Long Range Varmint Gun Options

[lgraham]

I want to buy a new rifle for long range varmint hunting, coyotes/rockchucks out to 500/600 yards. I am looking at getting either the Remington SPS Varmint Stainless or the regular plain Tikka T3 Stainless and was wondering if anyone had advise about which of the two ( or other guns) to get. If I go the Remington route I plan to glass bed the stock and do a trigger job. Also, I have decided on a .243 and plan to reload for the gun, but am open to other suggestions if there is a better caliber suited to this application. I would like to stay away from getting something too spendy or going the custom route. So would a reasonable priced factory gun in .243 (like those listed above) achieve the accuracy that is needed for hunting at this range? Also, I'm left handed if that makes a difference.
Thanks for any input,
Luke

 

[CatShooter]

I would suggest you save up a few more dollars and get the "700 VS SF II". The weakness in the SPS is the stock, which is a piece of skat at best.

You will spend all your time fighting that garbage SPS stock, while the stock on the 700 VS SF II is probably one of the best stocks available.

 

[bheadboy]

2nd on that, also, stay Rem as the factory issue is best on the mkt,

22-250 is good with 55sbk etc outto 500 and streach 600 the 243 is fine for your range
Bob

 

[potatoe]

+3 on rem. I bought a .243 Remington SPS varmint last summer to use the action for my groundhog build, but I figured I'd use if for deer hunting till my stock and barrel came in. I did reload for it, and it did ok with the normal deer bullets (1.5" or under @ 100), but I figured I'd try some varmint bullets too, just goofin' off.

My dad had some older 70 gr. Berger MEF's and with a mid load of varget or N140 that gun shot awesome. It shot .3 - .5's all day long, but berger no longer makes 70 grain MEF's otherwise I would have really thought twice about tearing such a good shooting factory gun apart. I also tried some 69 grain berger high bc's and they did pretty good too, under 1 inch @ 100, so even though the gun is a faster twist, make sure you try some 70 grain bullets, my gun really favored them over 80+ grain bullets for some reason.

Another plus for the Remmy is if your not completely satisfied with the groups, it costs around $600 to put a custom barrel on there and go to town.

 

[jonbearman]

You could also go with an lrpv model from savage and buy a couple tools and change the barrel right at home. Check out northland supply on savage shooters forum and you will see how easy it is to change them out. I have 4 savages and 7 barrels to change out as necessary. Each barrel shoots real well being they are shilens and mcgowens. You can put an aftermarket anything on a savage now all at home. The remington is my favorite,but costly to work on and unlimited aftermarket parts. Stokys stocks has stocks for everything made. Good luck on your project.

 

[357Mag]

lgraham -

Howdy !

I agree w/ JonB. Can't go wrong w/ a Savage bolt rilfe.

You'll often read where shooters had their Remington bolt gun " trued ", which appears to be not as necessary ( for best accuracy ) w/ a Savage.

For a clean-kill on groundhog @ 500 every time, a .224" cal 55gr from a 1-14 .22-250 is "pushing the limits " of what can be expected. Something like 65gr Sierras from a 1-12 .224" cal barrel would be a better "fit", or maybe 75 "A"-Max from a 1-8".

JMHO.

Regards,
357Mag

 

[johnmyers]

Very good advice from jonbearman. Good luck in whatever you do. I used to be nothing but Remington but after seeing what the new Savages do I think they will beat the Remingtons.
John

 

[Charles]

this might help,bought a used f-class from a member on this forum was a little rough on cleaning the copper for about 100 rounds,but was shooting good.after about 150 rounds it started shooting105's into a 1/2 inch hole at 200yds and cleaned up very nicely.went to s.d. on my first p.d. hunt in may, shoot dogs out to 980 yds,shot a few at 700@ 800yds and was very consistent at 300to400 range.I am one happy savage owner.

 

[gmorganal]

The 700 VLS Remington sounds like it would fit your needs quite well. We have had great results with them in 243. The 55 grain Nosler Ballistic Tip is a laser to 500 yards. My son even killed one PD at 650 yards with that bullet, but it must have been falling straight down at that point.

 

[moparman]

I have a 700sps in .243 with 24" barrel and is fairly accurate for a factory rifle with a terrible stock. I mostly shoot 87gr hornadys at 300yds. I can usually shoot 5 shot groups under 2" at 300yds but always has verticle stringing. It will print intersecting holes the 1st 2 shots then starts verticle. Several issues with the stock but I have still been able to kill woodchucks out to 450yds with it. Its just a matter of time before I start hot rodding it like everything else I own.

 

[Dave T]

Wait and save a little more money and get a Cooper....
Dave T

 

[Hoier]

I have a 700sps in .243 with 24" barrel and is fairly accurate for a factory rifle with a terrible stock. I mostly shoot 87gr hornadys at 300yds. I can usually shoot 5 shot groups under 2" at 300yds but always has verticle stringing. It will print intersecting holes the 1st 2 shots then starts verticle. Several issues with the stock but I have still been able to kill woodchucks out to 450yds with it. Its just a matter of time before I start hot rodding it like everything else I own.

Not only guns but women and cars?

 

[Hoier]

+1 on the LRPV but when you rebarrel you'll want a lighter contour cause them things are heavy. Might even want to think about a stock one in a 6br with a 8twist with 88 Bergers. With the option of heavier bullets.

 

[mikegaiz]

Try a Sako 75 or 85 varmint (w/ set trigger) in 243, or 260. you will not be sorry. Have taken lots of yearling Prairie dogs out to 1200 yds. With gun right out of the box. Adding a muzzle brake is icing on the cake.
mike

 

[1holeaddict]

Savage lrpv in 6mmBR 1-8 twist-Varget powder- 105 Amax or 107 sierra and shoot it stock. You just might be VERY SURPRISED. I own 3 of them and havent seen anybody even custom rigs shoot any better at our local ranges. Remember it is the WHOLE package not just the gun. Optics, brass, loading methods, cleaning methods, and mostly THE OPERATOR.

 

[K22]

Can't go wrong with the 243 for a long range varmint rifle. The 80 grain Sierra Blitz bullet with IMR 4350 is an excellent place to start. I would recommend a 26" barrel length.

The Remington Varmint model that has the stock with the aluminum bedding block is the way to go but I don't think they offer that model in the 243 anymore. If you're set on a 243, you can order a Bell and Carlson Medalist stock from Midway. These stocks have a aluminum bedding block and are well worth the money. Don't waste your time trying to get the SPS with those junk factory stocks to shoot. It's ok for 200 yards shooting but not for the distances you want to shoot.

An another option would be the Rem Varmint model with the aluminum bedding block stock in 22 250. I believe they do offer that model. The 22 250 is another excellent long range varmint caliber but I believe the 243 is better in the wind at that distances you want to shoot.

 

[lrgoodger]

1holeaddict has it right. Go for the Savage 6BR. It will outshoot the Remingtons.

I started varmint shooting with the same idea you had and got a .243, but it had a custom barrel. It was very accurate and I was happy with it, but I shot out the barrel in 4 prairie dog trips. In the meantime I had discovered that the 6BR will push the same 105G A-max bullets at the same speed with half the powder and recoil. That makes it a pleasure to shoot compared to the .243 and the barrel will last twice as long. My PD hunting buddies had me buid them custom guns after watching me snuff dogs at 600 - 700 yards with my .243. They wanted .243s at first because that was what I was doing so well with, but I convinced them that the 6BR would launch the same bullets at the same speed just as accurately. last trip out my buddy got a dog at 1071 yards with his custom 6BR. He had never killed anything over 250 - 300 yards with his factory guns.

The Savage 6BR is winning factory class shoots very regularly at our local club competitions. I've been a Remmy fan for a long time because they are accurate, but Savage has caught up with that 6BR. Too bad Remington doesn't offer that caliber. The 6BR is also much easier to load for than the .243. It's not nearly as fussy about having a tuned load to get good groups, and my experiments with seating depth showed that it didn't much care where the bullets were seated. It still shot great.

 

[Dave T]

If you are thinking of getting a 243, then you should think about a 6MM Remington. A 243 just can't match up to a 6MM Remington, it's just that the 6MM didn't catch on like the 243, I have both and the 6MM is supperior.
Dave T

 

[ChrisNZ]

I'd think either stick with a 6BR for efficiency or else go to a 6mmRem is you really feel you need a bigger case. The 6mm Rem is a nicer case design than the .243, ie a longer neck which will give better alignment, more flexible seating for heavier projectiles in faster twist barrels and is nicer on barrel throats.

Chris-NZ

 

[Catfish]

I usually don`t post on threads this long, but would like to add alittle here. The 243 is a good round, but at 600 yrds you are at it`s max. and then must have a good range finder and drop chart. Personally I prefer Savages because the barrels are so easy to change. I also play with a lot of wildcats, and it your after long range varments you can build a flatter shooting gun. I like the 224 TTH, 6mm Rem. case necked down to 22 cal. I also like the 6-284 for long range shooting. If you go with a wildcat like these you will be well surved to get a fast twist barrel for heaver bullets. In the 224TTH I shot 77 and 80 gr. Siera bullets. At the velocity I push them they are good varmint bullets.