I finally found the right caliber for me!! - XDTalk Forums - Your HS2000/SA-XD Information Source!

vikz · 10-18-2007, 10:37 PM

After trying several rifle calibers I think 243 win is the one for me, just got this Howa 1500 in 243 win and man she was fun to shoot, i just sighted her in at 25 yds, took me 5 shots with 3 touching each other, minimal recoil with enough power. I also got my winchester wildcat in 22lr. I will sight her in next week, just tried 50rds to make sure she is functioning fine. Here are some pics..

**Frenchy** · 10-18-2007, 11:37 PM

Great choice vikz. I've developed some shoulder problems over the years, and the .243 won't beat me to death. I found the same true of the Swedish 6.5X55.

shaner · 10-19-2007, 03:53 AM

243 is a great all round caliber , in ohio here isnt to much you cant do with it , lots of guys here use it to varmint hunt load it down to 55gr bullets with ballistic tips, you got a pig puffer for sure

bigun · 10-19-2007, 04:13 AM

I'm with Frenchy on this one the 6.5 Sweed is one of my favorites also. Due to a serious shoulder injury anything heavier than 30/06 causes excessive pain in my shoulder so I've rediscovered alot of great callibers like the 6.5 or the 7mm Mauser that kill as quickly as a 300 win mag but are gentle on the shoulder.

ichy_trigger · 10-19-2007, 04:28 AM

Nice, my first rifle was a .243

Ianr · 10-19-2007, 11:03 AM

I have yet to find a favorite round but it is nice to see another person buying a Howa rifle. I can not stop buying them, for the price I have gotten mine at they are one of the best deals out there. Now I think I need to go get a price for a Howa in .243 win

**BEEFCAKE-NMCB1** · 10-19-2007, 11:09 AM

25 yards?????? a little confused..

**magnumize** · 10-19-2007, 01:35 PM

Congrats on your 243,its a great round.Ive shot several of them,I like the 30-06 myself but the 243 is great.Glad you found something comfortable for you....Maybe the 25 yrd sight in was as far as he could get that day.Enjoy!

Brickboy240 · 10-19-2007, 03:14 PM

What you have is basically a Weatherby Vanguard and the Howas are very accurate rifles and very well priced. My cousin has a Weatherby Vanguard in 30-06 and loves it.

I have a 1964 Savage 99 lever-action in 243 and use it for coyotes. I love the 243 - deadly accurate, no recoil and kills coyotes like lightning. My uncle has an early Sako Vixen in 243 and I have borrowed it a few times and love its accuracy. Overall, I don't know anyone that owns a 243 and says it is not accurate - it seesm to be an inehrently accurate round, period (like the 6.5x55 Swede and 270 Winny).

For deer, keep your shots close and use the 100gr bullets. If the 243 has any downside, its the fact that it uses fairly light bullets. In the same class, the 6.5x55 can go up to a 156gr bullet wheras the 243 can run only up to 100 grains but as long as you're not going after huge deer, moose or shoting a very long distance at big game, you will be fine.

I know everyone likes the 80gr bullets for varmints, but I have always used 100gr Partitions in my 99 Savage and again..the coyotes are dead before they hit the ground!

I think you made a great choice.

- brickboy240

bprohs · 10-19-2007, 03:43 PM

What would you all recommend for elk? I too have shoulder problems and haven't shot a high powered rifle in years, but plan on going hunting elk next year.

10-18-2007, 10:37 PM	#1
vikz XDTalk 500 Member Join Date: Apr 2007 Posts: 713	I finally found the right caliber for me!! After trying several rifle calibers I think 243 win is the one for me, just got this Howa 1500 in 243 win and man she was fun to shoot, i just sighted her in at 25 yds, took me 5 shots with 3 touching each other, minimal recoil with enough power. I also got my winchester wildcat in 22lr. I will sight her in next week, just tried 50rds to make sure she is functioning fine. Here are some pics..

10-18-2007, 11:37 PM	#2
Frenchy XDTalk 10K Member Join Date: Mar 2001 Location: Mid-Missouri Posts: 13,181	Great choice vikz. I've developed some shoulder problems over the years, and the .243 won't beat me to death. I found the same true of the Swedish 6.5X55. __________________ ~SC Harvey~ "You are the instruments that God is going to use to bring about universal change, and that is why Barack has captured the youth. And he has involved young people in a political process that they didn't care anything about. That's a sign. When the Messiah speaks, the youth will hear, and the Messiah is absolutely speaking."...Nation of Islam leader Louis Farrakhan RON PAUL IN 2008

10-19-2007, 03:53 AM	#3
shaner XDTalk 1K Member Join Date: May 2005 Location: freddieville ohio Posts: 1,523	243 is a great all round caliber , in ohio here isnt to much you cant do with it , lots of guys here use it to varmint hunt load it down to 55gr bullets with ballistic tips, you got a pig puffer for sure __________________ XD SUBCOMPACT 9MM TFO'S XD TACTICAL 45ACP TFO'S XD TACTICAL 9MM XD COMPACT 45ACP XD SERVICE 9MM OD COUPLE SHOTGUNS COWBOY GUNS 2.5IN POCKET KNIFE IVE HAD SINCE 1977 STILL CARRYIN IT BUNCH OF OTHER STUFF TOO

10-19-2007, 04:13 AM	#4
bigun XDTalk 2K Member Join Date: Jul 2005 Location: Southern Iowa Posts: 2,713	I'm with Frenchy on this one the 6.5 Sweed is one of my favorites also. Due to a serious shoulder injury anything heavier than 30/06 causes excessive pain in my shoulder so I've rediscovered alot of great callibers like the 6.5 or the 7mm Mauser that kill as quickly as a 300 win mag but are gentle on the shoulder. __________________ Springfield Loaded Stainless,Kimber Pro CDP 2, Kimber Custom Target, Beretta 92D Centurions x2, 92FS, SIG 229 SAS, CZ75, and several other weapons that give Liberals nightmares.

10-19-2007, 04:28 AM	#5
ichy_trigger XDTalk 5K Member Join Date: Jan 2004 Location: Dayton, Ohio Posts: 7,533	Nice, my first rifle was a .243 __________________ "The person who has nothing for which he is willing to fight, nothing which is more important than his own personal safety, is a miserable creature and has no chance of being free unless made and kept so by the exertions of better men than himself." http://militarysignatures.com/signatures/member2645.png

10-19-2007, 11:03 AM	#6
Ianr XDTalk Newbie Join Date: Oct 2007 Posts: 10	I have yet to find a favorite round but it is nice to see another person buying a Howa rifle. I can not stop buying them, for the price I have gotten mine at they are one of the best deals out there. Now I think I need to go get a price for a Howa in .243 win

10-19-2007, 11:09 AM	#7
BEEFCAKE-NMCB1 XDTalk 500 Member Join Date: Mar 2006 Location: Mississippi Posts: 563	25 yards?????? a little confused..

10-19-2007, 01:35 PM	#8
magnumize XDTalk 2K Member Join Date: Aug 2003 Location: ky Posts: 2,435	Congrats on your 243,its a great round.Ive shot several of them,I like the 30-06 myself but the 243 is great.Glad you found something comfortable for you....Maybe the 25 yrd sight in was as far as he could get that day.Enjoy! __________________ Government big enough to supply everything you need is big enough to take away everything you have..The course of history shows that as Government grows,liberty decreases...Thomas Jefferson The enemy teaches their kids how to handle RPGs and Ak-47s...our schools suspend kids for drawing a picture of a gun and teach Earth Day and putting a Trojan on a banana. Whats wrong with this picture? Brickboy240

10-19-2007, 03:14 PM	#9
Brickboy240 XDTalk 5K Member Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Houston, TX, USA Posts: 9,301	What you have is basically a Weatherby Vanguard and the Howas are very accurate rifles and very well priced. My cousin has a Weatherby Vanguard in 30-06 and loves it. I have a 1964 Savage 99 lever-action in 243 and use it for coyotes. I love the 243 - deadly accurate, no recoil and kills coyotes like lightning. My uncle has an early Sako Vixen in 243 and I have borrowed it a few times and love its accuracy. Overall, I don't know anyone that owns a 243 and says it is not accurate - it seesm to be an inehrently accurate round, period (like the 6.5x55 Swede and 270 Winny). For deer, keep your shots close and use the 100gr bullets. If the 243 has any downside, its the fact that it uses fairly light bullets. In the same class, the 6.5x55 can go up to a 156gr bullet wheras the 243 can run only up to 100 grains but as long as you're not going after huge deer, moose or shoting a very long distance at big game, you will be fine. I know everyone likes the 80gr bullets for varmints, but I have always used 100gr Partitions in my 99 Savage and again..the coyotes are dead before they hit the ground! I think you made a great choice. - brickboy240 __________________ The top 25% of wage earners in America pay 86% of all federal income taxes collected. (according to 2007 IRS website data) Es mejor morir a pie que vivir arrodillado Volvo...the Swedish Brick!

10-19-2007, 03:43 PM	#10
bprohs XDTalk 100 Member Join Date: Jan 2007 Posts: 183	What would you all recommend for elk? I too have shoulder problems and haven't shot a high powered rifle in years, but plan on going hunting elk next year.

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