Any Lever Actions in 243 Win?
- Thread starter secondgen
- Start date
257Roberts
CGN frequent flyer
- Location
- Peterborough ON
Winchester Model 88, rifle and carbine, if you can find one.
Just remembered that Sako also chambered the Finnwolf in 243.
257 Roberts
Just remembered that Sako also chambered the Finnwolf in 243.
257 Roberts
Last edited:
- Location
- interior b.c.
Look for a savage 99.Best levergun out there.Prettiest also.
ninepointer
CGN frequent flyer
- Location
- Central Ontario
The Browning BLR comes in .243
Ooops, had I actually read your post I would have seen that you already know that.
Ooops, had I actually read your post I would have seen that you already know that.
There you go. Couldn't disagree more. Win 88 or the Sako lookalike is hands down the prettiest little lever ever - the basketweave thing on a one piece stock was a stroke of genius and Lord knows why they quit making it or the 100.
..........as a matter of fact I do have a BLR for sale in this chambering. 
And it is a Belgian model, quite a nice rifle.
I would suggest to secondgen that you should try to handle a bunch of lever guns if you have not done so. They are not all created equal: even those guys with poor taste that think there are prettier guns than BLRs are only talking about appearance. Stock designs are radically different between the makers (and models) of lever guns. For example, I cannot get a sight picture on a Marlin 336 unless I lift my cheek off the stock. If you lift your cheek off the stock, two fairly predictable things occur:
1. The stock comes up to smack you.
2. Accuracy goes south.
From personal experience, you will not see many 88s go by in .243, and if you do see one chances are it will be fairly pricey. Lately there have not been a lot of 99s go by in this chambering either. You do see the odd BLR for sale in .243, and of course Browning still makes them if you are after a new gun.
But anyways, I would encourage you to test-drive a few lever guns before you buy one. Good luck to you! But be forewarned that lever guns are dreadfully addictive!
Doug
And it is a Belgian model, quite a nice rifle.I would suggest to secondgen that you should try to handle a bunch of lever guns if you have not done so. They are not all created equal: even those guys with poor taste that think there are prettier guns than BLRs are only talking about appearance.
Stock designs are radically different between the makers (and models) of lever guns. For example, I cannot get a sight picture on a Marlin 336 unless I lift my cheek off the stock. If you lift your cheek off the stock, two fairly predictable things occur:1. The stock comes up to smack you.
2. Accuracy goes south.
From personal experience, you will not see many 88s go by in .243, and if you do see one chances are it will be fairly pricey. Lately there have not been a lot of 99s go by in this chambering either. You do see the odd BLR for sale in .243, and of course Browning still makes them if you are after a new gun.
But anyways, I would encourage you to test-drive a few lever guns before you buy one. Good luck to you! But be forewarned that lever guns are dreadfully addictive!
Doug
- Location
- St. Joe's Island, Ont
???????? Your being sarcastic aren't you?
Dougs right, the 99 243's are gettin hard to find, the chances of finding a good post-mil are getting slimmer and slimmer and the chances of a pre-mil are even harder. Thats one caliber chambered for the 9 that I don't have, not that I've never come across them, it's just that I can't stand the caliber. Had a bad situation with a 7400 jamomatic in this caliber and swore I'd never buy another again. 250-3000 will do whatever the 243 will.
- Location
- The Conservative part of Ontario
???????? Your being sarcastic aren't you?
The basketweave is greatly admired by many, right up until they find out it's impressed checkering.
I had some newbs looking at mine, and marveling at how it was done, right up until some loudmouth told them the truth.
Actually, as an 88 owner, the checkering, is very nice, impressed though it is.
Thanks for all the replies,
Doug,
Thanks for the advice. To be honest looking at some pics on the web it does seem as thought the stock profiles vary quite a bit from manufacturer to manufacturer. Also, I have always thought of the lever gun as a bit of a discriminating taste kind of thing; so perhaps as my experience grows my rifle interests are also changing?
The issue that I’m facing is that most of the hunting that I do is on Vancouver Island and tends to be characterized by long days and close range targets. Furthermore, most island deer fall short of being classified as "huge" and thus generally don't require huge firepower. Many of the newer cut blocks are very small and dictate shots in the 25 to 150 yard range. This year I lost a very nice buck because my 3x (-9) Bushnell on my Tikka took too long to acquire the target at close range. By the time I shouldered my rifle and scanned the treeline the deer / meat was gone.
So…
What to do? A scout rifle with a red dot’esq sight or open sights seems like the logical choice. Or, perhaps a lever gun in the same configuration? The problem is that scouts tend to be heavy 308’s and lever guns tend to come in old school calibers I know nothing about. My ideal rifle for island deer is:
-light (~under 7lbs).
-DM.
-Available in smaller calibers (i.e. 243 win).
-Available in stainless (sometime sit in the rain for 8-10hrs.).
I know there are many ways to criticize (i.e. buy a 45/70 & shut up) but in my defence I hunt hard and that is what I think I need right now in a rifle. Any suggestions are greatly appreciated!
Doug,
Thanks for the advice. To be honest looking at some pics on the web it does seem as thought the stock profiles vary quite a bit from manufacturer to manufacturer. Also, I have always thought of the lever gun as a bit of a discriminating taste kind of thing; so perhaps as my experience grows my rifle interests are also changing?
The issue that I’m facing is that most of the hunting that I do is on Vancouver Island and tends to be characterized by long days and close range targets. Furthermore, most island deer fall short of being classified as "huge" and thus generally don't require huge firepower. Many of the newer cut blocks are very small and dictate shots in the 25 to 150 yard range. This year I lost a very nice buck because my 3x (-9) Bushnell on my Tikka took too long to acquire the target at close range. By the time I shouldered my rifle and scanned the treeline the deer / meat was gone.
So…
What to do? A scout rifle with a red dot’esq sight or open sights seems like the logical choice. Or, perhaps a lever gun in the same configuration? The problem is that scouts tend to be heavy 308’s and lever guns tend to come in old school calibers I know nothing about. My ideal rifle for island deer is:
-light (~under 7lbs).
-DM.
-Available in smaller calibers (i.e. 243 win).
-Available in stainless (sometime sit in the rain for 8-10hrs.).
I know there are many ways to criticize (i.e. buy a 45/70 & shut up) but in my defence I hunt hard and that is what I think I need right now in a rifle. Any suggestions are greatly appreciated!
There you go - top it with a Burris Signature Series 1.5-6 x 32 scope and you have the ideal gun for where and what you hunt. Leave the scope at the lowest setting as a default, and IF you need to make a long shot, you generally have time to crank up the power.
Of course, I still hunt with my BLR...... But that is the scope I have on it, and it is an excellent choice, IMHO.
Doug
Of course, I still hunt with my BLR......
But that is the scope I have on it, and it is an excellent choice, IMHO.Doug
If you lost the deer because it was that close, a shotgun with buckshot may be your only option(won't do crap with shots over 40 yards though)...
As a good compromise, maybe an open sighted 30-30 model 94 with revolution ammo that will add reach out to close to 200 yards. You can't beat the model 94 for it's quick pointing, balance and lightness in the hand. There's a reason millions of them were sold.
As a good compromise, maybe an open sighted 30-30 model 94 with revolution ammo that will add reach out to close to 200 yards. You can't beat the model 94 for it's quick pointing, balance and lightness in the hand. There's a reason millions of them were sold.
