What if?

[Carolina Man]

What if you had the money to build your dream of a dedicated Varmint rifle. What would you build? Outline your ideas for doing this. Tell me your ideas.

Calibers, Action, stock, barrels, scope etc:

Not a Bench Rest gun even though it may be suitable for both. This rifle would be for a setting long range shooting.

Aaron

 

[MarkS]

Aaron,

You did not say how you are going to hunt with this gun, Walking or sitting long range. I will tell you what I use. I have a Stiller Diamondback and Bat B action both with long range benchrest stocks. Custom made one of a kind for the DB action, Mcm Tooley MBR for the Bat. These are not carry guns, I shoot from a portable bench, long range. If you want a carry stock, the McM hunterbenchrest, it has a 2.25" flat forearm and a hunting buttstock.

I have gone thru many cal over the years, but the 6BR is the best round for me. Accuracy is out standing, barrel life is great. I have one shot kills past 600 yds on VA groundhogs.

I have more Krieger barrels than any, but all the big name's are good.

I have NF and S111 Sightron on the upper price side and Weaver's on the low price range.

I like 70gr Sierria Blitzking and 87gr Vmax for my 6BR's

Mark Schronce

 

[waterdog]

Everything Mark talked about is "top of the line"..Here is my ideas;

Trued Remington short action. Good trigger (Jewel, Basix, etc)

Barrel, any of the good names, Krieger Hart Shilen Brux, in a Remington Varmint contour. If you enjoy watching the bullet hit the target have a muzzle break installed.

Caliber, 6x47 Lapua chambered with a .106 freebore and an 8 twist barrel. With that setup one can load most all the different bullets in .243 cal. from light to heavy, and even the light bullets shoot good in the fast twist barrel.

My choice of the stock would be an HS Precision with an aluminum bedding block. Remington used them on some of their VSSF models. Sometimes you can find on for sale on E-bay. Or a stock off a Remington PSS. They are made by HS.

Scope would be a Leupold 6.5x20x40EFR. They are tough scopes made to use on an air rifle.

These are my ideas. I have this very gun along with two other barrels for it. One chambered on 6BR and the other chambered in 6.5x284.

Larry Isenhour

 

[5spd]

Im build it all on a Savage action, 6x47 Remington. Basix #2 savage or SSS trigger, CBI or Mcgowan SS select bbls, 1/10' twist, standard savage varmint channel stock since I have no need for anything but to drop game for my freezer & my 27yr old BSA paltnum target scope. I would have it threaded for my suppressor. Anything else is wasted money IMO. I would only use a 65g vmax for varminting & the 95g nosler HBT for antelope or the700 yard steel at the range.
Oh wait I already have this set up but in 6x45!

 

[357Mag]

Carolina -

Howdy !

Well... I guess I've already had a couple of "dream" varmint/target rifles made.

As regards a custom varmint/target rifle, for shooting using a front rest and rear bag ( or similar ) off a bench:

Fred Sinclair talked me into $$$ a Wichita WBR1375 single-shot action, for use on the first rifle he made for me. It featured a 24" SS Hart 5-groove 1-14, chambered for me .22-35 Rem wildcat. I used the gun for both groundhog shooting, and for shooting paper targets. I shot a 2oz Rem trigger, converted
by Ken Burns. Leupol 6.5 X 20 scope. Lee SIx " Hunter Bench " stock.

I re-barreled later, in the same .224" cal wildcat, but this time w/ a K & P 28" SS 1-8 5-groove; on the same Wichita action. THIS was pretty near ideal for my use as a dual-role' varmint/target rifle.

When I started having difficulty seeing .224" cal bullets holes on paper @ 300yd ( using a "boosted"
Weaver T-36 ), I re-barrelled the Wichita w/ a Broughton 29" SS "5-C " rifled 6mm barrel; chambered for my new 6mm wildcat " Deep 6 ". I installed a RIfle Basix 2oz (when I could not find a Timney 2oz Tactical trigger ).

I fitted the barreled action into a 36" aluminum ( "I"-beam ) rail, positioned as an "H" shape. The barrel is clamped to the rail channel w/ a plumbing repair clamp, carriage bolts; and the bottom strap from an appropriately-sized "U"bolt. The Wichita action is floated relative to the rail. Sections of composite
" deck board " are used for the fore end and butt stock. A small piece of deck board is used as a removable cheek rest ( to allow rod access for breech cleaning ). The composite pieces are screwed to the aluminum rail w/ dry wall screws. A trigger guard was fashioned from a galvanized conduit hanger

My " Deep 6 " chambered rilfe is capable of 1,000yd use, for both things like groundhog shooting; and even for 1,00oyd target use... should I ever get around to shooting a bunch @ that range.

The boosted T-36 ( for me ) works great, and provides me the magnification I find usefull, w/o my having to $$$ a Nightforce.

That Wichita keeps goin' strong , heading into 36yr of use.

My points ( IMHO ):
- Buy a top-quality action, and cry once. Many great choices abound.
- Purchase a superb trigger
- Spare no expense, when it comes to procuring a top-notch custom barrel ( every time you $$$ one )
- Go w/ stock set-up that works best for YOUR shooting style & needs
- Choose a great rifle smith for the metal work
- Get as much quality scope as you can possibly afford. Also good rings and base(s) ( perhaps 20moa )
- Do your homework, and pick a sensible chambering for your needs

Best of luck in your endeavors !


With regards,
357Mag

 

[CanusLatransSnpr]

Carolina Man,

My dream of a dedicated Varmint rifle would be as follows:

-6mm A.I. throated for 105gr bullets and no-turn neck using necked down Norma 7x57 brass
-Pierce single shot action, Pierce is a Michigan boy so I would have to give him my $$$
-Shurley Brothers Lowrider stock in solid black walnut
-Krieger/Bartlein barrel straight 1.25" 5r 8tw. barrel finished at 30" w/Harrels spiral muzzle brake installed
-NF 12-42 benchrest scope w/ fine cross hair set on EGW 20moa base in Burris Sig. Zee Rings
-Jewel comp. trigger

Thanks,
Mike

 

[bheadboy]

i used 40x trued, 2lb 40x trigger set at 1.5, Hart 26" heavy vmt br bbl contour, 13 twist, hightech br stk devcon bedded, 6.5x20 50mm ao luep. and 22-250 great to 500-600. used for pd - shoots into the .100's
if i were to do it again i would consider a faster twist to used heavier bullets if considereing the distance being over 500 consistantly, if not this is a great combo

Bob

 

[Joe O]

Only additions I would suggest is a Stillers drop port LPRB for PPC/BR switch barrel in a thumbhole laminated stock bench.The PPC would be a 20 cal and the BR a 6mm w/1:8 twist,and a muzzle brake.20PPC without brake in a 1:11 twist.NF 5-25 X 50 .Jewel 4oz trigger.Hart barrels HV.

 

[Erik Cortina]

Action: Panda or BAT
Barrel: Krieger, Bartlein, or Brux
Stock: Many good ones, would have one built using exotic wood (one of a kind)
Trigger: Jewell for sure
Scope: Nightforce, S&B, Premier
Caliber: 6BR or 6.5x47 Lapua

 

[areaone]

I have one in a Surgeon RSR, Jewell st at 1#, Kreiger 10 twist for up to 95 gr at a Med target contour Kreiger in a bedded Winchester Marksman McMIllan. 6 BR. If you you want a better setup. SHOW ME. Enuff weight to to shoot off a bench and lite enuff to carry with a bipod. Barrelled by Sid Goodling with my no turn reamer from Kiff to shoot .015 3 sho grroups at 100 yds with 65 gr grain Bergers, want more, good luck. My varmint(PD)gun.

 

[Erik Cortina]

I have one in a Surgeon RSR, Jewell st at 1#, Kreiger 10 twist for up to 95 gr at a Med target contour Kreiger in a bedded Winchester Marksman McMIllan. 6 BR. If you you want a better setup. SHOW ME. Enuff weight to to shoot off a bench and lite enuff to carry with a bipod. Barrelled by Sid Goodling with my no turn reamer from Kiff to shoot .015 3 sho grroups at 100 yds with 65 gr grain Bergers, want more, good luck. My varmint(PD)gun.

.015" groups? It's a typo right?

 

[people]

Mine would be a AIAW in left hand but in 260 with a tube for 6mmbr. The 308 tube will just keep space in the safe.

 

[Cold Bore]

Groundhog hunting is one of my favorite things to do.

It's hard to nail down ONE "perfect" rifle.

Lots depends on where I'm hunting.

I have "perfect" rifles in 221 Fireball (smaller fields), 223, 22-250 (probably my most used, and greatest number of "notches on the stock"), 243, and 6mm Rem (some of my longest kills).

A few others sit in the safe that are darn close.

 

[Nomad47]

With my 6mmXC last summer, my shortest groundhog kill was 4 yards and my longest was 1062 yards. And there were 425 groundhogs killed in between those two yardages. So I would say the 6mmXC is a multi purpose cartridge.

 

[K22]

I have one and didn't have to build it! - Weatherby Supervarmint Master in 223 - 1/4 moa out of the box with an outstanding trigger.