit of extra muzzle velocity. A good scope for under $500? Several of them, i have found the Nikons to be good, and Nikon's SpotOn balistics program is quite good. For factory ammo, there are lots of choices; Hornady's 100 Gr. American Whitetail shows a MV of 2960 at sea level, with over 2000 fps and 1000 lbs/ft of energy at 350 yards. This will likely be slightly better in the 26" barrel, and could be significantly better if you live at higher altitude. If you don't like the stock, you can get a Boyd's laminate for under $150.
agreed
Take a look a the steyr SBS and look a the meopta scopes best out of the box rifles I've ever shot
Outlaw6.0
Well-Known Member
That's a fair question. I'd wager that every person posting on this thread at one time has purchased a rifle with the intent of "This is all I need". Only to find that time, needs, wants and desires change. Aftermarket support is always something to consider when purchasing a rifle (at least for me). Of the rifles mentioned, Remington and Savage will probably have the greatest amount of aftermarket support. Tikka and Howa will follow with the Ruger American bringing up the rear. That doesn't take anything away from the American as they are a great rifle, they're just too new to have the same support of similar models that have been on the market for decades.
So, with the question the OP poses; aftermarket items you may consider "if you get into this".
1. Stock upgrade. Usually one of the first two upgrades shooters make. Perhaps you need a higher comb or want to try a different grip angle or want a DBM or the uber-crap plastic stock most budget rifles come with is hindering your growth as a shooter. The direct contact between the rifle and the shooter makes the stock one of the most important part of a shooting system. When the time to upgrade finally comes, even just a little bit of homework before your rifle purchase will pay dividends on the flip side. Stock upgrades can range from $150 for a Boyd's Laminate to well over $1000 for some of the latest and greatest chassis systems out there (XLR, Cadex, MDT, KRG, Manners Mini-Chassis, AI etc).
2. Trigger upgrade. At least for me, the trigger most factory rifles come with always leave me wanting more. Now, I admit I have been spoiled over they years running low weight competition triggers on most of my rifles (i.e. Shilen, Jewell, Timney etc). The only factory triggers I can stand are the Accu-trigger from Savage and Rem 40x. albeit, I could probably live with the Ruger American trigger if I had to. A super low weight Jewell probably won't be needed in the OP's case however, should the shooting criteria change; having that option available is always a plus.
My advise is his the local gun store and handle the rifles you are considering. You may very well find that while one feels great in your hands, the one next to it may be the exact opposite. Comfort behind a rifle is extremely important to me.
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