The Guns We Own

[wlewisiii]

I consider all Remington rifles to be, essentially, disposable rifles for the short term. It's a good reminder from you folks of that and even the 700 proper still needs a Timney trigger to be safe unless they finally fixed that in the RemLin era.

What I really should do is look for another VZ-24 action and build up a nice proper rifle that way in .243 instead. I did that to make my 18" 7x57 carbine. Mauser. There really is no substitute...

 

[Navalwarrior]

I consider all Remington rifles to be, essentially, disposable rifles for the short term. It's a good reminder from you folks of that and even the 700 proper still needs a Timney trigger to be safe unless they finally fixed that in the RemLin era.

What I really should do is look for another VZ-24 action and build up a nice proper rifle that way in .243 instead. I did that to make my 18" 7x57 carbine. Mauser. There really is no substitute...

Resp:Rem fixed the trigger. I have Mausers in 270 (2), 7x57, and 3006. The only short ctg that feeds well w/o modification in the Mauser is 308.

 

[michael rauls]

I've read that they did indeed fix the problem with the trigger on the 700 but that conversely the overall quality of the gun isn't what it used to be. I was thinking about getting one in 243 for just plinking /
target shooting but kept reading people post disparaging comments about the quality of the newer 700s in the comment sections in alot of firearms articles.
Thinking of getting a Ruger gunsite scout in 223 instead. A little pricey but looks like ir would be a perfect plinker/target shooter.

 

[Navalwarrior]

I've read that they did indeed fix the problem with the trigger on the 700 but that conversely the overall quality of the gun isn't what it used to be. I was thinking about getting one in 243 for just plinking /
target shooting but kept reading people post disparaging comments about the quality of the newer 700s in the comment sections in alot of firearms articles.
Thinking of getting a Ruger gunsite scout in 223 instead. A little pricey but looks like ir would be a perfect plinker/target shooter.

Resp:
I think you should buy what you want. I have rifles on the following actions; Mauser 98, Win Mod 70, 1903 Spr, Rem Mod 30 & 700, Rug 77 (tang safety) & MkII, No 1. All of these actions will still be working when I am dead and gone. Why? Because they are well designed and made of steel. You get what you pay for.
I was never much of a Rem 700 fan, however, aside of speciality actions, the Rem 700 was the 'hands down' choice for building ACCURATE rifles. I have several gunsmith friends; they all build on the 700, usually buy them used.
Good luck. Keep your powder dry!
Con't:
I have always wanted a Ruger Scout, but like you they are pricy. Keep waiting to find a good used one, but people who buy them tend to keep them. LOL!

 

[Navalwarrior]

My 6.5s are custom built, the 6.5-08 is a Winchester 70 short action and the 6.5 Rem BR is on a Remington 700 action. I have a 6.5 Rem Magnum on a single shot Rem 4 action but no real experience with it. They are all target rifles with long heavy barrels.
I don't hunt so I am not going to give advice about bullets (what weight or brand for different types of game) that you couldn't get out of a manufacturer's catalog.

I don't think there would be any difference between a 25 caliber rifle using a 117-120 grain bullet and a 6.5 using a 120-123 grain bullet if they were at the same velocity and of the same construction/type. For target use there are a lot more 6.5 target bullets available than 25 caliber target bullets. For varmint hunting there seem to be more 25 caliber bullets available, for big game (or larger than deer?) there are more 6.5 bullets available.

I had, for while, a Winchester 70 in .257 Roberts (made in the late 80s early 90s?) which I never got to shoot well. It would string vertically with the 3rd shot often 4-5 inches above the first and if I set the rifle the aside and shot something else for a while I could go back to it and get another vertical string. Glass bedding and recrowning helped but did not cure. But 1 rifle doesn't prove anything one way or another.

Resp:
I realize you no longer have the 257 Roberts, but if you know of someone who is experiencing accuracy problems here is what an old time target shooter told me. Speer makes (or was making) a 100 grain HP flat base bullet that has made finicky Roberts rifles shoot like a match rifle. It has somewhat of a blunt HP, so it looks like old technology . . . but many rifles, particularly Win Mod 70, have a long throats. When testing 2506s after glass bending, it was used as my verification bullet. This guy used it in his heavy bbl Mauser in 257 Rob Imp.

 

[javlin]

Resp:

I have always wanted a Ruger Scout, but like you they are pricey. Keep waiting to find a good used one, but people who buy them tend to keep them. LOL!

I can concur but have only about 20rds through mine just need sit down at a range and dial it in.I shoot a lot at a retired VNam vets house he has to shoot my M1 carbine what he carried in Nam as radio operator so a lot of the shooting is on the move.Now his Son's place next door has a nice table and a berm @168yds by the counter and two miles of woods beyond that the Scout has never been there.

 

[mikewint]

The Scout is a very nice rifle but again personally I've never been a big fan of bolt-action. Though I've never used it for hunting I personally prefer Ruger's Mini-Thirty, 7.62 x 39. The Garand action is as solid as can be and has never jammed (I DON'T use ANY of the Russian crepe rounds). Hunting style 7.62 x 39 rounds are comparable to 30-30 rounds so it should be perfect for White-tails.
I also am a big fan of Hi Points carbines. 9mm rounds are very cheap to shoot and the Hi Point will shoot +P 9mm ammo. I see no reason why this would not work for deer around here though shot placement and distance would be very critical.
[JHP P+ can reach 450-500 ft-lbs at 1600 fps]

 

[GrauGeist]

I have the Ruger Mini-14 Rancher, chambered for .223 and while I've never used it for hunting, a friend of mine used it to take several deer over the years, when we went hunting.

 

[michael rauls]

I like the Garand style rifles as well. Used to own a M1. Kick myself occasionally for letting it go.
One of the reasons I've been thinking about the Scout instead of one of the semi- autos is that I live in Ca and the gun laws here change almost yearly whereby models that were ok last year you are a fellon if you own one this year. Case in point are some of the SKS models that will except 30 round mags regardless if you actually owned any of the mags or not. One year they were fine, next year you were a fellon if you owned one and in this case the old ones werent grandfathered in.

 

[javlin]

Mike: The Scout is a very nice rifle but again personally I've never been a big fan of bolt-action. Though I've never used it for hunting I personally prefer Ruger's Mini-Thirty, 7.62 x 39. The Garand action is as solid as can be and has never jammed (I DON'T use ANY of the Russian crepe rounds). Hunting style 7.62 x 39 rounds are comparable to 30-30 rounds so it should be perfect for White-tails.

I like Ruger but have had two Mini-14's one shot pretty good and the other was so-so I blame the rear sight on the second one(I detest their rear sights it's the adjustment).I shoot open sights not a rifle in the rack except the pellet rifle have a scope. my eyes still work but the ears Huh!I am not so much a bolt guy myself Mike but can fine ways to incorporate them into the collection on the merits craftsmanship if not anything else.The Scout has a mag and ten rounds unlike other bolts and is barely heavier than the M1 carbine that's part of the design.Some pics the guys got her here quick from Cali....

FN 49 clean bolt face appears maybe never issued bayo would of been a nice +

It's older Sister the FN Venezuelan Mauser I suspect 1930's never fired have email out FNHerstal on the actual date have heard they help in the past

the bolt

The 1920 Gustav comes out to make room for the sisters have to build another box the rack in the shop is full again

The Scout got rid of those funky flash suppressor from Ruger

 

[mikewint]

Since I have an M-16 I've not felt the need for another .223 although that Israeli Tavor has been calling my name. Yours is the first negative I've heard about the Mini-14 most of what I've heard/read rate it better than most M-16 models.

 

[javlin]

Since I have an M-16 I've not felt the need for another .223 although that Israeli Tavor has been calling my name. Yours is the first negative I've heard about the Mini-14 most of what I've heard/read rate it better than most M-16 models.

My negative Mike stems from the lack accuracy for a semi-auto in that the barrel to me is not heavy enough after ten rounds in pretty quick succession they really start splay the paper.Were as the M1a I can send five down range @100yds off the bench and 4/5 are 1-1.5 MOA with the flyer @2" never failed.The mechanics of the receiver is top notch on the Mini-14 and there are kits to make them more accurate starting with the barrel and the associated gas port/plate if memory serves me right.The Mini-14 was the first gun I bought back in the day about mid 90's.

 

[mikewint]

In 2005, Ruger retooled the Mini-14 production line and beginning with the 580-prefix series guns shooting 2" groups at 100 yds is almost a given. Yea half MOA rifles are fantastic and impressive but in 90% of real life cases is that level of accuracy required? Also, my experience is that accuracy and reliability in semi-automatic rifle actions is usually inversely proportional. So, anything that the Mini lacks in the way of accuracy is more than made up for in reliability and cleanliness of operation and in lack of ammunition sensitivity.

 

[GrauGeist]

My Mini-14 is a 182 series, putting it around 1981 vintage. It had the wood handguard, but I replaced that with a vented heat-extractor.
The barrel has a 1:10 twist, which Ruger changed to a 1:7 twist I believe in the later 1980's. it changed again in the 90's, don't recall what it ended up being.

 

[javlin]

In 2005, Ruger retooled the Mini-14 production line and beginning with the 580-prefix series guns shooting 2" groups at 100 yds is almost a given. Yea half MOA rifles are fantastic and impressive but in 90% of real life cases is that level of accuracy required? Also, my experience is that accuracy and reliability in semi-automatic rifle actions is usually inversely proportional. So, anything that the Mini lacks in the way of accuracy is more than made up for in reliability and cleanliness of operation and in lack of ammunition sensitivity.

Well I am designated paper guy so you see were I come from Mike but I sure luv to plug a few a few hogs with an 8mm Mauser @200g

 

[mikewint]

plug a few a few hogs

I hear you brother...They are nasty, nasty, dangerous, and destructive animals. Missouri has been at war with them for many years. Ranchers/clubs have gone as far as to import European species for paid hunts. Natch..a few always escape and once in the wild...needless to say.
So far none down this way but I'd love to get a big old porker in the sights of my H&K PTR 91

 

[Navalwarrior]

I can concur but have only about 20rds through mine just need sit down at a range and dial it in.I shoot a lot at a retired VNam vets house he has to shoot my M1 carbine what he carried in Nam as radio operator so a lot of the shooting is on the move.Now his Son's place next door has a nice table and a berm @168yds by the counter and two miles of woods beyond that the Scout has never been there.

Resp:
I remember a story of a 'lineman' (?) who also carried an M1 Carbine. Part of his job was to string (and repair) phone lines, which required him to climb polls and trees to attach lines. He felt 'naked' going up unarmed, so would sling his carbine before climbing. However, the M1 tended to get in the way. So somewhere he found a Ruger Blackhawk chambered in 30 Carbine. He carried it in a holster in lieu of the M1. The Blackhawk was a single action revolver with a 7.5 inch bbl. The story didn't mention whether he ever fired it in combat. I did meet a Huey pilot that carried a Ruger Super Blackhawk 44 Mag in Vietnam. He had an engine malfunction and had to set the Huey down in the middle of a rice patty. While the crew was clearing the fuel line, VC appeared off in the distance. He killed the lead man w one shot to the chest at @ 100 yds. The others immediately ran for cover.

 

[Navalwarrior]

Resp:
The bolt action remains because it has several basic traits that make it a very reliable and powerful platform: The Mauser brothers get the credit of incorporating all these traits first; the manual bolt creates leverage to remove stuck cartridge cases (rust/mud/sand/excessive pressure, etc) by rotating around the cartridge case head, fixed wide claw extractor, and a manual ejector that allows the operator to gently or quickly eject fired or unified cartridges. This claw extractor controls the cartridge from the magazine the entire distance to being fully chambered. While it requires some physical ability, the bolt torque does most of the work as it is opened. Hence, it is still the preferred action when confronting dangerous game animals. It is extremely reliable. It passed the WWI mud test.
View attachment 513720View attachment 513721View attachment 513726[/QUOTE]

 

[michael rauls]

Another thing that does apeal to me about the bolt action is simplicity and eas of cleaning.

 

[mikewint]

Don't misunderstand me, the bolt-type action and especially the Mauser action are superb actions it is just a personal preference of mine in that I prefer either a lever or semi-auto. I have owned two bolt-actions in my life, my very first rifle was the Marlin .22 LR and that was lever-action. Number two was an Enfield SMLE .303 that I bought for $19 at Klein's in Chicago. I wasn't really into anything historic just looking for a hunting gun so I quickly "sporterized" it by cutting down the military stock, sanding, tapering the forend grip and varnishing plus re-blueing all the metal and new sights.
Klein's had sporterized versions but I didn't have that much money