OK, i'll weigh in on the scope side also. The Leupolds are great, but I don't think i'll buy one soon just because i've had such good luck with some less expensive stuff. I put a Nikon 3.5X14 AO on my 25.06, paid $200 and well worth it. I put a Simmons 2.5x10x50 Pro 50 on my Weatherby 30.06, and I swear it's better in low light, and cost me $50. You can pick them for that price at http://www.natchezss.com/. Natchez has several good scopes at good prices, including the Burris Fullfield II with a spotting scope thrown in for under $200. The Simmons ATV csam talked about is on sale for $79.

If I hunted in Alaska, Canada, Africa, or other such places we all wish to go but only a few get to hunt, and could afford the Swarovski or Kahles scopes, i'd probably buy one. But since I hunt mostly deer and coyote with my rifles, mostly in KY, i'm more interested at this point in putting my money in better rifles and making do with the lower price, but adequate scopes like the Simmons'. I did read on another thread that the best Simmons scopes were manufactured in Japan, i think, and that some of the others were best left alone. If anybody remembers anything along these lines you might pipe up.

Anyway, good luck. I prefer the 25.06, but the .243 is a good choice.

TJ

As far as I know, all simmons current production are made in the philipines/PRC now, even the top of the line whitetail expedition, I have one. The only japan made simmons that I know of for sure is the 800116 8-32x44 target scope still available at Natchez on closeout, it is no longer made.

I thought they covered the ammo question well, but I wanted to address the optics. I have leupolds and you cannot go wrong with them. I have a vari-x II 3-9x40 and vari-x III 1.5-5x. Just wow, these are great optics that are not in the 400-500 range. The prices have been going up a bunch but they are still the best for the money.

I also have a burris fulfield 2-9x40 that I like a lot. You get a lot of bang for the buck on these, I gor it on ebay for $125. They now have the fulfield II that folks compare to the leupold vari-x II.

For something less expensive I like the Simmons. I do not have one, but friend of mine has a cooper custom 10/22 heavy barreled tack driver. He has it topped with a Simmons 4-14x40 ATV. I am looking for one for one of my rifles. It has a paralax adjustment that would be just the ticket tor your long range shots on the coyotes. I was really impressed with how bright and sharp it was, and the controls felt like the do on a quality scope. You can find these for $75 to $100. This was really an impressive scope, I ahve not been impressed with the BSA or Tasco crap. They look good when for $100 you get a illum reticle, mil dot, and so on, but I was not impressed with the quality.

For the scope I would highly recommend the Mueller Sport Dot, I have 2 of them, they are THE best buy under $200 scope on the market.

http://www.muelleroptics.com/red_dot_scopes1.html

Best price is at Eabco:

http://www.eabco.com/sale1031.html

I'd suggest any bullet appropriate for deer that will yield the required accuracy at 400yds. Until some bonded 6mms are available I'd use the Partition too. If you can't get MOA, then try something else.



I think the Simmons Aetec illuminated 3.8-12x44 is probably a good choice at just under $200.

Check out the .260 Rem. Shoots a little flatter than the .243, but less recoil than the .25-06. Good luck and good shooting.

I don't know about the others, but I just re-read the original post and understood it more as a search for guns/ammo that would kill a coyote at 400yd and deer at 150yd, keeping the cost as low as possible for good equipment. I think the fact that he said he was still looking at a .243, and not that he owned one, gave some that read the post the license to give info on other calibers before the purchase was made.

I agree with you that many of these threads become very convuluted and confusing, but I hope this one hasn't reached that point, yet. I personally enjoy everyone's opinions, but also enjoy threads that remain relevant to the original post.

Happy shooting! TJ

I guess I am a bit confused ladies and gents, the original post that I read asked about the 243. I can't quite figure where the 25/06, 260 etc. stuff comments came from?

Dogz

"GET TO THE HILL"

I'm not saying they weren't valid comments, I just always wonder and am amazed at people's need to get in their own comments and not to follow the orignal question.

NO problem tj2506--I really should of kept my mouth shut, sometimes I get a lil too literal.

Dogz