Good practice round for .243 for kids?

[Airbusdriver]

I'm taking my son's new Weatherby Vanguard-2 .243 in to get scope mounted tomorrow. Wanted to pick up some rounds so I can start breaking in the barrel. The standard round is a 100gr, but was thinking of going with a lighter load until he gets used to it. Is there a big difference in recoil between 60-85-100 grain loads in this caliber?

 

Another question: do I have to recalibrate the scope each time I change round weight? I.e., if it's dialed it at 200 yards with an 80grn, do I need to recalibrate if I switch to 100grn, and vice-versa.

 

I'm new at HP rifles too, so he and I are learning together, with the help of the web and all of you, thanks in advance.

[Redman]

If it matters, the Winchester 100 grain ammo is cheap about 20 bucks a box...I would break it in with the same ammo / grain you intend to shoot.

[azslim]

My suggestion for kids, burn up bricks of 22's, they are a lot cheaper, no recoil and the kids get to shoot a whole bunch more. Then towards the end of the session break out the .243 and shoot.

 

If you want to be a good shot it takes trigger time, and 22's give you the most for your bucks. When I was shooting all the time I would start with a couple hundred 22's before moving on, didn't matter if it was pistol or rifle practice.

[Coues&Bass]

If you change ammo most likely you will have to resite the scope. It may only take a few clicks to get it to shoot where you want.

I would personally have my kid shoot the ammo they will be hunting with. I think the hardest thing for kids is sighting with a scope. If you have a 22 with a scope I would work on sight picture first.

[kninebirddog]

My suggestion for kids, burn up bricks of 22's, they are a lot cheaper, no recoil and the kids get to shoot a whole bunch more. Then towards the end of the session break out the .243 and shoot.

 

If you want to be a good shot it takes trigger time, and 22's give you the most for your bucks. When I was shooting all the time I would start with a couple hundred 22's before moving on, didn't matter if it was pistol or rifle practice.

 

 

BINGO..Excellent advice

 

And yes Practice and sight in with what you are going to shoot... as weights and charges do change how your gun will shoot

[Airbusdriver]

Thanks for the info and feedback.

 

I guess I should have mentioned in my original post: between my two boys, they have shot over 2,000 rounds of .22 in the last few months, with and without scopes. They've been using my Marlin rifle with iron sights that I had as a boy, a Rem Mohawk with a scope, and a Ruger 22/45 Mark II pistol. My older son sold his Mission Craze bow and some other stuff to raise money to buy his .243 rifle.

 

They are getting their "first rifles" from Mom & Dad for Christmas: A Ruger 10/22, and a Henry lever action 22.

[kninebirddog]

OK...That is a good bit of info

 

As for what round..I have a 6mm which is basically the same as a 243...I use the remington Core lockts 100gr in mine because they are the easiest round purchase on the road ..and they shoot well from my rifle

I practice and hunt with that round. and that gun has taken a bunch of animals not only for me but for those that have borrowed it (this has happened many times over in texas)

[roninflag]

AIRBUS- the .243 is an accurate and deadly round. if you are not going to hunt deer right away( this year) you could shoot lighter 60-85 grain bullets on coyotes and targets ect then sight in with the heavier ones when drawn. i killed most of my deer with an 85 sierra bthp handload. they are offered by federal in a factory load.

[couesobsession]

As reguards to recoil, there shouldnt be a huge difference. Then again, to a kid, what a slight difference in recoil feels like to us to them can be monumental. But inside the .243 caliber, the kick shouldnt be much of a problem. I like to use Hornady 95 grain SST superformance when I take my .243 deer hunting. It actually shoots that hot load extraordianrily well, and the SST is great on deer. For cheap shooting, or heck, even hunting, Remington Core-Lokts are the old stan-by for millions of hunters.

[Benbrown]

As reguards to recoil, there shouldnt be a huge difference. Then again, to a kid, what a slight difference in recoil feels like to us to them can be monumental. But inside the .243 caliber, the kick shouldnt be much of a problem. I like to use Hornady 95 grain SST superformance when I take my .243 deer hunting. It actually shoots that hot load extraordianrily well, and the SST is great on deer. For cheap shooting, or heck, even hunting, Remington Core-Lokts are the old stan-by for millions of hunters.

Black Hills loads a 55-grain Nosler Ballistic Tip and Federal loads a 70-grain Nosler Ballistic Tip. Either of these would offer a bit less recoil than a 100-grain load. However, the muzzle blast might be considerable, so be sure that he is wearing a good set of muff-type ear protectors. Remington and Federal offer 75-grain loads and just about everyone has 80-grain loads. The Vanguards are not particularly light rifles, so any of these should be manageable as practice loads. Let him dry fire a lot before he touches off the first live rounds.

[azslim]

I have a .244rem that has killed numerous deer, elk, 2 moose and 1 bear over the years with Remington CoreLokt 90 to 100 gr rounds. Now it sits in the safe and waits for a grandkid to show up.

[tommat]

Walmart stocks 100gr federals......about $13.99 a box. They grouped great with my sons Rem 770 .243 and killed his deer. Not much kick at all. He is ten and pretty slim. I also got him warmed up with a scoped .22 before the hunt.

[rcdinaz]

Sportsman's carries the HSM brand and you can get Berger Hunting VLD's in them for the .243. We put the 95gr through my daughters Tikka and they shot very well. The VLD's will have the highest BC's if this is something you carry about. I also shoot the Win CT's in 95gr through a 6mm and they have never let me down.