My ideal varmint rifle may have never existed in regular production.

[doubleh]

I am perfectly happy with my "Murican"made Contender in .223 and my Ruger #1 in 22-250. Both are capable of very close to 1/2 minute of angle accuracy with my handloads.

 

[someguy2800]

On the general subject of barrel lining/treatment, here's the rationale from a contemporary barrel manufacturer's standpoint:

Nitriding is pretty amazing. This is a nitrided crankshaft that I cut the flywheel flange off of to use as a centering fixture in my lathe. When I was done with it I threw it in the dirt behind my shed which was 3 years ago. This has been laying in the wet dirt for 3 years and you brush the dirt off and there is almost no rust still. You could hand polish this and return it to service still.

 

[Offfhand]

Dat one on the bottom looks most special amongst a bunch of special-looking rifles.

Thanks for comment and I agree about it being special. It's one of the early-early SAKO's (With bent trigger guard.) in rare .22 Hornet. It's doubly special because it is also the most accurate Hornet I've ever shot. Here are some better pics.

 

[Offfhand]

Name your favorite long-range varmint rifle and caliber and please tell us why you like it.

Naming a favorite varmint rifle or caliber can lead you down a dead-end road because rifles, calibers and rifle scopes (especially scopes) are evolving so fast that your favorite five years ago many be obsolete today. Which is why one of my currently preferred varmint rigs was designed to adopt to changing scenerios. Like my other prairie dog rigs, it is made for right-handed shooting but with bolt handle on left side, which is more deadly effecient combination. Built on a Stolle single shot solid bottom action, the same rigid, flat bottomed action widely used in uber-accurate benchrest rifles, in LBLPRE configuration. (Left Bolt, Left loading Port , Right side Ejection.) it is fitted with bolts. One with face, extration and ejection configured for the .222 Rem family of calibers with include cartridges from the little .17 Fireball, .20 Ruger and a host of .22's, including of course .223 Rem. (AKA 5.56x45). The other bolt is configured for what is commonly called the worldwide "standard" rim diameter, which in varmint circles include old time standards such as .220 Swift, .22/250, .243 Win. 6mm, Rem. and countless numbers of wildcats like the .224 CHeetah, based on familiar cases with standard rim diams. The action's indexed threads and dimensions allow me to order a barrel in any chosen caliber from Shilen Barrels in Texas and they deliver a barrel chambered, headspaced and ready to be screwed into the rifle and fired. The Jewell trigger is adjusted to about 8 ounces and there is no safety. The laminated stock was made by old friend Fred Wenig (Wenig Custom Gunstocks) who personally oversaw the project and added a checkering bonus. Scope is Leupold's Vari-X III. 8.5-25x 50mm. I consider the scope's side focusing a valuable feature on varmint rifles, especially in the prairie dog patch where shooting distances are constantly changing, and target quickly brought to sharp focus. And speaking of quickly, it takes only about five minutes to switch the rifle from one caliber to another.