Home Forums Reloading Varmint Rifles 700-1000 yard Varmint Caliber Discussion

I have to chime in about the Rem v. Savage actions. NOT counting the trigger issue, both are just a chuck of iron that are mass produced. BOTH have inherent design flaws. The Rem is more accepted because this basic design has been around for over a century. (you would be surprised at how many people do not realize that Mauser is the parent design of most bolt action weapons manufactured in the last 100+ years)

The trigger issue has probably been solved. Check on the net, they are becoming available.

I agree. I have three original Swedish Mausers of the M96 and M96B flavors. Excellent caliber. The farther the distance, the better this caliber shines. If I only had a 6.5x55 AI reamer!!

Still haven't managed to pick up one of the old military rifles, but I will one of these days. Out of all the guys I've talked to about the M96 only one didn't like them and to be honest I don't think he liked any of the old military surplus rifles.
I can see the attraction of an Ackley version, but my financial advisor says no more toys this year.

One REALLY nice item about a Savage.....

Buy your favorite style of action - once!
Buy your favorite style of trigger (if needed) - once!
Buy your favorite style of stock - once!
Buy your favorite style of recoil lug - once
Buy your favorite style of rings - once!
Buy your favorite style of bases - once!
Buy your favorite scope - once!

To change calibers - $250-350 for a QUALITY barrel and a bolt head if needed.

I am on the fence to sell off all of my rifles and scopes and retain 2 or 3 Savage actions at 9-15 barrels. Makes more sense dollar wise.

Hell, just get one Encore frame, stock, etc., and be done with it..... if that's really that important to you.

Where's Steelhead's Savage Test pics when you need them........

Thanks for the discussion gents! Have NOT decided...yet!

As far as the action............you decide but cartridge wise, going by your original post and your criteria, I'd go with a standard ol' .243 win with a fast twist bull barrel shooting 105 grain A-max's.

Go to a benchrest match and see what they use.
There will be more than one different opinion on what is the "best" rifle action.
Local guys like Savage around here. Some guys build their own!
(If you are qualified to build your own action, changing barrels is pretty much a no-brainer.)
I bought a used 40X Remington in 7.62 NATO with a 27.5" tube and put a K_15 Weaver on it one summer.
Ther prairie dogs trembled at the mere sound of my gun case opening!
I know a guy who tried out for the Palma Team and he swears by the Barnard actions. If the varmints are fairly big you can have fun with a heavy barrel AR-15!
Most guys sleeve Remington actions, so what does that tell you?
whelennut

Acloco...hope to help with your question. My son and I just got back from Wy.shooting what vermin. Our "heavy" rifles,both on 700 actions, were 250x3000AI and 6XC. I used the 6. Both worked very well. I was shooting 75grn v-max, Ryan was shooting 108grn JLK`s. Yes, a target bullet. His longest shot on chucks lazed 667 yrds. On dogs, 654. just shy of your intended ranges. We just didn`t get a chance at anything further out. My furthest dog was just short of 400yrds.
With the multitude of cartridges/bullets available, along with actions/stocks/scopes capable of doing the job you described, all you have to do is pick one. It`ll work.

On the crazier side, shooting Montana rockchucks on a talus slope across a gusty, windy canyon at 700 to 1000, my old, tired, 300 Win Mag 700 Rem weighing in at 14#7oz, was the envy of several guys with rifles that would shoot 1/2 inch better at 200 yards. Go figure?

Wayne

Well, the short term decision has been made. I am going to start slow (or shorter yardage). Max of 800 yards and will be turning one of my 1:9 twist Savage 223 barrels into an 223 Ackley Improved chamber. This will allow me to shoot bullets from 50-75 grain at a fair distance and using the "dial-a-rat" method of using the scope.

Will keep y'all posted on progress.

Forgot...the setup will be:

Stevens short action
Aftermarket trigger (might convert to the light accutrigger)
Savage 223 stainless barrel converted to 223 AI
Bell & Carlson Gold Medal Tactical stock
Leupold VX3 8.5-25x50 dot with fine crosshairs & turrets

Ray Prager out of Denver just broke the world record on the longest shot ever made with a custom TC Contender. 2 PDs @ 1045 in 13 shots, and 2 with 1 shot in about 10 shots the next am @ 1140. He used a 5.6X50R/75 A-Max 8-32X Burris Black Diamond in a rig he calls the "Block." Here's a link to a discussion/pics.

http://specialtypistols.infopop.cc/eve/forums/a/tpc/f/4246004005/m/4281022345

For 700-1000 the fast twist 22's will work in good conditions.

I'm having a 400-600 yd. specialty pistol rig built for PDs on the Savage Tgt. Action also. It's gonna be an 8 twist 17" McGowen in Neal Cooper laminated rear grip stock in 223. It'll wear an old Unertl BV-20 with probably a T.K. Lee reticle.

Wish I could read the writeup on those shots. How much is a membership?? whoa!!!

Acloco, u don't have to pay--that's for a premium membership only

I went to read it, and they want you to join.. then they want your name, address etc...

screw'em...

I have a 223AI and it has killed hundreds of prairie rats, that is a very good choice for the rats out to about 450 yards. The rifle I use to shoot for long range is a Rem 40x short action chambered in 25-06AI. The load I shoot is a 100g sierra hpbt match. Killing PD's at 700 yards is not much of a problem 800 yards have been done many times and My longest shot was 1100 yards. I hit the rat but did not kill it. with a 20 MOA base and a 30MM main tube scope I can dial in 1000 yards of elevation. The rifle was chambered by Bob White of the shooterscorner. That is an excellent place to look for your parts.

killahog - have you chronographed any of your loads?

Here is the results of my 223 AI 1:9 twist barrel using 69 gr HPBT and 75 gr AMax.

Next group is 22/6mm AI using 69 gr HPBT and 75 gr AMax as well.


223 AI
SHOT VELOCITY h4895 69 Nos
1 3115.2 25
2 3014.2 25.2
3 3011.7 25.4
4 3039 25.6
5 3076.2 25.8
6 3117 26
7 3126.7 26.2
8 3152.5 26.4
9 3169.7 26.6
10 3194.4 26.8
11 3247.9 27
12 3254.6 27.2
13 3279.7 27.4
14 3295.3 27.6
15 3346.1 27.8

(Hodgdon's Max load for standard 223 using 69 gr Sierra HPBT is: H4895 26.0C gr 3069 fps)

3311.1 26.2 h4895 55 gr vmax
3363.4 26.4 h4895 55 gr vmax
3392.3 26.6 h4895 55 gr vmax
3399.6 26.8 h4895 55 gr vmax
3437.7 27 h4895 55 gr vmax
3423 27.2 h4895 55 gr vmax
3463.5 27.4 h4895 55 gr vmax
3468.9 27.6 h4895 55 gr vmax
3496.4 27.8 h4895 55 gr vmax
3520.9 28 h4895 55 gr vmax

(Hodgdon's Max load for standard 223 using 55 gr SP is: H4895 26.0 gr 3315 fps)


VELOCITY h4895 75 amax
2948.3 24.6
2948.3 24.8
3015.8 25
3008.4 25.2
3061.7 25.4
3073.7 25.6
3079.6 25.8
3109.1 26
3167.9 26.2
3155.4 26.4
(Hodgdon's Max load for standard 223 using 75 gr JLK's is: H4895 24.5gr 2905 fps)





22/6mm AI
SHOT VELOCITY H1000 69 gr NOS HPBT
1 3335 49
2 3346.1 49.5
3 3318 50
4 3360.4 50.5
5 3465.7 51

STRING 03
SHOT VELOCITY H1000 75 Amax
1 3389.2 49.5
2 3473.3 50
3 3515.3 50.5
4 3544.6 51

STRING 04
SHOT VELOCITY RL22 69 gr NOS
1 3451.6 47.5
2 3463.5 48
3 3545.7 49

STRING 05
SHOT VELOCITY RL22 75 Amax
1 3496.4 47
2 3573.2 48.5

H4831 69 gr NOS
3 3426 48
4 3458.1 48.5
5 3486.4 49
6 3549.1 49.5
7 3573.2 50

STRING 06
SHOT VELOCITY H4831 75 Amax
1 3529.8 47
2 3517.5 47.5
3 3553.7 48
4 3565.1 48.5
5 3583.6 49

I have chronographed The 25-06AI it is shooting 3344 fps my 220 swift is still in the load developement process I am getting really good groups but the velocity is still very low. 2900 fps shooting 38G of XMR3100 and a 75G amax bullet. [ [img][IMG]http://i142.photobucket.com/albums/r115/killahog/220swift001-1.jpg[/img][/img]