I made a pretty good deal on a Remington XP-100 pistol today. I was over perusing the fine Rifles at the Shedhorn Sports Shop in Ennis, Montana and found it tucked away there.
Anyway I have this nifty litttle pistol and I got it so righteous that my mind is racing as to what caliber I should decide on when I turn it into a custom Varmint Rifle.
This pistol has the 222 bolt face and looks to be in very good shape.
I will put one of the wonderful Jewell triggers on it. I prefer the ones with the "underlever" safeties. These underlever style Jewells have the safety lever right in front of the trigger itself - inside the trigger guard. Forward is fire and when the safety is to the rear you can not get your finger on the trigger!
Anyway the big question now is WHAT CALIBER?
I really have all the 222 family of cartridges pretty well covered already as I have Varminters now in 17 MachIV, 17 Remington (2), 204 Ruger (3), 221 Remington Fireball (2), 222 Remington (6), 223 Remington (6), a 222 Remington Magnum and a 6x47.
I guess I am leaning right now towards a 223 Remington Ackley Improved or a 222 Remington Magnum.
The 222 Remington Magnum I have now I mistakenly acquired with a really expensive piece of custom wood on it. Its a Sako and I find that I often choose to leave it home as I fear damaging the amamzing stock that Jim Cloward made for it many years ago. Jim asked me if I still had this Rifle the last time I saw him out Seattle way and I told him I did. This Rifle and the piece of wood and the checkering he did on it apparently stuck in his mind as he told me it would be $2,500.00 to replace the stock today! Now maybe you can understand why I leave it at home so often.
Anyway with todays powders and todays bullets I think a 222 Remington Magnum with a 26 1/2" heavy stainless Shilen or Hart barrelled custom Varminter in a fiberglass stock is much more apt to go along with me than the Sako.
And the 222 Magnum with some Vihta Vourhi powder should send 40, 50, 52 and 55 grain pointy Varmint bullets WAY down range and real fast.
Or maybe I should just save my sheckels and sell this pistol to someone else for them to make a project Rifle with?
Naw, I better start gathering components for a full race Varminter! There is lots of time to decide on the caliber!
Any suggestions out there caliber wise?
Hold into the wind
VarmintGuy

I've got a rem 722 and 700 in 222rem mag good round think a 222magAI would be better. I'm just not a fan of the 223 case but when I did the 223AI liked it so much had another build both mine have Hart 1/14 twist barrels and I figured I added about 100yds range over the standard 223. Another good round is the 222AI been shooting that for about 15yrs now. Well good luck.

VG, sounds like you should just sell it to me and save the headache's and worries . There are so many wonderful calibers available in that bolt face, let me throw in two more for you to think about. 19-223 and the Tatical 20. I have a remington action that will a 19 cal this winter. Best of luck with your decision.

Do a .20 Tactical and you'll forget all about the .204 Ruger!!!

http://outcast.homeunix.org/uploads/xp-100rifle4.jpg

Here is what I did with mine. 223 AI, Trued action, Holland bolt handle, bored raceways, sleeved bolt, bushed firing pin, recut threads, fitted a take off Hart barrel from a benchrest gun. Stock sucked, Richards Microfit. I would also consider a 17 Mach IV as I have one in a CZ rebarreled with a Shilen and it is my favorite dog gun now.

Mike

VG,

Send me the XP-100, and I will do some research and see what the best setup will be.

Still searching for my XP-100. BTW, can you tell me how much you paid for it? You can e-mail me if you like -- you have my e-mail.

Thanks,
Kory

i built a 22br on a xp100 action.local gun shop built stock.put jewell trigger set at 1.5 oz.gun will shot 1/4 in groups or less at 200 yd.

Kory: Pardon my slow reply I got called out to the coast on the Fourth of July and just got home late last night.
I paid $340.00 for the pistol.
If you are looking for just an action I have this one and I am not interested in making any money on it. I am dealing (waiting) on an ultra rare factory calibered Remington 40XB-KS (in 221 Fireball) and will need all my mad money for that. It is due to come out of an estate any day now.
More later
Hold into the wind
VarmintGuy

Williamhill: I am happy for you and your 22 BR! That baby is smoking the 200 yard range there! I have a couple of factory stock 22 BR's in the Remington 40X models and they are fine shooters and amazing performers in the Colony Varmint fields!
Long live the 22 Remington Bench Rest!
Hold into the wind
VarmintGuy

Vmthtr in Green Bay: Great looking Rifle you have there!
Can you expound on the sleeved bolt feature of your Rifle? I am not familiar with that procedure or its purpose.
I have a custom 17 MachIV now and yes indeed that is one wonderful, accurate and deadly little round! Its efficiency and keep the barrel cool feature always amaze me. The absolute lack of recoil and the amazing lethality of this round continually amazes me!
Thanks again for the great picture posting!
More later
Hold into the wind
VarmintGuy

quote:

Originally posted by VarmintGuy:
Kory: Pardon my slow reply I got called out to the coast on the Fourth of July and just got home late last night.
I paid $340.00 for the pistol.
If you are looking for just an action I have this one and I am not interested in making any money on it. I am dealing (waiting) on an ultra rare factory calibered Remington 40XB-KS (in 221 Fireball) and will need all my mad money for that. It is due to come out of an estate any day now.
More later
Hold into the wind
VarmintGuy

VarmintGuy,

I just made a commitment to another rifle last Friday, so my funds are tied up, but man, would I love to buy that from you. Let me see if I can scrounge up the money quickly.

Thanks,
Kory

What is done is the the raceway that the bolt goes in is reamed larger and the bolt has bushings or sleeves epoxied onto it to take up the slack. The raceway ends up tapered because of heattreating and you bore it to make it the same all the way through. I have about .001" play in mine compared to the .008" that I had fromt he factory.

Mike

Vmtr in Green Bay: Thanks for that explanation - I appreciate it!
Again I am happy for you and the way your Rifle is shooting!

Kory: No hurry on the XP-100 thing I may just keep it but I am always looking for these pistols (and actions) if I find another before I use this one up or if I decide to sell it I will let you know.
I just got a call from the private security firm I work for on the coast and they need me for some more robbery supression details on the coast.
So I may be in for some more mad money sooner than I thought - and in that case I will go defintiely go forth with my project on the XP-100 action!
I sure liked the looks of vmthtr in Green Bay's Rifle with the Holland bolt on it and that has built a fire in my belly again for the XP-100 to be turned into a custom Varmint Rifle.
More later
Hold into the wind
VarmintGuy

If I had saved soem of the groups this thing shoots you would really get moving.

Mike