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best low price scope for .243

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rwestbr504 View Drop Down
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    Posted: January/13/2005 at 09:39

My first post to the forum and I have a couple of comments.  When we are younger we want the biggest baddest calibers we can get.......as we get older (like me!) we realize that being able to hit where you aim, and comfortable shooting, becomes more important.  Having said that, I just ordered a Browning A-bolt stainless stalker in .243 which will be used for deer hunting with 80-200 yd.shots.  Two questions:

 

1. How do you all feel about the .243 for this purpose (experienced responses get more weight...lol)

 

2. I am looking for a good lower price scope and have narrowed it down to the Burris FF 3x9 - 40 or the Bushnell 3200 Elite 3x9 - 40.  What would your recommendation be?  Low light conditions are a great consideration since most shots will be at dawn or dusk.

 

Thanks!!

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carolinaflats View Drop Down
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote carolinaflats Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: January/13/2005 at 13:03
.243 is a good round for deer hunting. Unless you plan to shoot over 200yds often, really anything bigger is overkill.  I have used a Ruger #l in .243 to deer hunt for the last 4 years or so.  As far as the scope goes I think either will work just fine, the ruger I use has a bushnell banner on it. It is a cheaper scope than either you mentioned but works decently at dusk. Happy hunting! 
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mwyates View Drop Down
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote mwyates Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: January/13/2005 at 13:49

Isn't it funny how the macho becomes less important as we get wiser (and Older)?  You'll love the .243.  It will kill any deer just as dead as a 300 Mag out to 200 yards or more.  I would caution you to use good bullets, such as Nosler Partition or Sierra GameKing.  There a a lot of .243 bullets that are more varmint oriented and will not penetrate enough for a clean kill.  Either the Bushnell or Burris should work well for you.  A lot of us here think the Burris FF II 3-9X40 is the best buy in a scope.  I've got one on my son's .260 and it's fine, even in the very late evening.

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bill47 View Drop Down
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote bill47 Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: January/13/2005 at 14:02

1. I prefer 270s for hunting whitetail.  They have been kind to my shoulder for the past 40 years and with over 100 kills from 100-500 yards with almost always one shot (more than that was due to user error) the 270 is very effective.  However, a 243 at 200 yards may be plenty.

 

2. At 80-200 yards why do you need a 3-9 variable power?  Get a good fixed 4x and you'll be set.  I found a 4x to be more then enough for deer out to 200 yards.  Keep is simple.  Less to go wrong.

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Grubbs View Drop Down
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Grubbs Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: January/13/2005 at 15:52
The .243 will kill any deer or deer sized game anywhere in the world.  I prefer Hornady light mags in most everything nowadays.  The two scopes you mentioned will be great, but I am a little partial to the Burris FFII (not having any experience with the 3200).
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rwestbr504 View Drop Down
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote rwestbr504 Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: January/13/2005 at 16:58

bill47 -

 

I too have always liked the .270........it and a Browning BAR in 30-06 are what I am using now.  I have hunted whitetail with a .32, .35, .308, 30-06, and .270, but I just feel like going to the reduced recoil of the .243 at this point....it is substantially less than the .270.  You can bet that I won't give my other rifles up yet though!!

 

Thanks to everyone else for your comments too!!

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jonnyringo View Drop Down
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote jonnyringo Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: January/13/2005 at 18:15
I just ordered a Bushnell 3x9 3200 tonight and I just recently purchased a Burris FFll in 3x9. I have several Bushnell 3200 B&L 3000's and can say that they are very fine scopes and they hold zero under extreme recoil. I used a 3200 on a .50 cal. Knight Bighorn muzzleloader and it was dead on every year. Killed some big deer with that rig. I am new to the Burris FFll. Their spotting scopes are kind of on the cheap side.

Edited by jonnyringo
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gozarian View Drop Down
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote gozarian Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: January/14/2005 at 03:28
You won't go wrong with a Bushnell 3200 or a Burris Fullfield II!  The .243 will work for deer but shot placement and bullet selection will be more critical than a larger caliber for shooting over distance.
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Dale Clifford View Drop Down
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Dale Clifford Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: January/14/2005 at 09:36
24 calibers are great for your description, in fact think about a Nikon 4 by 12, which still fits the size requirements, but will give you an advantage should you choose it for occasional varmits. The 55 gr. V-max Hornadys can be loaded to 4000 fps. in most 6mm.
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Grubbs Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: January/14/2005 at 10:56
Dale, are you feeling OK?  You didn't recommend the Leupold this time?   However, the 55 gr vmax is hardly suited for deer, would you think?
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote BillD1 Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: January/14/2005 at 20:15
Congrats rwestbr504 on your Browning A-Bolt stainless stalker in 243.  After you top it off with a good scope it should be a very accurate rig from 80 to 200 yards.  You may want to do some research on finding a good accurate premium bullet that will open up and stay together as it exits through the animal.  I have never hunted with a 243, but I have seen others take deer with it.  The only disadvantage I can see with the 243 is tracking a deer in a ticket and relying on a good blood trail to find him.  I have shot many deer with a 257 Roberts and it does a fine job, but most of the time the blood trail is light and a small piece of tissue can very easily stop up that exit hole.  The good news is low recoil, accurate case design, plenty of punch to get the job done, and who knows you might be making 200 yard neck shots.


LOL 
Bill D
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martin3175 View Drop Down
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote martin3175 Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: January/23/2005 at 10:31

Enjoy your new rifle...for deer with a 243, use the heaviest bullets you can find..I know of several 243 enthusiasts who swear by 100 gr. partitions. It'll get the job done with good shot placement..

With regards to optics,I have both a FF2 and a couple of 3200 Elite's . Both are well made, but the Elite is brighter and the rainguard really works.



Edited by martin3175
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carolinaflats View Drop Down
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote carolinaflats Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: January/23/2005 at 13:37
My Dad shot two does using the 58 grain VX moly Hornady's this past season in his Ruger #1 .243. Both were at about 75 yards with clean neck shots.  I thought they be to small but he proved me wrong.
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gozarian View Drop Down
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote gozarian Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: January/25/2005 at 05:51
I wouldn't use the hollow points because if you get off by just a little bit and hit a bone, that little hollow point could blow up and you won't get your deer.  Sure, it worked because your Dad was able to neck shoot them, but sometime down the road he's going to have a problem.  I used to kill a ton of deer using a .25/06 with 120 Speer flat base bullets.  Find something that your gun shoots and leave the hollow points for shooting varmints or TERRORISTS!


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Imagunsmith View Drop Down
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Imagunsmith Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: January/25/2005 at 15:15
You have a good all around caliber, light recoil, accurate, avalible from all manufactors. I would stick with the minumim of or 100 grain bullets, I shoot alot of Hornady 100 gr sp's. They are a pretty tough little bullet and I think you will find them very accurate. Hornady makes a 100 gr BTSP that I wish my gun would shoot, but some guns just won't shoot a boat-tail bullet......I think you won't go wrong with the Bushnell  3200.........
Gotta problem rifle? I can probably help.
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