Setting up a .243 for Predator Hunting Rig

9

91xlt

New member
I have a Savage 110 in .243, I bought for a project, then decided on another route.

Soooo...

I have a .243 I will be setting up strictly for predator hunts. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif I would appreciate feedback and/or pics as how your rig is set up, or how you would set this up. I have a few ideas, but thought I'd ask.
 
Put a decent scope on it, at least 3X9 power, a swivel bipod and work up a load and you're good to go. I have a Leupold VariX II on mine, with an elevation knob wrapped with tape marked off in yards and shoot 70 Nosler Ballistic tips. That's good for 250 yards, or so, on groundhogs. More magnification is needed if I wanted to shoot them much further. A 4 X 12 would probably be a better choice, though, for a light varmint rifle. I have a 6X18 Redfield 5 Star I might end up putting on it. But the 3X9 has worked well so far.
 
I think the mag is a personal choice. I prefer less magnification. My current calling rifle wears a 2-7 and I am really thinking of dropping down even less than that. Shot wookchucks all spring with a 3.5-10X. Farthest kill was 575. Shot quite a few in the 3-400 range and never felt the need of more X's out front. It still boils down to what you feel comfortable with.
 
I have a savage 110 .243 and put a 3x9 mil-dot scope on it. I shoot 75 grain v-maxs pushed by a moderate load of Varget and can hit what I want to out to 400 yds with out much problem. I've shot 3 coyotes with it so far and it seems to do pretty well.
 
I have a Remington 700 26" heavy barreled action sitting on an H-S Precision stock with a Timney trigger. It wears a 4.5x14 Leupold Mark 111 Tactical scope with fine cross hairs. I shoot 70g ballistic tips that leave the muzzle around 3650fps. I have it zeroed at 225 yards which lets me aim dead on a coyote from point blank out to 300. The optic is a little high in magnification than I need, but wouldn't remove it if my life depended on it . Same with the bullets. They are a little extreme on coyotes. There's a 50/50 chance of weather I am going to ruin the pelts but acts like Thor's hammer on them at any normal range. If you aren't trying to save pelts and want to make a yote explode like a prairie dog then this is the bullet for you.
 
My calling rifle is a Remington Model 7, an old one with the skinny little 18.5" barrel. Leupold compact 2x7, camo tape, and a Ching sling. A mouse squeeze-squeaker is taped to the side of the fore-end.

Short, light, and handy. I shoot the 70 Speer TNT hollow point. Tried the 75 VMax with Varget but the rifle hates it, so far. I live where the prairie ends and the mountains start, so I can be out on the prairie or up in the thick forest depending on which direction my truck decides to go. A middle weight bullet bucks the prairie wind better than the lighter ones, lets me try shots at prairie dogs and high mountain rockchucks, and so far (1 kill) doesn't seem too hard on a 50-yard 'yote.
 
Wow........ seems most fellas like that big power. But on a strict predator calling gun (not long range sniping) a 1.5 x 6 or 2 x 7 is all thats ever needed. Quality fixed 4x would be nice as well.

Heaviest crosshair you can find.

Remember we are calling coyotes, and many times shooting is fast but close.

I took a poll here on Predator Masters awhile back and the average coyote was shot at 75 yards. That was from respondants from many states.

A dual purpose gun might need a bit more scope, but a callin' rig needs low power.

My 243's had a fixed 4x for 30 years. Now my main callin' gun (243) has a 1.5 by 6. I switched to get LESS power.

Shooting low and high power scopes in quick field shooting practice sessions will soon show you the benifit of low power. Try it you will see. Come on guys try it.

In 30 years of callin', don't think I ever shot a pred with my scope higher than 4x. And I've shot over 200 yards a couple of times with sucess.

Less is more. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grinning-smiley-003.gif

Unless you are punchin' paper which has absolutely ZERO to do with killin' a coyote bombing in. I kill lots of stuff, and I doubt shootin' little groups off a bench has helped me at all. Target shooting is fun though, but don't confuse it with hunting target practice. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smiliesmack.gif
 
I shoot two 243's, a Ruger #1B with a 3 by 9 and a sitdown bipod. and a Remington VLS set up the same way. I like the 55 grain Nosler's at a little over 3900 fps.

None of my guns are camo'ed, but they seem to kill coyotes just as well anyway.
 
DSCN0073.jpg

This works pretty well for me.
Browning Micro Hunter with 20" barrel and 12-3/4 LOP.
Sightron 1.5-6x42.
Weighs just over 7#. The recoil was fiesty untill I put the LimbSaver recoil pad on it.
Shoots 85 Sierra GK with IMR4350, and 68 Berger's with IMR4064 a little under MOA. Sometimes way under, but not very often.
ColoradoPete........That 4064 works great with light bullets and short barrels. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grinning-smiley-003.gif

Later
 
91xlt:

Sleddogg nailed it! He is among the guys here (well respected), that will offer you sound information, the challenge for you is... to listen to what he is telling you and use what you can!

Good luck with the rifle project!

Redhound80
 
My average shot has been around 25 yards with my 243 since I have been calling Yotes. That's why I said I'm overpowered. Ive been wanting a 2.5x10 Leupold Mark 7 or a 56mm Zeiss for some time now to replace my 4.5x14 Mark 111 Tactical but don't have the extra $ for the upgrade.
 
I'm going to set up my Savage 99 with a NECG peep. Think that if the aperture is large enough for my old eyes, it will do well to about 200 yds, & be MUCH handier to carry!! Going to Weaver bases, so I can put the scope back, if I want.
Mark
 
Quote:
The bi-pod is optional also...


Yea,,,,,,,,,,,,The bi-pod is just so I could take the picture. It's used mostly on my sqwerrl guns from a bench.

GC.......I know you don't care for Browning's, so thanks for not starting a flame war. It's way too hot for that this time of year. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif
Later
 
Hey RePete, I got the exact same rifle but my bolt is on the left side like it should be. Cant figure out how you guys shoot it upside down.

I dont about the recoil. The only weights I shoot are 100gr and I have not had a problem with recoil at all. The wieght of the gun sure is nice when walking miles of CRP for deer!

Later,
Jerrett
 
Quote:
my bolt is on the left side like it should be. Cant figure out how you guys shoot it upside down.

/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif
Shooting it upside down assures you that the case will ejest properly..
The weight is what sold me on the gun. You'r right it's a pleasure to carry.
And as far as recoil goes,,,,what can I say. I'm a wimp.
Later
 
RePete,
No reflection on your rifle at all. In fact, I was actually replying to a post above that mentioned a bipod. I guess where I was going with the "bipod optional" thing, is that in my area, I'm always sitting with my back against a large tree and the rifle rest over my knee. Shots are quick and reactive, a bipod would only slow me down trying to fiddle with it and get lined up, evened out, adjusted, and all that bizz. I don't need the weight or bulk attatched to my rifle. For open country shooters they're fine and can be a real asset. The poster that asked the question is from back east and I can only guess, I figured he probably should think about if he actually needs one or not.
 
WOW...
Some great replies and quality info!

In the back of my mind I was thinking I may be extremely overgunned, but it seems to be a very valid choice.
One mistake I probably would have made was to mount too powerful of a scope, the comments refering to shots being quick made a lot of sense to me.

Thanks...and keep it coming!
 
hello guy's...not to beat the bi-pod...i hunt in open country..."however" not as open as the plain's...my buddy attached a bi-pod to his rig 3-4 year's ago & a 6x18 scope...it just didn't work out for him...a few missed coyote's & he lost the bi-pod & went to a 2x7 leupold..i did the same...we use homemade shooting stick's...the nice thing is they can be lightly tossed to the side for a freehand shot..in the event a rattle-snake might be nearby..they work great to poke around in the sagebrush before sitting down.. as has been mentioned go for a lower powered scope..a solid bullet..your good to go !!
 
Quote:
DSCN0073.jpg

This works pretty well for me.
Browning Micro Hunter with 20" barrel and 12-3/4 LOP.
Sightron 1.5-6x42.
Weighs just over 7#. The recoil was fiesty untill I put the LimbSaver recoil pad on it.
Shoots 85 Sierra GK with IMR4350, and 68 Berger's with IMR4064 a little under MOA. Sometimes way under, but not very often.
ColoradoPete........That 4064 works great with light bullets and short barrels. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grinning-smiley-003.gif

Later



If you get a chance, try some SR3031 with the light bullets. I tried SR4064, expecting it to perform well with the 70 grain Noslers I shoot, but found it gave me pretty large extreme velocity spreads. SR3031 gave me extreme spreads under 30 fps. and consistent 3 shot groups in the 5/8" range at 100 yards with my Savage, using a scope set at 8 power. I also didn't have much luck with the Vmax's in my 3 .243 caliber rifles. But, all shot well with the 70 Nosler BT.

I could drive them faster, but found velocities around 3425 fps., shot the most accurately. Once they got above 3450fps, accuracy seemed to drop off noticibly. And, again, that was with all three rifles.
 
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