Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Hunting Rifles Which Rifle to Buy?

A good friend just got home from a trip to Spain and found out his home had been burglarized, which included a brand new Ruger heavy barrel, varmit stocked rifle in .22/250. He asked me what make of rifle he should get as a replacement and I started to tell him a CZ 550 American, but realized he wanted a .22/250, and CZ only has the 550 American in sporter-weight barrel. So, he has between $400 to $700 to spend on a rifle. Could I get some recommendations on what you consider the most accurate out of the box rifle these days, from Savage to Tikka, to Winchester and everything between. I need the model numbers as well as the makes. He wants a heavy barrel rifle with the varmit style stock. The Ruger had a laminate stock. Thanks for any input. Tom Purdom <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/cool.gif" alt="" />

If he liked the Ruger I would replace it with the same make or look hard at the Remington 700 VS SF.

I don't own a Savage, but if their accuracy is true that everybody on the `net claims them to be, your friend should be looking at getting a Savage.

I believe the VLS to be the most,for the least................

Quote "I believe the VLS to be the most,for the least................ "

Here, Here...

Ditto on the VLS...

I picked up a Ruger mkII VT (laminated stock, stainless heavy barrel, older model with the blued receiver) in 220 swift (also comes in 22-250) a while back for under $400 out the door. Of course it was used, but I checked the throat and it was fine. It seems to be a good shooter, although I have not had a lot of time to devote to further load development.
Having said that most companies make a nice HBAR varmint rifle. It really comes down to personal experience and preference. The Remingtons are very nice indeed, Winchester makes the coyote which I like also. Good luck, sorry to hear about your buddys bad luck....

I would tell him to buy a new Ruger. The older ones had a reputation for having rough barrels, but the two recent guns I have played with have some of the best barrels I have seen on factory rifles.

On these two, the barrels are so smooth, copper fouling is almost nonexistant. One, an '06, is a consistent 1/4" shooter with Winchester factory loads.

Also, the triggers are incredibly reliable and can easily be worked over by a good gunsmith. And the design of the safety is pretty impressive. Tell him to pull one out of the stock and look at how the safety blocks the trigger.

They do sometimes have some bedding problems, but that can be fixed.

MD

Someone praising a MkII trigger AND safety <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/confused.gif" alt="" /> <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/confused.gif" alt="" /> <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/confused.gif" alt="" /> <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/confused.gif" alt="" />

I suppose you live long enough you'll hear and see everything <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif" alt="" />

The Ruger trigger is simple and has a minimum number of parts, and a gunsmith who knows how can get it into the three-pound range with very little creep.

The safety has about a 1/4"-diameter piece of steel that rotates under a beefy portion of the trigger, thereby blocking the trigger. In the back position, it also visibly locks into the cocking piece.

From the factory, the Ruger trigger needs some work.

M77s are reliable, and the newer guns seem to have darn good barrels and shoot great.

Your friend should get one of the heavy barrel savages with the new trigger. The new trigger is really nice and savages generally are pretty accurate. I recommend the the 12VSS or the Model 10FP-LE1A. These rifles have the accu-trigger and a choate stock. The 10VSS has a 26" barrel and weighs 11.25 pounds. The 10FP-LE1A has a 20" barrel and weighs 10.75 pounds. A 20" barrel should cause the rifle to effectively be much lighter than the rifle with a 26" barrel as there is a lot more leverage with the longer barrel.

I was thinking of getting another rifle just for the fun of it while I wait for my Montana 270 WSM parts to come together. It's going to take months before it gets done.

So this thread and the want for another long range varmint rifle really quick got me to look over the field. I have done the Ruger Mk11 trigger and it's some work. I never did finish it in terms of backlash as the rifle would not shoot for me anyway. In the past I would have just ordered a Remington 40X. Most of the 40X's that I have bought have been fine shooters but somehow Remington is not the old Dupont class act they used to be.

So I looked at the Savage site for the first time ever. They really seem to care about rifles! If that Accutrigger is anything like they claim then it's a leg up on some of their competition. I called my favorite dealer and he can get me a new Savage 12FVSS in 270 WSM by Wendsday. The price will be $525. I don't try to make sharp deals on buying or selling guns. I prefer that all the I's are dotted and the T's are crossed and I can talk to him about it later if need be. The gun will be all SS and will have a pillar bedded plastic stock, Accutrigger and a 26" flutted barrel. The cartridge will be a 270 WSM and the main application will be long range varmints but the rifle might get entered in a 600 yd "F" match if it shoots.

Here is the site on what I ordered www.savagearms.com/centerfire/varmint/12fvss.htm

The Ruger Target Rifle's trigger is fully adjustable and doesn't even have to be removed from the stock to adjust the pull weight.
The safety is not as accessable as the M70 Winchester safety, but it does the same job. They also tend to be a little stiff sometimes. Not tough to smooth up at all.
They actually have something of an advantage in that they can't be bumped, when hurriedly working the action, causing the safety to move into the bolt free-loading position and thus causing the rifle to convert to a safe condition like the M70 safety can. E

Don't worry about the trigger it is excellent and comes from the factory set to the minimum (1.5 pounds).

Why are you getting 270 WSM ? How big are you varmints ? If you want to shoot long distances I would get a 308. For normal varmint shooting at long distances the .243 with 55 grain ballistic tips is the best. It will leave the barrel at ~ 4000 fps and has a relatively high ballistic coef. of .277. I calculated the poiint blank range for coyotes of 365 yards.

I have come to the conclusion that every heavy barreled varmint rifle should have a muzzle break. This will let you see where you are hitting through the scope. Otherwise you have to have a spotter to help out,

I would definitely reccomend the savage. I have their new 12bvss "varmint gun" in 300wsm. All I can say is damn. Have been very impressed with the performance so far. The new accutrigger is great. Have mine set at 1.5lbs and she breaks smooth as glass with no creep or over travel. The 12bvss is ss with a 26" fluted heavy barrel, and laminated stock. The stock is very similar to the one ruger puts on their target rifles. And I paid $545 before tax. Suggested retail is$675. Unless some of the folks on here know something I dont, you will pay about $800 for a Remington factory varmint rifle. And for straight up factory vs factory rifle I would take the savage anyday. Cant see where the remington is almost $300 better. I know I just ruffled Stick's feathers and probably a few others. But when you have a gun that shoots under .5moa consistantly and costs less why spend an extra $300 for a name. I like the Remingtons and up until this year they are the only bolt rifles I have ever owned except for a very brief stint with a (God forgive me) browning a-bolt. So until something better comes along I will happily carry my savage. I will clarify this though. For a custom rifle the Sucks action is the only way to go. Will be building my son one next year in either .260AI or 7mm-08AI. Sucks action, pac-nor tube, and a laminated stock. But for now I love my savage and am very pleased with it.

Why not the 270 WSM? All cartridges are about the same in accuracy, almost all calibers have top quality bullets today and the .308 does not have the power that the 270 WSM does at long range.

The coyote is one of the few beasts that I would shoot at when it's far away. I just consider them vermin and I want to put a hurt on them. The .22's and 6mm's just don't carry the mail out at 600 yds let alone 800! They will "win" on a paper target however. Thus the 270 WSM. I ran the numbers on all the calibers and once you get over 6mm they are all about the same wind drift wise which is the great variable that's so hard to estimate for that one good first shot.

The VLS is a $500-ish Iron.

I've done multiple Savage rifles(still have some),even twisted up a coupla Customs upon them.

Coming full circle,the VLS remains the most for the least IMHO....................

$500-ish....................

The .308 caliber bullets have a higher ballistic coefficient that 270 caliber bullets. When shooting way out there the BC is more important that the initial velocity.

Tikka Continental!! Nice heavy barrel, Great Trigger, Very good accuracy, Decent wood stock.

Tikka Continental has my vote!