I'm lazy, and there's lots of varmit/tactical rifles out there and I'm wondering if anyone knows off the top of thier head where I can find what I'm looking for:

I want a varmit type rifle in .223. I want something lighter than the 26" benchrest type varmiters say around 7-9 lbs. I want the barrel to be heavy enough to shoot several groups without overheating. I want to be able to shoot 55-70 gr bullets. I don't mind a "tactical" version and frankly don't give a crap what it looks like.



oh, and I want it under 700 bucks

Tikka T3 Varmint Gun in .223. Normally sell for under your 700 dollars. I have one in .223 and .204 and both shoot better than I can out of the box. CZ makes some good values also.

Stevens 200 for a cheap accurate rifle

Savage model 10 Precision Carbine.

I vote for C Z varmint rifle! has the palm swell, ready to shoot, set trigger is nice! A little lighter than most varmint rifles. mine shoots very well! everyone wants it!

+1 for the Savage Precision Carbine. You'll find it under the Savage Law Enforcement tab. 20" bbl w/Accu Stock & Trigger.

Another vote for the CZ, mine is a .204.

+1 for the Tikka T3. I have one in 22-250 and wouldn't trade.

quote:

Originally posted by Curly-Bud:
I vote for C Z varmint rifle! has the palm swell, ready to shoot, set trigger is nice! A little lighter than most varmint rifles. mine shoots very well! everyone wants it!

.
.
. CZ 527 Varminter .24" barrel . 1 in 9" twist . execellent trigger including the set feature .....

I've had excellent results with the likes of the remington model 7 predator, the 700 lvsf and the browning micro medallion. Be diligent and you should have no problem meeting your budget buying used here, 24hour or gunbroker.
GWB

Geedubya,

Geez, the Coyotes down your way sure find funny places to take naps!

quote:

Originally posted by A/C guy:
+1 for the Tikka T3. I have one in 22-250 and wouldn't trade.

Same here! My 22-250 T3 is accurate, easy to carry and a lot of fun to shoot!

Coyotes ???. Geez I thought those were Prairie Dogs

Should see the Coyotes that sometimes try and sprint across our spread, although none to date have made

it that far when I man the predator Rifles !.



Which brings me to your answer for a light varmint/tactical rifle .

http://www.bushmaster.com/comp...n_rifles.asp?cat=16R Mine has a 1:8 twist as it's an earlier version


. [IMG]Model: 10 Predator Hunter Max 1[/IMG]

http://www.tikka.fi/pdf/specs/Varmint.pdf

http://www.tikka.fi/pdf/specs/Tactical.pdf

Here's what # 10 handloads look like a Dime will cover at 100 Meters .



One fouler lower left quadrant # 5 Winchester factory loads upper left quadrant .

my # 10 nearly centered . NO Sight change what so ever all were dead center aim all were 55 grain .

The BushMaster is responsible for all of those shots . It does a might better with 65 68 69 75 grain

pills . With BlC-2 it sends nearly everything to the POA and I do mean Nearly perfectly .

My other bolt rifles do a fair job all under MOA .However NONE compare to the Bushmaster for consistent

accuracy . PS ;Rounds were fired in the order given with 1-1.5 minutes between shots .

Oh by the way I do own the Savage and Tikka in various calibers which are Nice Rifles !.

Remington Model 7 Predator: light, accurate, sturdy, camouflaged. What more can you ask for?
available in .204 Ruger, 17 FB, 223 Rem.

The Savage VLP 223 with a 1-9 twist barrel should be deadly out to 400yds, or any shooter should hold his own out to 200yds easy, it will shoot a 69gr pill with ease!

Howa 1500!!! For the money very hard to beat.

Question for the cz owners. Going to their site they show three stocks but only the "plastic" one shows a 1 in 9. Do they really very the twist depending on the stock?

Looked at the Savage today - not impressed. What is that funky thing on the back of the bolt?

Anywho- I did look at the Rem VTR, a funky lookin Tac/varmit rifle which puts me slightly over the $700 buget but seems a built more solid than the cheaper options. Could also get a Rem model 7 in the same price range on a prety stick of Walnut...

Sooo my next ? to the Rem model 7 fans is how many shots can you get off, say in the lovely east Texas heat, without those groups opening up?

Anone shot a VTR???

WS,
As a veteran of hunting east Texas (Security, next door to Cut and Shoot) for 45 yrs., my question to you is, what you got that you can shoot enough at to heat up a barrel. Hogs, squirrels, turtles, robins, rabbits, starlings, pearl do's aren't gonna hang around long enough for you to get off more than a couple of shots. Ain't enough "Hoover Hogs" left to shoot. If your target shootin' just take about four rifles. Shoot a 3 shot group, then go to the next rifle. Stop, smoke a stogie, drink a cool beverage, wring out your bandana and start over. Your barrel oughta be cooled down to at least to where you can touch it.
GWB

Savage UGLY (now funky)!!!! This is my 243, 5 shot group. All groups at 100yds.


My 223, 270, 22-250, and 308 will shoot the same "UGLY groups. PS, I have 4 (four) 308's that shoot.



My 308, three shot group, FACTORY ammo


My Savage 110 270, 4 shot group



How many more "UGLY" (now funky) Savage picture groups do you want to see?

These rifles are out of the SAVAGE box, the only modification to any of them is on the triggers.

You can't beat a SAVAGE for the money!You can't beat a SAVAGE for the money!

DennisH,
Not trying to start a pissing contest. My most recent savage is a model 10 fcp in 308. Not only will it shoot 3/4' groups at 200 yds with 165 gr sierra HPBT's. but it also is "sexy". Something that could not be said of factory savages of yesteryear.
As an owner of numerous savage rifles I have been known to say
"If the only thing I was interested in was accuracy, all my rifles would be Savage".

GWB

I couldn't resist, my VLP 243

quote:

Originally posted by Geedubya:
DennisH,
Not trying to start a pissing contest. My most recent savage is a model 10 fcp in 308. Not only will it shoot 3/4' groups at 200 yds with 165 gr sierra HPBT's. but it also is "sexy". Something that could not be said of factory savages of yesteryear.
As an owner of numerous savage rifles I have been known to say
"If the only thing I was interested in was accuracy, all my rifles would be Savage".

GWB

I have never thought of my SAVAGES as "sexy", but, hmmmmm . . . .

The 308 group above is from my FCP308, 168 A-Max at 100yds, FYI

DennisH,
I shoot every couple of week, if not weekly.
I probably enjoy "small group therapy" as much as anyone. But I can't eat paper targets.

Every rifle featured in the pix below will shoot 1" or better at 100 yds,(with the exception of the martini, which I have only shot at 50 yds at a target) and most Savages don't look like these.















However, having said that,

Groups like this at 200 yds for an ol' fart like me with my reloads tend to endure me to a rifle.




looks like this ain't to shabby!either








Anyway, enjoy your rifles, whatever flavor.
GWB

quote:

I probably enjoy "small group therapy" as much as anyone. But I can't eat paper targets.

I agree! But when I do go hunting, I have confidence I will put the bullet where I want it! I don't like/enjoy trailing game. Therefore, I won't be eating paper after a hunting trip!

PS: By the way, when is the next hunting trip?

Looked at the Savage today - not impressed. What is that funky thing on the back of the bolt?

I orginally responded to this thread in response to the comment above which has been modified!!!! funky replace UGLY in the orginal post. Now I understand your response! You should now understand my responses!

I have about 5 savage rifles, I would not trade them for nothing!

quote:

Originally posted by DennisH:

quote:

I probably enjoy "small group therapy" as much as anyone. But I can't eat paper targets.

I agree! But when I do go hunting, I have confidence I will put the bullet where I want it! I don't like/enjoy trailing game. Therefore, I won't be eating paper after a hunting trip!

PS: By the way, when is the next hunting trip?

DennisH,

As I said, I shoot at least every two weeks. The range where I shoot goes to 300 yds. Most varmints I shoot, I call in and pop around 50 yds or less. Depending on what and where I am shooting I can generally place a bullet within an inch unless its a running shot from an unsupported position, so I am confident always that I can make a shot. If not I get rid of that rifle. Usually an inch or so isn't make or break for the "girls I go with"

As to the next opportunity to hunt. I suffer from shooting deficit disorder. If I don't get to kill something at least once a month I start having withdrawals. I haven't killed anything since friday a week ago. I'm going this weekend with a group of guys from the "Texas Predator Posse", to do a doe splat. Hope to take at least three does. That should alleviate the symptoms for a couple of weeks.

Gonna take some small calibers and do some head/neck shots.
I think the 20 tactical with a 40 gr v-max at 3850 fps will drop a w/t doe in its tracks with a head/neck shot.
Got a 257 bob and a 6.5 x 284 that need to be bloodied also.
After that, its the monthly trip to the deer lease in Uvalde to call some varmints and bust some hogs and just generally enjoy natures beauty and bounty.
Best
GWB

My Ugly .223 Savage
http://i608.photobucket.com/al...ndwdavid/thisone.jpg
Shoots groups like this at 300 yards
http://i608.photobucket.com/al...dwdavid/IMG_3001.jpg

However, I've always wanted a .22-250 and have decided on a Weatherby Vanguard with the trigger either fixed or replaced and the barrel shortened and recrowned. If I decide I don't like the stock, I'll glass bed it into a Boyds JRS. It will be topped with a Sightron SII 4.5-16.

It most likely won't shoot as well as the Savage, but it should do plenty well for a walking rifle at half the weight.

or just for something else try the DPMS lo-pro

Wayfaring Stranger
one of us


Posted 04 January 2010 04:44
Looked at the Savage today - not impressed. What is that funky thing on the back of the bolt?

Niether was I until I shot one . It shot so well out of the box I immediately purchased another one in

another caliber and it's shot so well ( Seriously well ) I though my scope was out of whack . #3 .308's in

the same hole and I do meant the SAME HOLE !. So I own accurate weapons and care little of how they appear .
Pretty guns that don't shoot well ,only impress foolish people !!!.