Savage 10 .243 for long range and deer gun?

[p0nif3x]

As I am writing this right now. My uncle is at the range zeroing his new .30-30 he just got. I was looking at getting the savage Model 10 Predator Hunter in .243. I have been hearing along of great info on this round being able to get out to 1000 yards, because of its great BC. On the other end I would like to use this as a deer gun as well. I have been hearing a lot mixed reviews that it will not be able to hit a deer with much force, and that I should get a .260 .308 etc. I also have the ability to reload any ammo. I would like to get the savage 10FCP McMillan but I would have no money for optics as the price of this rifle is more. Please help a beginner hunter/ long range shooter out.

Thank you,
Brian

 

[DMann]

Re: Savage 10 .243 for long range and deer gun?

Better check the twist on the factory barrel. To reach 1K, the high BC bullets you'll need to use are 105 grains or heavier and will require a 1:8 or faster twist.

 

[p0nif3x]

Re: Savage 10 .243 for long range and deer gun?

Thanks for the info. 243 Win (1 in 9.25")Twist. I believe they have a 95-100 grain bullets for this round that would work?

 

[RussW1911]

Re: Savage 10 .243 for long range and deer gun?

Not gonna be able to fire the heavies out of that barrel. Great varmint rifle, but not so much for the long range stuff.

 

[p0nif3x]

Re: Savage 10 .243 for long range and deer gun?

Thank you for your post Dman and Russ. How about as a deer gun?

 

[DMann]

Re: Savage 10 .243 for long range and deer gun?

Deer aren't really that hard to kill; they are hard to convince that they are dead though. The .243 with that twist shooting a 95 grain Sierra or similar softpoint will kill all out of proportion to its size as long as it is placed correctly.

We see a lot of guys getting .243's for their kids' first guns and after they sight them in, they either keep them or get one for themselves.

 

[p0nif3x]

Re: Savage 10 .243 for long range and deer gun?

Do you guys think I should just save my money and get a .308. You can use that round for just about anything.

 

[Jayhawker]

Re: Savage 10 .243 for long range and deer gun?

You could fill a train full of box cars with the deer that have been killed with a .243. It's a great deer cartridge when you select the right bullet. 95 grain Hornady SST kills em DRT.

 

[DRAM40A1]

Re: Savage 10 .243 for long range and deer gun?

Hornady 105AMAX will shoot to 1000 with ease in that twist. The box says 1-9 and I shoot them a little over 3000 fps out of a factory 1-9.125 Remington Varmint.

 

[alien319]

Re: Savage 10 .243 for long range and deer gun?

That is a fine deer round as long as you can hit where you are supposed to. One round to the boiler room will kill it with ease. I agree with Jayhawker, a 95 gr SST will the trick great! I say get it. You will not regret it. Almost bought one myself about 2 months ago. I still might by a .243 though.

 

[p0nif3x]

Re: Savage 10 .243 for long range and deer gun?

Thanks Jay, Dram and Alien. Have you heard any good things about the 115 gr DT Tac bullet? It sounds like that would be more for the long range aspect of shooting and maybe like alien has stated a 95 gr SST for hunting? Like I have said before thanks for all the great input. This is a great community.

 

[mdesign]

Re: Savage 10 .243 for long range and deer gun?

Yep - I'm one of those dads that bought a 243 for the kids and shoot it myself (when their not shooting). Great round, kills deer like crazy, just know it's limitations. We use Barnes 85 TSX and have yet to recover a bullet. Hornady 100gr BTSP works well too, as do others.

The caliber is just plain fun to shoot.

 

[p0nif3x]

Re: Savage 10 .243 for long range and deer gun?

Thanks mdesihn!

 

[RussW1911]

Re: Savage 10 .243 for long range and deer gun?

105's will NOT shoot out of my 9 twist, but every rifle is its own animal as far as that goes.

I would go with a premium bullet, read Barnes, and it will be a fine deer rifle. That said, that is a heavy deer rifle and you can have the same caliber in a lighter platform for hunting.

I wouldn't bank on the fact that the 9 twist will make it to 1000 with 105's, mine is very unpredictable with them.

 

[cew191]

Re: Savage 10 .243 for long range and deer gun?

If I were to pick from the three for an all around gun I would go with the .260. I sold my .308 cause it was a little heavy for shorter range varmnits and went with the .243. Still have no problem getting mid-range shots with it. I love the .260 for deer and have taken a few coyotes with it using lighter bullets, and my factory barrel loves the 140's.

Hope that helps some.

 

[alien319]

Re: Savage 10 .243 for long range and deer gun?

The Savage Predator is not that heavy. It is a calling rifle not a Prarie dog bench rifle. The Howa 1500 is just as heavy as a Savage Predator.

 

[p0nif3x]

Re: Savage 10 .243 for long range and deer gun?

RussW1911, I was just told I will only be able to shoot about a 80 gr bullet with the stock twist in that rifle. I would need to swap the barrels if I wanted to shoot the heavier bullets and get a barrel with a smaller twist rate.

 

[alien319]

Re: Savage 10 .243 for long range and deer gun?

You could shoot all the way to 100 with that twist. However, 95 gr SST's and the 85 gr Barnes are plenty for deer. 95 gr Ballistic silvertips work well too.

 

[alien319]

Re: Savage 10 .243 for long range and deer gun?

From what I have been told you need a 1:7 or 1:7.5 twist for the 115 DTAC's. Some people can use the 105s with 1:9 1/8 twist.

 

[DarinR]

Re: Savage 10 .243 for long range and deer gun?

I shot a couple of whitetail deer this last December with a Rem 700 .243 using Barnes 85 grain Triple Shocks. Deer didn't know the difference between in the 150 grain .308 loads I have used for years.

I will probably continue to use the .243 with the 85 grain Barnes Triple Shock, especially as I train my kids on deer hunting.

Darin

 

[Kyshooter]

Re: Savage 10 .243 for long range and deer gun?

Try the Berger 95 VLDs in the factory Savage tubes, it tickled 1000 in my 12 BVSS, granted that was 4in more barrel but I bet it could stiil do it in the Predator.

 

[p0nif3x]

Re: Savage 10 .243 for long range and deer gun?

Thanks for the input DarinR and Kyshooer.