Ultimate Varmint Rig

[als008]

Ho All,
I'm looking to replace my Howa 1500 stainless sporter with a Heavy Barreled ultimate Varmint rig. I was at the LGS today and was looking at the Tikka Varmint. This was a really nice rifle, smooth action and afforable price $1120. He then said "if was serious about varminting" and he showed me a Steyer SG69. This looked mean. Tactical but not - varmint for sure. This was $2100.

Last week i was at another shop picking up my Winny, and the guy there showed me a Sako 75 Varmint. Also a really beautiful gun with Blued barrel and walnut stock. This was $1780. It pulled up really comforably and weight felt right. He also said if i liked the sako i should look at this Kimber longmaster. Also very nice, but felt to light for me, also length of pull felt short. This priced similar to the Sako. But was told mounts for the sako would be around $240 for the optilok mounts.

Im not sure which i would be the best as far as accuracy and reliability. They are all top dogs as far as i can see. Value for money would be the Tikkka no questions. Accuracy would go to Sako i would say. And the Steyer just for fear factory would be awesome.

What are your opinions. Also i have a permit in already and will be sticking with the 22-250 caliber.

[Ackley Improved]

The word you used "Ultimate"....

I would define this as a custom rifle. Custom action, custom barrel etc.

For a varmint rifle off the shelf, there is a few great rifles.

Need to know what sort of cash you are looking at spending, do you reload, what cash you dropping for a scope.

At a later date would you like to build off it?

Personally, I would go for a Remington 700 based rifle. Then, in the long run you can customise it ith many available parts.

As for the permit and 22-250, getting another permit is no problem!

Savage rifle maybe?

204Ruger as a caliber?

Cheers
AI

[Brad Y]

Mate here just got a savage model 12 low profile left hand varmint rifle in 204. I would say for the accuracy reputation savage has and the fact that you dont ever need a trigger job, you just adjust it yourself easy, then add in that this rifle looks swanky any way you look at it. That would be the ultimate varmint rifle from factory IMO. Remingtons QA seems very poor and lots of people seem to get lemons. I wouldnt go down that path. Maybe a cooper, maybe a sako.

Why not look at one of the howa/christensen packages- thumbhole laminate stock with a heavy carbon fibre barrel. They are nice guns.

Apart from that, take the howa action you have and rebarrel it with a good quality heavy barrel in 22-250 with a 1:10 twist so you can shoot some heavier bullets that might help you buck wind a bit more. Get a good quality stock from HS precision or even do up a slee varmint stock. It will probably be a cheaper exercise. Ive just done one in 22BRX. Same/slightly less powder than the average 22-250 reload and its got a couple of hundred fps advantage on the 250 with 55gr bullets. Plus the accuracy to boot from the parent 22BR/6mmBR cartridge. The howa action got blueprinted at the same time. Its a very nice (and heavy) varmint/target rig.

[als008]

I was thinking of rebarreling the Howa with a custom stock. How much would this cost aprox??

Also who is a good gunsmith in Victoria that could do the job??

[MISSED]

als008,there is a sako L579 on used guns at moment 220 swift $950 with a scope and bridge mounts.A good buy at that shoot it out then rebarrel to whatever the sky is the limit here 22.250.220 swift and mr ackleys versions, 22br ,brx,bbrx 22 millstead or 20 cal 20.250.20 220 swift,20 br.
Have not had him do anything for me as yet but that bloke from Narrandera would have to be one of the most helpful chaps going around and he does do some nice work aswell.If you are worried about getting the rifle up there Iam sure Trevort will be building another soon.

[Brad Y]

Depends on what style of stock you want. You can get the synthetic HS precisions which are available pretty easy from any shop through nioa. If you want a wood stock, geoff slee in vic makes stocks to suit a variety of actions. I got a walnut thumbhole left hand to suit a howa short action 22-250. You get the rough stock then have to sand it like mad to get it up to finishing level. Then it will need final inletting for the action, pillar and glass bedding then you can finish it off. Sounds a pain but its a really enjoyable process to go through. If you want other stocks like Mcmillans and the like, it takes some time I believe.

For a gunsmith, Shane Clancy is the man over that way. Not sure how close he is to you. Any gunsmith that does target rifle work should be fine. Get a good quality barrel for him to chamber and install for you. Stock inletting and bedding isnt too hard and a gunsmith shouldnt be called a gunsmith if he cant inlet a stock properly and do a really solid bedding job.

[trevort]

I am a Shane Clancy fan so if you say 'ultimate' you must give him your order.


Now nice can have a lot of options.

There is a very heavy truck axle Kimber, thought it was a Longmaster VT by designation but dont quote me. Its been on the shelf at my Ballarat LGS for months and I fondle it everytime I go in. In 22/250, lovely bit of kit and I've nearly bought it on impulse twice.

Stainless barrel gray laminate stock

[als008]

Cool. Where is shane clancey located. Whats his contacts??

[woob614271]

G'day als008; to contact Shane, look in the "Business Contacts" thread on this site.
He'll look after you for sure....

[Glenn]

als008,

On this forum under Businesses & Organisations then Clancy's Gunsmithing.

I hope you are ready for the first day of the rest of your life!!!!

Because once you ring him there is no going back!!!!!

I was going to have my Rem trued and rebarreled and a new stock fitted,
did alot of reading on this forum and asked heaps of questions and
ended up ordering a full custom. Cry once!!

Budget!!

How much do you want to spend?
What will be it's use?
Are you reloading?
Calibre? Consider which has good brass, then choose from there.

I would suggest going back over all the old posts and read a few of them (look at trevort's).
He asked all the questions no one else would ask! Thanks Trev.

Also have a look at the pictures of Shane work. NICE

Good luck!

Glenn

[trevort]

you dont say if you reload or not. You cant get the best accuracy out of your rifle if you dont feed it the diet it requires and then there is zero point buying a custom.

A ruger VT, a Tikka T3, rem vssf, savage LRPV or the other varmint weight savage, Sako, Kimber etc take your pick.

They wont have a whole lot between them with factory ammo unless you get a dud. From a lot of internet chat the chance of a dud rem seems to have gone up but then they sell a lot of rifles so the percentage of duds would probably be just as low. Anyone I have heard complain about a rem has had good aftermarket service to have it fixed or replaced. I tell you this as I would by a rem. My customised 6/250 is probably my favorite rifle even though I have earned the reputation as the head of the 204 cheer squad. REMs are the basis of many custom rifles

[als008]

Well after so much umming and ahhing i went back to the gun shop today and had one last look around. The first time i saw the Sako 75 Varmint and had a feel of it, i said man this nice. So today i went there made up my mind and put down a deposit. Now just need to wait for the PTA to show up and ill be one happy dude. Heavy Barrel Varmint Sako 75 with Blued barrel and wallnut stock.

[trevort]

well it might not get the tag ultimate on this site but the Sako 75 is a very very nice rifle, well done, you will enjoy it immensely

[woob614271]

Trevort's right. The Sako may not be the outright ultimate varmint rig, but would be damn close to the ultimate FACTORY varmint rig....

[Glenn]

Nice bit of gear mate.
Sako 75 are a nice gun.
One of the better quality factory guns.
Good choose!

Glenn