Next Rimfire

[SD Handgunner]

My oldest daughter has decided she wants to shoot Rimfire Bench Rest Competition next winter at our indoor shooting range. We shoot on the USBR Target, shoot 6 matches over the winter at a distance of 18 yards (the maximum distance we can get at our indoor shooting range).

The problem is my daughter doesn't have lots of money to invest.

I've been going to different mfg's web sites and showing her what is available and the MSRP. When I showed her the Savage Mark II BV she kind of go excited and told me she liked the looks of that rifle and the price was in her price range.

I had a Savage Mark II FV many years ago, as well as a couple Savage Striker Handguns. What can you guys that are shooting the Savage Mark II tell me about the current production guns?

Thanks

Larry

[kid]

But the 22's seem to have a sporter type chamber. Reliable as always and with the right ammo maybe pretty accurate too. Catch one on sale so if it doesn't work out you haven't lost much.

Paul

[SD Handgunner]

She is leaning towards a Custom Ruger 10-22 like we put together for my nephew.

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v112/LarryinSD/Jons1022T.jpg

We found a really, really good deal on this Rifle. I sold the original laminated wood stock for less than I paid for the the Volquartsen Second that is on the rifle in the photo. Since the photo was taken my nephew has replaced the scope with a Mueller 4.5x14x40mm AO APV Riflescope (which is a good thing so I can get my scope back) and he has sent the trigger group out to TT Shooter for a Trigger Job.

I guess it all depends on how much $$$ she can save and or what kind of a deal I can find whether or not we build her a 10-22 or buy the Savage.

Larry

[george in KY]

look at the savage FVT single shot...thay are tuff to beat with a good scope on top!!

[Zeus]

Go with the bolt gun. The savage will shoot. My brother has an elcheapo heavy barrel savage that will shoot lights out even with cheap ammo. Not quite up to my Annie but it is much better than average.

[gonzo gunner]

skip anything with the ruger name on it!! i tried my best with a m77/22 .22lr a few years back!! it was real eye candy much like the 10/22's are. just like the 10/22 i got my ass handed to me with it several times when i shot with my friends!!!! look for a suhl for starters if you can find one!! they are great factory rifles. look for one with a 1:16.5 twist!! they are about the only factory rifles ever made that will hang with custom biult rifles!!! i mean they will make a calfee rifle really get to the nitty gritty to win!!!! you can find them for around $800 if you look and they are worth every penny of the cost!!!! i have one i picked up a few years back. i also have a custom biult hall actioned rifle biult by one of the very best rimfire smith's around.the scope was wondering around on the hall so i replaced it. so far the guys i shoot with tell me to take the suhl and leave the hall at home. that was before i replaced the scope. i hope the next time i go to the range the hall outshoots the suhl, but we'll just have to see!!!

get a high powered scope as well. at least a 8x32 power scope. if she can afford it get a set 36x scope!! that is if she intends to shoot benchrest at 50 yards. i just picked up 2 set 36x bsa target scopes i entend to use for back ups for my weavers on ebay for $93 each shipped to my door!!!!

[gonzo gunner]

i have 2 savages i picked up the same day in the same shop in 2000. they do shoot very well. i have recrowned each of them. one has had the barrel set back and a match chamber put in it. they each shoot well for cheap guns. i think recrowning really woke up the factory rifle. if cheap is what you are looking for the savage is the way to go. if it doesn't shoot have it recrowned and you may be very surprised!!!!

[gonzo gunner]

here is my factory chambered savage. to be honest i have given it a trigger job, piller bedded it and glassbedded it along with the recrown. it has a bsa 8x32x40mm scope that has been nothing but dead on since i got it in 2000!!! http://i124.photobucket.com/albums/p19/gonzogunner/22lrammotesting003JPG.jpg

[SD Handgunner]

Thanks for the replies guys. Yes she is indeed going to be on a budget for this rifle. That Savage you posted a photo is the exact gun she was looking at.

Thanks again.

Larry

[gonzo gunner]

she'll love the rifle. if you want a single shot i have a link to somebody that makes a piece you put into the magazine to transform it into a single shot rifle.

[Dave S]

SD Gunner:

I don't know what kind of competition you have at your club, but if there are some serious benchrest shooters there, I think that you will be making a mistake looking for a cheap benchrest rifle. I know that the Savage's and the Marlin's shoot good, but they will not be competitive against a benchrest rifle. And, there is nothing that will discourage a new shooter more than to keep losing all the time. My personal opinion would be to have her save up some more money and get a competitive benchrest rifle. The low end of a competitive benchrest rifle would be a Remington 541 S or T and have the rifle pilar and glass bedded in either a flat bottomed or fiberglas stock, or a Sako Finnfire. Some of these rifles do well in the Sporter classes of IR 50/50 and RBA. Next step up would be a Winchester 52 (C,D or E model), Remington 40X, Suhl 150 or one of the custom rifle actions. In order to be truly competitive, her rifle should be able to group 1/4" at 50 yards or less.
If you watch Benchrest Central.com or the classifieds on Rimfire Central.com, you can sometimes pick up one of the above rifles at a good price, but it will definitely be more than a Savage or Marlin. Rimfire Benchrest is not a cheap sport, I know as I have four rimfire Benchrest Rifles and if my wife didn't shoot, what I spent on those rifles would probably be grounds for divorce.
Do your daughter a favor and convince her to wait a while until she can afford a good benchrest rifle, or float her a loan and get her started quickly..

This is just my humble opinion..

Dave

[SD Handgunner]

Thanks guys. First of all we only shoot Bench Rest at our Indoor Shooting Range in the winter months. It is a local deal with generally a half dozen shooters shooting "off the shelf" Rimfires or a Custom Ruger 10-22. We do have one guy that shows up with a few different Anschutz's, a Suhl, a Remington 40X, Sako etc, but he hasn't won anything yet.

Two years ago the guy that won shot a totally stock (not even a trigger job) T/C Benchmark, beating the guy with all the fancy rifles. This past winter I won with my Custom Ruger 77/22 (beating the guy with the T/C Benchmark). In years past I have placed 2nd & 3rd shooting a T/C Contender Handgun, and have won it several years shooting Ruger K77/22VBZ's that I modified myself.

As stated we are shooting indoors under artificial lighting at a distance of 18 yards. In talking with my daughter it now sounds like she wants a Custom Ruger 10-22. Not sure what she is going to do as yet. If I could afford to just get her a Rifle I would indeed do that, but unfortunately that is not the case at this time. I am out of work currently recovering from hip replacement surgery.

Thanks again guys, I will have her read your replies.

Larry

[gonzo gunner]

i understand doing things on a tight budget!! did it for years!!! things have loosened up alot for me lately!! i moved from trying to make lack luster rifles into match rifles and now just buy match rifles. at 18 yards a 10/22 will do fine. it's at longer ranges that they fall apart compaired to the better rifles.

to set up a custom ruger can run into alot of money, but you can do it in steps while enjoying the sport at the sametime. first thing i would do is get a green mountain match grade barrel and a stock to handle it. then the trigger, then move on to the action. that way you can get it one piece at a time as funds allow.

i'm of the mindset anymore that it doesn't matter what you are shooting as long as you are shooting and enjoying it!!! lord knows we need more people shooting and enjoying this sport than we have now!! we got to start winning back hearts and minds from the anti-gun people in america while we can:D!!!!

[Ackman]

At 18yds any decent shooting 22 ought to work. Shouldn't be that critical. But I don't think 18yds is a very practical distance for benchrest even with 22LR. It's just too close and measuring groups could be nearly impossible. I used to shoot inside my shop at 15yds and bullets would literally go in the same hole and pile one on top of the other until they punched out the back of a 4" thick plank.

The 10-22 is a great rifle but it's a semiauto. It'll throw brass all over the next shooter.

[SD Handgunner]

Thanks again.

Due to limitations in our Range that is the farthest distance we can shoot. Also due to limitations at our Indoor Range we also shoot of of portable folding shooting benches, not the sturdiest thing in the world. This all just creates another set of variables. We have yet to have anyone shoot a perfect score so far, but it is getting closer. In all the years of doing this I think we have only had one shooter shoot a 6 250's for the year.

Thanks again

Larry

[William D Mansfield]

Hello Everyone,
I have a savage markII that I got at walmart for $129 dollars,I put a cheap 3x9 tasco scope on it.I love this gun it shoots great.I can shoot .5 inch groups at 50 yards while resting it off a bench,once in a while I can get .25 groups.Like I said its a cheap scope& a cheaper gun,at 18 yards she will no doubt shoot with the best of them.Last week our gun club had our 22 shoot and I took top shooter for the day.Our targets were at 30 yards at spinning targets which were the size of a very small cookie cutter.There are a total of 9 spinning targets with the best score being a 9 and the worst being 54 you get 5 shots at each target if you miss all 5 shots you score a 6 we shoot these free hand I got a sore of 10.So even my cheap gun can shoot with the best of them.I was using cci blasers.I have good luck with them.Good luck to all and happy shooting.

[gonzo gunner]

the savage rifle would be a more affordable rifle and at longer ranges will still stand up against a 10/22 that is tricked out. with the added bonus of not spraying brass all over the person next to you. there is a reason that they don't make alot of aftermarket parts for savages. one is they are a great cheaply made rifle and the other is they don't really need them. pillers, glass bedding, a rifle basix trigger (or a simple to do trigger job on the factory trigger) and recrowning the barrel and you are golden.

here lately i have seen alot of posts on another sight were people have had a few problems but savage tries to make it right. i have sent a rifle back before myself. they are very nice to me when i call them and they return the rifle to my door on a ups truck. when i opened the box there was a target shot at 100 yards on thier indoor range that measure 7/16 inch for 5 shots. they told me what scope they used on the rifle and what ammo it proformed the group with as well.

take everybodies advice and really study each rifle. take your duaghter out and let her handle each one as well. since it will be her rifle let her make the choice!! and most of all make sure they get out and enjoy the shooting sport!!!

[SD Handgunner]

Thanks again guys. Looks like we will be making a trip to Fargo the first week of June. I have to go back to the DR for an appointment after my hip replacement surgery and it will be a good day to stop in a couple shops and have a look see as to what they have on hand.

Yes I went to the Rifle Basix web site and learned that they indeed have a replacement trigger for the AccuTrigger Rimfires. That will probably be a must as she is accustomed to shooting rifles with really good triggers.

It is looking like the Savage will be the most ecconomical way to go, even with a Rifle Basix Trigger.

Thanks again everyone.

Larry