Range Rifle Caliber Choice

[4g64loser]

For what it's worth I would start with a .223 bolt rifle. Can shoot for hours and won't beat you up, as I aged I no longer enjoy recoil so spend most of my time messing around with the 22 varmint calibers.
I tend to buy used, many fine accurate varmint rifles have been made over the years and can be found for reasonable prices. Just one example is the Winchester Model 70 Heavy Varmint, made in the 1990's with a Wilson barrel and HS Precision stock, they have a reputation for accuracy, they were available in 5 calibers, mine is .223.
You can spend a lot of quality time at the 100 yard range tailoring loads to shoot small groups and if the opportunity presents itself can easily take a .223 out to 600 yards with the right loads.



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Love some classic varmint rifles.

Don't count 223 out past 600 though. Did a prs tactical division custom rig for a buddy using a 7twist shilen and a long throat reamer print. 77 rdf noslers are in the 2.4" area seated to lands. Wicked shooter. It sees 1000yd airtime regularly. Spotting hits can be challenging but it's good training. Thinking about doing another one for myself.

 

[RFBfromDE]

Some states allow hunting with a 223 - I know when I was a kid my Dad took a deer with a Sako Vixen in 223, although I wouldn’t recommend hunting anything bigger.

As for a rifle, a Ruger American Predator would be nicely accurate and wouldn’t break the bank - you wouldn’t have to do a build like mine.

Being a Ruger Fan Boy that is generally the direction I go!

I do likes my wood though…

 

[steves1911]

Go 223 for simplicity and availability. My 9yr old has harvested a couple deer with his little ruger American ranch and handloaded 62gr Speer gold dots(federal fusion)

 

[Rockzilla]

Range rifle.... distances?
22LR Bolt Action ... Rem 541T, 581, 40X or Belgium Browning T-Bolt, Winchester 52
5.56.. Bolt Action or *cough * AR clone or my ole Rem 788 223
7.62 Match M1A(s) or Bolt guns on 700 Actions

500+
Barrett 82.. just for fun
TRG.42 338LM..for fun
Other Bolt Guns
There are some others..keep n it simple

Most hunting I used to do was with
The Contender, 30 Herrett, 357 Herrett or the 375 JDJ.

-Rock

 

[TwinTurbskis]

Get Ed Harren to take care of that for you. He doesn't post much but he's on the boards as DocEd. He's in imams ijamsville, not too far from you. He turns the 527s into some wicked shooters. When the actions were available readily he would do PPCs on them.

Thanks for the tip! I'm going to reach out to him.

 

[dist1646]

For what it's worth I would start with a .223 bolt rifle. Can shoot for hours and won't beat you up, as I aged I no longer enjoy recoil so spend most of my time messing around with the 22 varmint calibers.
I tend to buy used, many fine accurate varmint rifles have been made over the years and can be found for reasonable prices. Just one example is the Winchester Model 70 Heavy Varmint, made in the 1990's with a Wilson barrel and HS Precision stock, they have a reputation for accuracy, they were available in 5 calibers, mine is .223.
You can spend a lot of quality time at the 100 yard range tailoring loads to shoot small groups and if the opportunity presents itself can easily take a .223 out to 600 yards with the right loads.



View attachment 427521

I have one of those too. .223, 1-9 twist factory barrel that is deadly accurate with 69gr bullets. Mine sports a 10X Leupold w/ target knobs.

 

[Biggfoot44]

Range rifle.... distances?


-Rock

OP stated 100 yards .

 

[Mark75H]

If OP starts with a .22 and becomes proficient, he will save enough to buy his 350 Legend rifle that he will actually be able to shoot without wasting money. I have a $200 set up that shoots 1.5 MOA. It’s ugly as sh!t, but it gets the job done

 

[Rockzilla]

OP stated 100 yards .

Wow it took a few posts to correct me...its just amazing.. sometimes its just better to "play"

"Shall we play a game "

22 Hornet


-Rock

 

[jimbobborg]

Get a nice .357 lever gun, preferalby a Winchester 92 clone made by Italians. New Marlins and used Marlins are stupid expensive, Italian clones are under $600 when a new batch gets shipped in. Very little recoil and with .38 Special, a lot cheaper to shoot versus rifle calibers. Plus if you ever shoot indoors, pistol caliber carbines are generally allowed. Plus they're pretty quiet to shoot.

 

[noddaz]

All of the above and a few more.

 

[Brent]

.223 bolt gun is my vote aside from a .22lr. .223 is very easy to shoot well, doesn’t bust up the wallet too badly, and is a whole lot of fun!

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[alucard0822]

much depends on the range rules and targets. Personally if it's on my property or a range without BS rules, a few steel plates and a 9mm PCC are the most fun. Paper targets, 100 yards only, slow fire rules etc, that is where I enjoy mil-surps or a 22 target rifle. Centerfire bolt actions are kind of wasted that close.

 

[trickg]

.223 bolt gun is my vote aside from a .22lr. .223 is very easy to shoot well, doesn’t bust up the wallet too badly, and is a whole lot of fun!

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Cool pic! Seems to be pretty accurate too. If memory serves, that's a Tikka T3x Super Varmint topped with an Arken EP5, right?

 

[Brent]

Cool pic! Seems to be pretty accurate too. If memory serves, that's a Tikka T3x Super Varmint topped with an Arken EP5, right?

Yessir! It has impressed the hell out of me with 77gr pills. I’d hardly even call it shot in. Maybe a couple hundred through it. Haven’t even started hand loading yet. It flat out performs. Great trigger.


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[Brent]

Of course if we’re just plinking or shooting at tree rats, I may suggest a .375 H&H Magnum…

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[trickg]

Yessir! It has impressed the hell out of me with 77gr pills. I’d hardly even call it shot in. Maybe a couple hundred through it. Haven’t even started hand loading yet. It flat out performs. Great trigger.

I can't shoot anything heavier than about 60 gr from mine - the twist is too slow - but I'd be interested to see how my build fares against that rifle because if your rifle performs right up there with mine, I may have needlessly thrown money at a build that I may not have had to spend. I will say that if I'm having a good day and conditions are good, at 100 yards mine is so on the money it's almost comical.

 

[Brent]

I can't shoot anything heavier than about 60 gr from mine - the twist is too slow - but I'd be interested to see how my build fares against that rifle because if your rifle performs right up there with mine, I may have needlessly thrown money at a build that I may not have had to spend. I will say that if I'm having a good day and conditions are good, at 100 yards mine is so on the money it's almost comical.

It’s all in the journey my friend! I’m sure you have one hell of a fine rifle. I make up some velocity from the almost 24” barrel! It does get funny / scary accurate at 100y. I’m eager to stretch it further.


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[trickg]

It’s all in the journey my friend! I’m sure you have one hell of a fine rifle. I make up some velocity from the almost 24” barrel! It does get funny / scary accurate at 100y. I’m eager to stretch it further.

I'll have to pick up another barrel with a faster twist if I really want to reach out - the lightweight bullets I use probably don't lend themselves to reaching out - they are just a bit too light to buck wind effectively. I really haven't tried to stretch mine past 100. I keep saying I'm going to hit the 200 yard range at ACG, but I haven't done it yet.

My rifle is a helluva rifle though - it's a Bighorn action with a 26" Shilen match grade varmint weight barrel, KRG Bravo chassis, a TriggerTech trigger and an Arken EP5 Scope. If it isn't accurate, it sure as heck ain't the rifle! (that might still be the Arken SH4 scope I had on it originally.)

 

[Brent]

I'll have to pick up another barrel with a faster twist if I really want to reach out - the lightweight bullets I use probably don't lend themselves to reaching out - they are just a bit too light to buck wind effectively. I really haven't tried to stretch mine past 100. I keep saying I'm going to hit the 200 yard range at ACG, but I haven't done it yet.

My rifle is a helluva rifle though - it's a Bighorn action with a 26" Shilen match grade varmint weight barrel, KRG Bravo chassis, a TriggerTech trigger and an Arken EP5 Scope. If it isn't accurate, it sure as heck ain't the rifle! (that might still be the Arken SH4 scope I had on it originally.)

View attachment 430479

That’s a damn fine rig! Nice selections! Boring guns are great guns!


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