Pics of Varmint Guns PLEASE!!

Status
Not open for further replies.
A

Auburn1992

Member
Joined
Mar 22, 2008
Messages
1,015
Location
Tennessee
Well as some of my previous threads state, I am looking for a varmint target gun. So far, the three that are most in my mind (going from most liked to least) are: 1. Remington XR-100 .22-250 2. Remington VLS .22-250 or .243 3. Remington 700 LVSF .22-250.

These guns will most be used for paper punching, and (hopefully) some gophers. I am moving soon and my neighbors have open land that stretches for about 1000 yards. And one day while leaving my place I saw some type of animal that at first I thought was a beaver, but since there is no water, I thought it must be a gopher. Anyways, the range I will be using it is no more that about 600 yards or so.

I really like the look/feel of the XR and have heard really good reviews on the rifle. The VLS is really appealing to me, but I know (or atleast hope) if I spend the extra $100 on the XR that accuracy will be better. The LVSF is also very attractive to me, but I don't like how light it is (yea wierd I know right :)). I like the heavier, more stable feel of what I think a varmint rifle actually should be. I think the heavier weight will help me not drift as much when pulling the trigger.

Please post some pics of your varmint guns to give me an idea. Also ANY input on ANY of the these gun, personal or just reviews, would be VERY much appreciated:).

Thanks,

Auburn
 
You have posted a lot about this. I think you're entering the paralysis by analysis zone. My Remingtons are all in the back of the safe (I think), so I can't help you (too much fun to home 'smith Savages). But all of the rifles you listed should be capable of shooting 5 shot groups within .1" of each other.
 
I shoot a Ruger M77MkII Varmint Target in.22-250. It was always OK. Then i decided to get serious about reloading and bullet seating depth and now the thing is a tack driver! As previously stated all the guns listed will do what you want with the right loads. One not listed is the savage. It will generally drive tacks right out of the box and was priced right.
I've shot varmints/ targets against /with the guns listed and the one that gave me tight shorts was that damn Savage 12!

CRITGIT
 
"paralysis by analysis" I like that phrase. Mind if I steal it?

It's hard choosing the best rifle isn't it? No one wants to buy a rifle and realize it was a mistake. I know the feeling. I'm sure most here on THR do as well.

skinewmexico is probably right. At some point you just have to accept you've researched all you've can and just buy one. Unfortunately, you can find someone on the internet saying something bad about every factory produced rifle in existence. A "safe buy" by internet standards is pretty hard to find.

Your best bet is to go to a gun store and hold each rifle in your hands. Pick the one that's "just right."
 
I won't waste time posting pics of my off-the-shelf Savage Long Range Precision Varminter in .22-250 (1:12 Twist) with one of the three or four scopes that I interchange on it. The scopes are a Tasco (Japanese from the mid-90's) 24x44 fixed power, Leupold VX-III 6.5-20x50, Weaver Grand Slam 6-20x40 or (the newest) a Bushnell Elite 6500 4.5-30x50 with mil dot reticle.

This rifle is a fantastic varminter as long as you don't have to carry it far. It weighs about 15 lbs with optics and bipod. It doubles as my F-Class compitition rifle at the rifle club.

I tried some different bullets today other than it's normal diet of Sierra Match Kings. I loaded some Berger 60gr. Match bullets in front of Varget powder and WLR primers. They worked better than the Sierras ! I was surprised. I shot three groups in preparation for tomorrow's compitition. I got (all in MOA format) 0.39, 0.69 and 0.82
I thought that was pretty good for starting with only one recipe of powder/primer combo.

Other varmint rifles that my son and I shoot are :
.204Ruger (Savage Model 11) tied w/ LRPV for most accurate
.223Rem/5.56x45 (AR-15s)
.22-250 (T/C Hunter w/28"SS Fluted bbl.)
.243Win. (Savage Model 16)
 
Okay: 223 Rem Chamber, DPMS AR-15, 20" heavy bull bbl 1-9twist free floated, 2 stage NM Trigger, 6-18x44mm scope. Handloads shoot .3" to .5" and factory shoot .75" groups. Still holds well under an inch when bbl is fouled with 100-200rnds in a day.

ARBULL20-1.gif
 
Last edited:
i don't have the xr, but i do have the other two.

the lvsf should not even be compared to the other two because it is a lightweight, walking varminter. it is at it's finest for coyote calling and hunting where you will be very mobile.

isn't the xr based on the xp/600 action? at any rate, i'm not sure why you think it will be more accurate than the vls...?

here's the bottom line: if you want a rifle for mobility, get the lvsf. if you want a rifle for a lot of range work, or immobile hunting, the vls is your pick.

going by the criteria in your post, it seems to me that you need to be out getting the vls, and be done w/ it.

i don't mind sharing pics, but seem to have a lot of trouble getting pics on this site. if somebody might refer me to a good, free, hosting site, i might try to do it that way.

my vls is in 308, carries an 8.5-25x leupold w/ sunshades, lightweight firing pin, harris bipod, farrel 20 moa base, and warne rings. my lvsf is in 7-08, has a fluted and cera-coated bolt, lightweight firing pin, a kodiak shroud, rifle basix trigger (which was a mistake, but oh well, it is in and i'm not gonna yank it back out), leupold 3-9 compact, and talley lightweight rings.

love 'em both, but they are worlds apart in their intended uses and performances.
 
1001611ha8.jpg
 
one thing the XR100 has that could potentially aid to its accuracy is the solid bottom action. Single shots od similair contruction will always be a litlle more rigid than their repeating counterparts. The other thing it has over the VLS is the trigger is far superior. The vls, depending on vintage will have the old remington trigger or the new x-mark pro. while the XR100 will have th 40-XB trigger which comes from the xustom shop. while the old trigger can be adjusted to unbeleivable weight and pull crispness, the 40 x is equaly adjuatable for creep and overtravel, but its internals are polished in the custom shop before assembly and it is externally adjustable for pull weight without ever having to come out of the stock.

both fine shooters, but i picked the XR100, of course, ill be getting a VLS to in 243, so it will be a good way to go either way.
 
When it comes right down to shooting, there isn't a lick of real world difference between most any of the varmint calibers. I've got two .223's, a 22-250, and a 25-06.

Pick up something used. If you don't like it, you can get most or all your money back. If you do like it, you'll have money left so you can save toward something else.

If you want to learn to shoot, spend more time shooting and less time typing.
 
Here are a few pics of four Savage rifles. I now have eight of them and you don't have to have much of an imagination to figure out what they look like.:)

http://s148.photobucket.com/albums/s28/CZ223/

Most of mine wear Leupold scopes, usually a VXIII in 6.5x 20. I do have 6.5x20 Nikon Monarch on one that I really like. Also in the pics are a couple of heavy barreled ARs that will also do the trick for Varmints if I were so inclined. ALL of my Savages will shoot 1/2MOA or better so I see no reason to spend more on a Remington. I had a very nice Remington VSS-F in 22-250 several years back. I developed several loads for it and, while it shot fairly well it couldn't outshoot any of my Savages. I thought perhaps that I just hadn't done enough load development even though reloading accurate ammo for my Savages came much easier. I sold the rifle but I still had some ammo left. Earlier this year I put a factory 22-250 barrel on on 308 that I had. I found the ammo and took it to the range along with some Winchester white box stuff. Imagine my surprise as my reloads started at 1/2MOA and the WWB was almost as good. I have had several other Remingtons along the way, all of them heavy barreled Varmint guns along with a passle of Rugers and a few Winchesters, none of them shot as well as the Savages.
 
Check the Remington 700 SPS Varmint. They range in price from $495 to $515 and come with a $30.00 rebate to boot. My .223 Rem groups at 0.18 at 100 yards.
 
Not on your list but this is what I use. Remington Model 600 in .222 cal. This caliber was used for years in competition benchrest target shooting. Off the shelf ammo is not too common anymore but if you are serious about accuracy you will want to reload anyway.


Rem600002.gif
 
Here are my varmint rifles.

Remington 700VLS Leupold VX-II 6-18x40 with Harris Bipod Timney trigger and callahan Firing pin.

SD530003.gif

Below is my long range ground hog sniper rifle.

Custom on Remington 1917 Enfield action, Blackwalnut stock, Bushnell elite 4200 6-24x40mm scope. It has a Douglas no turn 308 win barrel. It will soon be getting a new trigger.

109_2868.gif
 
if somebody might refer me to a good, free, hosting site, i might try to do it that way.
Click to expand...

Dakotasin, you can go to photobucket, it's free and easy to use.

Also, what groups did you get with your VLS?
 
The LVSF is also very attractive to me, but I don't like how light it is (yea wierd I know right ).
Click to expand...

Skinewmexico is right on the money. The differnces in accuracy from model to model likely won't be any more than the differences from one rifle to the next of the exact same model. All of the Varmint rifles I've bought would shoot sub-MOA, only one shoots half minute.

The LVSF is also very attractive to me, but I don't like how light it is (yea wierd I know right ).
Click to expand...

It's about the same weight as an average sprting rifle, right around 8 lbs, IIRC. I have one in .17 Rem. (happens to be the .5 MOA gun I mentioned). Since the .17 Rem is really not much good past 350 yards, I don't mind that the lighter-weight LVSF isn't quite as stable as my .220 Swift. It is much handier from a truck window, and more pleasant to carry when walking the fields. We were actually out for rats yesterday. It was pretty windy most of the day, so I did the majority of my shooting at closer targets with my AR from the truck. But I did manage a 277 yard kill with the .17 from the truck, using the mirror as a rest. Anything longer/heavier than the LVSF is a pain in the rear to shoot from a vehicle.

You're gonna end up with multiple varmint rifles in time, so don't get too hung up on this one. Just buy it, enjoy it, and figure out if you need a lighter/shorter rifle or heavier/more stable rifle down the road. I use everything from a Ruger MkII heavy barrel with Burris 1.5-4x to my Remington 700 .25-06.
 
Status
Not open for further replies.

Similar threads

A
  • Locked
  • Poll
Remington VLS vs. Remington XR-100
Replies
9
Views
1K
csmkersh
C
A
  • Locked
Varmint Rifle
2 3
Replies
54
Views
3K
Auburn1992
A
A
  • Locked
Remington 700 VLS versus Remington XR-100
Replies
2
Views
2K
RevolverMan567
R
A
  • Locked
Good Deal?
Replies
2
Views
368
Auburn1992
A
A
  • Locked
New Gun!! Help please
Replies
17
Views
913
jimmyraythomason
jimmyraythomason
Back
Top