# 243 savage 12FV GOOD WIND GUN ?



## trappermrd (Jun 28, 2007)

Guys.... i moved to ND this year. it truely is a hunting paradise. Question..... i have been shooting all summer and so far i have not seen a day the WIND IS UNDER 20 MPH ! MAN YOU HAVE A LOT OF WIND HERE. I have a savage 204 that shoots a 1 inch hole 32 gr when the wind is under 10 mph. i have a AR15 223 cal 16 inch barrel that shoots 68 gr bullets 1 1/2 group when the wind is under 12 mph. i need a gun that i can hunt deer and predators that will buck this wind. should i spend the 590.00 for the savage 12FV 26 INCH BARREL IN THE 243 CAL ? I DO NOT RELOAD. over counter shells in 58 gr , 70, 80, 90,100 gr. your thoughts. thanks. marty


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## glv (May 31, 2007)

welcome to ND. I have pretty much made up my mind that I have to live with the wind no matter what. A coyote hunter once told me. If you wait for a day with a 15 mph wind or less you will never hunt. I use a 7mm mag for deer but I wouldn't use it for coyotes. I have heard hunters having luck with 30-06 with the right load for coyotes and use it for deer. I myself use a .223. I think you just shoot more on windy days.


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## ndm (Jul 22, 2007)

I think a sporter in .308, .30-06, .270, or .243 would be a better choice for a deer/ "wind" rifle. I think your pretty well set for coyote on most days with the AR.

Since you shoot factory ammo these four calibers will give you the widest bullet selection at the best price. Six pound sporters are much easier to carry all day then 10 pound varmint rifles. If you shoot a deer rifle at coyotes use a controlled expansion bullet. Stay away from the light rapid expansion bullets.

Welcome to ND and best of luck.


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## Fallguy (Jan 23, 2004)

trappermrd

Welcome to ND and Nodakoutdoors. Yeah we have wind here but we also have lots of days with no wind. I have been shooting several mornings this summer where wind was light and variable. Either way you just have to deal with it. Good luck and have fun finding a gun!


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## Kelly Hannan (Jan 9, 2007)

I had some bad luck with the 58 out of my 243. I have had my best luck with 85 gr for coyotes, and 100 for deer. It seems, from my experience, that the 243 likes the heavier bullets. I really like mine, deer out to 250 yards, coyotes to 350 easy.


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## trappermrd (Jun 28, 2007)

YEP.. I will shoot the heaver bullet for both deer and coyote. what grain over the counter brand and bullet shoots the best in your 243 ? marty


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## Horsager (Aug 31, 2006)

85's are *THE *all purpost bullet in .24 caliber. TSX's in particular will leave you wanting for nadda.


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## Jiffy (Apr 22, 2005)

If you do enough shooting you'll get good at windage adjustments. My advice is to practice in the wind. That way you'll know how to shoot in the wind. Pretty simple actually. Oh yeah, and keep a log book if you want to get serious about it. Welcome to ND! :beer:

One more thing, you can thank MT for sucking and MN for blowing as the reason for the ND wind. :wink:


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## franchi (Oct 29, 2005)

Jiffy said:


> One more thing, you can thank MT for sucking and MN for blowing as the reason for the ND wind. :wink:


I'm glad someone said it. :lol:


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## Jiffy (Apr 22, 2005)

I had to do it, I couldn't help myself. :lol:


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## Kelly Hannan (Jan 9, 2007)

I have had good luck with Remington and Winchester 85 and 100. I reload now and have had very good luck with Hornady 100 for Deer, and Sierra 85 for Coyote


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## trappermrd (Jun 28, 2007)

thanks for info. man this is a great site for help on buying decsions !!! marty


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## Remington06 (Mar 7, 2005)

I shoot a .243 Handi rifle its nothing much for a gun but its accurate. I use the cheap Federal 80 grain sp bullets. They group very well for me and the cost is very reasonable at $8.50-$9.99 depending on the stores around here.


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## Horsager (Aug 31, 2006)

Remington06 said:


> I shoot a .243 Handi rifle its nothing much for a gun but its accurate. I use the cheap Federal 80 grain sp bullets. They group very well for me and the cost is very reasonable at $8.50-$9.99 depending on the stores around here.


The 80gn Federal factory loads were also incredibly accurate for me last season. I didn't have time to work up a load before season so I shot the Federals and they were excellent. You're going to pay $17-$20/box this fall for those shells though.


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## Jiffy (Apr 22, 2005)

trappermrd,

Were you out at the Casselton range last Sunday? Do you have an AR-15 that you bought from some farmer that used it for a "pickup gun?" You had it dura-coated white and twig? Can only get it to shoot 1 1/2"?

Reason I ask is because that guy I was talking to referred several times to a "good wind gun." I had never heard that before and I found it rather odd that you said the same thing. Just wondering is all.

:beer:

Ps: I was the guy 2 benches down with the little CAR AR-15 and the 22-250 that was shooting .5


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## trappermrd (Jun 28, 2007)

jiffy that was me. ha ha. small world. i did by the wind gun went with a tikka 243. plus my birthday is today and all my brothers sister, nephews bought me a nikon range finder scope ($900.00 ) nice to have abig family ... but all is not well. the tikka scope rail is to small holes to small to attactch the weaver base so i will need to have the gun smith re- drill and tap. THAT IS WHAT I GET FOR NOT BUYING THE SAVAGE AND A U.S.A PRODUCT. I HOPE GANDER MT GUN SMITH CAN FIX ME UP. so it is always something. ha ha. marty


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## kdog (Mar 13, 2007)

Hey Trapper,

Please let me/us know all about the Nikon rangefinder scope once you have the chance to use it. I may want to get the same scope at some point, and am curious as to how it tests out. :sniper:

Thanks, Kdog


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## Jiffy (Apr 22, 2005)

Hey Happy Birthday! :beer:

I'm thinking you are going to like that Tikka. I don't own one but have shot a few and know guys that do own them and they all swear by them. You should have went with a 308 though. :wink: 8)

Hey, today would be a great day to test it out! Plenty of wind! So much in fact that Horsager and I decided to stay home. I have plenty of things to do around the house anyway. Need to get them done before hunting season.

Enjoy your new toy/toys. A range finder is an invalueable tool. You will wonder why you didn't have one all along and find yourself not leaving home without it.

PS: Wouldn't it be cheaper just to get different bases? I guess I honestly don't know, I'm just thinking out loud. I would figure it would be.

Oh yeah, BUY A SAVAGE? What do you want to be like Huntin1 and Langager or something? Pppppfffffftttt!  8) :lol:


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## trappermrd (Jun 28, 2007)

good news, gander mt gun smith was able to re-tap the gun to fit the new weaver base. scope has the range finder built into the scope, that is why it would not fit. weird set up. special type of attachment you need to use with weaver base. nikon bdc irt scope. but were set now. may try shooting sunday or monday. marty


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