Who sent out the e-mail this morning with the sale on the Leupold blems? I already cleared my e-mail trash folder. Some of those were priced as low as a Redfield. Would be nice for a first scope.

I have been looking at the Savage Axis II in .243 and believe thats the one I will go with. It "fits" ME better than the Ruger.

cool, ill look at savage a little more. but the axis rifles have been crossed off my list

The Leo Blems were at Natchez...they got a pile of Nikon Blems & Refurbs too. Be sure to click on the In Stock Only button or you'll go blind wading thru all the SKU's looking for stuff.
Ron

Go with the Ruger American in 243. I looked at getting one for my son in 7mm-08 and I liked it for the price.

Remington 700 in a 243... I am sorry you have narrowed it down to the 2 you did. The remington 700 is the little black truck of the bolt gun world...lots of parts, easy to make shoot good, and will be around a lot longer than the 2 you picked

Picked up a Ruger American in 7-08 yesterday for an unbelievable price. As small and wieldy as the standard is, I can't fathom trying to hold the compact. Get the 22" in .243 and find an FMJ load for your coyote killing. Coyote hides are incredibly thin and will blow apart if you use a varmint/soft point on them. The predator is tempting since it has the threaded barrel.

Can't do everything with one thing.

I like Rugers but all mine are hand-helds....no longs. Well...I like most have a 10/22 but....

505ed i considered the remi 700 but it just didnt catch my eye then i went and held one. and the bolt was pretty shaky. it sketched me out to much. to much play for comfort. granted remington has my respect, but i just dont wanna chance it as my first rifle. i wouldnt have the time or resources to really make it a good rifle. which i know it can be. its remington. but im just not at that point in my life. and i looked at the predator. but its just barely outside of my price range. and yeah i just want to take it to the range to get comfortable with it. and if i can get a grouping to a quarter. i would be happy. and what would an fmj do? wouldn't getting a lighter grain be the same thing? less punch and what not?

also! anybody know if the barrel on the ruger american can be swapped for a longer one? that is the one thing i would love to do is get a longer barrel!

I wouldn't faunch for a longer barrel. They can get unwieldy in a stand or truck cab, and when calling in coyotes, you need a quick and nimble rifle.

22" is about right for a sporter .243. Riflemen came to that decision before your dad was born.

Larry Weishuhn recently took a Ruger American (in .270) with him to Sonora and scored on a nice desert ram. Taking a $55,000 sheep with a $300 rifle....I bet that's a first, at least in the modern era!

If you want a rifle with a easily swapable barrel, get a Savage 11/111. It is super easy, I did and rechambered a .308 for 6.5 CM, this can be done with a .243 I believe as well.

I don't blame you for not liking the Savage Axis, I am not a huge fan either. Also, a longer barrel is not always best. I am getting the barrels on my rifles cut down to 18 inches for 2 reasons; 1, much easier to handle and don't loose much velocity, 2, suppressors.

learned something new today! and cool. il stickk with 22" and yea the axis rifles sketched me out from the moment i saw them. and as for suppressors thats another intresting thing i wanted to bring up. how much does gettin a barrel threaded cost? ball park number. and i know the .243 is kind of unsilenceable but would one help reduce the sonic boom it makes to something a little more bareable? and is it even worth it when speaking prices?

Everycaliber is worth suppressing, a 243 can't be sub sonic but it still helps a lot and makes it shoot able without ears. Not all factory barrels can be thereaded because they are too thin, but to get a barrel threaded it can be anywhere from 50-150 dollars.

Out of the box shooting, the Savage Model 11 243 Cal has been my best target grouping. Ruger 30-06 was second. I would guess the Ruger 243 would be a solid choice. Very little recoil with the 243 when compared with 30-06.

hmm. thanks guys! ive learned more on here in a day than in all my years of schooling! i should have all my cash together by next weekend. i'll let everyone know what it shoots like! also! decent scope. would a tasco suffice? as advised im not gonna put some mean glass on it just yet. but would a tasco suffice for some good hunting?

In a word, no. Old Japanese Tasco's weren't horrible, but the new ones are pure junk. If you shop around, for right around $100 you can get an actual decent scope, like a Sightron SI, Vortex Crossfire, Mueller Sport Dot, etc...

alright, i'll look into it! thanks!

I own a vortex diamondback 3x9 40 and it's awesome. Cost 200 new but I have seen them used for closer to 100. That is the cheapest scope I would go with, the glass you use is just as important as the rifle.

Natchez has the Leupold blems on sale. That's a scope that would last you a long time.
http://www.natchezss.com/specials.cfm?contentID=specials&spcGrp=2

i was thinking either a bushnell or that sightron SI

Used Vortex scope here for $145. I own this exact scope and its a great for starters or to keep down the road. I used to have it on my .243 then I upgraded because I could not pass up on a nice deal for a used Vortex Viper and now I have the Diamondback going ontop of a .17 hmr I am waiting on. Vortex also has a life time warranty that is the best in the industry.

here is the link for the scope its in the classifieds. Vortex Scope

well i will have my rifle in a few days if everything goes well. but scope and rings will have to wait a bit. gotta restock pile money for a scope!

Nikon Prostaff.

Ruger American in .243 would be a great choice.

I have a Ruger American Predator in 6.5 Creedmoor on the way.