Tikka Caliber Question?

Mount Sweetness

Mount Sweetness

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Southern Ontario
I'm looking into a new toy. Would like a rifle to use for coyotes, jack rabbits and even deer with the right loads.

I am leaning towards a Tikka T3 Hunter in .243

I already own a Ruger M77 22-250 that does the coyote and jack thing perfectly.

I would like a rifle that I can handle often in the field down here in southwestern Ontario and also bring up North for deer if needed.

Is .243 a good all around choice?
What would you recommend?

Thanks
 
Yes I think the .243 is a good choice. You can shoot all day and not loose feeling in the shoulder. I use a T3 Hunter in .270win for deer season with a .243 as my back-up. Since you already have the 22-250 I would almost recommend going up to the .270. It performs excellent for deer and can be used on coyotes in southern ON (as long as you don't want the pelts) and will function for moose if you ever go.
 
Is the .243 honestly enough gun for large deer?
Let's say a 220lb buck at 200 yards...?

I already own a 30-06 semi, so I would not be limited to the .243.

I like a lighter recoil and less bang for local urban shooting. Before I smack down $1000, just want to get honest opinions on .243

A friend had a .25-06 which was large and load for around here but did the job.
 
Do you hand load? .257 roberts or .257 roberts ackley would do the job with less bang than .25-06. Or a 7-08, 7-08 ackley, 7x57, 7x57 ai would work good too.
 
I saw best out of the box shooting gun last June at range. My firend bought a Tika Varmint in 6.5/55. He had loaded 20 shells with IMR4064 & 142gr sierra MK.
Three shots and he was centre at 100 y, fire 3 shots one hole .235" I road him that three shots don't count only 5, he really didn't want to shoot again as he had never shot that small a group before. he fired two more group opened up to .455".
He then shot at 300y 3 shots just under 1 inch.
I was never relly impressed with Tika guns but I sure do now, very nice action and they shoot.
My choice would be 65by55 to do every thing you want and do it well
good luck
Manitou
 
A .243 is a good choice, and yes, it will drop a deer at 200 yards. Different bullets would aid in that regard if you handload.

Cheers
 
nothing wrong with the 243 Win loaded with good ammo. Shot placement is always #1 with any caliber. Use a good bullet and shoot it well, the 243 will take deer no problemo
 
The .243 will fit between your 22-250 and 30-06 well. It has enough power to hunt large deer. Keep in mind that shot placement is key regardless caliber.

Not only that the .243 has low recoil, ammo is easy to find all over Ontario at reasonable prices.
 
Well - Take advantage of the Tikka offering in 6.5X55. They are one of the very few to offer this caliber - perhaps the only manufacturer. Tremendous range of bullet weights available, 80 to 160 gr. I'd bet you end up using the 6.5 more than your 30-06 for deer...
I've seen deer get up and run after being hit by a 243. Up here in Central Ontario a deer hunter using a 243 is typically called a "female".
 
Any of the calibers mentioned will work well for your intended prey. It comes down to what you want and what is available at the time of your purchase. I have killed deer and coyotes with 22-250 (coyotes only), 243, 6.5X55, 7X57, 308, 12 gauge, 50 cal muzzle loader and archery gear. All of them died, and none of them could really tell the difference.

Don't let the nay-sayers scare you away from the 243. It is an impressive shooter and with good bullets and proper shot placement it will kill deer with authority.

Good luck with what ever you choose!:dancingbanana:
 
IMHO the .22-250 and the .243 are ballistically so close that there is little difference between them. If hunting big game is legal with a .22 where you live a 70 gr Speer or a 53 gr TSX (if it will stabilize) are both effective on deer. A .25/06 or a .270 would be the better choice, and you would be good for game up to the size of moose.
 
The 243 keeps impressing me more and more each year as the deer get harvested at our hunt camp, and acount for its share of bang flops! I am impressed on a cartridge I once swore i would never own.
 
.243 hands down. Any more is not much fun for varmints. You can go from a 55 gr CT @ 4050 fps up to a 100 gr Partition for deer or the bullet a lot of us use, a 95 gr CT ballistic Silvertip loaded to the teeth. My Vanguard likes them at 3150, 2 full grains over book max that was carefully worked up to and it's not only deadly accurate but packs plenty of thump as well. Quarter bores, 6.5's and .30's just aren't as pleasant to shoot at varmints. Use a .243 on them and you'll be selling your .22-250 in no time.
 
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