A Few Quick Questions

[DDB TX]

Small Lady, as you are not afraid of gunsmithing, here is a possibility for you. A shortened and re-stocked Remington 760 pump action. I got the pump gun used, and added the Boyd's laminated thumbhole stock, cut down over an inch to fit my preferred lop. It is a 1960s era Remington 760 (pre-7600) pump, a BDL model, with a professionally shortened and re-crowned 18.5 inch barrel. .270 Win. caliber. Takes 5 (factory) or 10 (aftermarket) round magazines. The shortened barrel gives the .270 about the same energy as the 6.5 Creedmoor, according to my reloading program. Noisier than the longer barrels but less recoil. Below it, for size comparison, is a 16" barrel saddle ring Winchester 30-30 carbine, (can you even have a 16" barrel in Canada?) and above it is a Tikka T-3 lite 24 inch bolt gun with brake, again, just for size comparison. I find the thumbhole stock greatly superior for standing or other unsupported ("offhand") shooting.
A while back I did some comparisons between a Savage 99 lever action and a Remington 760 pump gun, to see which was a better follow up shot style, and found to my surprise that the lever guns were faster to re-acquire and shoot second rounds than the pumps, because although you didnt have to release the stock to work the action in a pump, that back and forth pump pulled the barrel farther off target than releasing the stock and working a lever. You may have opposite results though, and I did not spend a lot of time practising with both.
Like you, I was a "wilderness child" from my early teen years. Stayed in college 5 years so I could get a 6th summer guiding wilderness canoe trips in Ontario and Manitoba. Much to my parents' chagrin. I ended up putting on a suit for about 25 years, and didn't get to move to the mountains of Wyoming until age 60. My life in a small Texas semi-suburb town outside of Austin was not horrible, but I wish I had punched out earlier.

 

[Small Lady]

Small Lady, as you are not afraid of gunsmithing, here is a possibility for you. A shortened and re-stocked Remington 760 pump action. I got the pump gun used, and added the Boyd's laminated thumbhole stock, cut down over an inch to fit my preferred lop. It is a 1960s era Remington 760 (pre-7600) pump, a BDL model, with a professionally shortened and re-crowned 18.5 inch barrel. .270 Win. caliber. Takes 5 (factory) or 10 (aftermarket) round magazines. The shortened barrel gives the .270 about the same energy as the 6.5 Creedmoor, according to my reloading program. Noisier than the longer barrels but less recoil. Below it, for size comparison, is a 16" barrel saddle ring Winchester 30-30 carbine, (can you even have a 16" barrel in Canada?) and above it is a Tikka T-3 lite 24 inch bolt gun with brake, again, just for size comparison. I find the thumbhole stock greatly superior for standing or other unsupported ("offhand") shooting.
A while back I did some comparisons between a Savage 99 lever action and a Remington 760 pump gun, to see which was a better follow up shot style, and found to my surprise that the lever guns were faster to re-acquire and shoot second rounds than the pumps, because although you didnt have to release the stock to work the action in a pump, that back and forth pump pulled the barrel farther off target than releasing the stock and working a lever. You may have opposite results though, and I did not spend a lot of time practising with both.
Like you, I was a "wilderness child" from my early teen years. Stayed in college 5 years so I could get a 6th summer guiding wilderness canoe trips in Ontario and Manitoba. Much to my parents' chagrin. I ended up putting on a suit for about 25 years, and didn't get to move to the mountains of Wyoming until age 60. My life in a small Texas semi-suburb town outside of Austin was not horrible, but I wish I had punched out earlier.

Thank you, and I cannot answer your question about how short I'm allowed to cut a barrel to legally.
I do really like levers.
Wish I could have found a lever 7mm prc.

 

[epoletna]

If you can find a Savage Model 99, they are available in .243 and .257 Roberts. Both are good cartridges. The 99 is a little heavy, perhaps.

 

[HunterMann]

I am open to a pump action.
Who makes a great quality pump 243?

Didn't know that there were red dot scopes that didn't require batteries and being turned on.
Whatever I buy eventually, I had thought about zeroing it for 200 yards, thinking that should about cover everything.

I use a vintage Remington 760 in 30-06 for back county excursions. Almost as fast as an autoloader and more accurate than most people expect. They are available in .243 and 308. I bring an extra 10 round magazine (Triple-K brand) loaded with heavy bullets if I expect bears to be an issue. It wears a Leupold 2x7 scope with heavy duplex reticle.

 

[HunterMann]

Thank you, and I cannot answer your question about how short I'm allowed to cut a barrel to legally.
I do really like levers.
Wish I could have found a lever 7mm prc.

Remington also made "carbine" versions with factory 18.5" barrels ,in most calibers, but now they commonly get a premium price.

If you really want a lever action then a Browning or a Henry are your best choices. I would go with the 6.5CR or .243

 

[cape cove]

@Small Lady
I've been away moose hunting for about a week and just updated myself with this thread. With no disrespect to anyone who has posted, but the 243 Win is in no shape or form a bear stopper. In fact it may just get you in harms way. Shooting a 400-600 lb bear that is minding his own business is one thing, stopping that same bear when he wants to make a snack out of you is different. You posted earlier that you would not be shooting a bear only in defence . This is where the bigger guns shooting heavy bullets come in and unfortunately IMO you cannot escape recoil. Last thing I would want to hear on CTV news is that a young lady out west was attacked by a bear.

 

[jjmp]

With respect she has a bigger 338 she can borrow or use her 7 prc when she gets it ,I'm a 243 fan and even with a 85 grain TSX it would take any bear , yes I have bigger I see your point, but I'll let her explain,she grounded,cheers ,ps I've always enjoyed your posts cape cove.

 

[jjmp]

Small Lady please regale us with what's happening on the Ponderosa you work on cheers

 

[Small Lady]

Thanks Cape and JJ, I to was out hunting, just got back yesterday.
Wish I had not mentioned possibly needing it as bear defense, as that is the most unlikely scenario.
I understand the concern, and thanks for being a good and kind person who does worry about others.
But I believe a 243 will work, and is definitely an upgrade in stopping power from my 30-30.
And grizzlies are all but non existent here.
We just don't see any on the ranch.
Blacks we have, and they normally just want to run and hide sensing a human nearby.
Honestly, I would probably not take along anything some days, if not a job requirement.
Also a 243 is pretty quick, so that 85 grain bullet is moving fast. A charging bear is going to be a head or chest shot, that 85 grain hollow point doing 3200 feet per second will hit hard.
Thanks again guys, you are wonderful people!

 

[Small Lady]

Small Lady please regale us with what's happening on the Ponderosa you work on cheers

I was away, at hunting camp, got back yesterday afternoon.
Had some work to tend to last night, so really didn't do anything else.
Having not ridden my horse for 4 days, which felt like an eternity to me, I saddled him at 7am this morning and did a 5.5 hour ride. Yes I know it wasn't a big ride, only 5.5 hours, but we were moving at a decent pace.
Really just missed my horse, and showering.
It was going to be just 5 adults going, at the last minute the girls convinced their parents to let them come along, so it was us 9.
My hunting partner was Shannon, who is 10, and just the sweetest person I've ever met.
What a blessing it was to spend my days with her.
The younger 2 kids hunted with their parents, and the oldest girl hunted with her grandfather.
To say that I just love those girls would be a huge understatement.

 

[Rflshootr]

Did you get anything? Or did anyone get anything?

 

[jjmp]

Wow sounds like a grand time ,kids are incredible and smart great to interact with, glad your not riding alone ,cheers n thks

 

[Small Lady]

Did you get anything? Or did anyone get anything?

3 moose and 2 deer.
My boss, and his dad made 3 trips home in the jet boat, with the meat, and then came back yesterday afternoon 1 last time to get us and all our gear.
We teased my boss about selling his small jet boat, and getting a 50 footer.

 

[cape cove]

Congrats on the hunt. We got 2 moose also. Was a good hunt.