Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Competitive Shooting Lucky Break- Now what?

Hey everyone.

I ordered a 4-12 Leupold VX2, and recieved a 6-18AO, fine duplex with turrets for the same price.

-Not a bad trade. However I think the 6 to 18 is a little much for the hunting rifle it is intended for(mostly because of the fine duplex).

-So, I am going to buy a target/varmint rifle and need suggestions, as I have never owned either. The few I was considering are, the Tikka T3 Varmint, the remington 700P, and the Kimber LPT. What other options are there to consider?

I am obviously looking for the best accuracy as possible, and considering the .308, .223, and .22-250. I don't hand load.

Thanks for the help in advance!

FMP

I would also look at Savage; they make extremely accurate rifles out of the box.

Until such time as we get more information about its intended use, I will withold any specific recommendation as to exact models or caliber. In other words, tell us more about what you want to accomplish with the rifle.

Well, I have the resources to shoot up to 500 yards at a local range.

I will be using this for coyotes, and mostly targets.

Someday I may build off of it, also.

Thanks

FMP

tough choice there.... IMHO first, all I hunt with are fine duplex in L scopes....

Second you can run 500 with a 223 but its windy issues... personally I'd grab a Kimber in 308 in a non light weight version, and see what gives, and if that doesn't do it as a factory setup, then rebarrel it.... I suspect the odds of a better accurate rifle are best with the Kimber, and its easy to rebarrel.

Savage works too, I just don't have a thing for them personally.

For rebarreling purposes, you can't beat a Savage; it's a do it yourself job, without any special tools.

However, I agree with you Jeff, this is a tough choice and I see it between .223 and .308. The 22-250 is not even a consideration in my mind.

Since FMP does not handload, that takes away all the long bullets in .223 leaving only the 77SMK (when you can get it) or the 73 heavy match from BHA, (again, when available) or the Hornady TAP 75gr V-max as the heaviest bullets in factory loaded ammo that I know about.

In .308 the choices are much better, with the attendant increase in price, of course. I shoot both calibers, but I think I would recommend a .308 in this case, simply because FMP does not handload.

Thanks guys. I was looking at a model 700 VLS. I can get this in, .243 as well. I have shot this model in a .22-250 that literally shot 3 bullets in almost the same hole...excellent shooter.

My smith as well as some guys on here have told me to go with a laminate stock, or a decent factory stock on the rifle to begin with, which is why I am considering that VLS and the 700P or LTR.

I don't shoot 500 yards very often, so I wont base my purchase on that.

My other issues with the savages are that unless its just a backup hunter or beater truck gun(works fine for those in my books) then I have to replace the stock and the trigger, though the accustock might be ok nowdays. If I'm going to do that I'd just as well have a 700 type action and get it all done right later on.....

308 is expensive but seems the best options for given choices though its not quite as flat, it will hold out better in the end....

Thanks Rost, appreciate it sir.

The Savage have the accu-stock and the accu-trigger. It is a really good deal, ready to go, from the box. Also, Team Savage did some nice work at the F-class world competition, with out of the box rifles.

That does not mean the 700 VLS now being considered is a bad choice, not at all; in fact it's a great choice.

VLS or the 700P...that is the question. . .

I am looking at .308 in both.

or the SPS tactical, and purchase a new stock...

I can't stand accutriggers...... just how I am.

As to the Rem options, I'm not up on all the letters etc... I'd take a heavy tube with a laminated stock and start from there, or if you end up heavy and the tupperware, buy an MC for it...

Would I need a smith to install the mc??

What's so good about a laminate? I have always wondered. .

The best advice I can give you is the advice my gunsmith gave me. If you are going to buy a factory rifle, you can't go wrong with a Remington. Most of them shoot well enough. If they don't, virtually all gunsmiths learn their craft on them and most are good at getting them to shoot. The round actions are a big plus. My gunsmith won't even work on accurizing Savages, Weatherbys or Rugers... I think a 700 BDL would be smart. As for varmints, here in RI, you can't use anything bigger than a .22 centerfire. I don't know your laws, but if it's a .22 centerfire you require, there are a lot of accurate .223's and .22-.250's out there. I like .223's myself for a lot of reasons.

Quick note to Robs post about the 700s... yep on all that BUT usually the kimbers are more accurate out of the box than the 700s and its almost worth the risk of the extra cost to buy and hope you don't have to rebarrel. Any smith will work on a kimber if he is worth a flip.

Heck in reality a good smith will work on about anything but some are pickier than others.

Whats good about a laminate, its glued wood under pressure, kinda like plywood and if sealed well will not warp like standard wood, the whole reason you go to a non wood stock basically.... so the cheap version of an MC is a good laminated stock.
A smith doesn't have to install the MC, you can simply drop it in, BUT it would be best use of a good stock to bed it all correctly, and if you don't do that, then yes a smith would have to do that. Figure 50-150 bucks probably to bed it in unless you have a good friend. I've never charged friends, but accept a donation to cover materials... We also have a shooter here from a family of champion shooters, brother is our US palma coach IIRC, that does same. Good to have good friends...

Jeff

what mc stock do you recommend..and how much would it cost?

The 700p is in an hs precision from the factory

what mc stock do you recommend..and how much would it cost?

The 700p is in an hs precision from the factory.

A Rem 700 LV-SF is $750 at Shooter's Corner. I'd recommend something like that.

http://www.remington.com/products/firearms/centerfire_rifles/model_700/model_700_LV_SF.asp

also, wouldn't the .223 (being a smaller diameter bullet) posess smaller groups?

When groups are scored, you deduct the diameter of your bullet from the spread, so it doesn't matter. I have a Borden benchrest rifle that cost me $2400 used! It's a 6ppc. I shot the best group of my life with it: five bullets through a hole .290" in diameter. Subtract the .243 and you have a .047" group. That's about 1/20 of an inch! I like the .223 if you're not going to reload because there are a ton of choices for ammo. It has very little recoil. It's accurate, and would be legal to use anywhere around here anyway.