Thinking of purchasing a varmint rifle.

[flynnskihobbin]

I've been asking around my area and I got in touch with a dealer where I can get a:

Remington 700 SPS Varmint .223 LH
Bushnell Banner 6-24x40 scope
Harris Bipod 6"-9"
Mounted and Bore sighted

all for $863.90

I know the rifle does not have a free-floating barrel and I have heard problems with the clarity of the scope past 18x, so thoughts on the rifle or scope would be helpful.

 

[wingman]

I recently purchased a Thompson Center Icon that shot .375 out of the box,204 ruger caliber...

My Savage model 12 223 will do a .500 or less consistently with my hand loads.

I know many Remington fans will disagree here but IMO you would be better served by the two above rifles with the Savage being less cost, also I would look at the Vortex line of scopes or Mueller vs the Bushnell I have a Mueller 8-32x40 on my Savage it is very clear edge to edge and holds zero, it has a fine cross hair with target dot more suitable for targets vs varmint.

 

[unwise11]

I have a Rem 700 SPS Tac in .223 that's very accurate, I have a Nikko Stirling 3.5-10x44 on it.

 

[cfullgraf]

I have two Remington 700s (221 Rem and 17 Rem) and an XR-100 (223 Rem). All three shot pretty well out of the box, 1" groups or a bit larger at 100 yards.

I replaced the triggers on all three and free floated the barrels on the 700s and the groups got better and the rifles got less finicky about the ammunition.

The 17 Rem has a pencil thin barrel and starts to drift a bit after a few shots. Again, it got better with the free float barrel and the groups tighten back up when the barrel cools. It will never be a prairie dog town rifle with this barrel.

I like my Remington rifles and would buy more. But, I would expect to do some tune up on them.

I can't speak of the other, similarly priced rifles. Someday, I plan to try a Savage.

 

[HOOfan_1]

$864 is overpriced.

I've seen the 700 SPS selling for $580 even at stores which are normally overpriced, like Gander Mountain.

The Bushnell scope is only worth $160...the bipod, maybe $90.

That's $830, so is he charging you $30+ for the bore sighting? My blacksmith will boresight for free. I wouldn't pay to have a gun bore sighted...it is easy enough to do yourself, just put up a target with a big red or orange center on the 25 range, take out the bolt, peer down the barrel and center the orange/red dot in the barrel, and adjust your scope until it is centered on the bull. Fire a couple of shots and adjust some more.


Edit: missed that it was a left hand model. That might cost a premium.

 

[flynnskihobbin]

Yes, it is left handed I was told:

$545 for the rifle...from what I've seen not bad for a heavy barrel left handed rifle.
$160 for the scope
$45 for the base and scope rings
$65 for the bipod
$48.90 for tax
$863.90 total...does sound like he is charging for the mounting and boresighting

 

[HOOfan_1]

Ah, didn't know price included tax

 

[unwise11]

If I were left handed I would get a Right handed rifle, parts availability is very important..
not to mention that with a thumbhole stock you don't lose sight picture while cycling.

 

[HOOfan_1]

of course that only works if you have a front rest.

 

[Txhillbilly]

Both the Remy and Savage heavy barreled rifles in 223 shoot very well out of the box.Each has their own +/- depending on what you like.

Both can be had in LH models. Both basic models factory stocks SUCK!!!

I prefer the Savage Accutrigger over what comes on the Remy,but there are several aftermarket triggers available for each brand,along with aftermarket stocks.
I'm biased toward Savage,as I now have 4 of their heavy barreled versions- 223-25/06-308-and 300WinMag.

On Optics,you should buy something better than a Bushnell Banner.They are a very low end optic,and you will really see the difference with a better scope.IMO.

 

[788Ham]

Txhillbilly,

You are right about better triggers out there! I got a Rem. 788 23 years ago, trig was horrid!! 3 weeks ago I finally found a Timney trig for it, hadn't been any made to fit it previously. That trig has made that rifle 250% better, set at 36 oz's, shoots better than I can. Yesterday @ the range, wind blowing SE to NW 10 -15 mph, shot a ".509" @ 100 yds, 3 shot clover leaf, all touching, best this has ever shot! Sorry for stealing thread!!!

 

[ColtPythonElite]

Dick's puts scoped SPS Varmint guns on sale for $499 about every other week. Lots of times, you can get a $50 rebate.

For nearly 900 bucks, I be holding out for a nice used, already scoped 700 BDL VS....I mistakingly let one in .243 slide between my fingers a couple of months ago. Asking price was $750.

 

[splithoof]

The Remington 700's are among my favorites, but your choice of optic IMO will not allow you to use the rifle to it's potential. Why spend hard earned $$ on a good rifle, only to short-change yourself with a cheap scope? Spend some time looking through it for more than a few minutes, and you will see. I believe in purchasing the absolute best optic you can afford, then finding a rifle to hang under it.

 

[Rancho Relaxo]

Ditto on putting some good glass on top, not having to worry about wandering zeroes is a big plus. I'm a lefty, and if I'm shooting varmints with a bipod on a rifle, I go for my RH bolt guns, us lefties have it good with that configuration. If you think you'll do any standing shots, go for the LH rifle.

 

[flynnskihobbin]

so the majority right now is that the rifle is a good choice, besides your bias opinion on Savage and such. i know Tikka makes a great rifle as i have a left handed T3 Lite .270 with a 3-9 Nikon Prostaff, but I'm looking for an affordable heavy barrel varmint gun. I have a Savage MKII GL .22LR with a fixed 4x Bushnell Sportman and it's accurate i'm just not a fan of the accutrigger in the cold...can't cleanly pull the trigger with gloves on.

so what is wrong with a 6x-24x bushnell scope? what are some other suggestions? trying to keep the price around $250 for the scope

 

[mc223]

I think you could do better for the same money.

That lower grade Bushnell stuff might be OK if your rifle is going to live in the safe.


But Hey it's your buck. Do what you want.

 

[Art Eatman]

I'd like to know what sort of varmints and at what common distances before offering any opinion. Quite a few different types of "varmints", and the usual distances can vary quite a bit...

 

[flynnskihobbin]

Coyote to Praire Dogs

Range: 300-500 yards

I've been looking at Federal's ballistic charts on their 55 gr. FMJ and if zeroed at 25 yards the next zero falls right around 300 yards with it being 4" high at 190 yards. The rifle in question has a 1 in 12 barrel twist and from the sounds of it on the internet 55 gr. bullets will do pretty good in a 1 in 12 twist.

And the 26" barrel isn't that suppose to help with accuracy at further distances?

 

[HOOfan_1]

At those ranges, I think you would be better served with a .22-250 or a .243.

IMO, I can't really see anything wrong with your scope, unless the Bushnell Banners have really plummeted in quality. My dad and I have been using Bushnell Banners or equivalent at the time they were bought on most of our rimfires and some of our centerfires for years.

My dad had a Banner on his 8x57 Mauser, has shot several deer with it. Ever year when we take it out prior to deer season to check it's zero...it needs no adjustment. The image may not be as crisp or clear at 200 yards as say my Bushnell Elite 4200 though.

 

[unwise11]

If you want to shoot Coyotes and still use the .223, get the Tactical model, it has a better stock, and a 1-9 twist rate to allow the heavier bullets, the SPS Varmint has a 1-12 twist.. so you wont be able to use the 65-75 grainers, which can really pack a punch.

 

[splithoof]

I know this may stir up the hornets nest, but I have removed, then given away numerous cheaper Jap scopes. I have found that spending considerable time actually looking through a scope while either varmint hunting or for social purpose training will cause headaches, eyestrain, and loss of concentration when done through lower grade optics. I have had very good luck with scopes built by Leupold, Nightforce, and recently U.S. Optics. Yes they exceed the purchase cost of most guns, but after a long day in the hot sun there are few better. If you shop, you can find decent Leupold scopes (Vari-X II) for under $450 or better. I have never had a reason to return one of their scopes, but have had to return a few Bushnells, although they always made it right. For longer ranges I use the MK 4 series, but for most varmint hunting several of Leupold's other lines have worked very well.

 

[HOOfan_1]

Pretty sure Leupold uses Japanese glass

and I also believe Nightforce scopes are made by the same Japanese company as the Bushnell elite scopes.

 

[Art Eatman]

With a 1:12, 55 grains is likely the top-end for weight and tight groups. Beyond 300 yards, wind becomes a definite enemy for the .223; a good bit worse than for a .22-250 or a Swift.

On a prairie dog shoot with my .223, I was getting about six inches of drift at 300 yards, and it didn't seem like all that much of a "good breeze". (FWIW, no problems with hits at 300 with a 2x7x32 Leupold on my .243, on a different PD shoot.)

Granting that I'm a bit conservative, but I sorta feel like a .223 is a 200-yard coyote gun, thinking in terms of clean kill and crosswinds. Calm day, call it 300...

Just some notions, from past experiences.

 

[flynnskihobbin]

Yeah, here in North Dakota I would only be hunting coyotes on a calm day, too **** cold out when the wind is blowing during the winter. Just looking for something that is cheaper to shoot than my .270 and something that'll leave a smaller exit wound.

If I happen to get the urge to purchase some Varmint Grenades would a 1 in 12 fit the profile for a 36 gr. bullet?

 

[megadeth1957]

At those ranges, I think you would be better served with a .22-250 or a .243.

this for sure
a 22-250 will leave a smaller exit wound than a 243 but a 243 has a much longer range and more power.
also that .223 isnt any cheaper if you are buy factory which im assumming that you are doing