Hello all,

A brief description of myself before I pose my first series of questions to the more experienced.

I am a public school teacher in South Georgia, that being said read that aforementioned statement as VERY poor man. Recently graduated from University of Georgia in December and due to budget constrants, there was no work as a teacher in my field of Agriculture here in GA. I found work as an international school teacher in Costa Rica working for local wages for about 7 months. Yet again, read as poor. But "A" job is better than no job.

While in a hammock many a night, I began to evaluate my "unicorn" list. Among the top was a Remington SPR 22. I have wanted one of these since I first saw them in the yearly catalog years ago. My original caliber of choice was to be .45-70, but somewhere between 2005 and now I changed to the .30-06 caliber. It has mainly to do with owning a CZ 550 in .458 Lott. My thinking is that the SPR is not nor will it ever be a DGR, so I decided to buy one in a more convient and cost effective caliber to shoot.

While I waited for approval of my status as a member here, I took the time to review many posts of things dealing with these rifles, many first hand experiences. I noticed many with posts of the 45-70, but few pertaining to the .30-06. I paid no attention to this as I have ordered one of the said rifles from a dealer in Tennessee. My FFL dealer here should take delivery of her tomorrow and I should claim my unicorn by about 6 tomorrow night.

Now to the point, I know they are not fancy. I hope that she will function at least to a marginal 75 yards for deer and hogs. I know that I will need some help with the regulation of barrels, working the triggers, possibly mounting a scope, and a multitude of other things. I ask for you help in advance and extend a humble thanks to all imputs.

I have most of the posts about these rifles bookmarked, as a quick reference for certain things, but I may need some clarifing as I go along.

Side note: "Unicorn Lists" are the things that you go to sleep dreaming of and wake up with a smile on your face because of them. I first saw these rifles when I was about 19, knowing I could not afford a DGR, I at least set my sights within reason on owning a DR. This can also be read as a "bucket list," but at 23 I prefer to fathom it as unicorn.

Other things on my list that I have managed to accomplish since my return this month have included buying a copy of and reading "Big game and big game rifles" by Taylor. Taylor was on the list because of the cost of the book, and I could buy text books for the same amount of money. Past that, they were two of my big ones close to the top.

I too am a poor teacher! I got both a 45/70 and a 30/06. Since I got the 06 for the wife, I regulated it with Remington managed recoil 125's(about a box of shells) to about minute of grapefruit at 100 yds with a scope, easily tennis ball size at 50. All she will ever need around here. I had an absolute blast with it. Affordable fun. Crappy triggers, but light and fun to carry, and it will do the job you want it to. Enjoy it.(I saved for YEARS, bought and sold 2 different pretty Chapuis', and this thing shoots better. Go figure!)
Rick

i have 1 of the 45-70's... and shoot factory "springfield" loads in it... 405 gr.... that being said, regulation was easy... it took about 10 shots... i removed the sheet metal rib from between the barrels ( for easy acess to the adjusting screw) and fired away.... it took about 2 1/2 whole turns out (barrels apart) to get the barrels to print within 2" of each other... the left barrel is more accurate, the right (the 1 that floats in the front barrel band) strings them.... i stll have a 3" group at 50 yds.... i have a weaver 1-4.5 scope mounted with weaver rings... 3 rings on the scope... the rings are the 1's that fit grooved .22 receivers, but work fine for me... jeffeosso got me a bb gun scope mount, but i havent used it yet, he uses it on his spr22.... witht he gun regulated for the 405 gr springfield loads, the 350 gr hollow points cross about 6" at 50 yds... recoil is mild, triggers horrible.... but for $1k, what did i expect???... i have a chapuis UGEX in 9,3x74 thats is a nice entry level DR (as far as price) and i like them both.... best of luck to you!!!!!!!!!!... and welcome to the DRSS...

Welcome!

Greetings!

We will be taking this journey together. I brought mine (45/70) home about a week ago but haven't had a chance to touch it off yet. Been dreaming of owning a DR since I was 14 and I'm 61 now - lot of years!

Watch for posts from members who live in Oz. Apparently they received their SP22's (mostly 30/06) some months before they appeared in the US and, therefore, have had time to get more experience with them.

Use a number of different searches to get more info. I searched "sp22", "Spartan", "Baikal rifle" and "SPR221" and found many different posts under each search. There are also many posts at Nitro Express (Once you learn how to use their screwy search engine.) http://forums.nitroexpress.com/ubbthreads.php

Haven't even fired a shot with the 45/70 and I have already been thinking about the 30/06. These things are addictive!

Tom

Thanks everyone for the welcome.

About the rings, I have a set of tally QD rings for the CZ 550. The fellow I bought her from said that CZ rings fit in the ad. I already have a leupold 3-7 X 33 that is in the rings, figured I would use that one to get me sighted good at 75 to 100 yards. QD will be good for hunting in the swampy marsh with thicker briars.

My next project is a suppressed .22lr, just because its on the list. I then plan on saving for 2 or 3 years the money from my second job and buying a much nicer quality DGR double. I plan to spend around 10K-13K on her.

I will request further details on recommendations as time progresses from your experiences. Thanks and talk to you all later.

It will kill bison pretty easy. Shoot through at 140yds with my Sharps load. 500gr GC cast bullet at 1700 +/-fps. Flips them over like turning pancakes.

Rich
DRSS