Narrowed down to two WHICH ONE ?

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jcramin

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Mossberg 100 ATR BOLT ACTION RIFLE - SHORT-ACTION .243 cal

Stevens Model 200 Bolt Action Rifle- Short Action .243 cal


Well I have narrowed it down to these two guns to start my kids hunting. Im going in this price range because who knows if they will want to sit in the woods or not all day. If not its cheap enough for me to use as a backup to my .270 Wetherby.

Question is. Is there much of a differance between the two and is one a better choice than the other ? for a 13 year boy old and 17 year old boy and for the future of a now 7 year old girl ? and of course me to play with the gun ?

Thanks,
J
 
I don't know much about mossberg rifles, but the Stevens a good, cheap, accurate, reliable, well the list goes on. Which model is cheaper, and have you asked your kids to hold them and see which they like better? hope you like whichever one you buy:D
 
I don't know much about the Mossberg. I've only heard good things about the Stevens (other than the ultra-plastic stock)
 
I've shot the ATR in .270 and groups were between 2 and 3 inches. I would think the Stevens would do better.
 
Well with all your thoughts and the fact that noone seems to carry the Mossberg but I can find the Stevens. I am going with the Stevens it looks like.
 
I've been giving this advice a lot lately: If you think they will ever hunt anything larger than a whitetail get the Savage in a .308. Start them out with managed recoil ammo which in .308 is a little better ballistics than a .30-30 with the same recoil. Then when they are older they can move to .308 loads (or you can). Like getting two rifles in one.
 
Actually I want to stick to a .243 because that gives me a good excuse to buy a .308 later for me and my boys, when my daughter is old enough to shoot the .243.

:)

J
 
Do they have a Junior model with short stock for kids?
If not, saw it off. I hate to see a kid with the buttstock under his armpit and leaning over to try to see the sights while Dad says "He will grow into it."
 
Wait, ain't .243 a .308 based cartridge? Doesn't it use the same bolt head as the .308?

Well, then, if jcramin gets a Stevens, he can easily rebarrel it at home to .308 later.
 
Look over at Shootingtimes.com in the rifle reviews section. One or both of them are reviewed there, and they made some good points.

Here it is: http://www.shootingtimes.com/longgun_reviews/stevens200_041106/index.html

Although you didn't ask for it, (don't know if you considered it) here's a review on the new budget Marlin:
http://www.shootingtimes.com/longgun_reviews/ST_Marlinxl7_200804/index.html

Is this the Mossberg you were considering?
http://www.shootingtimes.com/longgun_reviews/mossberg4x4_061907/index.html

I'd probably buy the Marlin, just because I like the way they cut costs without cutting accuracy or quality. Too bad they don't have the option of a walnut stock, or it would be perfect.
 
Yes he can rebarrel to a .308 but that cost money and it costs nothing for the upgrade from ".30-30" to .308. Plus, the best excuse for buying a .308 later is because you already have one now, common ammo. I guess it boils down to whether you think the .243 is a good round for youngsters to start huntin deer - I don't. For the same recoil, I'd rather have the bigger hole of the thirty cal. And the .243 isn't really adequate for anything larger than deer.
 
I have one the Mossberg 100s in .308 and while it is not a tack driver it is more then accurate enough for most needs. It will easily shoot minute of white tail at most ranges.

It is light, handy and easy to shoot. Mine sits well at the shoulder and on it's bi-pod and has hit everything I have aimed it at and shot 1.5 inch groups with most ammo I have tried.

$0.02 worth, YMMV.
 
If you do your homework on the Stevens, it's just a basic Savage minus the Accutrigger and a good stock. I've got one in 300 Mag and I can out shoot my Remington Model 700 and Winchester Model 70, even with the increase in recoil. My groups are about 1 inch, shooting cheap Federal ammo. Talk to people at a gun shop about these, they'll tell you that they are the best rifle you can get for under $600.
 
Stevens, hands down. My primary big game rifle, and primary varminter are both Stevens. Great, durable, reliable rifles, that are more than accurate enough if factory ammo. If you hand load, they are as accurate as any other rifle out there....
 
you can also get the mossberg in a superbantam, which has a bunch of buttstock inserts for them as they grow. now then, I like both , but I would get the mossy. Why? though accuracy will not be quite as good, it will be plenty good enough for hunting, and the mossy will be better everywhere else, some will have sights, they have stocks that are pillar bedded, with built in sling studs, and better bolt assy's., in my opinion. the stevens has a notoriously bad, springy, bendy, stock. And I like savages perfectly fine. I am not sure, but I thinkg the trigger on the mossy, might be easier to adjust as well.
 
I got the Stevens and yes it is a short action .243.

Ill sight it in next weekend.

J
 
You can find some Savage rifles with short action calibers built on their long action (.223, .243, .308 in a 110), but 99% are built on the appropriate size action.
 
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