Suggestions on a rifle?

[psychlopath]

The world today is filled with too many choices. Just as there are so many great choices as far as a performance vehicle goes, there are TONS of choices in a rifle.

I'm looking for a varmint rifle.

Scope not included, I wanted to keep it around the 700-800 range. I'd settled on a Savage 110. But THEN I started looking at some of the CZ models in that range.

They both make some great .223 guns, which is the round I want to be using.

THEN, I started rethinking my aversion to the AR style rifles.

I've been doing some homework and it seems that I can piece together a pretty nice example for right around 850 that would likely match these two firearms in accuracy, shot for shot.

But they are not quite as classic and flowing as either the Savage or the CZ.

On the other hand, it WOULD be fun to have a semi auto rather than a bolt gun. And holding more than 3+1 is kind of fun as well.

Short of "Pick what you like," does anyone have any input I should know about?

 

[Commander Quan]

I would go with the Savage12 .22-250

 

[Live2Ride]

Check out the Ruger 10/22. I don't own one, but shot one years ago - back when you could still get and use banana clips.

Have fun with the hunt and the hunting...

 

[bald1]

+1 on the Savage. Dollar for dollar the most accurate rifle out of the box. My FP10 .308 has been a 1/3 MOA from the beginning. I dumped a 700VS for it. And I think you're fooling yourself if you think that an inexpensive AR format can match the accuracy of a good equally priced bolt action.

I use .223, .243. and .308 for varmints covering ranges out to 1000 yards. I'm not a big fan of the .223 and concur with the gent above that the .22-250 or any of several other choices would be better. Keep in mind how finicky the 223 is regarding barrel twist rate and bullet weights too.

 

[Hreafn]

I would say for you to get a 7.62 x 54r. Its what i use for my varmint gun shots nice and flat.

 

[auk1124]

Savage or Howa, 223 or 22-250, whichever floats your boat. Both are excellent rifles. Another option for an all purpose beater truck gun would be an NEF single shot in 243 or thereabouts. Scope choice is going to be as important as rifle choice, maybe moreso, imo.

 

[airplanedoc]

I wans in the exact same situation/state of mind a couple of years ago. I would go with a 223 over a 22-250 ammo is cheap and easy to come by, and there is less throat errosion prolem.

If you go with a AR platform, you can have the best of both worlds. You can have a fun burn ammo gun, then swap out the upper for a super accurate varmint rifle. With a different caliber upper you can also change calibers pretty easily, hard to do with a bolt gun.

I built a rock river lower with a 2lb 2 stage match trigger. Picked up a colt H-bar upper for fun at the range, and a white oak armarment target upper for tack driving/varmint hunting. In total I went a little above your price range, but that included both uppers.

Most AR's/m16/car's etc are built and used in the spray and pray manner. However, if you "work over" the same rifle you can have a super accurate gun.

 

[Gravy]

I wans in the exact same situation/state of mind a couple of years ago. I would go with a 223 over a 22-250 ammo is cheap and easy to come by, and there is less throat errosion prolem.

If you go with a AR platform, you can have the best of both worlds. You can have a fun burn ammo gun, then swap out the upper for a super accurate varmint rifle. With a different caliber upper you can also change calibers pretty easily, hard to do with a bolt gun.

I built a rock river lower with a 2lb 2 stage match trigger. Picked up a colt H-bar upper for fun at the range, and a white oak armarment target upper for tack driving/varmint hunting. In total I went a little above your price range, but that included both uppers.

Most AR's/m16/car's etc are built and used in the spray and pray manner. However, if you "work over" the same rifle you can have a super accurate gun.

Building a custom AR sounds like a fun project. I wish I had the money.
OP! This gets my vote.

 

[Jim B.]

I'm a fan of the Ruger 10/22 and the Remington .223. However, I must admit that I'm impressed with my neighbors .25-06. Looks like a good varmint round.

 

[Phog Allen]

I am not a semi auto afficianado but from what I gather from friends who are, you are not going to get any kind of varmint rig accuracy from an AR platform at your budgeted amount. I can however vouch for the Savage 110 family of bolt rifles. I still cannot figure out for the life of me why they don't garner more attention in the gun press. I have a friend who bought one of those Walmart special 110 models with the birch stock, crude finish, and el cheapo scope, etc. It shot half minute of angle at 100 metres with factory .243/90gr. ammo. I watched him regularly pick off crows at 300+ metres with that rifle and ammo combo. Leaning over the hood of a truck with nothing more than rolled up jacket for a rest. Yeah, the Savage 110/112 series of rifles are one of the best value per dollar buys in the rifle world.

Another vote goes to the Ruger 77V heavy barrel in .220 Swift. I own one of these. Accuracy and gee whiz speed are the norm. When you pull the trigger, it gets to 400 metres RIGHT NOW. God help the crow or coyote that receives that little 55grain poison pill. I love it and I always get a "wow, you have a .220 Swift?" Followed by a lot of looking and remarking at how balanced the rifle is with that bull barrel. I love it.

Regards, Todd

 

[jlanger]

One of the members of my deer hunting party picked up a Remington 700 sps varmint in .243, fun gun extremely easy to shoot and even with a cheap refurb simmons tactical scope on it I was hitting center bullseye (no idea what kind of spread lol) consistently at 400 yds! Which for just stepping up to the rifle and never shooting it I thought was fairly amazing.
My buddy uses it for deer and varmint but IMO it's a little too heavy for walking around in the woods with, especially with that 26 inch bull barrel.
Best thing of all though is that his setup cost right around $600 (gun, scope and bipod)

 

[Tricky]

I would seriously consider a Howa.

 

[elkaholic]

I am not a semi auto afficianado but from what I gather from friends who are, you are not going to get any kind of varmint rig accuracy from an AR platform at your budgeted amount. I can however vouch for the Savage 110 family of bolt rifles. I still cannot figure out for the life of me why they don't garner more attention in the gun press. I have a friend who bought one of those Walmart special 110 models with the birch stock, crude finish, and el cheapo scope, etc. It shot half minute of angle at 100 metres with factory .243/90gr. ammo. I watched him regularly pick off crows at 300+ metres with that rifle and ammo combo. Leaning over the hood of a truck with nothing more than rolled up jacket for a rest. Yeah, the Savage 110/112 series of rifles are one of the best value per dollar buys in the rifle world.

Another vote goes to the Ruger 77V heavy barrel in .220 Swift. I own one of these. Accuracy and gee whiz speed are the norm. When you pull the trigger, it gets to 400 metres RIGHT NOW. God help the crow or coyote that receives that little 55grain poison pill. I love it and I always get a "wow, you have a .220 Swift?" Followed by a lot of looking and remarking at how balanced the rifle is with that bull barrel. I love it.

Regards, Todd

I'g go with Todd's comments. My Savage 110 in .300 Win Mag was super accurate. They are great out of the box.

Being the kind of guy that likes to go against the norm, I'd get the .220 Swift. Everybody has a .223, and since I have to fire it for proficiency, I can honestly say I do not like it.

 

[tg16]

Is there no love left for the lever action? Fun to shoot and can be had in a variety of calibres.

 

[petr]

Anschutz .223 makes one sweet varminter.

Also, don't forget about Tikka - accurate and the price is right.+

For that much $ I would also seriously look at a kimber.

 

[psychlopath]

.223 is my only choice, as it's what I've settled on.

I've got a 10-22 that I outfitted with almost every shiny bit from Volquartzen. Great item but not quite what I'm looking for.

This is to be replacing my Sako .222 as something that's cheaper to fire and not quite as sentimental to me, should something happen to it.

I have no love for a lever action, honestly. Some sort of personal bias, I guess.

Petr, I'd forgotten about the Tikka. Sure seems like there was some reason I'd put it out of my mind. I'd like to see if there's somewhere I can fondle one. I've at least held the others that I'd mentioned.

The model 700 is a great rifle, but I was looking for something that was a little more out of the ordinary, I guess. The CZ and Savage seem to fit that part of the bill.

AUK, I'm not sure what a "Truck gun," is but if that's another term for "Varmint rifle," that fits the bill. Except for the single shot part.

Short of holding some of these other ideas, I think I'm leaning back towards the Savage.

Now...to find a place to use it near Austin.

 

[petr]

Now...to find a place to use it near Austin.

If you are near Austin, go to McBrides on Lamar. They will have lots of ideas you never even considered. Some great used guns also.

 

[jlanger]

Is there no love left for the lever action? Fun to shoot and can be had in a variety of calibres.

Not very good for varmint, tough to work the lever from the prone position, or from a bipod. Hence why they fell out of favor.

I love my 2 model 94 winchesters both in 30-30 cal., (one pre 64 one post) and my browning BLR .308, but am thinking about going with a bolt as I have to lift the gun off target if it's set on a bale or other flat surface.
Nothing much beats the winchesters for ease of use, quickness and accuracy in brush country though.

 

[moonshine44]

+1 for the Savage. If you go with the package gun, as they call it, it'll already have the scope mounted, just go and shoot. I have one in .243 that was minute of ground squirrel right out of the box, and dollar for dollar the Savage is one of the best deals going...

You might also look at the Stevens model 200. A buddy mine has one of those in .223 that he says is a tack driver with the right load...

 

[Snappy Lunch]

Is there no love left for the lever action? Fun to shoot and can be had in a variety of calibres.

I have been thinking about adding a varmit rifle to my collection. I love the lever actions too. Looking at a Henry Varmit Express in 17hmr.