Replacing three rifles with just the one.

You’re suffering from baby brain mate. Things are going a bit awry upstairs... if it’s this bad before the bairn even arrives, you might be in a spot of bother down the track! And wait ‘til you see what happens to your missus!

o_O

So, time to take a step back, accept some short-term disruption, and remember that in times of (relative) upheaval it’s not usually the best time to make decisions that are easily regretted. Revisit in 12-18 months when things have settled down (which they will).

12-18 months is a life time. I am still living it. I have some amazing friends who are helping me shuffle life.

My wife reads my posts on SD....
 
Get a 22lr and a 308.

22lr for long rangeish volum and fun shooting.
308 for the occasional hunt.


Now.. if I could only do the same ;)
My god the money I could save....
 
My wife reads my posts on SD....
:lol:

Mine is usually sitting next to me in bed while I dictate into the iPad.

She’s right here, as I state that the most important things a new dad must learn are:
  1. Get used to going from being the head of the household, to a rank somewhere below the dog / cat / gerbil.
  2. Dad doesn’t have tits, and is therefore, in baby’s opinion, completely useless.
  3. Any noise Dad makes while baby is sleeping is automatically amplified at least 10x in Mum’ brain. You didn’t know your power drill sounds like a F-22 afterburner.
  4. If Dad gets cross about the housework not being done, or no dinner on the table, don’t expect the chance to make #2 anytime in the next 3-4 years.

When the second one does arrive, everything will suddenly be so much easier and you’ll wonder what the hell was so hard the first time round.
 
:lol:

Mine is usually sitting next to me in bed while I dictate into the iPad.

She’s right here, as I state that the most important things a new dad must learn are:
  1. Get used to going from being the head of the household, to a rank somewhere below the dog / cat / gerbil.
  2. Dad doesn’t have tits, and is therefore, in baby’s opinion, completely useless.
  3. Any noise Dad makes while baby is sleeping is automatically amplified at least 10x in Mum’ brain. You didn’t know your power drill sounds like a F-22 afterburner.
  4. If Dad gets cross about the housework not being done, or no dinner on the table, don’t expect the chance to make #2 anytime in the next 3-4 years.

When the second one does arrive, everything will suddenly be so much easier and you’ll wonder what the hell was so hard the first time round.
It is amazing how easy raising children is when the second one comes along lol .

AB
 
Increase your chances of making it to second child inception by keeping Mrs Phoebus very happy. If this means punting the toy collection and running factory ammo for a while, small sacrifice towards the future. Have a serious think about the biggest deer you're going to shoot, keep the suitable calibre. Anything smaller is covered. If it's UK deer, a 6.5 is going to work, and wont leave you bruised and battered after a range day.
 
As you reload and want a do-it-all I’d go 6.5x55/25-06 as both have quite decent case capacity for flinging out non lead offerings. Nice and flat for night foxing, plenty of horsepower for larger deer. I think the smaller 6.5’s & 6mm are often better complimented by a ‘big gun’ of some kind.
 
Keep what you have.
You say you will not have time to use them but you know those rifles.

Get a new one and you you might not have the time to set it up and reload and practice with it .

For me it would be any of the 6.5 as I have two 6.5x55 .
Friends shoot 6.5 creed 6.5x47. 260 they all do the same job .
Or do as Finnbear .270 has done and go 6.5 PRC
For get the man bun stigma on the creed we all like to take the p...s at times
 
If you're short on time, I wouldn’t go down the route of getting a new rifle. Just keep the .243

If you want a change, you could consider just putting a fast twist barrel on the .243 or as others have mentioned look at putting a 6.5 Creedmoor barrel on it.
 
Surely, in the grand scheme of things, three used rifles (well two, if you're selling three and buying one) aren't going to make much of a dent in the child rearing bills. Better to keep them.
Interesting as a hypothetical fireside question but in reality, don't do it.
 
What’s all this about the second making the first look easy.

***WARNING***

Don’t have three. Game changer extraordinaire!!!!!

I used to shoot three times a week no matter the weather. I’m lucky to shoot once a month. I know this will get better. The rifles I had are more expensive than I sold them for.

I don’t do face book or the pub. Many lads I work with do golf 🤢.

My pub is the internet and forums talking about mundane crap even if you get crap from the know all’s who probably don’t shoot as much as they say.

Dry fire in the garden, send the mrs out with her friends. My Mrs knows and now and accepts it. She needs time to escape as do you. But make sure she feels like she is winning. (I’ll have to delete this shortly, hang about she told me to write it)

Trust me about the one rifle idea. It’s a great IDEA. It doesn’t work.

although I did run a Tikka T3 .308 in Sako TRG stock for 2 years. Just roe and gongs. It’s was ace. But not brilliant. Don’t compromise.

When you get to go out it has to be BRILLIANT.

Don’t worry about hindsight. One trip I came back from, I was straight to hospital with daughter number 2 who had meningitis. She is ok, and had I stayed at home the circumstances would have been the same.

If anything add a 6.5 creedmoor reply in light varmint. Shoot factory sellior and Bellot rounds at deer and gongs.

Keep the .243 and the others. You probably don’t need the money. Once child is older you will be back feeling comfortable to send rounds down instead of kilos of baby milk powder.
 
Thanks for all the replies everyone. I have a seven year old already but when he arrived I just had a .22lr and 17 hornet. Collection has grown a bit since then... I'm wanting to slim down altogether in honesty and just using baby number 2 as a scape goat/kick up the arse to do it. I don't need a 300 Winmag and I don't really need the .223 as I have a .204 as well (which isn't going anywhere). The .243 is really the only one I have a genuine use for but I don't think it's going to be future proof with all the none lead stuff coming in and it having a relatively slow twist. Rather than just get the .243 rebarreled for however much that costs (genuinely not got a clue on a rebarrel price) and the fact that it's only had 400 or so rounds through it from new, I thought selling it and buying a nice Sako or the like would be a better option. Still weighing everything up but I definitely want to slim down my collection, as does my FEO! 😂
 
Budget £1000 for a rebarrel.
I have a .243 which I bought to replace my .222 so I had a deer-legal fox rifle. Wish I'd kept the triple or opted for a .22-250 instead as I'm now wondering whether I've bought a future white elephant. But what would I rebarrel it to?
I've got a .308 so I don't want a 6.5 mm. What rebarrels are compatible with a .243?
 
Re new borns. 2 essential bits of advice

1) sooner or later you will be asked to deal with radio active fallout (a fully loaded nappy). Make sure that you drop it poo side down all over the prize shag pile carpet and fresh washing.

2) acquire some ready to go bottles of formula milk. Sometime sooner or later you will have a totally exhausted wife who cannot keep up with food demands. Send her to bed.

Take the the grisly, stinking, screaming apple of your eye. Take bottle of formula - plug it in - strategic placed cushions can keep everything in place. And then enjoy piece and quiet.

You will have been offered lots of help - now is the time to cash in an offer, but given your performance of 1) above you need such assistance.
 
The best thing my love of shooting provided me was a lot of noise cancelling ear defenders, the true use of which I appreciated more when I had my lil one. The world is a quiet and calm place with those on.

With rifles, personally I would hang onto the .243 as I believe you have pretty much everything for it including reloading stuff and it does support a good range of bullets. Also easier to go with something you are familiar with than acquiring a new one with all the baby stuff going on. 300 Win mag is more of a range thing and quite expensive to shoot while the .223 may not assist with much stalking. Get a .22LR as a plinking one and you might be able to get on for now.
 
I would get a switch barrel rifle in 6.5 x 55. Get a 30-06 barrel later if you wish. Alternatively boring .308 is prob your best bet if it has to be one only. Or 7 x 57 if you like old school and a bit of class.
 
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