what 243

[shooting.123 7]

looking for a 243 what the best one to get

[cassshantia 16]

looking for a 243 what the best one to get

i bought a howa 1500 sporter using 90 grain game head from sako with a mtc taipan scope

zerod @100 yrds and this alters only 1.5 in from 50 yrds to 150 yrds

im not one for shootin over that but a would say i could get a flatter round if i went lighter

good all round gun in my eyes only thing its not a heavy barrelled rifle ,this is due to me walking with lamp and rifle

[jamie g 17]

depends what your looking for mate and what you got to spend. do you want light barrel heavy barrel, what you going to be using it for mainly ie alot of foxing with the odd deer or manly deer and the odd fox.

 

what i would do is look secondhand. well you have to be careful with 243 looking secondhand due to barrel wear etc... i would look at the tikka m590 or m595 in 243 cracking rifles.

[matt_hooks 188]

There's no such thing as a "best rifle" in any calibre. Everyone has their own preferences, and everyone has their own budget. All I will say is that pretty much ANY rifle can be made to shoot more accurately than you are capable of, with the right attention. The most important thing is to spend the money where it counts. IMHO this is on the scope. If you go for a decent second hand rifle, pretty much any of the modern rifles will do, but Sako and Tikka are popular, and then spend AT LEAST as much on the scope! Money spent on a good scope and good mounts will repay you time and again.

 

That said, my rifle can shoot 1" groups at 200 yards with my 1980's Parker Hale and a £50 eBay special Nikko Sterling scope (unfortunately I'm not that good, they go out to 2" when I'm the useless organic bit behind the butt, but I have a friend who is ex mil sniper, and it's scary what he can do with a gun!)

 

So you can achieve amazing things, with very little money spent (The PH cost me £200, the scope £50 and the rings £30)

 

Best thing is to go to a well stocked gun shop, and pick up and handle as many rifles as you can. bring them to the shoulder and see how they feel. You'll pick one up and it will just feel right, this is the one to go for!

[olib007 1]

 

Best thing is to go to a well stocked gun shop, and pick up and handle as many rifles as you can. bring them to the shoulder and see how they feel. You'll pick one up and it will just feel right, this is the one to go for!

 

Whats your gun shop of choice around here Matt?

 

Cheers,

Oli

[matt_hooks 188]

 

Best thing is to go to a well stocked gun shop, and pick up and handle as many rifles as you can. bring them to the shoulder and see how they feel. You'll pick one up and it will just feel right, this is the one to go for!

 

Whats your gun shop of choice around here Matt?

 

Cheers,

Oli

 

There aren't many to choose from. Woodland Enterprises at Shefford have a good selection new and second hand, and are helpful and very knowledgable. One is ex FEO, and the other owns most of the stalking rights in Berkshire. Have a good haggle with Billy, he loves it!

 

Wiltshire Rod and Gun have a fine selection of guns, and again are friendly and knowledgable.

 

On a smaller scale, you have Bozards over at Lambourn Woodlands. The guy owns and runs it, and he is a Purdey trained gunsmith. He has a good selection of guns for sale, new and second hand, and often has other interesting stuff to show you, unusual calibres and so on. A proper shooting man. He loves a chat, and he has a gorgeous little Staffy bitch who loves a fuss.

 

Then you have Test Valley in Overton. Again, a "one man band" and the guy knows guns, and the trade, as well as anyone I've ever met. He's quite happy to have a chat, and will show you lots of different guns.

 

Then you have Roxtons in Hungerford. I've never had much to do with them, as they're more of the "boutique" country set, so common types like what I is don't fit in, but I had a sneaky and they have a good few guns on sale, and apparently the gunsmith is good but not cheap.

 

Can you tell I spend too much time in gunsmiths and RFD's?

[olib007 1]

Cheers; i know woodland enterprises (you've got to love being greeted by a stuffed grizzley bear inside the door!!) and have been to wiltshire rod and gun a few times. I'll have to check the others out if i get my FAC granted; its going in the post by the end of the week!

 

I know what you mean about Roxtons; have always seemed a bit pricey to me!

[Colster 1]

As said above, it does depend on your budget and you should be allocating a large chunk of it for the scope so I'd probably avoid Tikka/Sako etc and spend what I save on great glass.... unless you're minted of course.

 

For around the £500 mark new, have a look at Howa and Browning A-Bolt - I went for the Browning and can't fault it, plus the mag system is the best. Floorplate and detachable box mag - best of both worlds.