What would you do…a .243 Win, .308 Win and .300 Win Mag quandary

[Thebigbaby]

So I’d like to get my kid hunting this year. I’m pretty much set on buying a Tikka T3x or Ruger American in .243.

I currently own Tikka’s in .300 Win Mag and .308 Win and am set for quite some time on components….besides maybe bullets.

I’m also cheap ass and thought maybe just rebarrel one of them and have a .243 on the cheap. Then I’m just stuck with components of one or the other. Atleast if I rebarrel the .308, I have other guns in that caliber so I wouldn’t be sitting on components. At the same time, I’m kind of over .300 win mag. Takes tons of powder, powders expensive, harder to spot shots, some of these smaller calibers actually out perform in velocity at longer distances etc.

But I also wouldn’t mind having 3 tikka’s. Always like taking a back up rifle with me on trips too. I already bought an SWFA 6x I’m sitting on for the intention of a kids rifle too.

What would you do?

 

[Raghorn54]

Easy one. Get another Tikka!

 

[EastHumboldt]

You’ve come to the wrong place to be talked out of a new rifle. What you need is Rifleholics Anonymous, not Rokslide. Get a Tikka in .243 with the 1/8 twist.

 

[dieselchessy]

Get the 243 in another Tikka for the kid.

 

[ZAK13]

You already know the answer, you must buy another rifle, but in 243! it's only logical.

 

[Fireflyfishing]

Easy one. Get another Tikka!

This is the correct answer.

 

[keystone112]

Aren’t those Sauer 100 Classic XTs still super cheap on Eurooptic?

 

[Thebigbaby]

Aren’t those Sauer 100 Classic XTs still super cheap on Eurooptic?

Yeah like $470 for the .243. But I’d rather have stainless and bombproof rings on the tikka with Sportsmatch or UM.

 

[brancher147]

Find out what the kid wants or is comfortable with. That’s what I would do

 

[NealS02]

The Sauer 100 in .243 is $470 on Eurooptic. You could be cheap AND get a new rifle!

 

[coyotekilla]

Those sauer are awesome feeling actions. Ive never shot 1. But did fondle 1 in the store. Id own 1 but they arnt chassis compatible

 

[GSPHUNTER]

.300 Win mag every day.

 

[butcherboy]

Shoot the 308 you already have. Depends also on the size of your kiddo. Does the lop need to be shortened? Does the height need to be adjusted? Maybe keep the 308 and get a different stalk. Invest the money in proper fitting clothes, boots, glass, etc. Kids will get bored easily if they can’t see what you are looking at themselves. If they get cold, sore feet, wet then it’s game over.

 

[cuerro viejo]

243.
95NBT/95TMK
or 1-8 108ELDM

 

[freezerfull]

If you do end up going with an additional tikka, the T3x compact .243 win from Eurooptic listed as 1-10” twist have actually been arriving as 1-8” twists. Sample size of 3 that I know of. Might be worth calling them to verify.

 

[roadrunner]

You buying this thing for you or your kid? That's all you should need to consider from a "cost benefit analysis".

 

[Chris in TN]

There's always someone willing to buy that used .300wm.

Dad and I went through our phase with .300wbys and had no trouble selling them when the time came. Get the 8-twist .243. It really is the easy-button.

 

[SCHiker]

The quick solution is 308…. 110 grain TAC-TX (the big black tip meant for 300 blackout) over 30grains of IMR 4198. Will be less blast and recoil than a 243 even.
About 2600 fps.

 

[Thebigbaby]

Thanks guys. Just got a decent deal on a Tikka in .243. With dies and brass. And bullets I probably won’t shoot.

1:10 twist but it sounds like it shouldnt be a problem for 90gr’s.

Plan to get the ultradyne chassis.

 

[freezerfull]

Thanks guys. Just got a decent deal on a Tikka in .243. With dies and brass. And bullets I probably won’t shoot.

1:10 twist but it sounds like it shouldnt be a problem for 90gr’s.

Plan to get the ultradyne chassis.

Nice!

The 1-10” will generally work most polymer tip or soft point cup and cores up to the 90/95gr class, target/VLD’s up to 90gr and 100gr flat base bullets. Some anomalies will be in there. My wife’s 1-10” absolutely loves the 87 gr. H-VLD.