Super light 243

Deadeyejedi

Deadeyejedi

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Jan 27, 2014
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Northeast
Any suggestions on a very light and accurate 243 rifle? I’ve been hunting with my Remington model 750 in 3006 for many years but as I’m getting older it’s getting heavier to carry . It weighs in w/ scope and sling a little over 8 pounds .I bought my son a cva scout in 243 when he was 15 and he still hunts with it ( now 27 ) . He has never had trouble taking down whitetail with it. Since I handload 243 it would be a logical choice . Thoughts?
 
I've been waiting on a deal on a Kimber 84M Hunter in .243 for a while now. Controlled round feed, Mauser-style three position safety, detachable magazine, stainless, and ~5.5 pounds (chambering dependent). It even sports a conventional 22 inch barrel to keep the velocity up and blast down.

I've seen some of these rifles loaded, slinged, and scoped under 6.5 pounds. I'd love one with a Leupold 2.5x scope. Would make an amazingly light rifle to tote around while still having little recoil.

The only real issue I've found is that many people struggle to keep their groups under an inch. It seems that 1.5 inches is the norm. I'd take 1.5 inches all day every day for the weight tradeoff. If you absolutely needed a sub-MOA rifle they do have a sub-MOA guarantee, so you could probably switch it out if it didn't perform to your liking.

https://www.kimberamerica.com/hunter
hunter_profile_1.png
 
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Budget?

A Kimber Montana is probably the lightest production rifle. If you choose the scope and mounts carefully you can keep it under 6 lbs scoped. But they will run you around $1300 last time I checked. A New Ultra Light Arms (NULA) can be a touch lighter but priced over $3000 last time I looked.

The Kimber Hunter shown above is the same basic rifle as the Montana. But the Hunter has a plastic stock vs Kevlar stock on the Montana. The Montana is about 1/2 lb lighter, but about $500 more expensive.

I've had a sub 6 lb Kimber and while it was a joy to carry, I found it too much of a good thing. Something that weighs 7-7 1/2 lbs scoped is about as light as I want to go anymore. As long as you stay with a low recoiling cartridge that isn't a bad place to be.

I find a Tikka to be a great choice in a more budget friendly rifle. Street prices will vary between $600-$750 depending on blue or SS. If you don't go too heavy with the scope you can keep weight close to 7 lbs and you won't find a more accurate rifle at any price.

Choose | Tikka

The Ruger American rifle is about the same weight and at one time sold for under $300. But they have gone up considerably and are now in the $500 range and some have magazine issues. They are VERY accurate for a cheap rifle but are now priced so close to Tikka I'd choose Tikka every time at this point.

Ruger American® Rifle Standard Bolt-Action Rifle Model 6904

For deer, or deer size game a 243 is probably ideal and will have about 1/2 the recoil of your 30-06. But it becomes borderline on any game bigger than deer. If there is any possibility that you may hunt bear, elk or something similar you might consider 6.5CM, 7-08 or even 308. Modern 308 loads will do anything your 30-06 will do, but with about 20% less recoil. Recoil from 6.5CM is pretty much indistinguishable from 243 and it will do anything a 270 will do.
 
T/C Encore with a 243 barrel and synthetic stock. Or a Remington Model 7 with a lightweight stock--if you can find one. Mine has a factory fiberglass kevlar stock, 18.5" barrel with iron sights, a Burris 2-7x40. and is in 7-08. After floating the barrel, sorting out the scope bases, and tinkering with handloads, I got it to shoot three shot groups at 100 yards you can cover with a dime. It is not my favorite (but next year will go back into the hunting rotation), but it is the most accurate rifle I own.
 
I agree with jmr40. Tikka would be my first choice. They are nice, accurate and don't have issues. I did buy a Remington 700 3 years ago in 243 and put a youth stock on it for my grandson. It was sub-moa, but I cannot vouch for the new ones under new ownership.
 
Thanks to everyone for the replies. I am solely hunting white tails with the gun and I’ve done a lot of reading on the tikka tx3 . That gun surprisingly is heavier than the 308 due to the longer barrel . I’m going to my local gun shop tomorrow to look at a few models they have .where I hunt you rarely would get a 150 yard shot so long range accuracy isn’t as crucial .
 
Wow that storm is light ! My son in law has a savage axis in 308 and is very happy with it . Would be great if they had one I could check out at the gun shop
 
Deadeyejedi said:
Wow that storm is light ! My son in law has a savage axis in 308 and is very happy with it . Would be great if they had one I could check out at the gun shop
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As I`m sure you know, The 110 line is a grade up from the Axis II models in Savage`s lineup. Not quite the fit and finish of Tikkas, Bergaras, etc., perhaps, but they hit the target and bring home dinner as well as anything else in the woods. Just another potential alternative at the price point.
 
I will also throw my hat in the ring for the kimber 84m hunter. Mines in .308 with a Leopold 3-9x. I don't know exactly how light it is but it's easily the lightest center fire bolt action rifle I've ever held and they have an accuracy guarantee. As was mentioned Kimber makes another model that drops almost a pound over the hunter, but its quiet a bit more expensive.

IMG_20221121_120417.jpg

I also have an m70 short action. 223 ftw. The m70 is much prettier and is also light but nowhere as light as the kimber.

right side.jpg

If your goal is light and accurate the kimber is built to be as light and accurate as possible at a certain price point.

As was mentioned, it's light to the detriment of steadiness. My experience between the two is I find when it comes to actual shooting a rifle thats the weight of the M70 is a little steadier on target at only about a pound heavier.
 
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I think Savage has the cheapest light weight option, but you do end up with a shorter barrel.

The Kimber Hunter is a bit more, but better finished with a nicer action and a slightly longer tube.

Another option might be a Christensen Mesa with or without the new stock. I believe those are running around 5-6.5lbs sans scope. Price is about 1/3-1/2 again as much as the others tho.

Howa also offers some lighter options for around 900-1000 but i havent really had any experience with them.

Again as said, if you can stand 8-8.25lbs scoped and loaded, you have noticeably more options.

Also if your willing to spend for it, there are plenty of options in higher end production, semi customs and in true custom rifles......just most of those start around 15-1800
 
Scout21 said:
I've been waiting on a deal on a Kimber 84M Hunter in .243 for a while now. Controlled round feed, Mauser-style three position safety, detachable magazine, stainless, and ~5.5 pounds (chambering dependent). It even sports a conventional 22 inch barrel to keep the velocity up and blast down.

I've seen some of these rifles loaded, slinged, and scoped under 6.5 pounds. I'd love one with a Leupold 2.5x scope. Would make an amazingly light rifle to tote around while still having little recoil.

The only real issue I've found is that many people struggle to keep their groups under an inch. It seems that 1.5 inches is the norm. I'd take 1.5 inches all day every day for the weight tradeoff. If you absolutely needed a sub-MOA rifle they do have a sub-MOA guarantee, so you could probably switch it out if it didn't perform to your liking.

https://www.kimberamerica.com/hunter
View attachment 1123862
Click to expand...

My Hunter in 6.5CM is around 6 pounds with Nikon 3X9 scope and sling ready to hunt. It meets the Kimber MOA guarantee but the light sporter contour barrel is not a bench rest rifle for extended sessions.

The stock is actually quite decent, it just needs me to camo it or such. The plastic stocks soak up some recoil. It is a pretty mild shooting rifle, not much more recoil than my M700 in .243.
 
i have a kimber montana in 257 roberts and with a compact 2-7x leupold its a few oz,s over 6 lbs and will keep 3 shots on a nickel with hybrid100v and hornady 117 gr bullets at 2900 fps. i shot a decent size doe at 125 yards(high chest shot) and it dropped dead.
 
eastbank said:
i have a kimber montana in 257 roberts and with a compact 2-7x leupold its a few oz,s over 6 lbs and will keep 3 shots on a nickel with hybrid100v and hornady 117 gr bullets at 2900 fps. i shot a decent size doe at 125 yards(high chest shot) and it dropped dead.
Click to expand...

What a dandy caliber in a light rifle like the Kimber Montana.

You're probably in that 2,900fps range on the 117gr's?

Make for an excellent white tail, mule deer or antelope hunting rifle out west here.

Want to sell it? :rofl:
 
eastbank said:
i shoot 45 grs of hybrid 100v with that bullet and it gives a honest 2900 fps cronied. 46 grs is listed at 3049 fps. 45 grs gives no pressure signs in my rifles, but work up starting at 43 grs.
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That's good medicine there!

Thanks for the reply, but you didn't answer one of my questions...:D
 
WIth a max range estimate of 150 yards, the barrel length effect on velocity is not an issue. What is more important is fit, "Pointability", and weight. I have found light weight rifles more difficult to shoot accurately than heavier ones. This makes the fit and easy of handling (pointablity) of paramount importance. And these two are highly specific to the individual. When you find a potential candidate, fix your eye on a specific point of aim, then raise the rifle to your shoulder. If it feels like everything lines up naturally, then you might just have a match. To paraphrase a famous author, often the rifle picks the shooter, not the other way around. This is a dangerous test, however. I have several that have latched on to me so hard that I couldn't put them down and so had to buy them on the spot...
 
I just went through this and ended up with the Kimber 84m Hunter in 243. It’s still in the box so I can’t comment on performance. Very happy with it so far, looks good, feel good and the trigger is great. I wasn’t looking for a gun with a removable magazine but I’m warming up to it. I do like the controlled round feed and the safety. Others I checked out - Tikka but couldn’t warm up to it and didn’t like the safety, very nice gun and shot one - Remington Seven and the Savage Lightweight Storm. I liked the Christensen Masa but it doesn’t come in 243. I found the lightweight 243’s don’t show up for sale to often. I was on Gunbroker daily for quite a while searching “newly listed - bolt action - 243” until the Kimber popped up at under $750 NIB. Had to have it!
 
I did settle on the tikka t3x lite it seemed to fit the parameters I was looking for . It may be a tad heavier than I was hoping for once the scope is mounted but still plenty less than my 3006 . I bought some factory ammo for it and I will run some of my handload stuff through it as well to try and find a good bullet for the gun .thank you to everyone for their input always good to hear .
 
Deadeyejedi said:
I did settle on the tikka t3x lite it seemed to fit the parameters I was looking for . It may be a tad heavier than I was hoping for once the scope is mounted but still plenty less than my 3006 . I bought some factory ammo for it and I will run some of my handload stuff through it as well to try and find a good bullet for the gun .thank you to everyone for their input always good to hear .
Click to expand...

My hunting buddy has a T3X in .243 Winchester that we load with RL17 and the 80 grain TTSX ... shoots under 3/4" @ 100 yards 3300 +fps ... kills whitetail like lightening ... I use the same load in my Model 700 .243 and it shoots about the same ....the Tiki is somewhat lighter than the Remington ... both have killed well
 
Deadeyejedi said:
I did settle on the tikka t3x lite it seemed to fit the parameters I was looking for . It may be a tad heavier than I was hoping for once the scope is mounted but still plenty less than my 3006 . I bought some factory ammo for it and I will run some of my handload stuff through it as well to try and find a good bullet for the gun .thank you to everyone for their input always good to hear .
Click to expand...
Congrats! Tikka makes an excellent rifle.
 
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