New Rifle

[Rich1e1990]

How's it going folks

I was looking a bit of advise Im getting a .243 on was thinking of going between one of two rifles has anyone ever shot any of these and if so which one is better for the money.

RUGER .243 American For Sale

Buy a Bolt Action RUGER .243 American Online Today. New Guns and Second hand Guns For Sale on TriggerTraders.

www.triggertraders.com

or

HOWA .243 1500 SPORTER For Sale

Buy a Bolt Action HOWA .243 1500 SPORTER Online Today. New Guns and Second hand Guns For Sale on TriggerTraders.

www.triggertraders.com

Thanks,

 

[BuckarooUK]

Is this your first rifle ?

Both rifles are entry-level rifles which are built to a price. Absolutely nothing wrong with either rifle as long as you're prepared to invest more in some basic improvements.

Both rifles have cheap, basic rifle stocks that'll bend and flex. Inevitably that movement will show in the accuracy.

Both rifles will likely need some work required on their triggers to smooth out any inconsistencies or roughness.

I wouldn't pay a penny for the Hawke scope on that Ruger. I'd much rather buy a quality, 2nd hand scope and rings from a reputable dealer like McLeods of Tain.

My advice is to visit a reputable dealer who has a good reputation and search their new and used stocks. Pick the rifles up, mount them and cycle the actions. Which rifle is comfortable and feels 'right' in the hand ?

 

[hendrix's rifle]

Go for the howa. It's a bit agricultural but reliable and accurate. Trigger kit for £15 and jobs a goodun'. Just stick some decent glass on it and you will be fine

 

[palmer_mike]

Is this rifle intended for shooting deer in Scotland? (I see you’re from Dundee).

If so something other than .243 might be better future proof with the impending lead ammo ban……

 

[Uncas]

If your going to spend the better part of 900.00 pounds on a basic rifle.
My advice would be to buy a better quality second hand one.

 

[Beretta V]

Howa make a solid rifle. If you buy it from a decent place it will have the trigger tuned, scope fitted and zeroed.
I’m on my second now ( only because I wanted a different cal) and I can’t fault them for the money.
As above you can get a lot of rifle for your money if you buy used.

 

[hendrix's rifle]

If your going to spend the better part of 900.00 pounds on a basic rifle.
My advice would be to buy a better quality second hand one.

Better quality as in? I dare say it won't be any more accurate, at £900 you won't get much more with a mod and scope.
Fwiw - attached are photos of groups I've shot with my howas, the last 2 of 4 I've owned.
First photo is my creedmoor from new, using factory ammo whilst zeroing it. The very first 5 shots (exception to proof). Needless to say, I didn't need to continue any more and it will also replicate that with reloads, again brand new rifle, no trigger work or anything done to it.

Secondly is my 243 from new during some initial load development. Had fired maybe 20 rounds, all easily under an inch with 90% way under half. That's a 3 shot group measuring outer to outer, a legitimate .3 group. Minus the calibre off that and it's easily under quarter moa.

People hate on howa's a lot and it's always baffled me to why. They do a job, they're cheap to buy and they're accurate as anything else. I could buy an AI and see no improvement in accuracy

Edit to add - they cost me £540 brand new. I genuinely can't argue with the results and could throw substantial amounts of money for no improvement

 

[Uncas]

Your comment ( They do a job, they're cheap to buy) exactly.
I bought a Manlicher M72 for 300.00 and it will shoot one hole groups at 100 yds
and it's got a nice stock and a good looking rifle, not tupperwear.

 

[Woodsmoke]

I wouldn't pay a penny for the Hawke scope on that Ruger. I'd much rather buy a quality, 2nd hand scope and rings from a reputable dealer like McLeods of Tain.

Utter tripe! There's absolutely nothing wrong with Hawke scopes. I've had an Endurance 8 x 56 on my .270 for the last 6 years and it's not even needed a re-zero. Great glass, great build-quality, rock-solid turrets, and the price is spot-on too. Take into account Hawke's own warranty and it's a fantastic entry-level (and beyond) scope.

If you want to try mine, give me a shout and you can come shoot my .270. We're just outside Forfar, so not even half an hour up the road for you

 

[PasqualeM]

You will get a lot of "blinded by my own belief" answers so check rifle reviews and then decide. Without saying too much I think a used Tikka is a pretty good choice. If you don't let the calibre limit your choice you get more to choose from. You also have a couple of 6,5 calibers that are pretty similar to shoot and handle.

 

[Tazz]

If you have 243 on your ticket signed off then stick with that as this is not the time to do “Variation’s “ given the police firearms turnaround times. Both rifles are entry level but equally both have their fans as you can read on here. It’s a bit like cars do you want entry level new or second hand Audi/ BMW/Merc etc

 

[Overlay]

Spend your dollar on a reasonable brand like tikka or a sako good reliable rifles, nothing wrong with .243 it’ll knock em over ok, scope wise - your shot is as only as good as what you can see, if you have to just wait and save the pennies up for a half decent scope which suits you, your pocket and your type of shooting, 4 - 6 x is great for woodland but when your out on a bit of clearfell and a buck comes out a bit further away you’ll be glad of a variable mag, get a scope that keeps its clear full image
for stalking mine very rarely comes off 6 x but up to 10 or 12 to see the shot on a bit of paper, look for the brightness and sharp view

if its your first rifle, pretty well guarantee you’ll be wanting to change one or the other after a year- everyone does

 

[Muir]

I have seven Ruger Americans: 300AAC, 5.56 (X2), 308, 6.5CM (x2) and 300Win Mag. I had two more that I gave away as gifts to shooters who liked them: a 6.5 Grendel and a 25" Predator in 5.56.

Undeniably accurate rifles.~Muir

 

[Old Pultney]

I don’t think you’ll go wrong with either. Go for it and use the balance of your budget on quality second hand optics, I’m sure Mcleods of Tain would be able to help.

Regards

OP

 

[Bo Diddley]

You'll kill plenty of stuff with either of them, and they will both serve you well. A lot of folks fall down the rabbit hole of chop & change for hardly any significant improvement on all the dollars they waste. It's the law of diminishing returns! But if you like shiny stuff you'll keep changing.
I was lucky enough to go fly fishing on a stretch of the Clyde at New Lanark with a top bloke, he took along a cheap CzechNymph rod that someone was throwing away, it was like watching the clip in the Brad Pitt movie "A River Runs Through It" where he throws off the teachings of his father and fishes he own style, Simon caught a shed load of brownies and grayling in the couple of hours we had, I think all in his basic set-up was less than most people would spend on a fly line. He taught me a lesson that evening...

 

[BuckarooUK]

Utter tripe! There's absolutely nothing wrong with Hawke scopes. I've had an Endurance 8 x 56 on my .270 for the last 6 years and it's not even needed a re-zero. Great glass, great build-quality, rock-solid turrets, and the price is spot-on too. Take into account Hawke's own warranty and it's a fantastic entry-level (and beyond) scope.

If you want to try mine, give me a shout and you can come shoot my .270. We're just outside Forfar, so not even half an hour up the road for you

Same nonesence repeated time and again. I've occasionally proved the point by setting up such scopes, next to a decent one and both pointing at paper deer target positioned under a tree or along a fence line. Then sit and observe the target through both at last light in the day. Exactly when you're most likely to come across that deer in poor light and when gaining a decent image is essential.
That Hawke scope will grey out long before. A scope on a stalking rifle is typically used in poor light and varying weather conditions. It's not sitting on a target bench, plinking targets in the middle of the day.
A good 2nd hand scope need not cost any more, provided you are realistic in specification.

 

[Woodsmoke]

That Hawke scope will grey out long before.

Of course it will. That's why it doesn't cost thousands of pounds.

A scope on a stalking rifle is typically used in poor light

No it isn't. I've shot hundreds of deer, and at no point was I desperate enough to shoot one to feel it necessary to wait until it was practically dark, or to shoot one before it was properly light. And I bet I speak for the vast majority of recreational stalkers.

IF, however, you need a scope to perform at its best under all conditions (as a professional culler, for instance), then of course a higher end scope will be needed. It's the rule of diminishing returns. My point is that for the majority of us, cheaper gear will perform as well as we'll ever need it to.

 

[BuckarooUK]

Of course it will. That's why it doesn't cost thousands of pounds.



........ until it was practically dark, or to shoot one before it was properly light. ...........cheaper gear will perform as well as we'll ever need it to.

Properly dark? No ones' suggesting taking a shot in the dark and you're fooling yourself if you believe a cheapish scope will render a satisfactory sight picture , anywhere near dark.
Fact is that the last time I reacted to such opinion, I demonstrated using a fixed power Swaro Habicht that had been on my Sako for years and a new Burris 'Tactical something or other' . The difference in time between seeing a clear image in which I'd be confident in making an accurate identification of species, sex, making a safe shot and concluding not was almost 15mins. Significant enough time for me to make my conclusions and prove my point , especially if I'm not advocating spending more.
Let's just agree, to disagree. You ****ed me off by jumping in with your first 2 words ' Utter Tripe! ' and I reacted. You certainly expressed your opinion. I assert that I stated fact.

 

[Bo Diddley]

 

[Woodsmoke]

Properly dark? No ones' suggesting taking a shot in the dark and you're fooling yourself if you believe a cheapish scope will render a satisfactory sight picture

Edited. Again, can't be arsed