New Rifle Day

[CZ93X62]

I've been nosing around for a new-to-me 243 bolter for some time. I was taking up space earlier today inside ASK Defensive that an actual customer might have made better use of, and Shawn got a loose minute between customers for a question on 243s. He had one! Tikka T3x Compact, 20" barrel and synth black stock, and clearance-priced ($630). WRAP IT UP. It will come home on 10/20, due to the weekend lengthening the 10-day wait. It CAN come home on 10/17 after 4:30 P.M., dunno if I can manage that 30-minute time window. I am incurably lazy.

This is pretty much exactly what I was seeking, a walk-around rat-to-deer rifle under 10# scoped and slung in 243 Win. The real trick......keeping it out of daughters' gun safes. Rotten girls steal all of the soft-kickers and 10/22s.

 

[Joshua]

You should probably start looking for another one soon. Then before she steals one figure out which one is more accurate.

 

[CZ93X62]

Not a "She"--it's a THEY. 6 of those Amazons. Most have husbands or boyfriends they can depredate financially, but only a couple hunt and only one is what I would term a gun enthusiast. So far. I spoil them something awful.

 

[Ian]

If it's half as nice as my T3 you're going to love it. If it doesn't come with an extra magazine, OEM ones are available readily in 3 and 5 capacity from the usual mail order houses.

Word is the special, included scope mounts leave a lot to be desired. Mine came without them so I bought a DNZ Gamereaper one-piece mount and couldn't be happier. The DNZ doesn't utilize the recoil dowel pin but does come with proper screws. If you dont mind the extra weight and need extra recoil durability, Montana tactical (or some such) makes a steel 1913 Picatinny rail with the recoil dowel. Burris steel rings that fit the OEM dovetail are probably the strongest you can get (like if you fall down on the rifle or drop it out of a tree), if you can find any in stock.

 

[Spindrift]

You’re going to like this one! Keep us posted!

 

[CZ93X62]

The receiver is drilled & tapped for Leup/Redfield bases and rings, and I will likely go that route. Its what I know and trust, Old School as it is. I bought 2 new handguns last year, but I think it has been four years since my last new rifle--and that was an upper half for my AR-15. C. April 2018 I found a used/nice shape Mossberg 500-series 410 pump, which I enjoy immensely AND conceal from the Bevy Of Amazons on shooting ventures. They already run me ragged keeping them in 28 gauge shells.

Starline had 243 Win brass listed as "Available", so I ordered 250 pieces at 50 cents apiece. It's only money. If you want sticker shock, look what they are asking for 348 WCF brass. "Godfrey Daniels!", as W.C. Fields used to say in his films to get past the censors.

 

[Petrol & Powder]

Sako (Tikka) makes a fine rifle.
Sounds like a good deal.

 

[CWLONGSHOT]

Have you discovered a 6.5 Grendel yet?

243 WAS my choice for a light kicker all around firearm. Then I bought a Grendel. Better bullets Heavier bullet weights & LESS RECOIL. As I have seen, it also has better accuracy. It also seems to "Kill" better.

Sure not as common but as a reloader Thats mostly meaningless.

My lil brother who isnt a great shot and never practices shot mine last year when checking the site on his 25/06. Was happy with same weight bullet and shot THE best group he ever fired. My buddys wife has been using a 357 Lever cause her husbands 44 kicked too much. She shot the grendel two weeks ago. I got a email from my buddy with a thanks and a pic of the 500$ bill for a rifle scope and ammo...

 

[Petrol & Powder]

I used to shoot with a guy that had a pre-64 Winchester model 70 chambered in 243. That guy was an incredible marksman but the cartridge impressed me as well.

 

[Rockydoc]

I have bought as gifts for all my grandsons, my son and son-in law...Thompson-Center Compass rifles. They are the most accurate out of the box rifles I have tried to date. They are a bargain and the most bang for the buck $240 something bare or $340 something with a scope. Chrome lined barrel, removable rotary magazine, 5R rifling, what's not to like (plastic stock). The latest model is the Compass II. I think that has a better trigger. I found no fault with the original trigger.
See the link below.

Follow Your Compass

images.kygunco.com

Rocky

 

[CZ93X62]

Ah, the 6.5mms. The shop yesterday had a bunch of Bergara bolt rifles in........you guessed it, 6.5 Creedmoor. I have a very nice and quite accurate 6.5 x 55 Swede (Ruger 77R) that fills the 26 caliber niche quite capably. One customer had a GORGEOUS MACHINE of a 6.5 C that he was picking up as a gift for a relative. It was a custom build on an unrecognized bolt system, but GOODNESS it looked accurate. I just haven't climbed onto the 6.5 C bandwagon, with my Ruger in the safe and my long preference & time-in-grade with the 308 for reaching out with. If I was to commission a rifle like that being picked up, mine would be in 308.

The new Tikka will primarily be a varmint rifle, with the ability to cross over into the California-sized deer that I hunt locally. I wanted the 243 because this will be my 4th rifle in this caliber--I am familiar with the caliber and have dies and components on hand. I also have moulds and castings on hand, and I've had great success with the 243 and cast bullets.

 

[Petrol & Powder]

The old 6.5 x 55 Swede was a good concept.

I'm a fan of the 308 Win and its offspring the 7mm-08 and 243 Win. I never really got on the 6.5 Creedmoor bandwagon. It fits right between the 243 and the 7mm-08 and I just never saw what all the hoopla was about. The ballistics performance gap between the 6mm and the 7mm just isn't that large.

A T3 with a 20" barrel and a synthetic stock in 243 would be a handy rig ! I predict CZ93x62 will enjoy that rifle immensely.

 

[Ian]

Creedmoor is for gamers that put a lot of rounds waaaaaay downrange in the course of a match.

 

[Petrol & Powder]

Yeah, I'm sure the Creedmoor has an application but it doesn't scratch my itch.

 

[Rick H]

The 26's are adequately represented without the Creedmoor in all respects but one. The Black Rifles. Most of the existing 26's have superior ballistics to the Creedmoor. It's niche is the AR platform. It will fit and function in a standard AR receiver. Of course it is "new and improved" and being hailed as the greatest thing next to the second coming. Why not it sells guns?

 

[CWLONGSHOT]

The Creedmoore is what it is... Many flock to
Less know why.

I suggested the GRENDEL!

CW

 

[Petrol & Powder]

The 26's are adequately represented without the Creedmoor in all respects but one. The Black Rifles. Most of the existing 26's have superior ballistics to the Creedmoor. It's niche is the AR platform. It will fit and function in a standard AR receiver. Of course it is "new and improved" and being hailed as the greatest thing next to the second coming. Why not it sells guns?

Agreed but it seems to me to be a solution in search of a problem. And yes, it does sell guns !

 

[Joshua]

Here you go boys! Fight over this one!!!

Springfield M1A in 6.5 Creedmoor.

 

[CZ93X62]

I had 25 rounds of an AR-10 in 263 Waters a few years back. At round #3, a very unfortunate sage rat stood up at ~200 meters. So long, sage rat. 85 grain Sierra HP, which I later chose for a shoot-off vs. the 100 grain V-Max in the Ruger 77R for varmints. Both shoot well under an inch, in the .6" realm/5 shots at 100 yards. Once that got sorted out, CA went all-unleaded. Serial expletives deleted.

I don't know enough about the 6.5 C to comment intelligently, but it is MONDO POPULAR for some reason.

 

[waco]

My brother has ran 147gr ELD’s out to a mile in his 6.5 CM.