looking for a new rifle

[Lapuatom]

looking to find a light weight, deer, varmint rifle in 243/243ai w/8tw bbl. Short of going full custom, would like to find a production piece in said features. Dont really mind paying for a higher end{Cooper,Bergara,etc} but unable to find what I want. Any help, suggestions much appreciated. thank you in advance.

 

[johnnyk]

Nothing comes to mind with a factory 8t barrel, but I wish! I have always admired the AI's and a 28", 243AI in 7t (for 110gn and up) is on my wish list, as is a .22-250AI (7t).
Savage makes rifles in the 6mmCM w/8t barrels. Not a CM fan but a .243AI reamer might would clean up a 6CM chamber but most gunsmiths discourage re-chambering factory barrels. You could always buy the rifle you want (Cooper, Bergara) and have it rebarreled right away and sell the factory tube. Not sure but Cooper might even build you a .243AI, 8t from the git-go. That would be sweet! Good luck and keep us up to date with your search.

 

[Lapuatom]

Nothing comes to mind with a factory 8t barrel, but I wish! I have always admired the AI's and a 28", 243AI in 7t (for 110gn and up) is on my wish list, as is a .22-250AI (7t).
Savage makes rifles in the 6mmCM w/8t barrels. Not a CM fan but a .243AI reamer might would clean up a 6CM chamber but most gunsmiths discourage re-chambering factory barrels. You could always buy the rifle you want (Cooper, Bergara) and have it rebarreled right away and sell the factory tube. Not sure but Cooper might even build you a .243AI, 8t from the git-go. That would be sweet! Good luck and keep us up to date with your search.

Just sent email and spec request to Cooper arms. Will post results

 

[jebel]

While they are out of production now, the Barrett Fieldcraft is a finely made rifle that can be found chambered in 243 Win or 6mm Creedmoor with a 1:7 twist 21" barrel and weighing 5.2 lbs. Hard to find one for sale now though.

 

[dogz]

Tikka T3, make life easy......

Question, to what ranges do you normally take your deer and varmints? (for that matter what kind of varmints?)

 

[jebel]

Browning also made some of their X-Bolt Pro rifles in 6mm Creedmoor with 1:7.5 twist 22" barrels and weighing about 6 lbs. I don't have experience with the X-Bolt Pro, but reviews seem to be good.

 

[SArnold30]

Not sure how dead set you are on the 243 Win/243 AI, but since you mentioned the possibility of a Cooper: here's one that'll still shoot .243 bullets, just out of a 240 Wby.

GunBroker.com - Error

 

[Idaho Lefty]

Tikka T3, make life easy......

Question, to what ranges do you normally take your deer and varmints? (for that matter what kind of varmints?)

My Tikka T-3, .243 win. ( 1-10 Factory Twist, @ 7.5 pounds "all up" w/ 4.5 x 14 Burris ) shoots, the 100 Grain, Sierra GK's @ 3,025 FPS into, 1/2 to 5/8 th's inch groups and the Berger 87 HVLD's @ 3,125 FPS in, the .2's and .3's !
With, Trigger Spring, LimbSaver pad, Burris 4-14 X Scope, Zee Rings etc,.. $1,150 Total ( 2-3 years ago, tho ! )
We have, 3 Tikka's in Family ( ALL "shooters" ) and Love them !
NO need, to spend more,.. IMHO !
When / IF, the Barrel "goes South" THEN put, a 1-8 Twist Bbl on it and make,.. a 6mm SLR out of it !

 

[Lapuatom]

Tikka T3, make life easy......

Question, to what ranges do you normally take your deer and varmints? (for that matter what kind of varmints?)

Mostly for deer but some groundhogs and a fox/yote occasionally. Max range around 400yds.

 

[Lapuatom]

My Tikka T-3, .243 win. ( 1-10 Factory Twist, @ 7.5 pounds "all up" w/ 4.5 x 14 Burris ) shoots, the 100 Grain, Sierra GK's @ 3,025 FPS into, 1/2 to 5/8 th's inch groups and the Berger 87 HVLD's @ 3,125 FPS in, the .2's and .3's !
With, Trigger Spring, LimbSaver pad, Burris 4-14 X Scope, Zee Rings etc,.. $1,150 Total ( 2-3 years ago, tho ! )
We have, 3 Tikka's in Family ( ALL "shooters" ) and Love them !
NO need, to spend more,.. IMHO !
When / IF, the Barrel "goes South" THEN put, a 1-8 Twist Bbl on it and make,.. a 6mm SLR out of it !

I already have,2-243s w/10"tw. Want to shoot some hammers, hence the faster twist.

 

[jebel]

For whatever reason, finding a factory 243 Win with a faster twist is rare. The Barrett Fieldcraft is your best bet, if you can dig one up. The 6mm Creedmoor has identical ballistics and you're more likely to find a factory gun in 1:8 or faster and more factory options at that twist. But maybe you'd rather not load for a new cartridge. That means getting a donor action and putting on a new barrel.

I've got a 6mm Creedmoor Barrett Fieldcraft (1:7) and I'm shooting hammers. Started with the 101 HH and now moving to try the 88 HH. Pleased with both.

 

[vortech347]

Just do a 6mm Creedmoor instead.

 

[Lapuatom]

Just do a 6mm Creedmoor instead.

Not a need more fan,lol.

 

[BrentM]

I still find it very disturbing people hate on creeds. Makes no sense at all. I have both 6mm creed and 243. The AI is a solid performer for sure but it's not a factory option. Unless you decide on a semi custom or made to order rifle package I'd go 6 creed and be done with it. It's dang fine cartridge and similar to the 243 with a better case design. Since you are not opposed to buying a higher end rifle, I'd build it off a big horn action. Now you have a 700 foot print, multiple bolt heads to change it out and you can order prefit barrels in any configuration you like. I've built a pile of savage action based rifles using this concept and really enjoy it. My current platform can be a small base to a magnum base cartridge inside 30 mins. I just swapped barrels last week and it took me 3 rounds to rezero. It was pretty close. I'll be swapping out again in a week or 2 to a new 223 trainer with 7 twist I ordered from x caliber.