New Rifle...Which One?

[muzzleblast525]

I'm selling two Encore rifle barrels on Ebay as we speak, and I'm thinking of getting another bolt action.  Kinda lost interest in the Encore rifle after getting a Remington .308 rifle that is shooting 3/4" MOA.  Anyway, looking for a rifle slightly smaller when I don't want to lug that one around in the woods.  

Currently, I have a Remington LVSF in 22-250, a Remington in .308, and an Encore pistol in 25/06.  Was thinking about getting a .243 or 7mm-08, but I'm open to any other ideas.  Looking for something that won't whip my butt after several hours at the range, as I like to shoot as much as possible.

Looking to spend upwards of about 800 dollars for this rifle.

Thanks :idea:

[Redhawk1]

Browning A-bolt in 243. I have one and can shoot it all day.  

[Savage .250]

Ok, i`ll jump in .  Something in the .243 range is a good fit for what your
  talking about/ looking for. Ammo not all that expensive and the re-coil
  is easy on your shoulder.  Light to carry as well.  
  Put a nice scope on it  and enjoy.
  Course if you can find a Sav 99 in .250 you`ll be in high cotton. Now there is a gun/cal. that not only will deliver when needed but is one of the
  icons in American hunting. IMHO.  
   I own both calibers (plus some) and i can tell you not only are they light to carry around all day but can  finish the job when called upon.
   That being said, shot placement is paramount.
 
   " The best part of the hunt is not the harvest but in the experience."

[PEPAW]

I would buy a basic Savage .243 with the Accutrigger,  then restocked with a really nice, light, synthetic stock.   Accurate, dependable, and unique.   Should be in the budget and fun to shoot and carry.  

pepaw

[james]

My pet caliber is the 6.5x55 which is a pleasure to shoot.  Accuracy is what sold me on this round.  You do need to reload to really appreciate the caliber,  I have had bullets from 95 gr. to 160 gr. group less than one inch.  For someone that doesn't reload I would recommend the .243 due to the limited selection of factory ammo for the 6.5.  CZ, Winchester, and Tikka still chamber rifles in 6.5 x 55.   I have an Encore barrel in the caliber but it is not as accurate as the Swedes.  The Encore barrel has a left hand twist while the Swedes are right hand which may not have anything to do with the accuracy but if I buy another 6.5 barrel it will be a right hand twist. Unlike my .308, the most accurate loads for the 6.5 are way less than the maximum recommended charges which makes the recoil and muzzle blast very mild. Good luck on your new gun.
james

[beemanbeme]

skip over the .243 and go to a .260 or a 7-08.  You'll be glad you did.  

If you're a traditionalist, go with a 6.5 Swede or a 7x57.  With the longer action and the longer throating that is usual with the latter two, you can use the heavier bullets that made both their reputations.

[Coyote Hunter]

Given you're in TX and didn't express any interest in elk /moose/big bears (which your .308 could handle anyway, although it wouldn't be my first choice)....



You've got varmints pretty well covered with the .22-250 and deer and pigs with the .308.  I prefer the .257 Roberts and .25-06 to a .243.  Since you already have a .25-06 pistol a rifle in that caliber makes some sense.  The .257 Roberts is a better cartridge for handloaders who can use +P data and really take advantage of its capabilities.  Going up a bit in caliber it's hard to go wrong with a 7mm-08, either.

That said, I'm going to suggest something entirely different - something fun and relatively inexpensive to shoot.  I know this is a bolt gun forum but my suggestion would be to look at lever guns.  I shoot both bolt guns and lever guns and the lever guns have always registered higher on the ‘FUN’ scale.  A Marlin in .357 Mag or .44 Mag will provide hours of shooting fun at minimal cost and recoil is very mild.  Although I shoot my Browniing B92 .44 MAg at 200 ayrds on a regular basis, its useful hunting range is best limited to 100-125 yards and I would limit a .357 Mag even more..  A step up in power, recoil and ammo cost is the .30-30, which is fine out to 200 yards (1,000fpe for a 150g bullet) for deer.  Ammo, while more expensive, is still relatively cheap at around $12 a box of 20.  One more step up is the 450 Marlin and .45-70.  Recoil on factory 450’s is probably more than you want, and ammo selection for the 450 is limited, but the .45-70 offers a very wide range of ammo from cheap and mild ‘cowboy’ loads you can shoot all day to ammo that can (and has) taken Africa’s ‘Big Seven’.  Cowboy ammo runs about $12 a box, ‘normal’ ammo will run $18-$22 a box and premium hunting ammo like that from Garrett and Buffalo Bore will run $40-$60 per box of 20.  If your pocket book can stand it, Garrett offers loads that use Speer’s 500 grain African Grand Slam Tungsten Solid for only $180 a box.  One of my favorite loads (as a reloader) is 300 grain hardcast over 13.5 grains HS-6.  Velocity is around 1100fps and ammo costs me $2.50 per box.  Recoil for these loads is about half that of factory .30-30 loads.

The only caution about lever guns is that they are rather addicting. Like a lot of other bolt-gun shooters, I started out with one but somehow they proliferated - to the point where I have a Browning B92 in .44 Mag and Marlins in .30-30, .375Win and .45-70. The last three big game animals I’ve taken (buck antelope with the .375Win, forkhorn mulie and 6x6 bull elk with the .45-70) were taken with the leverguns. When the girls go shooting with me we take the .30-30 and .45-70, and they prefer the .45-70 with the plinker loads.  When I want to blow up a row of water jugs I reach for the .45-70 and hardcast hunting loads.  When I want to wrap the swinging steel gongs around the pole they are supported from I again reach for the .45-70 and heavy hardcast.  For clay pigeons at 200 yards its the .30-30.  Like I said, addicting...

[mountainview]

M-blast,

The 7-08 is sufficiently close to the 308 in ballistics that I would go with the 243 or 25-06. Both are good choices and would fill in the niche in your collection while meeting requirements you posed. I might diverge and throw out the suggestion of a heavy barrel 223. Won't be a good choice for toting in the woods or deer hunting but you can shoot a lot for relatively little cost. I like shooting my bigger calibers but my 223 is my constant companion at the range since I enjoy shooting and want to make my trip worthwhile while staying financially solvent.

[Zachary]

The 7mm-08 is my favorite whitetail cartridge, although it may not be ideal for "shooting at the range all day."  For such applications (in centerfire) the .223 is King.  But given that you have a .22-250 already (meaning same diameter), we can count the .223 out (at least for now).

The .243 should work well for you.  Recoil is very low and ammo is generally available.  However, you should also look at the .257 Roberts (as was already discussed) although ammo is generally neither extensive nor available.  Same goes true for the 6.5x-55.

Another good choice would be the .260 Remington.  Factory ammo is more available today than it has ever been, recoil is about the same as the .243, and with 140 grain bullets it is more capable as a deer cartridge than the .243 given its wider diameter and heavier bullets (but again, shot placement is almost everything.)

Zachary

[jvs]

Since you seem to have broke ranks and went with an old reliable caliber like the .308 and liked it, maybe you should look into a .30-30 carbine.  They are light, easy on the shoulder, cheap to shoot and just as reliable as the .308.  So reliable, it's as boring as the .308.

.30-30 Factory loads can be had on sale for around $7 a box.  Plus a new .30-30 will cost you way under your upper limit.   As a matter of fact, the rifle, scope, mounts, sling and all the ammo you want probably wouldn't add up to $800.

I might take alot of heat for recommending that caliber, but it fits what you asked for.

[Lawdog]

While the .243 Win. is a good cartridge I would go for a bit more versatility with the .257 Roberts.  Even more versatile is the .25-06 but it does have the disadvantage of more recoil(although not that bad).  The “Quarter Bores” are well known for their inherent accuracy.  Most will shoot better than their owners are capable of.  Lawdog
 

[PEPAW]

I love my 760 Roberts, but for fun target shooting, versitility, and multiple factory loads, the .243 is hard to beat.   Depends on intent, but he has a .308 for deer.

pepaw

[kenjs1]

For that money it looks like a Kimber 84 in 260 is just your ticket.  A lightweight beautiful (understatement) rifle with a good stock  that will help with recoil.  The Brownings are also a good choice.  If not an A-bolt, which is light and easy to carry with some great features, then consider one of their alternatives.  The BLR's are compact,  tote very easily and shoot super.  The other idea is a BAR Shorttrac -those are really amazing.  Go throw one up to your shoulder and see - it is very light,  superbly balanced and also has a reputation for accuracy. Both would be fun.  A 243 BAR would have just about no recoil.  I think all of these listed are very handsome rifles.

[Handwerk]

I would go with a tikka t-3 in 7mm-08, got one for my son and am very happy with it.

[Grubbs]

Ditto what Handwerk said.  Sub MOA all day with factory ammo.

[Eddie in Delta]

How about an AR-15 for a "just because I can" experience?  I like bolts and all, but sometimes a 30 round mag is just fun.

Eddie

[pc]

A cz 550 in .375 H&H with a 2-7 leupoldin warne mounts and you can shoot 235 gr speers, 260 gr Nos BT's right up to 350 gr woodleigh's !! if you can shoot a 30/06 you can shoot a .375 H&H......................you won't look back infact you will move up to a .416 Rigby next !!

My second choice would be amarlin lever gun in 45/70 !!

[poncaguy]

Ruger 77 in 260 or a Stevens 200 in 7mm-08 or 25-06. I own all 3, great calibers and great rifles.

[rickyp]

http://www.savagearms.com/10fm.htm

[sniper55]

Go ahead get the 243 win. you want be sorry very accurate round lots of bullet choice's.  I have more one shot kills in Tx on whitetails than any other cal. also very nice to shoot at the range all day easy to load for Imr 4350 is a good place to start with 100gr bullets.

[muzzleblast525]

Well, had too much overtime last week and from sell of barrels, and trade of another gun, got a Sako Finlight in .270 WSM.  Gonna play with this for awhile and work up some groups and get it done..... :-)

[PEPAW]

Nice rifle.  Perfect for deer I expect.   More recoil than I like, but I am recoil shy.
 
Good choice.   Have fun and a good season.

pepaw

[poncaguy]

A great choice, I have a Winchester Super Shadow in 270 WSM, very accurate and it will reach way out there...............recoil isn't that bad, less tah a 7MM Mag for sure

[Bear Wallow]

How about a Sako or Kimber in 7mm-08. :cb2:

[Brithunter]

Hi There,

    Well now that you have made the decision and got it

Well, had too much overtime last week and from sell of barrels, and trade of another gun, got a Sako Finlight in .270 WSM.  Gonna play with this for awhile and work up some groups and get it done..... :-)

     Please let us know how it shoots, that is once you get around to trying it out :lol:

[jim21]

Take a look at the Stevens model 200,its gotten good reviews and its cheap and a .243 would be perfect for that model.