Hi there… Newbie on this forum….
I have been shooting since 1976. I tried everything (small bore rifle and pistol competition, practical pistol shooting, clays, cowboy action shooting, black powder cartridge rifle shooting), had some measure of fun, not too much. In fact I stopped shooting ten years ago, and only started again last year.
Then, two months or so ago, I acquired a BSA Martini small action rifle, with heavy Douglas match barrel, chambered in 17 Hornady Mach 2, and sporting a 6x18 “Sweet 17” BSA scope. Love it! I fired 2000 rounds through that rifle in the past month, which is more than I have shot in many years.
In brief, I am hooked! As I am going to purchase land in Colorado, I am looking at doing some real varminting, and not just punching holes in paper. A coyote would be the upper size limit of anything I might shoot at.
I would also like to shoot a little further than the 100 to 150 yards the 17 HM2 allows – say, up to 300 yards at least. So…. I am ready to move up from rimfire to centerfire varminting cartridges. I have an old Ruger Model 77 (the one with the tang safety) in 308 Winchester, perfect condition, which I have not used for over 25 years. I was thinking of replacing the factory 308 thin barrel for a 243 Win heavy barrel. Any other caliber I could use? I was thinking of the 243, as with the right twist and bullet, it might make a fine varmint gun. As the 243 is a necked down 308, I don’t think I would have to do anything but rebarrel/rechamber, right?
I am also considering buying a Savage Model 12 Varminter Low Profile. It’s offered in 223 Rem, 22-250 Rem, and 204 Ruger. I would be tempted to get the 223 as I already have the reloading dies and cases. I heard the 223 is quite a bit easier on the chamber than the 22-250, and that the 223 barrel will last longer than a 22-250. I know nothing about the 204.
Anybody on this forum with experience of the Model 12?
JLC
I have been shooting since 1976. I tried everything (small bore rifle and pistol competition, practical pistol shooting, clays, cowboy action shooting, black powder cartridge rifle shooting), had some measure of fun, not too much. In fact I stopped shooting ten years ago, and only started again last year.
Then, two months or so ago, I acquired a BSA Martini small action rifle, with heavy Douglas match barrel, chambered in 17 Hornady Mach 2, and sporting a 6x18 “Sweet 17” BSA scope. Love it! I fired 2000 rounds through that rifle in the past month, which is more than I have shot in many years.
In brief, I am hooked! As I am going to purchase land in Colorado, I am looking at doing some real varminting, and not just punching holes in paper. A coyote would be the upper size limit of anything I might shoot at.
I would also like to shoot a little further than the 100 to 150 yards the 17 HM2 allows – say, up to 300 yards at least. So…. I am ready to move up from rimfire to centerfire varminting cartridges. I have an old Ruger Model 77 (the one with the tang safety) in 308 Winchester, perfect condition, which I have not used for over 25 years. I was thinking of replacing the factory 308 thin barrel for a 243 Win heavy barrel. Any other caliber I could use? I was thinking of the 243, as with the right twist and bullet, it might make a fine varmint gun. As the 243 is a necked down 308, I don’t think I would have to do anything but rebarrel/rechamber, right?
I am also considering buying a Savage Model 12 Varminter Low Profile. It’s offered in 223 Rem, 22-250 Rem, and 204 Ruger. I would be tempted to get the 223 as I already have the reloading dies and cases. I heard the 223 is quite a bit easier on the chamber than the 22-250, and that the 223 barrel will last longer than a 22-250. I know nothing about the 204.
Anybody on this forum with experience of the Model 12?
JLC