.243 Light weight / accurate suggestions??

Mike Rae

Mike Rae

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Calgary, Alberta
Hey All,

Im looking to buy or build an accurate light weight .243.
Any suggestions on light weight accurate rifles?

Ultimately, I'd love to have a barrel in 1:8 twist to shoot 105 Bergers, possibly rebarrel down the road.

Thanks in advance - great forum!
Mike - Calgary
 
In my experience with the 243 as far as hunting is concerned, if you want to shoot bullets of 100gr and over, get a bigger caliber.

Jordan Smith above has the right idea.
 
Another thread with little information as to the intended purpose other than perhaps to "Shoot 105 bergers . . . down the road". Maybe inspired by a 600 yard shot on an elk that ran some time ago on another thread but more detail would be appreciated. How much would you want to spend? Do you want a custom rifle? What are your preferences as to actions? How light?
My preferences run towards Remingtons. Guntech did the work. There is a considerable amount of research that can be done on this site, reloading manuals, gunsmiths, touching, feeling and fit plus whatever might inspire you on the Internet. Would I do things differently - Yes. Would I do it again - Maybe. Much like when We built a house for the first time . . . the only time . . . and short of winning a lottery the last time. This is not meant to be critical but definitely a little bit of bone without any meat!
 
Mine is a custom M-7, B&C stock both glass and pillar bedded and a Lilja medium contour 22" 1:10 barrel, topped with a 4-12X Leupold. The most accurate load I've shot in this rifle was built around a 95 gr Scenar and appears to be the longest bullet I can use in a 1:10.
 
If you are looking at the lightest weight in the savage line I must say the axis package fits the weight and accuracy bill nicely. At 5.5 pounds (rifle weight) my experience with my SS 22-250 is outstanding for accuracy. I prefer a bit heavier rifle to tame recoil for range fun. But for a long hike recoil is not much a concern when you are considering a one or two shot game. You would have to spend a lot of $$$ to beat this economical package to gain savings in weight or in terminal performance.

The action has the same good characteristics such as the floating bolt head. The trigger can be managed or upgraded. And when Boyds stocks gets on the wagon you will have some great options to choose from for further drop in improvements. Oh by the way, you can get one new for around $320. In my experience that leaves a lot of room for the future improvments you are looking for. My two bits.
 
My advice is to simply get a good 243 Win Remington or Savage, shoot is at long range with Sierra 6mm 95gr MatchKing and Berger 6mm 95gr VLD and then decide what is your next step.
You might have your 243 Win rebarrelled to 6XC, 6.5 Creedmore, 260 Rem or even 6.5x47 Lapua.

My 243 Win story
I have a very accurate Remington 700 VTR 243 Win but it's not a long range rifle.
I'm getting it rebarrel for 6XC for long range shooting and the only part left from the original rifle will be the action.

Alex
 
I have 2 for coyoutes. My Ruger 77 with light barrel shoots well and is easy to carry. I have a Rem. SPSV with a heavy barrel and it shoots very well. A heaver gun. Is this a deer gun.coyote or target? It is great for coyotes at range. For deer I like a biger bullet with more energy ( yes I know people who have shot elk,moose & what ever with the 243). I have seen many deer run too far after hitting with the 243, JMO. Good luck with what ever you get.
 
Hi Mike, 243 is a ##### caliber and if you're looking to shoot bullets bigger than 100 grains why not just go with a 308 or 7mm-08?

If you must have one, I'd recommend just picking up a BLR, T3 Lite, or some type of Savage.
 
Guys,
Great suggestions, I should have explained my desires better.

The intent of the rifle would be coyotes and deer. I want something I can pack around 7lbs or less.

Its hard to find anything close BC wise to the 105gr Begers, .87 and .95 bullets arent close.

*.257 roberts isnt in the same league with bullet BC choices in .257 Caliber, vs the BC of 6mm 105gr berger,
*The weatherby's are fast, but have way too much freebore, cant seat bullet near the lands, Dasher would shoot circles around them for accuracy.
* 7mm:08 , 7mm 140gr Berger isnt as quick or as high BC as the 6mm 105Berger
*7mm STW, 300 Mag, big bores, these are coyotes Im trying to hunt in rural communities, not cape buffalo.

I have had lots of custom rifles built by Henry Rempel. I recently went through a custody battle and went from 13 rifles, including cooper excalibur 280AI and custom 6.5-284's down to 3 rifles to help pay some of the bills. Funds are now limited, I have a daughter whos more important than any number of guns.

I currently own a 6 Dasher 1:8 twist that shoots 105gr Berger just over 3000FPS. The problem is the gun is way too heavy! Its accounted for several 600 yard + coyotes. You want wind bucking ability, flat shooting and bang flop power, I can tell you from experience that the 6mm 105gr Berger bullet doing 3000+FPS is deadly accurate, and few if any coyotes move after they are hit. I can't tell you how many coyotes I've killed over the year's but it's' got to be 4 digits +.

I have a cooper .308, problem is its not as flat and forgiving as the Dasher. .308 bullets, check out how heavy a bullet you need to shoot in order to come close to the BC of a 6mm 105 berger.

I have hunted and killed more critters than a lot of people combined, Im getting to the point where I enjoy shooting coyotes best of all. Dont have to eat them, dont have to skin them (sold whole), no limit, dont require a draw, allowed to shoot them Sundays, I dont have to drive half way around the world to do it. It's fun, exciting and most often action packed.

I would really like a light weight devoted coyote gun. For now, I like the one suggestions to buy a standard .243, shoot it, and down the road, look at changing the barrel out to 1:8 twist in light contour.

I have also looked at 6mmAI and .243 AI, pain is fireforming brass, spending the time/money and barrel life to do it, and at what return??

At 4000 ft above sea level the dasher is 6.5 minutes from 200 meter - 500 meters (32.5inch). A .243 with the same 1:8 twist barrel would send the same 105gr berger as flat or better, mind you with a little more powder. results of increased powder are dimminishing as you get higher.

Question is what to buy for a good light weight rifle in .243???

One with a quality synthetic stock (not a flimsy piece of plastic), pillar bedded, and a decent action.. something that would be a good build on down the road, and a decent shooter with the lighter BC bullet short term like the .87gr Vmax 4.00

Thanks to all, this is a phenomenol sounding board of experience.
Mike
 
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I guess caliber wise the other option is the .260 in a T3 - it comes with a 1:8 twist and there are some pretty slick bullets out there.
 
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