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New .243 advice wanted

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New .243 advice wanted

Postby Northernbloke » Tue Aug 23, 2011 10:49 pm

Just got a variation granted to add a .243 to my gun cabinet, open ticket for deer and fox and starting to look around for a new gun and moderator.

I really like the look of the Browning X-Bolt Stalker with a stainless fluted barrel - sportsman gun centre are currently offering a combo deal :-

"The Browning X-Bolt Stainless Stalker Combo Deal is available with a choice of 3 scopes (Zeiss Duralyt 3-12x50, Redfield Revolution 3-9x50 or Nightforce NXS 5.5-22x56), a choice of 3 moderators (Roedale, Wildcat or Reflex) and then finally fitted with either Warne or Leupold mounts depending on availability."


I've just started my shopping research so am not going to rush into buying one unless an unbeatable deal appears somewhere but it got me thinking about the choice of the 3 moderators on offer there - namely a Roedale IV, Wildcat Predator 8 or a Reflex T8 - I currently use a Jet-Z compact on my .223 which is small, neat and screws neatly onto the end of the barrel - all of these appear to be over the barrel design and I'm wondering if there will be any issues mounting them to a fluted barrel, or will they just look a bit silly/odd.

Anyone got any experience or opinion on these 3 moderators - or indeed advice on any other makes/models of rifle or moderator to consider - budget could stretch to £1500 at a push (including a scope, moderator, bag/box and hopefully a few rounds)

I love my .223 Tikka T3 Tactical and would cetainly think about a different model of T3.
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Re: New .243 advice wanted

Postby Triffid » Wed Aug 24, 2011 12:06 am

Just on the lookout for a new moderator myself and have done a comparison of all the ones I could find.
Moderator Comparison 2011.xls
(17.5 KiB) Downloaded 463 times

Looks to me like a trade-off beween weight and durability, with the ultra-light ones not guaranteed for extended use, being more designed for hunting. With your fluted barrel I guess that it would be easier to fit one of the end-can types (like Roedale) rather than a reflex. I'd suggest therefore you go with the Roedale as it's only 175g extra weight, but don't forget to take it off if you go down the range.
HTH
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Re: New .243 advice wanted

Postby Bushdog » Wed Aug 24, 2011 1:02 pm

Just some thoughts on mods (take 'em or leave 'em) :) :

I have a Roedale Ultralight alloy moderator on my .308 Steyr Scout. I really like the weight as it is hardly noticeable on that lightweight rifle, and maintains the handling characteristics (such as they are). It replaced a T8 which was effective, but noticeably upset the balance .

The T8 is an over-barrel type and the Steyr Scout has a deeply fluted barrel. There were no problems in getting it to fit at all. I think all centrefire over-barrel moderators have sealed expansion chambers over the barrel, so fitting onto the fluting is not a big issue - the rear bushing just fits onto the barrel outside diameter - there is no gas leakage through the fluting.

My experience has been that the smaller alloy moderators do not appear to be so 'quiet' as the big steel ones! (I have just put an A-Tec alloy over-barrel mod on my other .308, and while I have not had a chance to test it on an open area of ground, it seemed quite noisy when fired within a woodland setting while I was re-zeroing). I have fired a shot w/out the moderator at the same location to see if it was making any difference at all, and it most certainly is reducing the noise substantially!!

All in all, I think it depends on whether the intrinsic balance and feel of the gun is important to you - if so, thee small alloy moderators are much better, if you shoot mainly from prone or off a bipod, this may be less of an issue.
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Re: New .243 advice wanted

Postby alan108 » Wed Aug 24, 2011 1:07 pm

Have a look at the A-Tec CMM4,muzzle mounted and only weighs 7.5 ozs, i'm using one on my .204,and hornet at the moment.It was originally bought for my .243,and did and still does a fine job, oh, it costs around £260 :thup:
Jackson Rifles are the importers.


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Re: New .243 advice wanted

Postby c18rch » Wed Aug 24, 2011 1:51 pm

I now have a wildcat which is great. Easily cleaned and one of the best mods available IMO. :thup:

I had a T8 and wouldn't personally put them anywhere near a decent rifle ever! They are :turd: . Mine rotted through despite peforming all the maintenance suggested and it has removed some of the finish on one of my rifles barrels where the hot gasses were leaking through.
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Re: New .243 advice wanted

Postby AHPP » Wed Aug 24, 2011 3:06 pm

What cost is that deal at the Sportsman coming in at?
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Re: New .243 advice wanted

Postby Northernbloke » Wed Aug 24, 2011 3:27 pm

£1280 upwards depending on what scope you get - it says choice of 3, but seems to only include the Redfield scope for that price - the Zeiss is an nother £375 and any of the Nightforce scopes is +£870 (http://www.sportsmanguncentre.co.uk/product/664bc81441afd3f744006265/Browning+X-BOLT+Stainless+Stalker+COMBO+'28Fluted'29/)

Thanks for all the replies so far, certainly some food for thought now
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Re: New .243 advice wanted

Postby TJC » Wed Aug 24, 2011 11:29 pm

Thunderbeast or Shark if you can find them
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Re: New .243 advice wanted

Postby Northernbloke » Sat Aug 27, 2011 2:42 pm

Well Sportmans is off the shopping list - went to the Newport branch today and what a waste of time it was - none of the staff interested at all just talking to what appeared to friends or reading magazines, stuff I wanted and had looked at on their website was considerably more expensive in the shop and their were quite a few frustrated looking customers wandering in and pretty quickly out again

My wife even asked why I wasn't buying a gun there as I was paying for the bits I had decided to buy and I told her that no-one was interested in helping me and the guy at the till just gave me the change and dashed back to reading his magazine.

So thanks to them for saving me a lot of.cash that I'll enjoy spending elsewhere with someone who actually values customers.
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