Bob Nelson I sold my .243!

[CBH Australia]

@Ragman there's nothing wrong with a .243 but you will be impressed with the 7mm-08. I still keep a .308 but I like my 7mm's

 

[Ragman]

@Ragman there's nothing wrong with a .243 but you will be impressed with the 7mm-08. I still keep a .308 but I like my 7mm's

This 7-08 is to pair up with my .308. Both Brownings; one BLR and one X-Bolt. I know I’m gonna like the 7-08 but my .308 is extra special to me.

 

[Ragman]

Everything is possible on a handi rifle… I have rebarreled and rechambered a lot of them… fun little inexpensive guns to play with… just gotta find an appropriate barrel to start with and you’d be good to go…

Good to know. I’m definitely going to look into that when he’s done with it.

 

[meigsbucks]

@Ragman there's nothing wrong with a .243 but you will be impressed with the 7mm-08. I still keep a .308 but I like my 7mm's

You’ll love the 7mm-08. I bought a 788 when they first came out in ‘80 in 7mm-08. Ugly as hell, but a terrific deer rifle.

 

[Bob Nelson 35Whelen]

Have no need for a .22-250 but that .358 idea really got me thinking now. Is that feasible on a New England Firearms Handi-Rifle?

@Ragman
Instead of a 358 handi rifle get a CVA handi rifle in 35 Whelen. Standard chambering and 25 inch barrel, still nice and short.
There a you tube video on one where they are getting 3,100fps with a 200gn bullet and accurate to go with it.
Bob

 

[Bob Nelson 35Whelen]

The .270 is a fantastic round. Watched my buddy’s wife kill a giant moose with one. I regret selling mine. It was a beautiful Ruger #1.

@Ragman
My mate Greg has a very nice Ruger No1 in 270 with a 26 inch barrel he would part with for 1,600 dollars aud.
Bob

 

[Ragman]

@Ragman
My mate Greg has a very nice Ruger No1 in 270 with a 26 inch barrel he would part with for 1,600 dollars aud.
Bob

LONG way away from where I live!!!

 

[colorado]

I'm down to two rifles (gave the rest to my sons) an old Mark V in 270 Weatherby I bought used but shoots great and a CZ 550 In 500 Jeffery. Last elk I got was with the 500 Jeffery

 

[cajunchefray]

@Bob Nelson 35Whelen the .243 is gone. I know your opinion but it was a good rifle for us. I initially bought it as a coyote rifle that my wife could use for deer when/if she decided to start hunting. She finally did start deer hunting in 2017 and for 3 seasons in a row she shot her whitetails with it like she’d been doing it all her life. Then in 2020 she decided to use my 7mm RM for her first mule deer hunt. She got her mulie with it as well as her next 3 whitetails and now says the 7 mag is her gun and I can have my .243 back! For myself, I’m the biggest .308 fan there is and also have loved the 7 mag since I bought one in my 20s. So naturally I’ve been obsessed now for a few years with the idea that a 7mm-08 would be the best of both worlds. Her claiming one of my two main hunting rifles finally pushed me to get one but that meant another gun must go and the .243 was the one. So a couple weeks ago I ordered a Browning X-Bolt Hunter that should be arriving any day now. I’m excited to try a new for me calibre even though the .243 served well.

If only.....

I could have a discussion with my Wife as far as a deer rifle. She will shoot a 22LR, bolt action and occasionally a .38 Special revolver for close range varmints. She is a Very Good Shot.

You guys have got it good. A life partner, wife, willing to shoot and hunt.
Don't underestimate the value in that endeavor, and relationship.

 

[CastShooter]

Have no need for a .22-250 but that .358 idea really got me thinking now. Is that feasible on a New England Firearms Handi-Rifle?

It's actually rather inexpensive to rebore an H&R 243 to 358 Winchester, Google "JES Reboring", for about 250-275 bucks you can have them make you the 358 Winchester you really want. That price also includes return shipping. You also only need to send the barrel in, that'll save on shipping.

 

[CastShooter]

I'm new here but I'm getting the hint that @Bob Nelson 35Whelen really doesn't like the 243! I'll be in his camp as well, I've no love for the 243 or 270 Win. They do a decent job but there's better cartridges out there. My most recent acquisition is a Model 7 in 350 Rem Mag, it's not a 35 Whelen, but it's close enough... I think...

 

[mdwest]

I’ve got both a 35 Whelen and a 358 Winchester in the safe… would love to add either a Rem 600/660 or Model 7 in 350 RM at some point… definitely a fan of 35 calibers…

 

[Ragman]

If only.....

I could have a discussion with my Wife as far as a deer rifle. She will shoot a 22LR, bolt action and occasionally a .38 Special revolver for close range varmints. She is a Very Good Shot.

You guys have got it good. A life partner, wife, willing to shoot and hunt.
Don't underestimate the value in that endeavor, and relationship.

You are absolutely right. I didn’t choose well with my first wife but I hit the jackpot on my second try. I’m very blessed to have a life partner and best friend in her.

This is the mulie she shot with my 7mag.

And this is the biggest of the whitetails that she got with it.

And best of all as she loves to fish as much as I do. I’m a lucky guy!

 

[leslie hetrick]

as a former .243 user, you can see what happens to you. i have been in rehab for two years and it doesn,t seem to help.

 

[Fryeguy]

Well I for one would agree with your decision to step up to the 7-08. It’s an awesome round. I don’t hunt with a 243 or 6mm for deer at all around here. Sure they work if shots are perfect, but there are so many great calibers that are so much better. The main reason I have is the black bears around this area. A few years ago my oldest son (9 yr old) at the time, shot a nice doe on youth day. We waited until he calmed down to track. 60yards later I look up and see a huge swath of blood along the side of a long going into a ravine. I walk to it, look at the end of the log, and at the bottom of the ravine is the largest black bear I’ve ever seen. I back up and show my son. Call the game Dept, they say sorry, the deer belongs to the bear now, you cannot shoot it. So I take the gun and think “I’ll just scare it off”. So I shoot one in the dirt behind it. He took about 3 steps away and turned to look at me. I ask my son to give me the extra rounds in his pocket, he hands me two shells. I look at them, and realize I have 4 rounds of 6mm rem ammo. I look at bear. I said “we don’t have enough gun”. The next week my son had a new 7-08. He now uses a 6.5 creedmoor, and has killed whatever is brave enough to walk by him

 

[CBH Australia]

Well I for one would agree with your decision to step up to the 7-08. It’s an awesome round. I don’t hunt with a 243 or 6mm for deer at all around here. Sure they work if shots are perfect, but there are so many great calibers that are so much better. The main reason I have is the black bears around this area. A few years ago my oldest son (9 yr old) at the time, shot a nice doe on youth day. We waited until he calmed down to track. 60yards later I look up and see a huge swath of blood along the side of a long going into a ravine. I walk to it, look at the end of the log, and at the bottom of the ravine is the largest black bear I’ve ever seen. I back up and show my son. Call the game Dept, they say sorry, the deer belongs to the bear now, you cannot shoot it. So I take the gun and think “I’ll just scare it off”. So I shoot one in the dirt behind it. He took about 3 steps away and turned to look at me. I ask my son to give me the extra rounds in his pocket, he hands me two shells. I look at them, and realize I have 4 rounds of 6mm rem ammo. I look at bear. I said “we don’t have enough gun”. The next week my son had a new 7-08. He now uses a 6.5 creedmoor, and has killed whatever is brave enough to walk by him

Why would you replace the 7mm-08 with a Creedmoor?
Im not sure there is any gain for hunting.

 

[Fryeguy]

Why would you replace the 7mm-08 with a Creedmoor?
Im not sure there is any gain for hunting.

Good question. He was 9, and the recoil he didn’t like. I discovered the following summer he was flinching like crazy when he started shooting it more. I went to reload some lighter loads using H4895, and began researching 7mm bullets, there were no bullets that would reliably open up below 1800-1900fps impact velocity. Upon looking into it more I found the nosler Long range accubond bullets. The lightest bullet in 7mm was I think 150 or 160 grains. Then I found the 6.5 129grain bullets. They reliably open up down to 1300fps. So I traded the 7-08 for a 6.5 creedmoor after looking at all the ballistics of it. I light loaded a few to 2100 to 2300 fps, cannot remember exactly the speed, but it shot great. The flinching stopped, his groups tightened right back up and he enjoyed shooting again. He flat hammered deer the next two years with that light load. Even some nice deer all the way out to 200-225 yards. I never recovered a single bullet, all pass thru, nice damage done, and little to no tracking. By the time he turned 12 I had purchased suppressors, and I changed his load to a full load. He never noticed the change. I liked his creedmoor so much I bought myself one. He has killed deer, pigs, bear, whatever he can all the way out to 350yards. He is deadly. His next gun will probably be going back to the 7-08, as the heavier selection of bullets is very good. Unless he takes over my 280rem. I’ve had several 7-08 rifles over the years and it is probably my favorite small cartridge. 140’s really do the job, and 150’s and 160’s are there if you ever need them.

 

[Bob Nelson 35Whelen]

I'm new here but I'm getting the hint that @Bob Nelson 35Whelen really doesn't like the 243! I'll be in his camp as well, I've no love for the 243 or 270 Win. They do a decent job but there's better cartridges out there. My most recent acquisition is a Model 7 in 350 Rem Mag, it's not a 35 Whelen, but it's close enough... I think...

View attachment 528155

@CastShooter
A wise man, may not be a Whelen but not far off. At least it's a 35. You will never be disappointed with a 35, it just gets the job done no fuss no bother
Bob

 

[Bob Nelson 35Whelen]

as a former .243 user, you can see what happens to you. i have been in rehab for two years and it doesn,t seem to help.

View attachment 528183

@leslie hetrick
Come out of rehab mate.
Start slowly with a nice mild 25 like a 250 Savage or 257 Robert. You will be well on the road to recovery in very short time. One or 2 shots and you will be permanently cured of your 243 woes.
As time progesses you may even find your self looking for a 35.
Follow these instructions and you will be looking like a young man again and you will have a spring in your step.
If all that fails large doses of Bundy rums cure most of what ails you.
HA HA HA HA HA HA
Bob

 

[leslie hetrick]

after being told by my gun doctor i may not survive, even after rehab. i left rehab and self medicated, picking up several 35 whelen pills. i realy feel better after taking all three to the range. ruger #1-custom 98-remington 700.