.243 Advice please

[Cyres]

My S/H Howa with moddy and 7x50 Meopta only cost £850 and is absolutely fine.

Suggest new Howa, Wildcat evolution and a delta Titanium and enough spare cash to get a weeks hind stalking or other.

Otherwise add Harris Bipod and a pair of Tony's quad sticks and you all ready to go.

D

 

[Moray Outfitting]

As you can see there are quite a few preferences from different folk. Some swear by a specific rifle and condemn others that they "tried" and hate them. We all fall into that band. I have an old Mannlicher 243. Love this rifle , it has been with me since 1992. Taken a thousand deer probably. Both in my hands and in the hands of my clients. Stalking in the wetlands of Caithness ruined the old stock on it. So I needed a synthetic. Got a Howa but now have the Sauer 101, both in 308. Another great rifle for what I do. And that is what you have to think about. You have already been given the advice I would give to someone looking for a rifle. Go to a large shop and try handling them all. Feel for what is comfortable in your hands. But please let it be your choice and not what the gunshop owner is pushing on to you. We are all fascinated by the shiny new guns and equipment in front of us . How many would admit that they grabbed the the one that bedazzled them the most , bought it there and then, and a month down the line realised that it didn't really feel comfortable. Look at what is on offer then go away to think about it. Read up on any testing that has been written about the one you were taken by. Do not listen to the mates , who by the way all have different makes. Even try another gunshop. See others that you may have missed in the first shop. Then hopefully you can make your own decision on what to get. Hope that is going to help you, good luck . J

 

[JTO]

Just go and see what Steve Beaty at Ivythorn Sporting can come up with.

 

[topscots1]

I have a tikka T3 SS with the Burris four x only fired 15 rounds from new. Which i have now sold. I had a Burris on a 308 a few years back i really can't fault the four x at dawn and dusk this scope proved more than capable. You can spend thousands more for marginal improvement in performance if any noticeable to your eye.

 

[DJC]

Browning X bolt really good for the money

 

[stevenedwards]

Lots go good advice. Drop in to Blue Fox and explain what you "think" you would like and your budget. You can handle new and used rifles while talking to a man who can take a new rifle off the shelf but shoots an old and very well used .243 because it works.

 

[Chasey]

I'd second the Sauer 100xt....that's a proper gun for tikka money, the other alternative is the Mauser m12 impact, again a lot of gun for about £1200 including fluted barrel and mount. I see your in Devon, both Blue fox and Ivythorn have both these guns in stock (I think??)...either one will serve you well.

I absolutely loved the Mauser M12 Impact and that's the gun id have got if they did it in Left Hand

They don't so I got a T3 with its excellent accuracy lovley action but cheep plastic stock

However its purely down to the asthetic as id have shot just as many deer with a many old A bolt.


When I started out my mentor suggested a cheep old rifel and as much money as I could afford on glass.

Now looking back he wasent wrong but glass has come a long way recently and now with brands like Vortex you can get medium cost glass and medium cost rifels and still be wee under your budget with an excelet end product.

So for me it would be M12 Impact and Vortex 2.5/15/50 glass

 

[1894]

Getting something decent adds up. Personally I like factory sporter rifles in Macmillans.

There's equivalent already sorted rifles on here for much less than build cost (Sako 75 SS macmillan etc 308 £850 or Sako 75SS Macmillan, LW 260, ATec £1300).

As a result I'd say bugger calibre - find the action, trigger, stock you want and calibre is immaterial.

 

[swesandy]

I'd second the Sauer 100xt....that's a proper gun for tikka money, the other alternative is the Mauser m12 impact, again a lot of gun for about £1200 including fluted barrel and mount. I see your in Devon, both Blue fox and Ivythorn have both these guns in stock (I think??)...either one will serve you well.

I like the look of the Mauser, I will try hunt one down to look at, Thanks

 

[swesandy]

As you can see there are quite a few preferences from different folk. Some swear by a specific rifle and condemn others that they "tried" and hate them. We all fall into that band. I have an old Mannlicher 243. Love this rifle , it has been with me since 1992. Taken a thousand deer probably. Both in my hands and in the hands of my clients. Stalking in the wetlands of Caithness ruined the old stock on it. So I needed a synthetic. Got a Howa but now have the Sauer 101, both in 308. Another great rifle for what I do. And that is what you have to think about. You have already been given the advice I would give to someone looking for a rifle. Go to a large shop and try handling them all. Feel for what is comfortable in your hands. But please let it be your choice and not what the gunshop owner is pushing on to you. We are all fascinated by the shiny new guns and equipment in front of us . How many would admit that they grabbed the the one that bedazzled them the most , bought it there and then, and a month down the line realised that it didn't really feel comfortable. Look at what is on offer then go away to think about it. Read up on any testing that has been written about the one you were taken by. Do not listen to the mates , who by the way all have different makes. Even try another gunshop. See others that you may have missed in the first shop. Then hopefully you can make your own decision on what to get. Hope that is going to help you, good luck . J

Yeah I can see a lot of differing opinions but all good advice, Caithness I grew up there before joining the military.

 

[swesandy]

Thanks all, a lot of sound advice really appreciated

 

[Overlay]

Hi Guys
Looking for some advice & opinions on a decent SH .243 for stalking, budget £1000-2000 ish although its really dependant on whether I have to buy optics and moderator on top. My only wish would be a non-wooden stock.

Thanks in advance

Andrew

kent woolgrowers in Ashford have a secondhand fluted RPA rifle ( proper barrel not the short one) in .243 I'm told the barrel is brand new. Comes with a picatinny rail and a decent mod, £1600.00 get a secondhand 8x 56 S&B and your sorted

 

[timbrayford]

Just go and see what Steve Beaty at Ivythorn Sporting can come up with.

That's where I got the s/h r93 from, he sent it to my local RFD for me to look at before I decided to buy.

 

[Flash9919]

Blue Fox target sports definitely have an impact in 308 you could have a look over (they may even have in in 243...can't recall for sure). Good luck with your shopping!!.....failing that give Steve Beaty at Ivythorn a call can't recommend him enough...top fella and really knows his stuff.

 

[Overlay]

Blue Fox target sports definitely have an impact in 308 you could have a look over (they may even have in in 243...can't recall for sure). Good luck with your shopping!!.....failing that give Steve Beaty at Ivythorn a call can't recommend him enough...top fella and really knows his stuff.

yep +1 on Steve Beaty. Service is faultless and the only guy I know who sells you a rifle and phones up after a week to make sure your happy with it, I recently purchased a hornet off him and it was exactly as he described it in perfect condition

 

[andychas]

Just go and see what Steve Beaty at Ivythorn Sporting can come up with.

I'd second that thought, Steve's one of those who will be happy to let you handle a selection of rifles, give you sound advice and not pressure you into buying anything if you're not 100% sure. I went in there pretty convinced on a Mauser but after handling them (and Sauer, Blaser too) what felt best for me was the Schultz & Larsen Victory which Im delighted with.
Theres loads of good advice re rifle brands on here, all equally valid as all shoot very well. As has already been said, most important is to find a rifle that suits you at a price you can afford, and spend as much as you can on quality optics, value for money wise dont forget Meopta!

 

[Rupert J]

I'd second that thought, Steve's one of those who will be happy to let you handle a selection of rifles, give you sound advice and not pressure you into buying anything if you're not 100% sure. I went in there pretty convinced on a Mauser but after handling them (and Sauer, Blaser too) what felt best for me was the Schultz & Larsen Victory which Im delighted with.
Theres loads of good advice re rifle brands on here, all equally valid as all shoot very well. As has already been said, most important is to find a rifle that suits you at a price you can afford, and spend as much as you can on quality optics, value for money wise dont forget Meopta!

Absolutely spot on the same advice I would give. The choosing of your rifle and the purchasing experience should be one you are 100% happy with, and in my experience that is exactly what you get when you visit Steve at Ivythorne Sporting.

 

[JTO]

Always best to ring Steve to make an appointment.

 

[TOMHOWA]

Over the years I have had a few rifles, from a .243 new cheap Howa (brilliant rifle) £500 topped with a £500 new S&B 8x56 through to high end custom built all bells and whistles £3000 plus £1000 tactical scope. I also homeload, I dont know what I was expecting from the custom but there wasn't much difference in accuracy than a bog standard factory with homeloads.

My current rifle which is an awesome rifle, is a Steyr Mannlicher prohunter .243 which I bought second hand off here, with an ASE UTRA Mod with a Meopta Artemis. I think I paid £750 all in, best rifle I have owned to date, nice and lightweight and easy to shoot freehand. I had never considered Meopta beforehand but I prefer my current scope to the S&B I had and the tactical scope. Good value for money and always get a brilliant deal for secondhand ones on here. I think I would probably one buy Meopta from now on, unless there was a cracking deal for a S&B, Zeiss etc.

I wish I hadn't wasted so much on new items and bought a decent second hand set up and invested more in high end binoculars, good quality cleaning kit and top end scope mounts. Another thing if you get fed up with that rifle for what ever reason, you don't end up taking a massive loss selling secondhand. Whereas buying a decent secondhand set up, you could expect to get a closer figure to what you paid in the event of a sale.

 

[stubear]

Just go and see what Steve Beaty at Ivythorn Sporting can come up with.

+1 on that - Steve is a top bloke and wont mess you around. He definitely stocks Sako, Tikka and Blaser, and I know he has a load of other makes in as well.

Plus he has a range where you can try things out, a great selection of top name optics and moderators, plus can sort you out with ammo, slings and other bits and bobs.

@ the OP - For your budget I would be having a look at a Sako 85 synthetic. Great rifles, well made and the fit and finish is considerably better than Tikka IMO. You get a metal magazine rather than plastic and the Sako synthetic stocks have a much nicer feel than the Tikka ones in my eyes. YMMV of course!