243 vs ?? for wife's hunting rifle?

[mattri]

Good call on the 6br- thought long and hard about that one.

Being mostly a hunting rifle I think we'll go with the 243 as it has a little more boiler room for the heavy bullets and feeds well without modifications while giving up what will be a marginal amount of accuracy. Plus, like 390fe said she knows and is comfortable with the round and that kind of confidence is priceless.

Will be posting more on stock and optics options soon- hope everyone that has helped so far will chime in there as well.

[RevM]

I'd 2nd (or third) the 6.8 SPC recommendation for the recoil sensitive if anticipated ranges are no more than about 300 yards. There are prefit savage barrels in 6.8 available from BHW and from ARP (http://www.ar15performance.com/barrels?cmx=11562&start=15)right now. This is ARP's first entre into savage barrels and the company he had make them for him used the wrong button giving him lands that are thinner than he specified ... as a result he is selling them (2 for 1) at fire sale prices as blems ... though initial testing shows they are quite accurate. They are 20" melonite treated 3R barrels with threaded muzzles ... they are going for 2 for $225!

Another thought is the use of a muzzle device on a higher powered cartridge. I built a 260 Rem on a model 11 action earlier this year in a Choate stock ... it's no mountain rifle at about 12 pounds ... but I've been shooting it with the new Silencerco Harvester silencer (with an integral brake) and that gun has almost no recoil ... just a gentle pulse not much more than a 22LR.

[GaCop]

Being an "old guy" I say it's hard to beat the 257 Roberts for light recoil and good performance out to 300 yards or so.

[wbm]

Sounds like you already have a great caliber choice for your wife. Nothing wrong with the classic 243

He does and nope nothing at all wrong with the classic 243.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hY0w1c-gf18

[Mach2]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hY0w1c-gf18[/QUOTE]

I think I'd find an elk in a place where I won't need a helicopter to get it out. Might have to field dress
that elk and wrap it up so it could be lowered by rope in two packages at least. That guy must be that
girl's father because he's looking through the spotting scope for a way down off that mesa. I think he knows she won't be much help fetching her kill.

[Appleseed]

What JC and Bill said apply for me. I used to shoot the .243 for everything in the NC mountains, but sold Bill my barrel, a stock varmint savage barrel had been shortened to 21" and fitted into a wood stock. It was a bit front heavy, but short and carried well. I had a tractor accident a few years back and can't take recoil. The medium heavy barrel helped, and it shot bug holes too.

If I do it over, it will be a .243 with 100-110's. You can always find .243 on the shelves if you don't have enough reloads. The other suggestions may fit ok, but what about ammo in a pinch?