New .243 Factory Rifle--Plus

[H2OBUG]

I was looking for a new .243 Rifle-- I can't decide on which one-- First thing--I do not plan to use the stock that comes with the gun I will be using a Boyds or the like and bedding the rifle-- That would be the "Plus"

I am looking at:
Remington 700 ADL $375 New
Weatherby Vanguard $375 New
Savage Stevens 200 $329

Plan to shoot 70-85 gr bullets @ paper and critters--

I have one or two of all of the above rifles in other chamberings and the Savage and Remington shoot best.

Thanks in advance for the info

 

[Browningguy]

Personally I'd go witht he Savage/Stevens. If you decide to start modifying it later it's easy to do, changing barrels etc. and you don't need a gunsmith.

 

[roninflag]

you have them listed in the order i would choose. rem first.

 

[GeorgeS3]

Yep---Rem-1, W-2 ,S-3....ymmv


George

 

[bheadboy]

Rem, then Rem, then Rem, my choice

Bob

 

[fdshuster]

Another vote for Remington. The availability of Jewell triggers alone puts at at the top of my list. Add to that all the after market parts, like drop-in stocks without a 6 month wait, surface ground recoil lugs, and it's an easy choice.

 

[KMart]

Go with the Remington. If you should decide to change barrels later, you can buy a prechambered and threaded barrel with a barrel nut (Remage) and do the change yourself like a savage. Barrels are available from Criterion (Kreiger), Pacnor, McGowen, Berraga, and probably Shilen since their new rifle has a barrel nut.

 

[warbird]

kmart x-2

 

[5spd]

Savage or Weatherby....forget the remmy.
Savage would be the best & easiest to build on.

 

[alf]

I am looking at: Remington 700 ADL $375 new

Stop right there..........

 

[AusFclass]

buy the weatherby . . . . . then cut it in half. . . . . so it doesnt drive you or any one else crazy!!

 

[H2OBUG]

OK I am going with the Remington 700 ADL(in 243 they have a 25-06 too --May get it too$379 Ain't bad)-- I have some BDL bottom metal on the way-- so it may get converted-- it will be the non Xmark trigger so I may be looking for one of those. Base and rings are still TBD as well as the scope but I am looking at--
http://www.natchezss.com/Optics.cfm?contentID=productDetail&brand=WE&prodID=WE849550&prodTitle=Weaver 6.5-20x44 40/44 AO Riflescope Dual-X Reticle Matte

Looking at Leupold for the base and rings

The stock will be a Boyds--thinking Ross lightweigt Thumbhole or a STD Prarie Hunter Walnut-- I will get my smith to do a Glass bed

See how the stock barrel shoots

Is there any value in the cleaning after every round on a factory barrel like this????

If it is worth the effort I will do it if not I will just re-barrel at a later date

The Comunicator says " I should scrap it all and get a custom action barrel trigger and spend lots of money" I keep telling him it is a gun to fiiddle with not to BR shoot with

 

[Shynloco]

H2OBUG,
I think since you've identified that you only want to "fiddle" and not BR shoot, then you made a good choice. I'm personally a Savage guy, but if I were going to go BR and compete, at least you have the better platform (in IMHO) because the Remington platform is probably the most widely used and successful platform for building a BR rifle from scatch where you aren't having to pay $2000+ just for the action/receiver. Just something to consider should the BR bug bite you as it has so many others. Enjoy that rig which is probably the most versatile caliber ever built.

 

[H2OBUG]

Well Scope came in today the Rem 700 ADL will get a 6-20 Weaver Nitrex with Target Turrets-- Plan to use a 1 pc Leupold base and Leupold High rings --Still up in the air on the stock-- Waiting on some BDL matte bottom metal to see if I go ADL or BDL on the stock--If I go ADL I will get the PTG trigger guard.

Will start load development in a few weeks-- plan to shoot 70-85 gr bullets

 

[K22]

Good choice - The Remington 700 is an excellent platform upon which to start. All of mine shot much better once I free floated the barrel. The stocks are junk but the rifle will usually shoot tighter and more consistant once you free float the barrel by removing those stupid pressure points at the end of the factory stock. The best option however is to replace the factory stock with a more stable stock.

I changed out the stock on two of my sporters and one varmint rifle for a Hogue, pillar bedded stock. Great stock for the money, under $100 at Midway. All three rifle shot my better with this stock.

The Bell and Carlson Medalist is a top of the line stock with the aluminum beddng block. I have one of my heavy varmint rifles stocked with it, it's heavy but very stable and enabled me to acheive some outstanding and consistent groups (under 1/4 moa - barrel was replaced with a Douglas Supreme Match barrel)

I've never engaged in the elaborate "barrel break in" procedures advocated by many. At first it was out of ignornace for the procedure but as I became a more experinced rifle shooter, it was out of choice since quite frankly, I never saw a need. However I'm not a benchrest shooter.

I do clean a new barrel after each range session (about 10 rounds) until I get about 100 rounds through it then I go to my normally cleaning process which is cleaning after ever 30 -40 rounds depending of the amount of overbore caliber I am shooting.

 

[expiper]

Dear Water-bug.....since you asked......here is my opinion.....a factory bbl (any brand) is much rougher than a match grade custom bbl.......they look like a gravel road down the bore,,,,sooo ...the rougher it is the more it will scuff jacket mtl. (coper) into those cracks-n-crevaces that I feel needs to be removed by vigorus cleaning for the first few shots (3-5) so that it doesnt haunt you the rest of the life of the bbl....and I would give it a good cleaning BEFORE the first shot also!!!.....use amonia or whatever copper killer you have had good results with and then your solvent....Roger

 

[H2OBUG]

Plan to do my best to give it a proper break in--we will see how she does-- plan to order the stock this week