Heart set on a .243...but i found a deal need advice

[Irishdc]

I have pretty much decided on a stevens/savage 243. and have been looking at used rifles with little luck. Yesterday I found a Stevens 200 22-250 with a bushnell scope for $250.00. I want 243 since it will allow me the opportunity to hunt deer at our place in upper Michigan. I am toying with idea of buying the 22-250 and seeing what i would need to do to convert to the 243. Any idea or suggestions? Should I just buy the 22-250 and leave it alone. I will be using it for mostly coyotes and ground hogs where I live now since slugs are only allowed for deer.

[budlight]

Most of my rifles have custom barrels. It is not a cheap solution when it might be $300+ for the barrel and then all the man hours. Also the majority of barrel manufactures only make barrels for the popular rifle actions. So do a little home work and find out if a barrel is made for the stevens. Another thing about re-barreling is that you have to stay with a similar size case. I'm not a gun smith, 22-250 is small compared to a .243

When I was 10 years old I was given a 22-250 26 inch varmiter. My Uncle bought me all the reloading gear and I used that gun for 1000's of rounds at the local Marmots and rabbits. But as I got older I figured out that they just don't have enough HP to do it right. Now my smallest caliber is a 243.

[Top Cat]

22-250 is a good round. Factory barrels have a slow twist that limits bullet choices to the lighter weights, but a 52gr Barnes X will hammer large game with authority at normal hunting ranges. A slower twist 223 is a more practical choice, but 22-250 can do it all within normal hunting ranges.

At long range, the 243 is a great round that does everything well.

If you want a 243, just buy a new Stevens in 243. They should be readily available brand new with a street price around $300. Buds has them for around that price, but if you look around, I've seen them new for $260.

Hell of a deal. They are usable just as they come even in the factory stock. It's pillar bedded in steel and free floated, so that helps. They are accurate, and the twist is right for heavy bullets unlike most other factory rifles.

Stevens uses the same action and barrel system as Savage, but a new barrel would cost that much or more.

TC

[liltank]

Don't get hung up on used rifles with scopes. Unless it comes with a purpose built LR scope, you will have to replace it eventually anyway. May suggest buying an action. You can get a Savage Target action or the Howa barreled action (heavy varmint available) and put it in a stock of your choice. You could build a rifle and scope it for under $1200. With the Howa, after market stock, and decent priced scope, you could get it all for under $1000. With a Savage Repeater action, Shilen Barrel, Nikon Buckmaster or Vortex Crossfire scope, EGW Base, Burris Rings, and Bell and Carlson stock... you could put together a very nice rifle for under $1200 easy.

Tank