Q: My BSA .243 Winchester shoots like a dream, but I’m looking to have it rebarreled to another calibre such as the 6mm BR or 6mm PPC. Which would you recommend? Are these cartridges suited for the BSA action? Or is the reliable Remington Model 700 action better to use? I also have a Remington Model 788 .308 Winchester which is an excellent rifle and very good action apart from the dicky trigger. Would the 788 action be all right for these cartridges? My brother is going to get a new rifle and is tossing up between the .17 Hornet and the .22-250, but also considering the 7mm Rem. Mag. But he has bad shoulders and is sensitive to recoil. He wants a good flat-shooting rifle. What would you recommend he buys?
Scott Garnesy
A: If your BSA .243 shoots like a dream, you’d be crazy to have it rebarreled unless you are looking to have a varmint/target rifle made up. Why bother with the 6mm BR or 6mm PPC? Cases for both are expensive and they don’t match the performance of the .243.The BSA could probably be modified to take the 6mm BR, but the short Remington action would be better, especially from the standpoint of obtaining the finest accuracy. If you used the Remington 788 action you’d have to get a new magazine to suit those cartridges which would be very difficult, nigh impossible. Also, I’d not be willing to pay from $500 – 700 for a rebarreling job on a 788. I’d hardly rate the Hornet as being a flat-shooting high-power rifle. It is a medium range varmint cartridge best suited for rabbits and pest birds. The .22-250 is a far better varmint rifle. Loaded with good bullets it is capable killing goats and pigs. If you brother has bad shoulders and is recoil sensitive, he won’t be able to stand the recoil of the 7mm Rem. Mag. A better choice for him would be the .25-06, but I’d advise him not to buy one before he fires a few shots out of one to see if recoil is bearable. Another possible choice is the .257 Roberts which is available in the Ruger M77 Hawkeye. It has less recoil than the .25-06 but with good handloads is not far behind in killing power.
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