walking heavy varmint rig?

[rmist]

Thinking of rebarreling a worn out Rem VLS to a 6BR and put a 27" Krieger barrel rem varmnt contour. This will be a bi-pod rifle for g-pigs. So, I'm thinking an 8 twist barrel to shoot 87 gr and heavier bullets. These rifles are a little heavy to carry around but I really like them. With a NXS12X42 the weight increases, then add a sling and bi-pod. Where I shoot g-pigs I don't have to walk all that far.
Anyone have such a rifle? What would youbdo differently?
Thanks again

 

[Phil]

Since your intending to shoot the 87gr and up pills you might think about going the Dasher route to get a little more oomph behind your boolitz.

As a varmint gun, the ranges will vary, a flatter shooting cartridge would be an advantage.


Good luck with your decision,

Phil.

 

[agr516]

I have such a rifle. It is a trued 700 action with a 28" rem varmint tapered Krieger 8 twist chambered in 243 Ackley. It is in a HS Precision stock with a Nightforce 8-32br mounted in steel NF rings and a Jewell trigger. I shoot Berger 105 hybrids. I wouldnt change a damn thing. I can walk with it if need be but dont do much of it. I love that thing. I pull it out when things need to die.

 

[FatBoy]

I do a significant amount of hiking on the Cumberland Gap and the smokies and after a couple times of lugging a 13# Winchester Stealth this season (stock barrel and HS precision stock, Badger rings, Leupold M3 scope and tactical intervention sling) I pulled the 7# m788 back out. The long barrel and weight is tough to deal with in the thick or from a tree stand.

If you can harness it across your back, don't have to walk through the woods, stalk and you have some open country to shoot over it will be OK . If you are moving through pine or heavy woods, doing hills or any climbing, consider going as light/short as you can get away with.

Before I get the cat card thrown down, I spent two years on a 60 crew in Germany before being the First SGTs RTO, so I know how to move with gear. The point of varmint/predator hunting is fun. Being exhausted after moving 1000 yards isn't fun.

 

[MrMajestic]

If I walk a mile out and a mile back for Chucks that's far for me. I would carry a Howitzer that far to kill a Groundhog! I have a 28" Full Bull Remage barrel chambered in .243AI with a 12-42X Nightforce on top and it is manageable at those distances. Now carting a Caldwell Stabile table(disassembled and lashed together) and the rifle, that's heavy! I have to stop every 20 yards to give my hand/arm a rest. ;D I have walking rigs also but if a 6-1000 yard shot offers itself I feel way under-gunned!

 

[Phil]

I would carry a Howitzer that far to kill a Groundhog!

Thats Funny right there, i`m glad i`m not alone in my pursuit....... 8)


Phil.

 

[coues52]

Just a thought..long range hunting.com in there store sells a sling for heavy guns with dual straps that places the gun in the middle of your back leaving your hands free for climbing etc...on another note I haven't shot a ground hog in 25 years ! used to use a 220 swift, good times ,lol..Danny

 

[snert]

I always thought I would like my heavy varmint rifles...one is 18 pounds...but turning 50, having back surgery, getting older, I have found that I am ok with a lighter gun!

In regard to your build, all i would suggest is that sometimes a HB fiberglass stocked rifle is a pain in the rear part to keep upright on the sling. i have a 222 that always wants to swap ends...annoying.

make sure it is balanced.

snert

 

[LawrenceHanson]

When I read this the operative words to me are “I don’t have to walk all that far.”
In order to get a meaningful response, you really need to define your “I don’t have to walk all that far.” a lot better.

What does that mean exactly? Out the truck and to the hood for a quick shot? Out the truck and off the road a couple hundred yards? Out the truck and over the hills and through the woods a mile or so? A couple miles? Thru snow? Thru mud? Crossing streams? Hopping barbed wire fences? Up and down steep slopes? What kind of physical shape are you in? How dedicated are you? How much other stuff are you carrying with you? Are you alone or with a hunting partner who can help carry stuff out and back?

I carried a real big rifle for coyote hunting one winter in Montana. It weighed 13.5 pounds and had a 28.5 inch long barrel. I was in good shape at the time and one season was all I needed to figure out I didn’t want to carry it a second season. And I had a hunting partner to carry all the other stuff out and back including binoculars, laser range finder, electronic caller, shooting sticks, camera, etc….

And what is a g-pig?

 

[snert]

I'm thinking a g-pig is a groundhog...woodchuck, whistlepig, pasture grizzly...otherwise known as the easterners prairie dog substitute.

 

[MrMajestic]

A Guinea Pig! ;D Those little buggers sure are tough to hit but can't get to far in that Aquarium!
No LH, I think he is talking about Groundhogs.

 

[rmist]

That's funny !! But yes.. groundhogs !! Big fat PA versions ! As far as not walking far...the most would be a couple hundred yards. In shape...yes.. been carrying out a heavy Rem and binoculars for awhile now. Dedicated.... shoot a few hundred a year. Can't do the couple hundred a day like our western friends on prairie dogs. So we do what we can to save the soybeans and cow legs from breaking in the ground pig holes. Been shooting 22-250's and 6mm Rem. A BR seems like a good option for me. I'll have a Dasher soon but for competition.

 

[stinnett1981]

Sorry OP to go off subject on your thread, but im curious why some of you guys use 26 inch and longer barrels on your hunting rifles? Even if you plan on shooting from a bipod off the ground. I'm really just curious why and I'm not intending to be rude or act like I'm right and your wrong. I only have 2 hunting center fire rifles and they are for coyote and varmins because here in IL we cannot hunt large game with center fire rifles. We can only use slug guns and muzzle loaders. I own several .22lr for squirrel and raccoons. If I could use a center fire rifle for deer and other large game I THINK I would use a 6.5-47 Lapua with a 23" Remington varmint contour barrel and shoot a 110-120 grain hunting bullet traveling over 3000 fps. Again sorry for going off subject on your thread. Thanks fellas.

 

[brianc74]

Just had Macs Gunsmithing build me a 6 Creedmoor. Holly crap this thing is fun. I love this rifle. The rifle weight with a Nightforce SHV 4-14x56 and Warren rings and rail is 10 lbs 1 oz Here are the the build parts.
NorthWest Precision SA
Kreiger 1-8, 21" Rem. Varmint taper, ss, 4 groove
Manners EH4 stock. Pillar bedded with marine tex
Rem. Bdl bottom metal
Timney Calvin trigger.
The load is. NOSLER 6.5 Creedmoor brass necked down to 6 mm. H4350 (41.5). CCI 200 primer. Berger 105 VLD hunting. The speed is 3265 fps at 4000 elevation.

 

[IMMORTAL]

Most of my varmint rigs weigh 15+ lbs. outfitted with scope,sling,bipod. One is over 18 lbs. I hunt ghogs here in WV and pretty much all the farms I hunt I have to walk in. Some fields I have to walk as far as 600 yds. to get to a spot from which to shoot.

I don't mind the extra weight as it gives me some exercise too.

Here is a typical set up I use. My shooting chair has a storage bag that I store my ammo,water,hearing protection,smaller bipod,LRF,camera,and rear bag. I wear my binos using a harness. A little bit of weight but I have everything I need to hunt for a full day.



Here is some proof that the set up works!! lol

 

[Fire306]

I just finished putting together my "walking varmint rig"
Haven't even had a chance to take it hunting yet, only tested a few loads.
6XC 26" Krieger barrel #6 contour on a Tikka m55 action.
Its in the original Tikka Sporter Stock, from what I have discovered is fairly rare. It was very beat up when I purchased it, so it became my playground stock to experiment with. I added the adjustable comb, and a few other tweaks. When it is done, I will try refinishing it.
Found a nice "varmint" load with 87gr V-max bullets, at 3350 fps.

Currently has a Leupold VX-L 4.5-14x56 varmint reticle on it, but it likely will give way to something different in the future.

 

[MQ1]

How far do you expect your typical shot at groundhogs to be? A 6br is always a good choice, but you have lots of good choices for cartridges that will do the job.

MQ1

 

[thekriebles]

"...But yes.. groundhogs !! Big fat PA versions ! As far as not walking far...the most would be a couple hundred yards. In shape...yes.. been carrying out a heavy Rem and binoculars for awhile now. Dedicated.... shoot a few hundred a year. Can't do the couple hundred a day like our western friends on prairie dogs. So we do what we can to save the soybeans and cow legs from breaking in the ground pig holes. Been shooting 22-250's and 6mm Rem. A BR seems like a good option for me. I'll have a Dasher soon but for competition.

Perhaps just re-barrel your worn out Rem VLS to the 6 Dasher using the same reamer your smith will use to build your competition rig in 6 Dasher. This way you can still utilize culled/odd weight-sorted brass from your competitive rig, since the brass will still be plenty fine for varmint hunting in your Rem VLS. It would also give you a fun and useful way to fire-form some brass without using your good barrel on the competitive rig.

 

[rmist]

Do you think .125" fb is to much for the 87gr vmax in a dasher?

 

[dkhunt14]

>125 might be a bit much for a Dasher with the 87. It would work but I don't think you will have much in the case. I like a good grip to fireform Dashers and in the rifling. You could always fireform with a false shoulder and use a bigger bullet to hunt and form with. Kriebles has a good idea to fireform and save your match barrel. Matt