Newbie here - .243 question

[GEREP]

First and foremost, let me start out by saying that I am not a gun nut in any stretch of the imagination, so I won't try to come across as though I know any more than the mere basics.  Traditional archery is my thing but I do still hunt deer during Michigan's firearm deer season with my late Father's model 94 Winchester.  (open sights / short range stuff...about as basic as you can get )  I also have a Weatherby Lazermark in .30-06 (extremely good shooter by the way) just not a fun rifle to hunt with at all. 

Anyway, my daughter turned 12 this year and I decided that it was time to get her first rifle for Christmas.   Bases on recommendations from friends, I decided on the Handi-rifle and purchased one in .243.  After getting the rifle home, I started looking around on the net and found this HUGE source of information.  I wish I had found it before buying...lol  I have been reading quite a bit about some of the difficulties that some people have had getting the .243's to shoot accurately.  It seems that many of the problems are with the youth models.  Fortunately, I got the adult size (wood stock) with the 22" barrel.  (she is already 5'2" and I figured she would be out of the youth model shortly)

I wanted the .243 primarily because of the lack of recoil but now I'm wondering if this was a wise decision.  I don't want her first experience shooting to be a bad one because of recoil but then again, I don't want her to be frustrated by a rifle that won't shoot consistently.

Should I stick with the .243 and see how it shoots after Christmas or should I just go with something like a 30-30 and hope she can handle the recoil?  I'm really not the type that is going to start tearing into things to try to get superb accuracy.  This is going to be a young girls first deer rifle, plain and simple. (I have a strange feeling her dad is going to be shooting it a little also..LOL)  Hunting accuracy is all I am looking for.

Opinions please.

Thanks guys,

KPC   

[quickdtoo]

Welcome KPC!! Please read the FAQs and Help sticky link to the "243 or 30-30 for a youth" thread, there's also a related thread back a page or two on the same topic.

As far as the .243, the Superlight barrel is the only one that's finicky, the standard contour or heavier bull barrel 243s are excellent shooters with Federal 100gr Power-shoks and 95gr Fusion, it may need a little break in range time, but may not either, if you have issues, the FAQs have all the info you need to get where ya want, if you haven't spent any time in there, it would be wisely spent time, there are many answers in there that you don't even know you have questions for.....yet!!

Tim

[J. Plate]

After I bought my .243 Handi, I put the o-ring on the barrel lug and headed to the range with it.   The 95 gr. Fusion and 95 gr. Winchester Silvertips were "minute of deer" from the first time out. 

It's taken some tweaking, but I get really good groups out of it now....and have started shooting the 55 gr. Silvertips primarily for coyotes.    They are VERY accurate out of this little handi.   Put my last 3 shot group in one ragged hole yesterday at about 75 yards. 

[GEREP]

Thanks Tim !!  I have spent quite a bit of time in the FAQ area.  I must say, this site is awesome.  I really do want to stick with the .243, I just think it would be an easier rifle for her to learn on.  I just got a little concerned with what I was reading about some peoples accuracy experiences.

Again, I am not looking for competition type accuracy here.  Truth be told, I would be just fine with 2" groups at 100 yards.  It sounds like that shouldn't be out of the question, right out of the box even.  This little package brings back some fond memories of my very first single shot 12 guage when I was about 14.  Kicked like an ABSOLUTE mule but man did I have fun.

KPC

[handi243]

WELCOME i have a 243 also i sanded out the forearm so the only contact is at the barrel stud i do reload but have used 100gr fed blue box they did well. The best i have used is 100gr sierra with 41 gr of imr 4350. I REALLY would like to try some 85 gr barnes triple shocks. Good luck with your new handi.

[quickdtoo]

2" is H&R's accuracy standard, good enough for a deer rifle any time, if it won't shoot that good, they're the best at making it so it will.

I have three .243s, two 24" Ultras and a Superlight, one Ultra hasn't been shot much, but it does 1¼"-1½" with both Federal ammos and 80gr Remingtons, the other Ultra shoots well under 1" with Power-shoks, best group so far is under ½". The Superlight shoots 2" groups with 80gr Rems, and much better with handloaded 100gr Speers using Stimpy's load, 2 shots touching and a third that opens the group to 1½", but that's 3 shots fired in under 2 minutes, the Superlight barrel really gets hot in a hurry.

I don't think you or your daughter will be disappointed, the .243 has some bark to it tho, so be sure to have her wear good hearing protection. There are some excellent tips in that thread I referred to on making a young shooter's shooting experience a good one.

Tim

[lakestatebob]

If your concerned about the .243 being good for deer, then you should read the thread on the small bore forum -.243 for deer-  lots of experienced people give their opinions -good stuff- I think you made a good choice!

[GEREP]

Thanks again guys.   I think I'll stick with the .243 for her.

Looking forward to actually getting out and shooting.

I'll be sure to report back with how we do.  In the meantime, I have about 400 pages of posts to read...

:>)

KPC

[Davemuzz]

You made a great choice for her. Teach her proper bullet placement on the deer and all will go well. that rifle will build a lot of confidence in her ability to shoot as the recoil is NIL (practically).

And heck, if you want to take her groundhog hunting (east coast) or shootin the small stuff, she has a gun to do just that......and build more confidence.

MHO

Dave

[Jal5]

You have a good rifle for her, but I echo Quick's suggestion about the noise. Get good ear protection for her, it surprised me what the noise level was the first time I shot it. Wouldn't want to turn her off to shooting it because of that factor 

[GEREP]

Thanks for the tips on the noise.  I'll make sure she is wearing good protection.

I'm not sure who is going to me more excited to try this thing out, me or her.

KPC