got a favorite .243?

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You guys are picturing some nice looking rifles! I personally don't care for the one in the original post but to each his own. My only ever 243 started life as a Remington 700 VSSF in 308 that I rebarreled with a fast twist Krieger barrel. Its my long range Prairie Dog and White bird rifle. It wears a Nightforce Scope in Badger rings. With a case full of IMR4350 and either a Berger or Sierra Match bullet it will put them in the same hole, shot after shot.
 
I came across a new Henry Long Ranger in .243 today with a price of $825 (in a military base exchange store). I nearly made an impulse buy but thought I should do a little research first, which led me to this used Parker Hale with glass sights for about $800:

https://www.gunbroker.com/item/891142838

I've always heard that the Parker Hale is a good but under-appreciated gun.

If you were looking for a .243, would you go for one of these? or would you keep looking and get a different .243?


I would keep looking as I have had a .243 for 50 + years that was built on an FN Mauser and for 50 tears it's had feeding problems. The action was designed for a longer cartridge.
Soft buttplate and muzzle break on a .243 ?????
 
I came across a new Henry Long Ranger in .243 today with a price of $825 (in a military base exchange store). I nearly made an impulse buy but thought I should do a little research first, which led me to this used Parker Hale with glass sights for about $800:
I'm curious. What are folk saying about the Henry Long Ranger line?

One in .243 sounds like a sweet set-up.

Todd.
 
Here is my favorite. Remington Mohawk 600. Bought it used as a project rifle. Someone had removed the butt plate and installed a recoil pad so it was too long. I had it cut down to my LOP and a limb saver installed. Refinished the stock. Converted the impressed checkering to cut checkering (a painstaking process right there). Full length epoxy bedding. Hunted down an original rear sight to replace the missing one. Took a long time to figure out what it liked to shoot and how to load them, but now it's one of my favorite rifles.
View attachment 975432
I have a Remington 660 in .243. My favorite rifle. Very accurate with Barnes TTSX bullets. It has a 20" barrel.
 
I have a Remington 660 in .243. My favorite rifle. Very accurate with Barnes TTSX bullets. It has a 20" barrel.

I think 20 is the ideal barrel length. Not too long to carry, not too short to kill velocity. Mine, unfortunately, doesn't play well with copper bullets. Limited experiments with partitions weren't that great either. It also doesn't like anything that isn't seated pretty close or on the rifling so anything lighter than 85 grains is pretty much a no go. It REALLY likes the 87 grain Hornady soft point flat base. My load for that has an SD of 9.
 
Wow! That is some piece of glass! What the heck is that?
The scope is a Redfield 3200 with 20X magnification, (3200 referring to a perfect score in a rimfire prone tournament.). They were quite popular and successful during the 1970's and '80's but went out of style with the advent of shorter high-mag telescopes like Redfield's 6400.) In earlier post I mentioned my other .243's are too ugly to post, but here is a sample so you will understand, which I had built with three stiff target weight barrels and HS aluminum bedded stock to test loads and bullets. Certainly not a glamor queen like Nature Boy's showpiece, which is way above my pay grade.. 21A_2670 (2).JPG 21A_2673 (2).JPG 21A_2680 (2).JPG
 
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Lets see....

Had a

Ruger 1B
700 BDL
700 ADL synth
700 ADL synth
600
Model 7 stainless w HS
Savage Axis
Ruger 1RSI
Sako Forester

Currently just have the ADL synth, now in an HS stock.

Only other 243s I might consider....
Ruger 1A or B

And maybe a Merkel Helix.
 
Rem n Tikka .223s.JPG

Above: I have a stock T3 Tikka .243 Win that does all that I wish of it. It's very accurate, has a 3-shot detachable magazine, and weighs enough to be steady offhand. It's killed everything I've asked it to, including a deer. The rifle is really solid and doesn't have any rattles, a solid partner! I love to carry this rifle when going on long walks to the blueberry fields down back. (I lend this rifle to my grandkids and they've taken several deer with it. They're fully-grown now and the girl is not as likely to plunk the muzzle in the dirt and lean on the stock anymore.)

Below: A Rem 700 ADL converted to .243 Win that also works. It has a 24" Shilen stainless barrel and is pillar-bedded/barrel floated and has a recoil pad, mostly to extend the stock a bit. It's also extremely accurate, though a bit heavier than the Tikka. I prefer to shoot this one from the bench, or rest, but have carried it a bit also. It has also taken various critters, both around here and in other fields. Trigger is absolutely amazing!!!
 
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My tikka T3 stainless hunter is a pretty sweet little rifle. Light, smooth, good trigger, low recoil, and accurate. I love reloading for it, I'm just not sure about how it looks with the latest scope change. I'm a much larger fan of this scope than the last though! I have been eyeing a Sako .243 at the LGS tho....
 

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The scope is a Redfield 3200 with 20X magnification, (3200 referring to a perfect score in a rimfire prone tournament . Redfield later introduced their 6400 scope, reflecting the possible score in a major 4-day event. Very few 6400's have ever been posted, but 3200's are not uncommon among top competitors.) The 3200 was quite popular and successful during the 1970's and '80's but went out of style with the advent of shorter high-mag telescopes like the 6400.)
In earlier post I mentioned my other .243's are too ugly to post, but here is a sample so you will understand, which I had built simply to test loads and bullets. Certainly not a glamor queen like Nature Boy's showpiece, which is way above my pay scale.View attachment 975878 View attachment 975879 View attachment 975880

Yeah, that rifle is real nice. Simple and understated. Nothing for show and all for go.
 
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