Accurate .243 medium contour on the cheap

[Macchina]

I'm looking to buy a new rifle. I like Savages with the accutrigger, but I can't seem to find any medium contour barrels (between sporter weight and Bull). I'm looking to get a rifle for under $400, add a 14X Nikon Buckmaster, and have a nice large varmit/deer/target rifle. I have seen a few .243 Remington 770's for this price, but aren't they just Rem 710's in a new stock?

Please give me your reccomendation.

 

[rangerruck]

take a look at tikka, I have fired the 770, and it was accurate, 1 inch groups at 100 with a 30.06, but the stock is a bit plasticky, and yes, they removed all the nylon/plastic parts from the action/receiver/bolt area , that were on the 710.
Dont forget the stevens line, and for better on all fronts, cz.

 

[John917]

I've heard good things about the H&R/NEF Ultra Varmint, and it's available in .243. It's about $320 at my LGS, and it has a fluted barrel and bipod mount. Or, you could get a cheaper version-the Survivor (nonfluted and no bipod mount) for less than $300. The site is HR1871.com they are under the rifles section. I know they are not medium contour, but the synthetic version felt lighter than my wood 917V, which seemed pretty heavy.

 

[Macchina]

That ultra varmint looks nice, How does the accuracy compare to lets say a Savage? Is there a possibility of getting a lemon?

 

[GooseGestapo]

Real good chance of getting a "stinker" with an NEF.

My .243 NEF shot 4"x6" "patterns" at 100yds. Couldn't find a good shooting load. I suspect the fitting of the barrel to reciever wasn't as good as it should have been.

I'd get a Stevens M200 if looking for a good .243. The one I had would shoot most anything to 1.5" at 100yds. With loads it favored, under 1" was not infrequent. A really nice shooting rifle. The "non-accutrigger" was very easy to "stone" smooth, and then adjust down to under 3lbs "crisp".

Other "best" choice would be a Remington M700 ADL.
While looking for something to replace the Stevens M200 with (don't ask why............) I found a Remington M700 ADL w/plastic stock and standard wt. bbl. in .22-250. It easily shoots 3-shots to under 1" with good bullets, and with premium (Nosler or Sierra) will shoot 5-shot groups to 1/2".
All it took was free-floating the stock and adjusting the trigger to minimum pull (about 3lbs). And trying a few loads.

Check out the "used" gun racks at the gun shops and pawn-shops.