For every gun I've got rid of, I've replaced it with 2 or 3. It's like crack. I can say that I've thinned the herd down to a couple dozen, which is pretty good for me.
panhndlpoke, what flavor of 22-250 do you have? I've got a Tikka that gets lots of work in the winter time with varmint control.
I had a Remington 700 VLS (
http://www.remington.com/products/firearms/centerfire/model-700/model-700-vls.aspx), but I sold it several years ago. That's why I mentioned having 22-250 ammo. I have 200 or so rounds and no rifle. I did like the rifle, but decided to go with a slightly heavier round (243) to fight wind here in Guymon and am thinking about adding a 260 Rem to my collection.
Sold!
Thanks for your help guys.
Now, lets talk 308s?
I have a 22-250, 243, 30-06 (need a stalk for it from a horse snapping it) and a 338. I have been eyeing a 308 for a year, but I cannot decide due to other advice. My initial choice was a Browning X-bolt Eclipse with a bull barrel, but my buddy at the gun store is trying to talk me into a Ruger Precision. I am now torn!
I am not a big fan of tactical firearms, but the Precision is evidently a tack driver. I would like to get into some long range (out to 1000) shooting and I am now unsure what I want to do between the two.
By the way, I love my new Cynergy!
Ok, I have a strong opinion about these style rifles, not just the Ruger. The AR styled bolt action precision rifles, in general. 1. They're usually pretty heavy. If you're not going to carry them very far, it is a nice recoil reducing feature. If you're planning on carrying the rifle on a hunt, it can be a massive anvil tied to your back. 2. I am not a fan of the AR steel forearm on rifles. You can add plastic to cover it, but you're adding weight. Again, if you're not carrying the rifle, it doesn't matter, but why buy a rifle you have to add lots of things to? And why do I not like steel forearms on rifles? Go sit and call coyotes when it is 5 degrees outside. It's cold. Freezing. That block of steel or aluminum on the front of your rifle sucks all the heat out of your hands while you hold it. Putting a plastic cover over it helps, but to me, it isn't ideal. I've seen some companies making the forearm out of other materials, but I'm afraid they'd flex and not remain rigid like they're supposed to. 3. They're usually extremely rugged. 4. I love how adjustable they are. You can change the stock to fit just you want it. 5 They're usually very accurate. 6. Some of them you can buy multiple barrels as long as you stay in the same case family and you can switch rounds. ie: If you bought a 308 caliber in the rifle. You could buy a barrel to fit it chambered in 243, and swap barrels as you pleased. The magazine and bolt would work for either. You'd likely have to buy a few gun smithing tools to accomplish this, but they'd be inconsequential compared to the price of a new rifle.
All that being said, I think you can get the accuracy, ruggedness, and the ability to adjust the rifle to you from other platforms without having to have essentially a solid steel rifle. I don't know if you can get the same level of accuracy for the same amount of money as the Ruger.
I almost bought one several years ago from a guy named KK Jense up in Montana. Ultimately, I was unable to get the money together to buy one of his "tube" guns. Jense Precision eventually became Proof Research (
http://proofresearch.com/). They don't show a tube gun on the site, but I don't know that he wouldn't build one. He was a very big fan of the platform the Ruger is following, and he felt the 260 Remington was superior to the 308 in just about every facet except ammunition availability. While there are more 260's out there and more ammunition around, the 260 is still a more difficult round to get good ammunition, and it will cost.
If you end up with the Ruger Precision, I would be VERY curious about the rifle.
