Thinking about a new calling rifle

[Gutpile]

I have a delima. The ruger I have is the target model and as much as I love that thing it's just too heavy to lug around all day. So I bought an AR a couple of years ago and as much as I love it it's pretty fuggin heavy too, and I am not impressed with the .223 so far. I think it's all in my head but I'm so used to the 22-250 I'm having a hard time with it. Anyhoo I'm thinking about buying this rifle in 22-250. My plan is to use it on my "hard hunts" where we walk miles and miles. I also want it in 22-250.

So what do you think? It's only 7 1/2 lbs. Ugly like me, and it's a 22-250. Am I a fool? I do need another toy right??? Either encourage me or call me a fool.

Damn I love this rifle!!! 

http://www.remington.com/products/firearms/centerfire_rifles/model_700/model_700_VTR.asp

[eburghunter]

I would get it     I wanted to buy that same rifle in august but i couldnt come up with the funds for it but it would be a nice gun.       

[demontang]

I don't like the stock of the ports in the barrel make it louder then my carbine. I do love the 22-250 its a smokin round and I plan on getting a howa supreme varminter in 22-250 again.

[Gutpile]

yeah I'm wondering about that. Have you shot this rifle then. I was curious how loud it was.

HOWA!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I forgot to look at there sight. I may change my mind but I do love this ugly bugger.

[Big10gauge]

Most varmint calibers are always compared to the 22-250. I guess that's the caliber to have when everything is compared to it. I have used the heck out of mine. I would stick with the caliber but might want to rethink the gun. Also a 22-250 needs a minimum of a 24 in barrel to use up the powder charge.

[demontang]

The one I shot was loud to say the least, I wasnt exspecting it to be and it made me jump . It shot good though.

I realy like the howa's they are priced right and can shoot some nice groups out of the box.

[Gutpile]

I'm surfing right now. forgot about the Tikka T3. Seems to be quite a popular rifle and WOW that thing is really light. I may have to think this through for a while.

[zach318]

I own a tikka t3 22-250 it is a great rifle very accurate and the adj. trigger is a nice.

[demontang]

There are a lot of nice rifles out right now, I had a hard time deciding when I was looking for a new gun.

[Gutpile]

I own a tikka t3 22-250 it is a great rifle very accurate and the adj. trigger is a nice.

I was curious about the Tikka triggers. Wasn't sure if they were adjustable. Thanks for the input. Seems to me MHWASH shoots one too but not sure. So many choices, so little money! 
I'll tell you what, Tikka rifles are all under 7 lbs. I'm digging that after lugging around my rifles.

The website doesn't give a lot of details though.
The Howa website doesn't have any pics, except the Axiom which I'm not interested in. What a bummer.

Guess I'll be going to Cabelas, Joe's, White Elephant, Sportsman's Warehouse, yadadadada tomorrow.      Geez it's tough to have a seasonal job.     

[demontang]

look here for howa pics
http://www.legacysports.com/products/howa/index.html

This is what I had and want again

[zach318]

look here for howa pics
http://www.legacysports.com/products/howa/index.html

This is what I had and want again

that is a purdy rifle

[demontang]

They look a lot nicer in person and believe it or not they blend in to the sage realy well, dont ask me how I know

[Big10gauge]

Can't go wrong with a Howa, Just a Weatherby in sheeps clothing. They are getting more popular hence more expensive. They started out around $325.00

[demontang]

I think I payed around $500 for mine with a weaver 6-14x40mm scope. Dont think you could get that price now.

[KillBilly]

yeah I'm wondering about that. Have you shot this rifle then. I was curious how loud it was.

HOWA!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I forgot to look at there sight. I may change my mind but I do love this ugly bugger.

My experience with the ports is that it is very loud at the muzzle but the animal will hardly notice it. It's just the way it works, forces the sound lefdty, right, up, down depending on the direction its ported.

[Antlershed]

I have the VTR in .223......BUY IT!  I love mine, and its not THAT loud. 

[MHWASH]

Your crazy, but that has nothing to do with the rifle.  

I'm shooting the Ruger all weather in 22-250. It's no too bad to pack all day. Although it only has a 22 inch barrel I'm sure it's still more than a .223 in the same barrel length.

[Sagedawg]

 I have a Howa Varminter GREAT gun!!!!  Very heavy, but very accurate with the 168 gr Gold Cup loads.Mines a 308 so it leaves a bit of a hole. My calling gun is a Remmy 788 in 222  not heavy at all just dont loose the mags .......talk about expensive or I use my old Ruger boat paddel in 22/250.  For longer shooting my  HB 22/250 or 25/06 with 87gr gets to them fast and hard, both of these are Remmy 700's.

   One I havent seen mentioned is the Savage Predator, already camoed, adjustable trigger, free floated barrel, and you can get it in 22/250 and its only 7lbs. Or buy you a Stevens in 22/250 and put your own camo job on it.

    Bad decision to have to make with all your free time on your hands..........


  Sage

[Gutpile]

I hear you sage. It is a toughy.       Hey, but somebody has to do it. Right?

[Big10gauge]

Just buy a Cooper instead of 3 Howa's

[deaddog]

 gutpile , you deserve at least one of ever gun you ever wanted, buy it,

[Bofire]

I have for predators a  223, 243 and 22-250, My tikka 22-250 is my go to, it is the one in the truck 24/7. accurate, super trigger, light.
4.5X14 leupold. knocked over a bunch of coyotes with it and a 5X6 Muley.
Carl

[tlbradford]

Gutpile, It is worth a trip to Northwest Gun and Pawn on Pines.  The owner is as honest as they come and you can get some great deals.  I have purchased my last 6 firearms from him.

[Gutpile]

He is a good guy. Only a mile from my house too. After fondling and cleaning my a r today i think i'm gonna hold off a bit till the sickness hits again. Hahaha

[SagebrushStalker]

+1 on the Howa
I've been using mine, chambered in 22-250, for 5 years now, never a problem, except for the weight.  I just got rid of my remington varminter in 204, weekest action I've seen.  I could take the scope off and the bolt would start opening hard.  It was an accurate gun just not for me.  If I had the chance to pick up another howa for what I paid for mine I'd do it in a heartbeat

[bighorns2bushytails]

tape a 5lb weight on your gun and walk around with that the first few hunts then take it off... youll be impressed with how light it is   or fire your employee and get back to work so your not so outta shape LOL  

seriously id just hang tight shop till you find a bargin you cant pass up,  let that be your deciding factor.  of course thats not stopping me from eyeballing those weatherby's. 

[Tundra]

New to this forum, saw this thread and thought I would add a question to it....   

I have always shot at yotes with the deer rifle, but thinking about getting a rifle in .223 to let my son shoot, and give me another option in the safe!    

Anybody have any experiences with the Remington Model 7 Predator Rifle?
http://www.remington.com/products/firearms/centerfire_rifles/model_seven/model_seven_predator.asp

The other option I am looking at is the Howa Compact Heavy Barrel Varminter.
http://www.legacysports.com/products/howa/howa_compactvmt.html

Leaving price out the equation, which rifle is better tailored to my use as shown above? 
I would prefer to stick with Howa or Remington at this point.

Thanks!

[KillBilly]

I have a delima. The ruger I have is the target model and as much as I love that thing it's just too heavy to lug around all day. So I bought an AR a couple of years ago and as much as I love it it's pretty fuggin heavy too, and I am not impressed with the .223 so far. I think it's all in my head but I'm so used to the 22-250 I'm having a hard time with it. Anyhoo I'm thinking about buying this rifle in 22-250. My plan is to use it on my "hard hunts" where we walk miles and miles. I also want it in 22-250.

So what do you think? It's only 7 1/2 lbs. Ugly like me, and it's a 22-250. Am I a fool? I do need another toy right??? Either encourage me or call me a fool.

Damn I love this rifle!!! 


http://www.remington.com/products/firearms/centerfire_rifles/model_700/model_700_VTR.asp

if you are thinking about spending that much (ref. link price shown) then you should consider the Tikka T3 Varmint
it weighs 7.9 lbs. and is a high quality piece for about a hundred dollars more.
http://www.tikka.fi/rifles_varmint_reg.php#

[Gutpile]

if you are thinking about spending that much (ref. link price shown) then you should consider the Tikka T3 Varmint
it weighs 7.9 lbs. and is a high quality piece for about a hundred dollars more.

It's between the Tikka and the VTR. Strongly leaning towars the Tikka. I'm going to sit on it for a while but maybe in January I'll make a move. We'll see.

I see that the VTR comes in a ported and unported, I'll have to look at the unported. Not worried about the port spooking game, I'm worried about losing my hearing faster than I already am and just being plain obnoxious to my hunting buddies. I mean I'm already obnoxious enough so I don't want to make it worse. Right MHWASH?

Tundra. After chasing these things all over with my "too heavy" rifles all I can say is consider weight. On smaller properties where your not walking much it's no big deal. But when you go on really long hunts which I commonly do, you'll wish you'd have gone light. As for caliber, I've not been at all impressed with the .223 so far, had ANOTHER runner last week!!! If AR's came in 22-250 thats what I would have had built instead of the .223. Anyways I'd recomend the 22-250 even though there are a lot of .223 lovers out there.

[Sagedawg]

All American arms has or had a sweet Tikka in 243, older model but man was that a slick action. Nice palm swell looked decent . Just an idea.


Sage

[Tundra]

Thanks for the tips Gutpile.  What I liked about the Rem M7 was the weight...  Just curious if anyon has used one and what they thought of it...   

I will do some research on the 22-250... 

Thanks again.

[KillBilly]

Thanks for the tips Gutpile.  What I liked about the Rem M7 was the weight...  Just curious if anyon has used one and what they thought of it...   

I will do some research on the 22-250... 

Thanks again.

If weight is the primary consideration the Tikka T3 Lite is 2.8kg or 6.17 lbs. Now that is light and I don't think they make a smoother action

[Antlershed]

I see that the VTR comes in a ported and unported, I'll have to look at the unported. Not worried about the port spooking game, I'm worried about losing my hearing faster than I already am and just being plain obnoxious to my hunting buddies. I mean I'm already obnoxious enough so I don't want to make it worse. Right MHWASH?

I shot mine a few weeks ago for the first time without earplugs (only shot once), and it was loud, but not any louder than shooting a big game rifle. If you were closer, I would let you shoot mine.

[ivarhusa]

I bought the Savage Model 10 Predator, which seems to fit your specs.  I chose the 204 Ruger chambering.  The barrel taper is half-way between a regular rifle and a bull barrel, so it is lighter (as you wish).  It has a sweet trigger that lots of people have raved about, and it comes camo'd already.

Choice of caliber is a whole 'nother thread, but 204 burns a lot less powder than the 22-250, and still gets excellent exterior ballistics.

[atomicjoe23]

I was considering the VTR as well. . .but I have talked to quite a few people who did buy it and don't care for it. . .it didn't get rave magazine reviews either and more than one have criticized the accuracy of it as well. . .just my $.02. . .

I'm with Ivar. . .considering the Savage Model 10 Predator or the Howa/Knoxx Axiom. . .

[Antlershed]

I was considering the VTR as well. . .but I have talked to quite a few people who did buy it and don't care for it. . .it didn't get rave magazine reviews either and more than one have criticized the accuracy of it as well.

Do you know what bullets they were shooting?

[atomicjoe23]

know what bullets they were shooting?

I'll look and see and post it up. . .I think it was a couple different brands. . .including Lapua and Black Hills. . .

[Antlershed]

Hmm....mine shoots the 50 grain V-Max Moly from Black Hills pretty darn good.

[atomicjoe23]

OK. . .I found the article. . .here are the "cons" against the VTR from this particular author's opinion. . .the triangular barrel profile actually reduces surface area which would reduce heat dissipation allowing the barrel to heat up faster and retain heat longer (accurcay will degrade over a period of extended shooting). . .this barrel profile also reduces rigidity (reduces accuracy from the get go), but it does save weight. . .

. . .the stock is made of a fairly weak plastic and the barrel is NOT free-floated (once again reduces accuracy)

. . .the muzzle brake is said to actually not be all that effective at reducing felt recoil, but did reduce muzzle flip

. . .things that were liked about the VTR was the light weight and the smooth action. . .

Here are the shooting results with a Swift 6-18x50mm scope with a mil-dot reticle mounted in a Burris XTR base and Leupold rings. . .shooting Federal Gold Match 168 gr Sierra BTHP's and HSM 168 gr. Match ammo they were able to manage to get on sub- .5" group (0.448") at 100 yds. but said they had to work extremely hard to get it. . .average group size was 0.858". . .still sub-minute of angle but not as accurate as the 700P, the 700 SPS-Varmint, 700 SPS-Tactical or the 700 LTR. . .the reduced accuracy was primarily blamed on the rectangular barrel profile. . .0.858" in my book isn't bad at all, but I guess they liked other Rem's much better than this one. .. I would personally buy the 700 SPS-Tactical for the same price before I got the VTR. . .but that's just my $0.02. . .the guy doing the testing is also used to several thousand dollar rifle set-ups by McMillan, Dakota Arms, and Tactical Operations though to put things into perspective. . .this rifle would probably be just fine as a coyote gun. . .

[Antlershed]

168gr bullets....so he only tested the .308 then?

[littlebuf]

im surprised you dont like your AR, i just got (for Christmas) the remington R-15 VTR ( basically a bushmaster already tricked out for hunting) and i love this rifle, granted its not as light as the tikka which i also have but it sure is a sweet riffle, and i believe the .223 is one of the best rounds ( this should start a fight  ) ever produced. its track record speaks for its self, but i also think you should buy another rifle,mainly because thats what id want to hear from you if i were askin