Non-Tikka Hunting Rifle Recommendations

[CoHunter1991]

Another vote for a little extra cash and get a Seekins. You can probably find a good used PH2 in your range soon with the release of the PH3

The PH2s are currently onsale for 1550

 

[hereinaz]

With several folks on here recommending chopping barrels down or running rifles like the Sig Cross, I may go back to the drawing board and re-evaluate what I was looking for. A .243 chopped down to 16”-18” in a nice stock would be pretty interesting. Although I am wondering if I am better off buying an action to build off of at this point and getting something like a 6mm creed.

Inside 400 yards, a .243 will typically have more velocity than a 6 creed and match exterior ballistics. Bullets weigh less and have less bearing surface.

If I had a budget, I would have no problem running a 16-18” .243 as a woods gun with occasional western hunt out to 400ish.

Most conversations about rifles are about optimization at the margins. This is especially true for the 6creed discussion. Inside 400 yards it’s hard to separate ballistic performance.

It seems that western hunting tends to dominate on the “which rifle cartridge is best” discussion.

 

[AlabamaMountainMan]

Inside 400 yards, a .243 will typically have more velocity than a 6 creed and match exterior ballistics. Bullets weigh less and have less bearing surface.

If I had a budget, I would have no problem running a 16-18” .243 as a woods gun with occasional western hunt out to 400ish.

Most conversations about rifles are about optimization at the margins. This is especially true for the 6creed discussion. Inside 400 yards it’s hard to separate ballistic performance.

It seems that western hunting tends to dominate on the “which rifle cartridge is best” discussion.

Yeah I think that's because most folks agree you just don't need much to take a medium sized white-tail at 100 yards or less. When most folks think of west (myself included), it is hard not to picture 600 yards and elk/big bears.

I am going to do some research into the .243 win and look at some rifle options that might would work well with it for me. Still not 100% on leaving the 6.5 creed but definitely a strong possibility. Especially since I do have a wife who likes to occasionally hunt and 2 boys getting closer to hunting age every day.

 

[AlabamaMountainMan]

If it were mandated that you could only hunt turkeys with a 3.5 inch load, that would most likely end my turkey hunting career! There’s not a turkey walking the planet that can’t be taken with a 3”, or even 2 3/4 “, properly patterned load at ethical ranges.

I got rid of my 12 about a year ago and now use a 20 gauge for turkey and my old H&R .410 for small game. It has really made shotguns more fun to use. I have been working on talking my dad out of his 12 gauge and .35 whelen as he also has a severe flinch.

 

[ResearchinStuff]

I don’t know much about using match bullets for hunting. How is the ELD-M working for you? Are there limitations you work around?

Why Match/Target Bullets For Hunting

This is going to be a barrage of questions. It will help to view me as a skeptic relative to the matter at hand. I am going to do some load development for my new 6mm Creed. I live in the southeast where shots are rarely taken at more than 100 yards. But, I fancy that I will take a trip out...

rokslide.com

 

[ResearchinStuff]

there is so much information on this site:

.223 for bear, mountain goat, deer, elk, and moose.

DON'T HAVE TIME TO READ 176 PAGES? HERE'S THE CHEAT SHEET. “Bullets matter more than headstamps.” “Spent primers offer the supreme tutorial”. I’ve read it here and elsewhere online. It got my attention. I started digging and asking questions and listened. The 77gr TMK delivered by a .223...

rokslide.com

6mm /.243 hunting success on Big Game

With the success of .223 and 6.5 threads on big game, thought I’d throw this one into the mix. Show and detail your results harvesting big game (deer, bear, elk, moose, African game) using 6mm/.243 cartridges. Please detail bullet, MV, impact velocity, and whether hand load or factory ammo.

rokslide.com

 

[JDT1982]

Another vote for browning x bolt

 

[hereinaz]

Yeah I think that's because most folks agree you just don't need much to take a medium sized white-tail at 100 yards or less. When most folks think of west (myself included), it is hard not to picture 600 yards and elk/big bears.

I get it. What you picture is a lot like the motivations that drove the idea you needed 3.5 inch shells…

As someone who loves long range shooting and hunts in the west, a limit of 450 yards will fill the majority of tags, and that is a realistic distance. And, the 6mm/243 bullets I would choose will kill out of a .243.

You downsized from the 12 gauge, you can do it with rifles too.

 

[HandgunHTR]

What do you have in your safe right now?

If you have anything that you currently hunt with, I would recommend taking that $1500 and spending it on having the barrel chopped and threaded (with a collar if necessary) and purchasing a good hunting suppressor. It will serve you better than purchasing a new rifle that won't do much more than the rifles you currently have.
I guarantee it will be a game-changer for you.

If you don't have a rifle right now, then I would suggest getting one that is relatively inexpensive and spending the rest on a suppressor. Putting a $700 suppressor on a $500 Ruger American will most likely make you a better marksman than spending $1650 on a Seekins PH2.

Shameless plug: You could, of course, just buy the barreled action and stock that I have for sale in the classifieds and have a couple hundred left over to buy a reloading press (if you don't already have one) and some components to go along with the brass and dies that come with the barrelled action. The thing shoots and will serve you well, whether in AL or CO. PS, if you buy them together, I will give you a deal.

 

[Jaegerr]

i'd bump my budget to $1,6xx and head over to eurooptics.com and get a seekins precision havak pro hunter PH2

Seekins Precision HAVAK Pro Hunter PH2 6.5 Creedmoor 24" 1:8" 5/8"x24 TPI Bbl Urban Shadow Rifle w/(1) 5rd PMAG 0011710115-US

Seekins Precision HAVAK Pro Hunter PH2 6.5 Creedmoor 24" 1:8" 5/8"x24 TPI Bbl Urban Shadow Rifle w/(1) 5rd PMAG 0011710115-US For Sale

www.eurooptic.com

Correct me if I'm wrong, but didn't Seekins just release the updated version with better features for the exact same price as the previous model? They're completely phasing out the old models.

 

[hereinaz]

Correct me if I'm wrong, but didn't Seekins just release the updated version with better features for the exact same price as the previous model? They're completely phasing out the old models.

And, they have close out pricing if I am not mistaken.

It’s not like the old model had problems that they corrected. I still kick myself a little for not buying a used 6 creed I saw.

 

[z987k]

Since we got you down to 6mm, go pick up a howa carbon barreled mini action in 6 ARC from Brownell's and find a stock you love to put on it.

 

[Jaegerr]

And, they have close out pricing if I am not mistaken.

It’s not like the old model had problems that they corrected. I still kick myself a little for not buying a used 6 creed I saw.

That’s a valid point

 

[AlabamaMountainMan]

Since we got you down to 6mm, go pick up a howa carbon barreled mini action in 6 ARC from Brownell's and find a stock you love to put on it.

Funny enough I started thinking about the 6.5 grendel this morning. If factory loadings were more available for 6.5 grendel and/or 6mm arc they would be higher on my list of consideration. I am still probably 2 years away from reloading since this year I will be picking up a rifle plus the cost of going on some hunts. I am pretty heavily looking at the Bergara rifles in 6mm creed at the moment. Maybe chopping the barrels down a bit shorter and getting a carbon stock. Also looking at some other brand options in .243 and doing the same barrel chop and stock. I will have to spend some time looking into bullet/ammo selection to rule out .243 vs the 6mm creed.

 

[z987k]

Funny enough I started thinking about the 6.5 grendel this morning. If factory loadings were more available for 6.5 grendel and/or 6mm arc they would be higher on my list of consideration. I am still probably 2 years away from reloading since this year I will be picking up a rifle plus the cost of going on some hunts. I am pretty heavily looking at the Bergara rifles in 6mm creed at the moment. Maybe chopping the barrels down a bit shorter and getting a carbon stock. Also looking at some other brand options in .243 and doing the same barrel chop and stock. I will have to spend some time looking into bullet/ammo selection to rule out .243 vs the 6mm creed.

It's worth looking at the Ruger American Gen 2. They're already shorter and threaded, cerekoted. IMO the stock leaves a good bit to be desired but that's fixable. But they shoot. And at that price there's a lot of money left for a stock, scope and suppressor.

 

[AlabamaMountainMan]

It's worth looking at the Ruger American Gen 2. They're already shorter and threaded, cerekoted. IMO the stock leaves a good bit to be desired but that's fixable. But they shoot. And at that price there's a lot of money left for a stock, scope and suppressor.

I may check the Gen 2. I had a gen 1 that just had some quirks I did not like. Mostly in how loud the safety "tick" was and the feeding was reliable, but rough. I have heard the gen 2's changed the safety a bit and are using a different mag system that feeds better. I am currently looking on options on the Howa actions from Brownells. No 6mm creed but it looks like a good option for a 6.5 or 243. Going to go to the range with a friend that has a Howa in 308 and see how I like the trigger and action. I seem to remember the Howa having a 2 stage which is not necessarily bad, but something I have not used very much.

 

[AlabamaMountainMan]

What do you have in your safe right now?

If you have anything that you currently hunt with, I would recommend taking that $1500 and spending it on having the barrel chopped and threaded (with a collar if necessary) and purchasing a good hunting suppressor. It will serve you better than purchasing a new rifle that won't do much more than the rifles you currently have.
I guarantee it will be a game-changer for you.

If you don't have a rifle right now, then I would suggest getting one that is relatively inexpensive and spending the rest on a suppressor. Putting a $700 suppressor on a $500 Ruger American will most likely make you a better marksman than spending $1650 on a Seekins PH2.

Shameless plug: You could, of course, just buy the barreled action and stock that I have for sale in the classifieds and have a couple hundred left over to buy a reloading press (if you don't already have one) and some components to go along with the brass and dies that come with the barrelled action. The thing shoots and will serve you well, whether in AL or CO. PS, if you buy them together, I will give you a deal.

Right now I have don't have any centerfire rifles excluding my AR. I am leaning towards a 6mm creed Bergara, chopping the barrel, and swapping the stock at the moment. Seems like it would be a platform that would be easy enough to swap out if I don't like something since it is a 700 footprint. Though I have heard some reports of inconsistent accuracy in them. I am going to give then Gen 2 Americans a look along with some other options folks on this thread have mentioned. I did not care for a few things in the Gen 1's but have heard the Gen 2's smoothed out some of the things I did not care for.

 

[AlabamaMountainMan]

Inside 400 yards, a .243 will typically have more velocity than a 6 creed and match exterior ballistics. Bullets weigh less and have less bearing surface.

If I had a budget, I would have no problem running a 16-18” .243 as a woods gun with occasional western hunt out to 400ish.

Most conversations about rifles are about optimization at the margins. This is especially true for the 6creed discussion. Inside 400 yards it’s hard to separate ballistic performance.

It seems that western hunting tends to dominate on the “which rifle cartridge is best” discussion.

Do you put much concern into ft lb of energy? I was looking at some ballistic charts comparing some precision hunter loads for .243, 6mm arc, 6mm creed at fps I would assume they would be near in 16 inch barrels. They all seemed to be similar enough in the fps category at 500 yards and were all in a fps range that most of the LR bullets are designed to function in.

However, I noticed that the ft lb of energy for each was around the 750-850ish range. I am assuming that doesn’t matter much since several folks on here and on other forums are showing lots of medium sized and larger game read at over 500 yards using similar set ups.