243 for the wife ?

[BrentM]

She loves shooting the 204 but we can only really get out to 700 with repeatable accuracy. She is not really fond of my 6.5-284, bit too much kick. So I was thinking something along the lines of a 243 might be about right to shoot 1000 or so.

I can get a 26" shilen barrel from Midway for $319 and set up my extra short action pretty easily so I was wondering what the thoughts are regarding this caliber and cartridge choice for a small woman and long range shooting? I have not checked to see if bullets are available yet.

 

[jyenney]

Caliber of choice for some 1000 yard tactical shooters.
Pretty easy to get a 105 or better yet 115 VLD to that range.
I have shot mine to 800 with ease, just haven't had a chance to get to 1k.
Great caliber, and very mild recoil.

 

[BrentM]

Thanks for the feed back. I am pretty set on doing something for her and playing with a different caliber too. I am sure I would enjoy it as well. Any clue of barrel life of a 243?

 

[jyenney]

I guess that is a mixed question and there are many opinions.
I have only shot about 700 rds thru my build.
My dad has a pre 64 that he bought in the early 70's and has shot it a lot !
It still shoots 1/2" groups.

 

[BrentM]

I hear ya. I put about 4000 rounds through the rifles last year tuning myself up for LR shooting. I won't do that much now so anything around 1500 or better is fine. My old 6.5-284 is on 1700 and with a worn out throat and still doing fine at .5 to .75 MOA depending on the shooters day. If we get 200-300 per year on the 243 once a solid load is developed I would be surprised. Any more it is about quality not necessarily quantity to gets me to giggle.

 

[Wachsmann]

I got my wife a tikka T3 light in the 243 and its ok but it still had a little bit of recoil for her first gun. I been able to get her shooting a 18 gong at 600yrds so she was pretty happy and the recoil issue soon melted away with a big smile. it was also a big confidence booster.

 

[T3-OleMan]

I got my wife a tikka T3 light in the 243 and its ok but it still had a little bit of recoil for her first gun. I been able to get her shooting a 18 gong at 600yrds so she was pretty happy and the recoil issue soon melted away with a big smile. it was also a big confidence booster.

If you have not already done this, put a limb saver butt pad on it and she will be double happy. Before I ever fired my Tikka T3 SS light in 338WM I installed the limb saver and never needed a brake. Just don't rest it on the butt pad, it will compress it, guess that is the secret of the limb saver or mine is just defective.
Good luck. gun)