243 win

[Goose71]

Looking for options one a 243 win. Not a poll or debate. I’m looking at tikka but has a 22” barrel and Weatherby Vanguard has a 24” barrel. Just hunting rifle for my godson. Dual purpose varmints and deer.

 

[vonb]

Both decent. B/t the two, I give the nod to the Tikka. Smoother bolt, better trigger and better accuracy.

 

[redneckbmxer24]

I've had both Vanguard S2 and Tikka T3X SS Lite in 243. Both are excellent rifles and both were very accurate. I would go for the Tikka for a few reasons.

1. 243 barrel life is 1500-2000 rounds in a hunting rifle not burning it down shooting 10rd strings. He's eventually going to burn that barrel out. Tikka has prefits available and a lot of gunsmiths that are familiar with them that can rebarrel them. The Vanguard has no prefits and nowhere near as many gunsmiths that are familiar with them.

2. Aftermarket support. There's a bunch of aftermarket stocks and such available for the Tikka that just isn't there for the weatherby. If he's like most gun owners he's going to want to tinker and change stuff up over time.

3. Tikka T3X's are now available with 8 twist 243 barrels which opens up the options of shooting long heavy high BC bullets as well as the light target bullets.

I wouldn't worry about 2" difference in barrel length, at the end of the day that isn't going to make a difference one way or another.

 

[Powerwagon]

I only have experience with Tikka’s and love them!


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[weisenbu]

I agree with everything stated above. I think Tikka is the better choice. However, all three of my kids started with a Weatherby Vanguard youth model in .243. It has been an excellent rifle for them. Very accurate and solidly built. No complaints whatsoever. I bought it years ago at Cabela's because it was on a stellar sale. My 12 year old daughter shot her first deer with it this year at 210 yards. I plan on keeping that rifle for my grandkids.

 

[KenLee]

First question I have is how big is your godson.
Stock needs to fit him

 

[Goose71]

5’ 12 yrs old. Big kid.

 

[ElkArcher918]

I would go with the Tikka all day every day. Excellent accuracy out of the box, smooth buttery action, good trigger, plenty of after market mods and upgrades available. Decent price point.

 

[TMKSHOOTER]

Get the 8 twist tikka 243, opens up your bullet selection if he ever wants to reload. The tikkas ready to go out of the box. Good choice on the 243 one of the most underrated calibers. If he ever burn the factory barrel out it’s easy enough to spin on a prefit.

 

[KenLee]

Browning AB3 micro composite. 13 inch lop.

 

[Kurts86]

I shot a .243 Win as my primary rifle for 8 years. I burned out the factory barrel somewhere around 2,000-2,500 rounds. I had a 1-9.12” twist and would not own another without a 1-8” twist. I was having to push 105 Amax bullets really hard to get the necessary velocity for stability with the slower twist rate. I would definitely go the Tikka route.

 

[TheGDog]

In a related question... I've been hemming and hawwing about getting another rifle to bridge the gap tween .223 and .308 The idea being if my son (15yo 5'6" but thin 107 Lbs) was with me, he'd carry that. If he's not with me, I'd probably carry it, instead of the .308 for a more mild recoil.

My question is.... I'm pretty sure the choices would be .243win vs 6.5cm. We have to do lead-free out here, and I'm interested in hearing about peoples success with .243win on Mule Deer w/ Lead-Free.

Wanting to hear if they believe with a .243win a person should really try to avoid quartering away/to shots or not?

I also last year I bought a FoxPro, so have begun enjoying calling in predators, so I figured a .243win would likely tear em up less than 6.5cm, Yes? Seems like there's more Varmint specific stuff in .243win as well.

What say ye?

 

[wind gypsy]

Wanting to hear if they believe with a .243win a person should really try to avoid quartering away/to shots or not?

Not with monos. Fire away.

 

[TN2shot07]

Two solid options, plenty more out there if you decide. Based on those I’m going against the grain and taking the weatherby. It’s slightly heavier but you said he’s a bigger kid so that shouldn’t be an issue. A heavier rifle is just easier to shoot, especially when learning. I like their stock better and the other huge plus to me is the bdl bottom metal. The Tikka is all plastic, detachable magazine, cheap feeling stock. They do have a great feeling action, the triggers are a toss up for me.

Find the Barnes factory loading, 85 grain ttsx and have a blast.

 

[Unckebob]

The Howa action and the Vanguard action are basically the same.

I would get the Tikka.

 

[wnelson14]

I've had both Vanguard S2 and Tikka T3X SS Lite in 243. Both are excellent rifles and both were very accurate. I would go for the Tikka for a few reasons.

1. 243 barrel life is 1500-2000 rounds in a hunting rifle not burning it down shooting 10rd strings. He's eventually going to burn that barrel out. Tikka has prefits available and a lot of gunsmiths that are familiar with them that can rebarrel them. The Vanguard has no prefits and nowhere near as many gunsmiths that are familiar with them.

2. Aftermarket support. There's a bunch of aftermarket stocks and such available for the Tikka that just isn't there for the weatherby. If he's like most gun owners he's going to want to tinker and change stuff up over time.

3. Tikka T3X's are now available with 8 twist 243 barrels which opens up the options of shooting long heavy high BC bullets as well as the light target bullets.

I wouldn't worry about 2" difference in barrel length, at the end of the day that isn't going to make a difference one way or another.

Howa 1500 and Weatherby vanguard are interchangeable and I think made in the safe factory. Carbon six and McGowan barrels both make pre-fits (I have one of each for both actions) so do many other barrel manufactures, there is also a plethora of stock comparability.

 

[Sierra Hunter]

Love my Tikka 243

 

[sbaker0029]

My vote would be for tikka as for all reasons mentioned above plus tikka has a detachable mag and a 70* bolt throw that keeps that handle out of the scope and bolt locks down with safety engaged.
Tikka stainless lite with the new faster twist rate barrel.

 

[justin davis]

Tikka .243 is awesome

 

[sbaker0029]

In a related question... I've been hemming and hawwing about getting another rifle to bridge the gap tween .223 and .308 The idea being if my son (15yo 5'6" but thin 107 Lbs) was with me, he'd carry that. If he's not with me, I'd probably carry it, instead of the .308 for a more mild recoil.

My question is.... I'm pretty sure the choices would be .243win vs 6.5cm. We have to do lead-free out here, and I'm interested in hearing about peoples success with .243win on Mule Deer w/ Lead-Free.

Wanting to hear if they believe with a .243win a person should really try to avoid quartering away/to shots or not?

I also last year I bought a FoxPro, so have begun enjoying calling in predators, so I figured a .243win would likely tear em up less than 6.5cm, Yes? Seems like there's more Varmint specific stuff in .243win as well.

What say ye?

I can't speak much on the lead free bullets.
If you're truly wanting to bridge the gap of .223 and .308, I think the .243 hits closer to the middle between those two rounds. That would be the route I would take especially if you're getting into predator hunting more.
The 6.5cm is very close to the 308 on paper and not enough recoil reduction to really notice. Almost the same could be said for the 243 and 223 but there is a noticeable difference in recoil and ballistics.
That's just my opinion though.