# A little help with selecting a .243



## gkatchuk (Oct 30, 2008)

I will be purchasing a new .243 caliber rifle in the next couple of weeks and am having a difficult time narrowing down my selection. I will use it primarily for hunting and trips to the range for "fun" and load development. I am just having a difficult time picking. Any input on any of the models would be excellent

1) Remington SPS
2) Savage 16FS
3) Ruger Hawkeye
4) Tikka T3 Lite

I appreciate any information or experiences that you can pass on.


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## rlzman68 (Jul 14, 2008)

TIKKA !!!!!!!!! TIKKA !!!!!!!!


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## xdeano (Jan 14, 2005)

I'll give the Tikka the thumbs up. The only down fall with tikka is if you hand load your own bullets for accuracy and want to seat the bullet a bit longer than specs. The Mag is a bit confining. Other than that they're an excellent choice.

xdeano


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## NDTerminator (Aug 20, 2003)

Tikka or Remington 700, which ever feels best to you. I have had both and you can't go wrong either way. My only 243 nowdays is a LH Tikka T3 in stainless steel. Very light and marvlously accurate, it's my main coyote rifle.

Frankly, the Savage and Ruger M77 aren't even in the same class, but then again they aren't meant to be...


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## Savage260 (Oct 21, 2007)

Tikka and Savage are not meant to be in the same class? Why is that? The models I have shot in 22-250 are priced very close, they both have ugly a$$ plastic stocks, and they both shoot about the same with the Savage being more accurate. The Savage had a better trigger, not to mention it fit me better. I would agree the Rem is a step above, but the Tikka? Sarge, are you serious?


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## varmit b gone (Jan 31, 2008)

Ruger all the way, yeah, your right, its not even in the same class, its a step above :lol: But seriously, the new set-up on the Rugers is really nice. The LC-6 trigger is awesome and the action is in a whole nother league compared to the Savage, and it rivals the Remington, but I don't know if it's quite as good as the Remington action, but pretty close.


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## NDTerminator (Aug 20, 2003)

Tikka T3 and Whitetail Hunters are simply budget Sako 85's. As far as a production rifle goes, IMO the Tikka synthetic stock is second only to that of the Bell & Carlson stock that Weatherby uses. The walnut Tikka stocks are very, very, nice, indeed. My only real bellyache about Tikkas is the plastic trigger guard and magazine but I can live with that for the cost.

BTW, when Sako makes a run of Tikkas, the barrels are pulled off the Sako 85 line. The Sako 85 barrels are widely acknowledged as probably the best/most accurate production barrels available.

To clarify my earlier statement in regard to the M77 and Savage 11/111 rifles, both Ruger and Savage target the buyer who can't or doesn't want to spend the money for the higher end stuff. Both companies are very open about this.

True, Savages are generally very accurate, but they have horrible lines & balance, and generally handle like a 2x4. I've had Savages where I had to sand down the mold lines of the plastic stock and/or sharp edges of the molded checkering as under recoil they caused cuts. On Savage's left hand plastic stocks you can see where the right hand bolt cut out is rather poorly filled in.

Rugers 77s are pretty rifles with nice lines and bullet proof mauser actions, but are famous (or infamous) for mediocre to poor accuracy (compared to other production rifles) and group walking as their whippy barrels heat up so quickly.

In fact, two years ago when I was having problems with that last, and I do mean last, Ruger I will ever own, the Ruger VP I spoke with told me that Rugers are meant for the "average" shooter with accuracy "good enough" for hunting. Very educational conversation.

I've had a bunch of M77's over the years and the accuracy/consistency/walking problems have been present in every one. They all had horrible triggers, but I understand the new trigger is a big improvement. If they ever addressed the accuracy/barrel issue and went back to the old tang safety (I hate wing safties!) I might, maybe, consider buying another.

Long ago I decided I want it all; asthetically pleasing lines, great balance, and great accuracy ( cabable of MOA or better with the right load). Life's to short too settle for rifles that are ugly, handly poorly, and don't deliver consistent accuracy...


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## varmit b gone (Jan 31, 2008)

Funny, my 270 groups 1/2 in. groups if I use my good load. I had one in 204 that I sold recently because I was getting a new one in a wildcat and didn't need it that would do the same thing. Yes, the old ones don't group well at all, but if it's for hunting, you don't have to have a tack driver. Dad has an old M77 in 243 that groups 2in. groups, wich sucks, but guess what, he can shoot it and it drops deer in their tracks. When looking at a big game rifle I look at feel and how it fits, I can work on the other stuff later if I want to get picky. And judging guns from back in the day to judge the new ones is like saying you hate Dodges because you had a lemon back in the 70's. Just my 0.02


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## RiverRob (Jul 24, 2007)

#4 for sure.


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## NDTerminator (Aug 20, 2003)

varmit b gone said:


> but if it's for hunting, you don't have to have a tack driver.


I would respectfully but strongly disagree. Hunting is the place where a tack driver is needed most....


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## varmit b gone (Jan 31, 2008)

I can see what you mean but inless you are taking head shots, I, you don't have to group 1/2in to take down an animal, and furthermore, to group that well you almost have to have sandbags, and I don't mant to lug some around while hunting, just my 0.02. 
BTW: I am taking nothing away from the Remingtons, they are very good guns also. Wouldn't know about the Tikkas for I haven't had the opprutunity to fondle one as of yet, but heard nothing but good.


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## bryan_huber (Aug 3, 2008)

just remember, the lighter the gun the more it will kick. a heavy 308 will seem to kick less than a light 243. as far as varmint b gone- the better the shot placement the better off you are. nobody likes to see a wounded deer run around for an hour and finally die. would you like it if someone shot you in the shoulder and you had to live with that for a while? i know i sure wouldnt.


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## varmit b gone (Jan 31, 2008)

Oh, believe me, I don't want a wounded deer. But I don't think a gun has to group 1/2in. to have good shot placement. Know your gun before you go out, and know where it shoots. The old 30-30s didn't group well at all and they have taken more deer cleanly than all the modern huntng rifles combined. If you can't shoot it well, don't take it hunting.


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## bryan_huber (Aug 3, 2008)

my 1973 mod 94 winchester can shoot a 1.5" group at 75 yards that aint too bad. better the group the better off it is. if im walking a slough and see something running out itll be a good gun at 35-50 yards but longer shots id rather have my 243 with a scope


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## deadyote (Nov 17, 2008)

sako 85 or remington vls :sniper:


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## huntin1 (Nov 14, 2003)

Savage.

They are still the most accurate rifle out of the box. If you don't like their stock, restock it with an after-market Bell and Carlson. you'll have a rifle that will compete with any of them. And you'll have the only one that you change change the barrel on yourself, at home. Buy a .243 and 6 months from now decide you really wanted a .308, swap out the barrel.



NDTerminator said:


> BTW, when Sako makes a run of Tikkas, the barrels are pulled off the Sako 85 line. The Sako 85 barrels are widely acknowledged as probably the best/most accurate production barrels available.


After Savage barrels that is.

Go Savage, you won't regret it.

huntin1


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## Backwoods270 (Nov 22, 2008)

huntin1 said:


> Savage.
> 
> They are still the most accurate rifle out of the box. If you don't like their stock, restock it with an after-market Bell and Carlson. you'll have a rifle that will compete with any of them. And you'll have the only one that you change change the barrel on yourself, at home. Buy a .243 and 6 months from now decide you really wanted a .308, swap out the barrel.
> 
> ...


I agree!


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## Bernie P. (Sep 25, 2008)

FWIW My Ruger M77 shoots very well and has a very nice trigger.I bought it new about 30 years ago.I haven't shot any other M77 so I cant say how they've changed through the years but I love mine.Dead stock out of the box it shoots most all factory loads I've tried into .75-1.25" 3 shot groups at 100 yds.Anything over 1.75 was my fault.The only load it wouldn't shoot was the (discontinued) Norma 110gr load.Groups were around 4" but I suspect that was due to the short length of that bullet not catching in the throat properly.The 150gr Norma load shot fine.All this is with a 1-4 power scope/improvised rest on a bench.Not a single mechanical failure either in all this time under some very harsh conditions from time to time.Not to shabby IMO.


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## alleyyooper (Jul 6, 2007)

We have a family who just like the 243. 
I have a Remington 700 BDL 35 years old that I like very much and would recommend to any one.
My brother has a Winchester Model 70 which he has had no trouble with in well over 30 years of use.
My cousin has a Savage he bought in the mid 70's that I don't think he would trade for anything 
My dad when he was alive had a Ruger 77 tang safty from the mid 70'd and every one of us like the way it handled and shot.

If it were me choseing I would go Remington first and Rugar second.

110gr and 150gr bullets in a 243????

 Al


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## deadyote (Nov 17, 2008)

alleyyooper said:


> We have a family who just like the 243.
> I have a Remington 700 BDL 35 years old that I like very much and would recommend to any one.
> My brother has a Winchester Model 70 which he has had no trouble with in well over 30 years of use.
> My cousin has a Savage he bought in the mid 70's that I don't think he would trade for anything
> ...


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## alleyyooper (Jul 6, 2007)

Yup 110 150 gr bullets is what that Bernie P was talking about in the post above mine.

 Al


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## Bernie P. (Sep 25, 2008)

Sorry about that.I was just sticking up for Ruger.Mine's a 7x57 not .243.


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## People (Jan 17, 2005)

I would say any of them would make a fine rifle. I have seen a few tika rifles and they look good. Every person who I have ever talked to loves them. I know that does not mean a hole hill of beans but if a person takes their tika over the rem 700 that has to mean something.

It is hard to beat a savage for out of the box accuracy. This is the company that makes factory bench rest and Fclass rifles that will compete very nicely in a match. I have only ever seen one savage that did not just shoot and that was my old model 99 in 243. We all know that cleaning from the muzzle is bad news for a rifle.

I am a Remington guy. To me it is hard to beat a Remington. With that said all of the new rifles I have shot they have long throats in them. They still shoot very well.

As much as it pains me I have to say Savage is the way to go. If you want to get a rifle that shoots well without a lot of monkeying around with it.

If you have a little extra cash I say look around for an older 700 then get it rebarreled. I have bought two rem 700 in the last year or so one for 300 and the other for 350 both to my door. These are left handed 700's also. One was in 22-250 and it shot very nice even with 55gr fmj. I was getting about .25 inch groups. The second was a 7mm Rem Mag with factory ammo I was getting an inch or so. Granted this will be a 300win mag in a few months.

If you spell Chuck Norris in Scrabble, you win. Forever.


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