243 ?

I am looking at picking up a bolt action 243 with. I really like the HOWA 1500 but refuse to buy it because of the trap door unloading. I have looked at a couple of others trying to stay under the $500 range. I want synthetic and clip fed. What would you guys recommend, I would really like another black rifle AR15 but not willing to pay the price.

I had one gun shop owner suggest .308 he made some very valid points about accuracy, military rounds can be cheaper, long range shooting, and availability of different loads.

I would check out the Ruger American rifle it sounds to me this is the exact gun you described. Hope this helps

I just picked up the Ruger American in .243 and so far so good!! There should be an old post of mine in the “Shooters Test Bench” forum specifically asking questions and getting feedback on this model.

Eric

The Ruger American, the Savage Axis, and the T/C Venture all have removeable magazines and are within your price range. A Tikka, depending on where you buy it, is also close to that $500 range.

All of these rifles are worth considering and it all depends on what you want. I did a review of the Savage Axis on this site a few months back.

What are you intending to use the rifle for? There’s a big gap between a .308 and a .243, I’d have to understand why you’d come in looking for a .243 and somebody is suddenly recommending a .308.

My father just shot a buck with my Tikka .243 using 100 grain Hornady soft point boat tails powered by Varget. Dropped it like a wet sack of do-do. Being used to toting a .30-06, he was very surprised at the knockdown power, but what I think needs to be considered is that that while the slug doesn’t weigh 150+ grains, it’s being driven very, very fast.

BTW, the Tikka is an absolute tack-driver and the best out-of-box shooter I’ve ever seen.

Grouse

Grouse

Where did your father hit the deer?

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Where did your father hit the deer?

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About 4 inches behind the shoulder, oddly enough. He said he was surprised because it fell over sideways like a truck had driven over it. He expected it to pop back up and run some distance as very rarely do you get an instant kill with a boiler room shot.

So he stood there waiting and the deer didn’t even twitch. I must say that the old man still has it. No amount of rifle makes up for good shot placement.

Grouse

That is odd. Sounds like a fluke. That’s my go-to spot with 30-06 and they ALWAYS run. After shooting at the range two weeks ago I think I might be ready for a .243

Sorry to side track this, but I’ve shot and watched many, many deer shot with a 22-250. It’s all about shot placement. I actually think anything bigger than a .270 is overkill in my very humble opinion.

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I actually think anything bigger than a .270 is overkill in my very humble opinion.

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Blasphmy! The modern hunter of today with his 7mm Mag or .300 Ultra Mag is fainting as you type this.

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Sorry to side track this, but I’ve shot and watched many, many deer shot with a 22-250. It’s all about shot placement. I actually think anything bigger than a .270 is overkill in my very humble opinion.

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My god! I just heard my ought six shudder in the gun safe behind me!

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That is odd. Sounds like a fluke. That’s my go-to spot with 30-06 and they ALWAYS run. After shooting at the range two weeks ago I think I might be ready for a .243

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I didn’t see the deer during autopsy, but dad said there was massive heart damage and his thinking was that he could have actually severed a main artery right beside the heart. The shock knocked the deer down and he was out of blood about 1 second later so he went down and stayed down.

I was not presenting that as a typical result, just saying that the .243 has PLENTY of knockdown power for deer.

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I actually think anything bigger than a .270 is overkill in my very humble opinion.

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Blasphmy! The modern hunter of today with his 7mm Mag or .300 Ultra Mag is fainting as you type this.

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As everyone knows, your 7 MM, 300 mags, etc are all fine for light, thin-skinned game like rabbits, coyote, etc.

But deer. . . woah. . . they’re big and mean. According to the guys behind the counter at the local big box retailer, you really need to be looking at the 338 or 375 H&H for deer, just as a basic minimum.

Even better if you can get that .375 H&H in an AR platform. Never know when you’re going to whack one and have it pop back up and try to maul you. It’s really handy to be able to pump an extra dozen shots into them, just to be sure. Lots of guys have heard from other guys who know guys that said guys told them that this has happened to close relatives of theirs.

Grouse

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I am looking at picking up a bolt action 243 with. I really like the HOWA 1500 but refuse to buy it because of the trap door unloading. I have looked at a couple of others trying to stay under the $500 range. I want synthetic and clip fed. What would you guys recommend, I would really like another black rifle AR15 but not willing to pay the price.

I had one gun shop owner suggest .308 he made some very valid points about accuracy, military rounds can be cheaper, long range shooting, and availability of different loads.

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Howa 1500 offers a removable magazine system. I just ordered one for my 22-250. HOWA Removable mag

I am a huge fan of the HOWA & Tikka for a box gun. The 4 that I own and few more that I hand load for are all sub-minute of angle with the right load. My B-i-L has a 243 in Savage and that also is a tack driver. He shoots prairie dogs out to 500 yrds with it, so I doubt accuracy foir mid west whitetail will be a problem.

I just looked up the load data in my Barnes book, and the 243 Win is a screamer. With a 80gr bullet, the fps range was 3050 to 3467 and the Energy Ft-lbs was 1551 @100 yrds and 676 @ 400 yrds.Very close to a Rem 6mm. As a comparison, a .270 is 2325 @100 yrds and 1438 @ 400 yrds. Another comparison that I thought was interesting, is to a 30-30 Win with a 150 gr bullet is 1296 ft-lbs @ 100 yrds and 399 ft.-lbs @ 400 yrds.

That .243 is a VERY good round!
For the bigger is better guys…… Big Azz Deer Gun

I find it interesting the ‘guy behind the counter’ would suggest the .308-he must have one he wants to move!

As you probably already know, the .243 is a .308 cartridge necked down to .243(6mm). Like the .270(actually.277) is a
necked down 30-06.

I own both .243 and .270. Unless your going after moose or bear, you’ll have plenty for deer, and can get down for varmits and song-dogs too….BTW, your shoulder will last a lot longer and you’ll flinch less than the fellas that gotta have the .300 win mags and 7mm’s

All the brand of weapons mentioned above are very fine choices. And as mentioned already, shot placement is everything. Get to the range and dial it in.
Good luck.

I think he recommended the 308 just for the versatility of the round when hand loading and cost of shooting box ammo. He and his wife both shoot open sites up to 600 yards. Hell I can`t even see the target at 600 yards

without a scope.

I have never owned a 243 so it is something different from my 223, 30-30, 30-06

Randy have you installed the clip setup yet? How was it to set it up correctly dosen`t sound to bad of a job. About what was the cost? I may have to revisit my Howa. OOOps found it looks to be about a $100 roughly

In the BIG AZZ GUN vid did any one notice in the last shot how the concussion blew a piece of something off the rest further down? THAT IS A BIG AZZ GUN

Tom, I just ordered it a couple days ago. Probably be here today or tomorrow. With gun deer season starting sat. i won’t get to it until Dec. With the little i know about it, i wish it was available in stainless as both of my 22-250’s are stainless.

I like lots of calibers and, because of my age and staying single until I was 36…have shot over 75 whitetails in six states. The .243 is an excellent deer cartridge if used for good shot angles…not quartering or raking shot angles…with proper shot placement and good bullets like 90- 100gr Nosler Partitions/Accubonds, TTSX Barnes, Hornady Interbonds etc…All my kills with the .243 or 6MM Rem seem to be bang/flop…

As the Grouse remarked…
1) accuracy
2) bullet placement
3) proper weight and type of bullet for the quarry
4) dont buy CHEAP bullets…the bullet closes the deal…not a place to save a few bucks