With all the "Predators" and smaller calibers, and the HMR crazes... I was playing with doing a walk about varminter today...

I have an ADL Rem in 223, that is a tack driver... bought it on sale for like $279.00 when a local place was doing a close out and trying to compete with Stevens 200 prices...

Looking at my Blue Dot notes, I saw that 10 grains of Blue Dot and a 40 grain Bullet, would give me an MV of 2775 fps... being better than a 17 HMR, and duplicating a 22 K Hornet with a 35 grain bullet...

The ADL has a light synthetic stock ( like all of them did) and a sporter contour barrel. I mounted Leupold made Weaver style bases on it when I firet got it..

I also am figureing this for a short range walking set up, so 200 yds would be tops ( well we may fudge that a little at tempting times)...

So I decided that two different scopes are also going to complete the package... A Tasco 2.5 x 10 with a Mil Dot Reticle in Weaver rings.. for loads with 14.5 grains of Blue Dot at 3375 fps... when the mood hits me..

The main load will be that 10 grains of BDot, so I chose a 1.75 x 4 Bushnell Trophy Scope, the low power being aided by a Circle X reticle...If you never used that reticle style out shooting, it will really surprise you how your eyes can bracket a small target within that circle and cross hairs...

With an inexpensive ( by today's prices at least) Sierra 40 grain HP, or a 40 grain V Max, it is surprising how explosive yet how much those two bullets can do at that MV...both will explode a sage rat yet at the same time.. penetrate thru 8 inches of wood or better at 50 and 100 yds...

Recoil is really non esistant, and the hits can be seen within the scope... Muzzle noise is also in the range of a 22 Mag rimfire...so it is good for suburban areas...

It won't replace my heavier barreled 223s, but it also is great both for walking a fence line. or also nailing those really close up sage rats, with the low power scope ( 1.75 ) when it is too close for the 4.5 x 14s and 6 x 24s....
yet it still creates red mist, instead of the boring bang flop on varmints...

This load also gives me 700 rounds out of a pound of powder which is appealing also...

I am also considering a lighter load still, and a 3 x 9 scope or so for it, to go out for those tree dwelling gray squirrels...say an MV in the 1800 fps range....

Handloading and the old 223 can sure give on a lot of flexibility.....

cheers
seafire

I am just getting started working out the Blue Dot loads, but what I put together is your basic drag it with you varminter.

Remington 760 in .243 win.
1-4x24 Leupy VX-II

Right now I am shooting 13 grains of Blue Dot behind a 62 grain Barnes Varmint Grenade. I have only had it on paper at an indoor range (Minnesota) so far but at fifty yards it does one holers. Noise is like 22 mag/22LR pistol. No recoil.

Put a light Ram Line mossy Oak camo stock and forearm on the gun and a junker sling for walking.

Going out this weekend to see if I can find a coyote willing to commit suicide. Will post pics if I am lucky.

My intent on with this project is to make a rig that's light, accurate enough, quiet for near suburban use, fur friendly, and a bullet that won't penetrate or bounce.

Once it gets warm again I will run a full series of tests that show penetration/fragmentation over a chronograph. I will post the results here.

Seafire2

I had a Remmy ADL in a .223 before one of my sons went away to medical school and needed a varmint shooter. There are great accurate, generally, and much lighter than a lot of the stuff that's available out there now. Keep that ADL forever, it is a great walk about shooter.

I replaced it with a Remmy SPS Varmint and that sucker is very heavy. Great shooter with the X Pro trigger but a lot heavier than the ADL.

T;

Yeah I plan on keeping this one... it is a low miler. and has that stupid J Lock bolt on it.. but I don't lock it so it is no big deal...

another forum member from Pennsylvania sent me a take off barrel from one in 223 late last year, that had never been fired... so I even have the replacement barrel for it....

using these light blue dot loads thru it, I bet the barrel life will rival a 22 Hornet which would be 25,000 rounds or more...

It will be passed on to Seafire JR....Now I just hope he follows in your son's footsteps and also goes away to medical school.. I'd like him to be a doctor, like I didn't have the opportunity to be able to do.. if I could back up my life and do it over again.. I'd have gone to be a doctor.... and married a certain little blonde blue eyed Irish angel I dated...

700 adl a tack driver? Ive had one. bought new. inside of the barrel looked like it was cut by cavemen. I tried every load known to man... Ill never buy a remington again.

TCM,

I have had a few of those also.. Lapping the barrel got rid of those bad bores...

If you bought them at Wal Mart, I maintain, instead of scrapping a bad rifle and taking the loss, Remington learned that they can sell them to Walmart still and make a buck...

most Walmart hunters, will be happy as long as it can half way obtain minute of deer at 50 yds.. and as long as it groups tighter than their shotgun, they are happy...

I am not a Remington fan, but I do own several that are shooters.. and I have also gotten rid of some that were not...

I have a CZ 527 in .223 topped with a wide view Redfield that I use for walking fields. It's a nice little gun.

for me - this little browning lowal in 221, or one of my martini cadets

My walk around varminters are two sweet little Sakos in 223 and 17 Rem; however, the 17 is the one I am planning on rebarreling to 6.5 TCU when I return from Afghanistan. Lou

quote:

planning on rebarreling to 6.5 TCU when I return from Afghanistan.

Lou...



for your service my friend...

Medical Corp, Calif NG?

I was medical corp during my time in, but luckily missed Vietnam by the skin of my chinny chin chin.. and Desert Storm didn't last long enough for them to go looking for me to pull me back on active duty..

you stay safe and come home in one piece!

God Bless you and all you boys over there doing the dirty work...

quote:

Originally posted by trashcanman:
700 adl a tack driver? Ive had one. bought new. inside of the barrel looked like it was cut by cavemen. I tried every load known to man... Ill never buy a remington again.

I agree with Seafire2. I'm also not sure but it seems to me that Wally World does not seem to get the cream of the crop from the gun manufacturers as far as nicely finished and fitted and polished barrels.

My former 700ADL did perform with ok accuracy for a varmint gun in my opinion. I was able to get groups of my favorite .223 round of 40g NBT and RL-7 down to around 7's to 9's depending on the guy pulling the trigger. Not fantastic but ok for the use intended. Other shooters in my safe will go lower but this was deemed ok.

I had groups around 1.5" to 2" at the start and worked with some firelapping paste to help bring the groups down as well as some self administered trigger work. Finding a load that performed better in this barrel was also helpful. All in all after a camo paint job it served us well in the field. My son loves it but actually doesn't think it has any limitations or may not know about any of them if they exist in his mind. He's tickled pink just to have it and will make it work for him.

My SPS Varmint seems to be tighter out of the box with just a minimum of work on the new Pro X trigger of Remmy's and aside from the heavier than anticipated weight seems to working out ok.

My walkin varminter is a 77/22Hwith riflebasix trigger and vx3 2.5x8 BC, very handy little ranch rifle IMHO.

Seafire, thanks for the note. Actually I am here on a Department of State Bureau of International Narcotics and Law Enforcement mission. We're over here trying to restructure/reform the Afghanistan National Police and the entire criminal justice system. I am currently assigned to a Major General, who is reaponsible for a large region that has about 22,000 officers. I am his mentor/advisor and financial systems analyst. My skills as a paramedic will be used to take care of me or my buddies if needed. I do have a complete combat trauma bag with all of my ALS stuff. Regards, Lou

Seafire,

I've any number of heavy barrelled varmint rifles. However I find that in my old age and with the empahsis on calling varmits I am leaning toward lighter guns with shorter barrells that I can get into action very quickly. Hence what many would call walking vaminters. Two that have become my go to rifles. A cooper classic in 22 hornet, and a remington 700 lvsf in 17 rem . Light, fast, and plenty accurate for the ranges at which I shoot.
GWB

My walk around gun is almost the same as Seafires. I have a Rem. 700 Bdl in .223. with a 4-12 variable scope. I also really like my Contender in .22 Hornet but the repeat shot capability of the Remington usually means its the one to go with me. I am going to re barrel in .223 but I think I'll go with a slightly heavier contour, like a #5 and either keep the barrel at 24 inches or cut it back to 22 inches. DW