A buddy of mine is thinking about selling his 243, and I don't have one....

The problem is that I'm going to need a better excuse, even if it isn't the real truth. So I'm trying to convince myself why I should think about buying it. My reasoning right now is that right now I don't have anything in between a 223 and a 30-06. I'm trying to convince myself that it will work better on coyotes than a 223 will, or that it might be a longer range varmint cartridge than the 223 will, or if I ever go deer hunting out west somewhere when my kids get older it will be a better youth round than an '06....

So help me out guys, what little niche can the 243 do better than guns above or below it?

Thanks!

Buy it 'cause you want it!!

Steve H

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God Bless and Shoot Straight

Buy it to add to your growing collection.

I personally believe each one of us should have at least one rifle in every caliber made!

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saeed@ emirates.net.ae

www.accuratereloading.com

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born on a mountain, raised in a cave, hunting and fishing is all i crave!

For myself, I want one of everything, please

And aside from that, the 243 is a damn fine cartridge from both a performance and a reloading standpoint.

just indulge. if you can afford it, and you want it, get it. you'll be happier in long run.

The recoil is going to hurt your whimpy @$$!

Daryl

"for the children!" - I always like this approach, even if they can't shoot it for a another couple years.

Varmints past 300 yards- Good one here! Maybe I'll just sight it in for 350 yds or so and have it be the one I grab for those far shots.

I can tie that one into the deer/varmint cartridge idea too.....

I guess none of you guys suggesting I get it "just because I want it" aren't married. Let me warn you that you can create a vicious cycle. Right now we have in our living room a chair in Queen Anne styling that looks like the other furniture, the main difference is that it cost darn near $800 and my wife "liked it"...... And a 243 isn't worth the risk of this chair getting a roomful of brothers and sisters! I hope my point is a little more clear now

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Ray Atkinson

ray@atkinsonhunting.com
atkinsonhunting.com

1. It will always be worth as much or more than I paid for it and will make a safe way to diversify our assets.

2. A .243 is a lot "cuter" than a .30-06, don't you think, honey?

3. Oh, that gun? No, of course it's not new, its the same old one I've always had (never let her see more than one gun at a time).

At least that's what I tell my wife. Of course to really have an investment implies an intent to sell it at some point. I have no intent to sell any of my guns...

"I am buying it to help out a good friend that is in a jamb. You know he would do the same for me if I needed him too."

The friend in need ploy is a powerfull one, not to be overlooked.

Ray,

You're sounding more like old ELMER evry day.
Rich Elliott

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Ethiopian Rift Valley Safaris

For a short action caliber for game I much prefer the .308 Win. I would rather handload a 125 gr bullet with a slightly reduced load for deer size game to cut down on recoil. Then you have a keeper.

The problem with the .243-257R's is they are "best for nothing".

I bought a M-70 for varmints in 1957 in .243 W. The bbl is shot out now but it was ok for a varmint rifle and ok as a target rifle for position shooting. If it were not for the biased writings of Bob Wallach I would have bought a .220 Swift. That was the cartridge that I really wanted. A .22-250 is almost as good.

1. It will provide a 6" exit hole on coyotes with 75 grain sierra hollow points.

2. It will provide sure kills on coyotes at 400 yards, which a 223 will not always do.

3. It will give you a no-recoil deer hunting rifle (the 223 is not a deer rifle any more than the 270 is an elk rifle).

4. It is a good wife/kids starter gun.

5. It will be shorter and lighter than the '06, if you consider that an advantage.

6. It will draw you deeper into the sport of hunting and shooting, which is always a good thing.

7. It is a private sale...

Ray,

You're sounding more like old ELMER evry day.
Rich Elliott

Flattery will get you no where with Ray. If you want one of those walnut blanks he's hawking, you'll have to pay for them like everyone else!

Reminds me of the time I got a new dirt bike, and, by the time I was done, all the furniture in the house had been replaced.

So, I learned a way around that problem;
good, old, American DECEIT?!?! Why does the significant other have to even know about the new weapon? Hide that .243 in the garage until the little lady goes out, then smuggle it into your collection, and she'll never know. Or, make a big show of taking one of your other, less desirable guns "out for repair" or something, then, put that gun in the basement or whatever, and bring the .243 in; she'll think it's the same one you took out earlier.

I remember a story by Pat McManus about how he kept his wife off guard on his number of guns by adding segments to his gun cabinet, thereby keeping the same number of empty spaces in it. She complained that 'I must be getting old - I used to be able to dust the gun cabinet in 5 minutes and now it takes 20'.

I like Saeed's idea of one, or more, guns in each caliber.

Well, gotta run - they're having a special on Queen Anne chairs downtown.

R-WEST

Arild

The 243 is an extremely accurate cartridge, designed to be a "do all" for any tiny game, to whitetails, and in some cases more. I am assuming, since it is your buddy's rifle you know it shoots well.

With that said, "Tell me why you wouldn't want it?"

Hah Ha, that's all the justification required to buy a rifle. YEAH!

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Live Free! Madison, Jefferson and all the boys paid for it, and so did our very own fathers.

quote:

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Originally posted by Stonecreek:
Oh, that gun? No, of course it's not new, its the same old one I've always had (never let her see more than one gun at a time).

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That one right there is the ticket. A few other guys touched on this "justification" as well. It really is the only one that will work in the long run! Most others can be used only once before the wife catches on.

I like McManus's method, especially. But, the real linch-pin of this philosophy is to maintain your own "gun fund" (aka "secret stash"). This can be maintained by ensuring all funds from gun sales (or covert sales of other household items ), pop can deposits, you name it, are kept in your little hiding place.

And, you must never, EVER reveal actual gun prices. Hide all reciepts! It is much easier on you if you make it a practice to divide the actual price in half. That will allow you to openly buy some guns with much less resistance from the spouse.

Here's a "for instance". Say your buddy wants to sell you that gun for $400. You pay for $200 of it with the "gun fund" and the remaining comes from "general revenue" (aka "the joint account", which is the same place the money for the furniture comes from). You can then get 4 rifles for every Queen Anne chair!!

Personally, I think Saeed's philosophy should apply to all of us. I am whittling away at it one small step at a time. First I will have one rifle in each "caliber". Then I will work on the cartridges. Sadly, I will have to resort to the tactics above to pull it off, but pull it off I will.

Canuck

[This message has been edited by Canuck (edited 11-03-2001).]

I just happen to dislike the 243 caliber for several reason, one being that it has blown up more rifles than all cartridges combined..the reason being that when the throat goes and you shoot 100 gr. bullets you get double ignition and blowups, according to the American Rifleman, whites laboratories, this will not happen with 90 gr. and under bullets?? why I don't know...another being that most try to make long shots with it and it can't cut it...I've seen a lot of animals wounded with it, and many times it does not leave a good blood trail....If used properly, like I do my 25-35 it is a good round for deer, but a bit destructive as bullet must kill by velocity and not weight....

That is my personal view on the 243 Win. I don't require anyone to abide by it, thats a personal choice for each of us....

In that case, just sneak the bugger in. Or better yet, get a blank tape and a tape recorder, tape yourself asking her if you can buy a new gun. then wait till she's half a sleep ask her something you know she'd say yes to and tape her responce (yes). When you finally show her the new rifle, 6 mos. later, pull out the tape of you asking her for a new rifle and her responce of yes.

as for the debate over the usefulness of a .243, since the smallest caliber I own is a 7.65 Argentine Mauser I can't directly comment on how well it works, however my uncle has his silhouette gun in .243 and it seems to work just fine for him...personally I'd rather have 6.5/284 and a .257 Roberts but I'm just difficult like that.

UH OH! Here comes Ray with his TURKISH WALNUT PADDLE, GOTTA GO NOW! BYE!!!!!!!!

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..Mac >>>===(x)===>
also DUGABOY1
DUGABOY DESIGNS
Collector/trader of fine double rifles, and African wildlife art

Jeez If you ain't got enough justification to buy that rifle out of all this - then you better sell what you already got and take up fishing or birdwatching

Steve H

I've only bought one .243, and took it for rechambering to 6mm-284 the next day. If I'd known then what I know now, I'd have given serious thought to a 243 Ackley chamber instead; almost as much poop and you can shoot factory ammunition if need be. Even so, the 6mm-284 fascinates me like a bad girl with red shoes...

Tom

Deer no 1 muntjac weight 23lbs clean, bullet 100gr Hornady RN @ 2550fps. Shoulder shot 50 yards, lights out in 2 steps.

Deer no 2 fallow pricket 90lbs clean, same bullet shot behind near shoulder and passing out at front of far shoulder, 75 yards. Deer found 70 yards off, hair only absolotely no blood whatsoever near point of strike

Deer no 3 fallow pricket 65lbs clean, 95gr nosler ballistic tip @ 2,750, 100yd lung shot at heart level and a touch back so missing heart. Deer reacted to shot but then trotted off 30 yards as if unhit toward wood before pausing and receiving snap follow up shot.

I do like my 243 it's a pleasure to shoot but it allows much less margin for error. Sure the velocity is a bit down compared to a normal 243 but only to the extent of adding another 75 yards or so range wise. It's ability to kill deer within sight of where they were hit and to provide a blood trail is poorer by a huge degree to my 6.5.

Remember that ghastly moment when the deer runs off and you don't hear it fall, you go forward and can find no blood. If you shoot fallow and up with a 243 you must accept that this will happen more frequently. It'll be dead somewhere if you've pointed it in the right place it's just it'll have taken a bit longer to expire and have left less sign of it's passing. In it's defense I was able to see all the animals react to the shot and so know that I had hit them.

[This message has been edited by 1894 (edited 11-08-2001).]

Mac,
Your forgiven, and considering your skill at placing the shot correctly with a knowledge of proper bullets I would not object to you using a 22 Hornet.

I have used a 243 to quite some degree early on, and I now use a 6x45 MM with Barnes X 75 gr. bullets successfully, but it does not leave a good blood trail and I choose to limit its use to open country, and short range..

For Deer size big game I believe in 277 bore or larger as they simply leave a better blood trail..and I actually tend to prefer .308 for better blood trails. This is my experience but, like most, I don't always abide by this rule of thumb.

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Ray Atkinson

ray@atkinsonhunting.com
atkinsonhunting.com