new or second hand 243?

sniperman

hi folks,getting into deer hunting this year,have permission sorted,and will be looking at guns this and next week,liking the tikka lite rifles,and want my buy to more or less see me out,(im 55 now) i will also be using the gun for fox,and the odd day target practice,i have read about 243 being shot out after about 1500 rounds,sounds a short barrel life:eek:,while i would like to buy a second hand (as new are expensive) not knowing what its been through,kinda concerns me,ie rounds down the tube,so should i save for a new one,or chance second hand?

Cass

I dunno. What is "shot out". Some would class their rifle as shot out when it cannot hit a bunny size target at say 100 or 200 yards. Others when it stops giving 1/2 a minute at any distance. It's a relative terms and one that is subjective to the demands of the person giving the opinion.

Also how badly can a rifle be shot. Using a factory rifle with factory (usually lawyer friendly) rounds. not exactly hot loads that cause fire cracking or excessive wear of the barrel/chamber.

Plus in todays climate where you can simply buy and fit another barrel there is no such thing as a shot out rifle, just a less accurate barrel. Change barrel and keep on shooting.

If you're concerned do what i do. I always meet the seller on a range and test fire the rifle. Have the seller fire it, then you. See if the results are the same (depends on ability too).

I wouldn't let the fact its second hand bother me from buying second hand.

cookimonster

Cass's advice is spot on, I had my own concerns, but logically if its standard deer stalking at standard distances etc then you'll have no issue. Forget about clover leafing etc, I'm not dismissing the fundamentals of shooting etc but if you can consistently place shots into a 4 inch square at 200 yards then you'll be good to go. Most of us can't out shoot our own guns in terms of inherent accuracy.

Just to mess up your head, have you considered a .308.........
I too started into deer stalking latter in life and was looking at the 22-250 (historic family ties) but on the advice of stalking buddies I bought a .243. Although I have taken a lot of deer with it (Reds, Fallow and Sika) I kind of always regretted not buying a .308. Now guys will tell you that the .243 is good enough for Ireland but I'm beginning to subscribe to the thought process of 'not just having enough but having change left over if and when you need it'. I started off with the thought that if I got 1 or 2 deer a season I'd be happy and the few bits of farm permission would suffice. Today I shoot over farm, forest and hill / mountain. I don't shoot the 308 and have only recently added a .270 to the cabinet - cheep, cheerful 57 year old gun that screamed 'buy me'- but if you want an all rounder good for close in or the open hill and still do foxes and the odd plinking then the 308 is more versatile. Don't dismiss overseas shooting, I've only a few more years of hemorrhaging college fees then it's a mixture of art galleries for her and driven hunts for me.

Food for thought

sniperman

thanks lads for advice,much appreciated.will look into the 308 as well,see what i like,feel, weight,etc.will post what i decide on.unless i get the lotto up,i think ill be staying here,:-)

Damoeire33

Ill throw my tupence into the debate, if you can buy new. Ive been burned with a troublesome secondhand .243 and after a wasted year of 6 trips out with 5 different failures I eventually handed it back and shelled out for my new T3 sporter in .308.
Question always in my mind was why would somebody trade in a perfectly good rifle, yes some might be trading up or leaving the sport but a lot of the time is because the rifle is nearing its end and/or giving trouble.

Good choice on the Tikka, I love mine.

sniperman

Damoeire33 wrote: »

Ill throw my tupence into the debate, if you can buy new. Ive been burned with a troublesome secondhand .243 and after a wasted year of 6 trips out with 5 different failures I eventually handed it back and shelled out for my new T3 sporter in .308.
Question always in my mind was why would somebody trade in a perfectly good rifle, yes some might be trading up or leaving the sport but a lot of the time is because the rifle is nearing its end and/or giving trouble.

Good choice on the Tikka, I love mine.

ya that would be my concern,one dont know whats been down the tube,but as cass said above,a try out on a range could make ones mind up,then again a new one would eliminate all concerns,maybe i should just buy once and cry once:D now where did i leave that darn credit card

Damoeire33

sniperman wrote: »

ya that would be my concern,one dont know whats been down the tube,but as cass said above,a try out on a range could make ones mind up,then again a new one would eliminate all concerns,maybe i should just buy once and cry once:D now where did i leave that darn credit card

It could save you money in the end. Good luck!!

gunny123

I bought a mid-1960's made sako forester in .308 and it was an absolute tackdriver, great rifle, great calibre. The .243 is good, but the .308 is better, much greater range of bullet weights and loads, from light bullets for fox and small deer like roe, to bullets over 200 grains for large deer, wild boar etc.

Cass

I've been in this same boat a few times and most recently in the last few weeks.

I bought a rifle that a mate used to own. It was taken from him, and put into storage. He lost his license and the gun has sat for 4 years in storage. I bought it and took it out. The stock was marked, the QD studs were pulled out (composite stock) the barreled action had a light coat of rust to the extent the rifle was brown and not black.

I thought to myself what the feck have i done. I took it home, after licensing it, and spent the last few weeks cleaning every square inch, repairing the studs, installing a European rail, etc, etc. I noticed the muzzle was in crap condition and remembered i used to give out to this lad about storing his gun with the mod on, all the time.

So down to the local machine shop, quick touch up of the threads and a nice new target crown. Rifle was shooting 1.5 inches at 100 yards. Is not shooting 1/2 to 3/4 (doesn't like 150 soft nose) groups. Other than the cost of the rifle itself i've spent €50 and it's not shooting as accurate as i could want.

My point is the rifle at first glance and first firing screamed run away. A little elbow grease, some work, and a little touch here and there and i've a cheap tack driver.