What's your favorite small caliber bolt rifle?

First topic message reminder :

Thinking of getting a small cal CF rifle like 22-250 to fill that spot in my collection. I've already got a heavy Savage target action BR rifle in 6BR and a mid weight FN 308 rifle. Thinking of a fairly handy size rifle but with a barrel thick enough for range days.

I think my favorite might be the Bergara B14 Ridge in 22-250. Might look at a CZ 600 but don't dig the aluminum receiver, the Alpha stock looks kind of cheap.

Tikka T3X

LenV wrote:I see you like old Remingtons. You need my 721 to burn up all your old 30-06 Jack.

I just sent you a long email about a Remington Model 721 in .30-06. Near and dear to my heart, now.

If you or anyone else has one that they're looking to offload, I'm in the market.

Er, I mean, shortly before another tragic boating accident. One never knows when one of those is going to happen.

Check this out.  I am Rem725
https://www.remingtonsociety.org/forums/viewtopic.php?f=5&t=410

john bickar wrote:

LenV wrote:I see you like old Remingtons. You need my 721 to burn up all your old 30-06 Jack.

I just sent you a long email about a Remington Model 721 in .30-06. Near and dear to my heart, now.

If you or anyone else has one that they're looking to offload, I'm in the market.

Er, I mean, shortly before another tragic boating accident. One never knows when one of those is going to happen.

I am downsizing.  How many you want?

I have one in '06. Old neighbor we hunted with when I was a kid. 3x Weaver with a dot that will cover a barn at AR range. Gifted to me by his daughter after he passed.

No, you can't have it. I'd let you shoot it, but it's a long drive to the range for you.

BOT: I've got a soft spot for the old Sakos too. Better, the Brownings made on them. Had a 222 mag on loan when I was a kid. Might put together a 222 on something someday just for fun, but nothing wrong with a 223 a longer neck wouldn't fix. My BAT is a really nice shooter, and you can feed 80's from the AICS mags :-)

The little CZ mini Mausers are kinda slick. Put a Krieger on one for a friend after he shot out the original. The new Anschutz rifles look interesting as well.

I like the tang safety Rugers too. My first, a 7mm mag I bought when I was 15, only took me 30 years to get on paper. The 200 year No1 was a problem child as well. Final straw was when I outshot it with a 94 carbine with a receiver sight on it. It's gone, the 77 is now straightened out and a sub minute 338. But I've got a new in box (literally) 2nd year production flat bolt in 308 that needs a new home. Pretty little thing.

A 700 Varmint Special in 22-250 was a huge want when I was a kid. Couldn't quite talk myself into a used one with a 12x Leupold a few years back. Kept thinking 'I can build a better one' ... but that's not really the point.

Ballard? Did somebody say Ballard? I've got a 38-55 with a Rigby barrel that needs a complete overhaul. I've thought about putting a liner in it for a 32-20. Too many projects already.

But if anyone is looking for a pretty good 223, I've got one of the Savage target models pre-accu whatever. Good shooter, hand selected by our club treasurer, should stabilize 80's to at least 200 yds ;-) Cheap ... and a couple hundred rds of Remington brass and handloads goes with it. Plus a custom LR extended scope rail ...

H&R M-12's, a Kimber 82G, VZ-52 with a case of ammo, Colt NF 44 Spc, Commemorative 45LC, 41 mag Redhawk, uhhhhh ... that's all for now ...

One of my problems is every time I start looking at rifles I start up selling myself. Now I'm looking at the Bergara Premier line in 6.5 Creedmore, sure would be a nice 1,000yd rifle  but did shoot a 1/2 moa 5 shot group at 1k with my Savage benchrest in 6br with stock barrel.

Always have wanted a 6.5mm too. A 308 is almost too much for me if I'm gonna shoot 50-100 rounds in a session. 6mm BR is amazing but the 6mm gets weak in the knees at 1k in wind, much more at home at 600.

WesG wrote:I have one in '06. Old neighbor we hunted with when I was a kid. 3x Weaver with a dot that will cover a barn at AR range. Gifted to me by his daughter after he passed.

No, you can't have it. I'd let you shoot it, but it's a long drive to the range for you.

BOT: I've got a soft spot for the old Sakos too. Better, the Brownings made on them. Had a 222 mag on loan when I was a kid. Might put together a 222 on something someday just for fun, but nothing wrong with a 223 a longer neck wouldn't fix. My BAT is a really nice shooter, and you can feed 80's from the AICS mags :-)

The little CZ mini Mausers are kinda slick. Put a Krieger on one for a friend after he shot out the original. The new Anschutz rifles look interesting as well.

I like the tang safety Rugers too. My first, a 7mm mag I bought when I was 15, only took me 30 years to get on paper. The 200 year No1 was a problem child as well. Final straw was when I outshot it with a 94 carbine with a receiver sight on it. It's gone, the 77 is now straightened out and a sub minute 338. But I've got a new in box (literally) 2nd year production flat bolt in 308 that needs a new home. Pretty little thing.

A 700 Varmint Special in 22-250 was a huge want when I was a kid. Couldn't quite talk myself into a used one with a 12x Leupold a few years back. Kept thinking 'I can build a better one' ... but that's not really the point.

Ballard? Did somebody say Ballard? I've got a 38-55 with a Rigby barrel that needs a complete overhaul. I've thought about putting a liner in it for a 32-20. Too many projects already.

But if anyone is looking for a pretty good 223, I've got one of the Savage target models pre-accu whatever. Good shooter, hand selected by our club treasurer, should stabilize 80's to at least 200 yds ;-) Cheap ... and a couple hundred rds of Remington brass and handloads goes with it. Plus a custom LR extended scope rail ...

H&R M-12's, a Kimber 82G, VZ-52 with a case of ammo, Colt NF 44 Spc, Commemorative 45LC, 41 mag Redhawk, uhhhhh ... that's all for now ...

I'll trade you a pack of Hanes white t-shirts and four - nay five - pairs of Levi's jeans for the whole lot.

Jack H wrote:

john bickar wrote:

LenV wrote:I see you like old Remingtons. You need my 721 to burn up all your old 30-06 Jack.

I just sent you a long email about a Remington Model 721 in .30-06. Near and dear to my heart, now.

If you or anyone else has one that they're looking to offload, I'm in the market.

Er, I mean, shortly before another tragic boating accident. One never knows when one of those is going to happen.

I am downsizing.  How many you want?

I got your PM. Will send you an email.

zanemoseley wrote:One of my problems is every time I start looking at rifles I start up selling myself. Now I'm looking at the Bergara Premier line in 6.5 Creedmore, sure would be a nice 1,000yd rifle  but did shoot a 1/2 moa 5 shot group at 1k with my Savage benchrest in 6br with stock barrel.

Always have wanted a 6.5mm too. A 308 is almost too much for me if I'm gonna shoot 50-100 rounds in a session. 6mm BR is amazing but the 6mm gets weak in the knees at 1k in wind, much more at home at 600.

Zane,

I ended my High Power career shooting 6.5’s. A 260 for XC and a 6.5x284 for long range. Both great cartridges for what I was using them for. Funny how the Creedmore took off and the 260 Rem. was a market failure.

One big surprise came when I ordered a new 6.5 barrel from Boots Obermeyer. He sent me a 6mm barrel by mistake. Well, when you were lucky enough to get a barrel from Boots, it would be pure foolishness to send it back! So I built a rifle on it. I built a single shot prone rifle in 6MM BR. That was the best shooting 600 yard rifle I’ve ever owned.

JKR

Another 6.5 fan. The 260 really needs a long action for the heavier bullets. I played with a 22 BR for awhile. About 1k rds of frustration. Swapped a 6BR barrel onto it and it was a tack driver from the first day out. Barnard S action, LR benchrest stock. Really needs a scope with 1/8' adjustments. Not in the budget right now, but maybe that clothing offer from JB would help out.

For Eastern NC varmint control a .17 Remington Model 700, handloaded of course.  Crows just disappear.  I really enjoyed that gun, although the cleaning was a chore and its not a good good choice for high volume varmint shooting.

A vote here for good old fashioned .243. If you want more speed, get the chamber "ackley improved" reamed to 40degree shoulder, slows the brass stretching way down and you can get 3400 fps throwing an 87 grain bullet. Flat, fast and minimal recoil. Best part, you can still go to wally world and buy regular .243 and shoot it. 
I had an antonio zoli bolt gun with a 26" mcgowen barrel... sold to a friend I miss that gun. I think a ruger precision in .243 would be a decent candidate to make an AI.

I like .243 Winchester also just bought 500 58gr bullets to try have a  REED custom heavy barrel and a rem 700
just Benn working on 500 cases to reload have about 200 more to trim to length then start reloading for summer shooting it will fun.

243 is a good cartridge. Reputation of terrible barrel life is a drawback. Guy in our rifle club got tired of a new barrel every 1500 rds. Made a Palma rifle out of it and built a 223. Only thing worse is a 6.5x284 from what I've heard.

6mm Remington is not a problem it seems, with mo' powder and velocity. Theory is the long neck is the reason. Whatever... it just plain looks better...

I kinda think my 260 is near the end of it's 'better days' at 1100 rds, but that's been all hot'ish loads with heavy bullets, my stash of Clinch River 147's.

I picked up a Stevens in 22-250 about 20 years ago for $260 new, it  would hold 3/8 at 100 yds. Not a very pretty gun, but is shot. Didn't take to long  to work up the load either.

Jim

If you want one to shoot buy a used bench rest gun in PPC. or 6BR. It will have a great trigger and better barrel than you can get on any factory gun, and the action would be a 100% better.... and would be capable of sub .1 groups at 100 yds and the PPC will run a 68 gr. bullet at 3400 so it is good to 500 yds... the BR or Br imp. is good to 1000 and is capable of 2 - 3" groups there.... if you know how to load and clean..... Jim

Not good at 500yds, horrible at 1000yds, dismal at 200yds but awesome at 50yds. The most fun you can have with a small cf rifle. Not a bolt action but it has a bolt.  

I don't shoot varmints so I don't truly have a favorite in the range normally considered "small."  I've never been let down by the 270 Win and lightly constructed 130's on deer.  It is "light" when I practice with 90's so maybe it qualifies.  Maybe I should have said the twenty-two?  My CZ455 is extremely precise and is "the medicine" for head shots at squirrels.  That said and with no deer yet to qualify this opinion, my recently purchased Model 70 in 257 Roberts is a sweet little rifle at least with practice rounds.  We will hopefully see if the 100/117 grain load is as deadly on deer as folks claim.

in the  beech,you will love the 257 roberts for deer