Some advice, by proxy

[hunternyny]

Tom, my wife has used a 243 for years and there is a pretty good variety between 55 and 100 gr, If for hunting and not match shooting, not so much over 100, but some 105 and 110 I believe

We bought a Browning BLR lever action gun in the 243 caliber a few years ago when we were driving across country and stopped at an estate sale in a small town. We bought it for 50 dollars and my wife has used in a lot and will never part with it.

Come to think of it tom, if your thinking a 243, the Browning BLR would be "different"--not the hammer the 45/70 is but a fun gun to shoot. I am assuming you didnt care for my JC Higgins suggestion , was just kidding Tom--but it would be different

 

[tddeangelo]

I actually did suggest a BLR to him, John. Wasn't of interest, though.

 

[Guest]

Here's a couple of interesting possibilities, Tom:

http://www.marksgunsearch.com/details/1 ... by-mark-5/

This one appears to be a ULW in an aftermarket stock. The price is unreal, as that barreled action, new, runs about $1500 or so.

And here's a Fibermark that already has Redfield style bases installed:

http://www.marksgunsearch.com/details/1 ... by-mark-5/

Just food for thought...

 

[alaska100]

Tom, my wife has used a 243 for years and there is a pretty good variety between 55 and 100 gr, If for hunting and not match shooting, not so much over 100, but some 105 and 110 I believe

We bought a Browning BLR lever action gun in the 243 caliber a few years ago when we were driving across country and stopped at an estate sale in a small town. We bought it for 50 dollars and my wife has used in a lot and will never part with it.

Come to think of it tom, if your thinking a 243, the Browning BLR would be "different"--not the hammer the 45/70 is but a fun gun to shoot. I am assuming you didnt care for my JC Higgins suggestion , was just kidding Tom--but it would be different

John, were you and your wife known as --Bonnie and Clyde, in a different lifetime LOL

Great find, my dad run into those type of buys from time to time at out of the way estate sales, where the owner is selling stuff that probably belonged to a deceased family member. I unfortunately have never been that lucky

Tom, I am reaching here, since we have covered almost everything. Check out an over and under --single shot, rifle on top and a shotgun on the bottom. I would have to research what is out there but a 243 on top and 20 gauge on the bottom, or something similar, would be different and in the right circumstance, perhaps turkeys, useful. You are a good son to do all this research for him, I might have lost a little interest by now LOL

 

[SJB358]

That one with the Camo stock is pretty nice Dub!

 

[Oldtrader3]

Tom, I know that I am the minority opinion on this topic but I can with 100V powder, I can get 3100 fps with a 110 grain BT Nosler bullet in the .257 Bob! Now, I have owned a couple of .25-06's, a couple of .257 Bobs and a .250/3000 Savage just for reference and I do not believe that anyone can convince me or anyone else that a .25-06 will markedly improve on that .257 Bob load and/or kill any deer better than that load will or a 100 grain Partition at 3100 fps will.

I fully well realise that people do not buy specific calibers of rifles based on rationality, but (but again!) your dad gave you the .257 Roberts a couple years ago. Would he consider another one? That may scratch his need?

 

[tddeangelo]

if he could find one in an appropriate rifle, he might indeed like a 257 Bob, but such rifles are not common. I've found them in Rugers, which he does not want. He's really into the Vanguard and Tikka at the moment. But a good, solid rifles, probably under 7 bills, in a 257 Bob would be worth a look-see.

The issue here is he's basing criteria on what trips his fancy, too, so the right thing will do it, but he may not even know that ahead of time.

I have the 257 that was his dad's because of issues that came about at the end of my grandfather's life, issues which made my dad not want his father's rifle any longer. I'll leave it at that.

Another rifle like that would interest him. I found one local to us on GB that's a 7x57 FWT NIB for $830, but he doesn't want to spend that much.

 

[DrMike]

The purchase or acquisition of a rifle is a pretty personal matter. Whilst it is true that a friend or family member might make a gift of a rifle, and that particular rifle have meaning, we pretty much like what we like. Thus, we tend to buy what we want, and our choice doesn't always match the logic of others, though it makes perfect sense to us. Attempting to assist someone, even a family member, who has an ideal in his/her head, can almost drive us crazy at times. Though our ideal may seem obscure to others, like Justice Potter Stewart, each of us can say definitively, "I know it when I see it."

 

[onesonek]

The purchase or acquisition of a rifle is a pretty personal matter. Whilst it is true that a friend or family member might make a gift of a rifle, and that particular rifle have meaning, we pretty much like what we like. Thus, we tend to buy what we want, and our choice doesn't always match the logic of others, though it makes perfect sense to us. Attempting to assist someone, even a family member, who has an ideal in his/her head, can almost drive us crazy at times. Though our ideal may seem obscure to others, like Justice Potter Stewart, each of us can say definitively, "I know it when I see it."

I don't know that it could be better said than the above!

That being said, I have to say,,,,It is too bad he had the experience he did with the TC Encore. While it is utilitarian rifle and not for everybody like's, I find it quite accurate, albeit I shoot pretty much all custom barrels, where 1/2 to 1/4 moa isn't all that uncommon for me,,, Sometimes better yet, and a better shooter than I could do better with these. The few factory barrels I have that are not, are short range rigs where not being sub moa is an issue. I also know there can be some real lemons with factory barrels, but most are quite acceptable by general hunting standards most mfg's are granted by the public from what I hear. If he found reason to buy the Encore in the first place, I would suggest selling the barrel he is unhappy with and putting it towards a custom one. It in lighter factory taper at 22" or 24" in the .260 or 7-08, makes for a nice compact rig without the length of a bolt action, and darn near perfect for the needs or wants stated. For price of today's of factory barrels, a custom isn't all that much more. I think there is a better chance of accuracy with such.
But then the choice is his all together in the end. What I think really isn't the issue. But still the .260 and 7-08 are great rounds. Otherwise for such needs as presented, the .257 Roberts, .25-06, 7x57 are all good as well, and at the top of my list for such. The platform from which to send them down range, is the tough one to answer in this case..
"I know it when I see it." says it all, pretty much!

 

[Oldtrader3]

Ah families! I have a half brother who has not spoken to me for 30 years because my mother gave me a Luger pistol which my dad, not my half-brother's dad, had brought home for specifically for me in 1946. This half brother, who was never in the service at all and was not born until 1957, already has my grandfather's .380 Navy Officer's Colt and his father's 8th Air Force 1911 but that was not sufficient. Families can be interesting sometimes.

 

[tddeangelo]

Charlie, I may take you up on the offer of Leupold mounts. He put a hold on a Vanguard S2 in 25-06 tonight. Compared to the Tikka, there really was no comparison for him, and I agreed with the assessment (was with him at Cabela's).

The dilemma he has now is that the 25-06 had a camo stock with molded "checkering" that was fairly coarse and rough, or a 257 WBY in a stock with overmolded grip areas. He want sthe 25-06 with the stock on the 257WBY. I finally showed him 257WBY ammo next to 25-06 ammo, and he was surpised at the sizes. He thought they were much further apart in size than they are.

Anyway, he has to decide if he wants the stock more than the caliber. I told him he could replace the stock with a B&C, lol.

 

[Guest]

If he really likes the stock off of the S2, there are plenty for sale - both new from Weatherby and on the used market.

 

[SJB358]

I think your Dad would enjoy the S2 25-06. I can't think it would lack much for the deer woods at least. Seems there is a solid camp of people who either shoot 100 grain bullets and those who like the 115/117/120 grain bullets.. I am kinda torqued, as I didn't have a 25-06 when Nosler just finished running their seconds and there were tons of 257 cal choices.. Ah well, at least 25 cal bullets are cheap compared to the 30 and over bores!

 

[Oldtrader3]

I always shot the 120 gr Partitions in my .25-06's and before they were available, the 115 gr Partitions. I saved the 100 PT's for the .257 Bob and the .250/3000 Model 70. I have always kind of stayed around 3000 to 3100 fps or so for deer hunting with a Partition, that way you don't tear up too much.

Tom, I PM'ed you on the mounts and rings.