RE: New highpowered rifle--lightweight...choices?
 

Ruger makes a great rifle, although I don't like their triggers. I'd have to put a new trigger in it, but the Ruger is solid.

RE: New highpowered rifle--lightweight...choices?
 

i have a tikka t3 as well. i've been very satisfied. very light. what causes you to go for a .243?

RE: New highpowered rifle--lightweight...choices?
 

tikka t3 lite vote here as well....well made, good trigger pull...quality rifle

RE: New highpowered rifle--lightweight...choices?
 

Have you looked at a Remington Model 7 Youth? I was gonna get one as a lightweight brush gun but I never got around to gettin one. They seem like very well built rifles. If I was you I would seriously look into this rifle.

RE: New highpowered rifle--lightweight...choices?
 

Another vote for the Tikka.I have a T-3 lite,.243,SS,left hand.It has a great trigger,only gun I have that has never been to a gunsmith for a trigger job.I have shoot Fed(three different weights),Winchester(two different wieghts and Hornady.Gun will shoot all five @100 yards into 1" or less groups.I have a Browning A-Bolt,purchased the T-3 for a back-up but now the Browning is the backup gun.It is not as pretty as the Browning but it outshoots the Browning,a slicker bolt and much better trigger.

RE: New highpowered rifle--lightweight...choices?
 

OK ... So most everyone is giving you what they want instead of answering your question...

I'll try...

When you spoke of the Ruger, were you meaning the regular Mark II or the Compact ??

I own a Remington Model 7 in 7mm-08 , A Browning Micro Medallion in .308 , and a Ruger M77 Compact in .243. I also bought my ex-wife a Browning .243 Micro Hunter ( I bought it when we were marriedthen she left me a bout 6 months later ).

My Remington is Wood / Blued , The Browning is Wood / Blued , the Ruger is Stainless / Laminate and the Browning Micro Hunter is wood / blued.

The Remington is a great gun, very reliable. The Browningsare great guns , very reliable, and have a smoother action than the Remington, and the Ruger is a Great gun , very reliable , but has a little less of a smooth action than the Brownings. It is probably equal to the Remington. The

The Ruger is the most Compact and handy of the three, but the Remington I have has an 18 1/2 " barrel. The Brownings have a 20". The Ruger has a 16 1/2 " Barrel. That makes it mighty handy in tower stands and in tree stands or ground blinds. But the other guns are not too bad in their own right, as there is not much difference in the length of the three.

As far as being able to handle it ... I have three children who are 14 years old ( boy ) , 11 years old ( girl ) , and 10 years old ( boy ) .... and they have no trouble shooting the Remington or the Ruger, but the Ruger does fit them better .... and they have been shooting the guns for 2 years by them selves.My Browning is ok for them, but it is a light gun, and in .308 , it has more felt recoil for them and they do not like it as much. The 14 yr. old is 4' 8" tall and about 85 lbs. and it is not too comfortable for him, BUTthe ex-wifes .243 is a great gun forthe kids, as they all enjoy shooting it. He and the 10 yr. old boy have both asked to be give the Ruger Compact .243 when they get older, as it is a smaller more compact gun and they like the laminated / stainless look, but they also really like the Micro Hunter in .243 but is is a longer gun , and it also is more expensive and they know that.

Out of the three guns, the Brownings areprobably the lightest, the Remington is next, and the Ruger is the heaviest due to the laminated stock.

I love shooting all three Models, and I am a big Browning fan,however, I am not a big .243 fan ( for deer ) but I am not putting it down .... I know it kills deer and a lot of people love it. What I am saying is this : I carry the Remington probably more than any out of those three guns, because I love the 7mm-08 round. The Browningsare super guns, butmine is almost a safe queen to me, and I would carry the Ruger more if I was a bigger .243 fan. In fact, if I was a bigger .243 fan, the Ruger would probably take the top spot. So that being said, if you like the .243, I would say the Ruger, if it is indeed the compact. It is soquick pointingand handy ( and very accurate too ) that I would consider buying another one in the 7mm-08 to become my hunting partner. Second choice would be the Browning, and third would be the Remington.

Not out to hurt any ones feelings or to start an argument. These are my opinions, and I own all three guns he asked about, so I believe I am qualified to make the comparisons.


** Note : and if you were talking about the Ruger M77 Mark II ( regular stock ) , I also have one of those in the Stainless / synthetic in .308. I will tell you that it is a great rifle, and probably THE most accuraterifle I own.... And yes, I have many more guns than I have listed here.... It is a super foul weather gun, and it is the one I carry if I will be hunting in an area with some of my longer distances for shots.

And no, the Ruger triggers do not need any work out of the box. You will always find folks who want to do this or that to a firearm.... it's a bit like customizing their gun, but there are FAR more hunters every year who kill deer with the guns untouched / unaltered. I guess some folks need to rework parts of their guns to become accurate with them. But it is completely unnecessary.

I hope this helps you out, and while I understand you want to stay in favor with the future F.I.L. , you need to get what you like, and what will work best for you .... and your future F.I.L. may just respect you more for having the gonads to step out on your own and make your own judgements... in fact, he may just like your gun better than his own ..... Then you may have a problem ...LOL ....

God Bless

MET

RE: New highpowered rifle--lightweight...choices?
 

And let us know what you choose, I would be interested how this turns out and how you like it.;)

MET

RE: New highpowered rifle--lightweight...choices?
 

weatherby ultralightweight in .243win

it's what I want....

check it out....

RE: New highpowered rifle--lightweight...choices?
 

How does that compare price wise???

RE: New highpowered rifle--lightweight...choices?
 

Another vote for a Tikka!!! I picked up one in a .308 last year, and what a shooter!! Love this gun!!!!;)