wayupnorth
CGN Ultra frequent flyer
- Location
- Northern Alberta
A couple of years back my father decided for his retirement he wanted to start shooting some distance at the range for some fun.
He picked himself up a Ruger Precision Rifle in 6.5CM and started rolling some ammo for it and shooting it.
I must admit I have come to really enjoy going out and distance shooting with him.
So much so that i decided I should probably pick up my own rifle instead of using his.
So initially I thought it would be best, since we reload together, if i where to pick up a 6.5CM that way it would just be easier.
But unfortunately I get blinded by shiny fancy things easy and I came back from the store with this....
now, I will be the first to admit that I am a impulse buyer!
but it was sooooo pretty!
and it shoots really good!
but, and I am sure you all know what the problem is, it has a short barrel.
So, back to square 1.
I started looking into all these new calibers for distance shooting and some old but goody ones like the 338LM and started to realize right away that I was going to be into this for a fair chunk of change.
now, this is not my primary hobby, distance shooting, so sinking 3-5k into a decent rifle and glass just was not sitting well with me.
I wanted to be able to go hand out with my dad but didn't want to go broke while doing it, yet, actually be able to have some fun and ring some gongs at distance.
And it was my dad that said something that made the light bulb go off in my head.
He said "what ever happened to that monster of a rifle you bought years ago off your co-worker?"
and he was right.... i had picked up a Savage 112BVSS off a co-worker years ago - 15-20 years ago - as he did not want it and he was flogging it for cheap.
I believe i picked it off him for $600 with a cheap optic on it.
I took it out the year I got it and folded a deer in half with it at 200yards and said i would never take that rifle hunting again.
For those of you who dont know what the Savage 112 is it is basically a bench rest magnum rifle that savage put out.
pretty as heck but heavy!!!!!
bull barrel with the biggest wood stock I have ever had my hands on, that rifle has to be 12 + pounds!
not ideal for going through the brush with, and top it off with a 26" barrel and you have a branch catcher.
so while it was a nice rifle it just was not piratical for my purposes (hunting) at that time.
SO, it went into the back of one of my gun safes and was forgotten about..... for a long time!
So last summer when my dad mentioned using that rifle he was bang on right, it has the long bull barrel, it has the massive wood stock which is really only good for bench shooting and while the caliber is not the best it will work for what range im looking for.
im not looking to do competitions with this rig, just get out and visit with my dad in his twilight years while we try to beat each other at ringing the small gong at 1000m.
But this rifle needed some work to get it into shape if I was going to use it.
so, over the winter I sent the rifle down to Alberta Tactical and had them thread it and put on one of their brakes.
once back i picked up a cheap but good enough for me Vortex to let me see out at some distance.
and to my luck, my local gun store had a aftermarket Timney Trigger for my rifle!
that's the good thing about Savage i guess, everything is pretty interchangeable between their rifles.
and then lastly i decided to treat myself and i ordered up a replacement bolt handle with an over-sized bolt knob on it.
and now I have this!
My dad is coming up for a 3 week visit here soon and ill make up a ladder or 2 and we can go and do some testing!
all in on this rifle I am into it for under $1700 and with factory ammo it was shooting beautifully so far out to 500.
My hope is to get it out to 1000m this summer..... and make a louder smack on the gong than my dads 6.5!
He picked himself up a Ruger Precision Rifle in 6.5CM and started rolling some ammo for it and shooting it.
I must admit I have come to really enjoy going out and distance shooting with him.
So much so that i decided I should probably pick up my own rifle instead of using his.
So initially I thought it would be best, since we reload together, if i where to pick up a 6.5CM that way it would just be easier.
But unfortunately I get blinded by shiny fancy things easy and I came back from the store with this....
now, I will be the first to admit that I am a impulse buyer!
but it was sooooo pretty!
and it shoots really good!
but, and I am sure you all know what the problem is, it has a short barrel.
So, back to square 1.
I started looking into all these new calibers for distance shooting and some old but goody ones like the 338LM and started to realize right away that I was going to be into this for a fair chunk of change.
now, this is not my primary hobby, distance shooting, so sinking 3-5k into a decent rifle and glass just was not sitting well with me.
I wanted to be able to go hand out with my dad but didn't want to go broke while doing it, yet, actually be able to have some fun and ring some gongs at distance.
And it was my dad that said something that made the light bulb go off in my head.
He said "what ever happened to that monster of a rifle you bought years ago off your co-worker?"
and he was right.... i had picked up a Savage 112BVSS off a co-worker years ago - 15-20 years ago - as he did not want it and he was flogging it for cheap.
I believe i picked it off him for $600 with a cheap optic on it.
I took it out the year I got it and folded a deer in half with it at 200yards and said i would never take that rifle hunting again.
For those of you who dont know what the Savage 112 is it is basically a bench rest magnum rifle that savage put out.
pretty as heck but heavy!!!!!
bull barrel with the biggest wood stock I have ever had my hands on, that rifle has to be 12 + pounds!
not ideal for going through the brush with, and top it off with a 26" barrel and you have a branch catcher.
so while it was a nice rifle it just was not piratical for my purposes (hunting) at that time.
SO, it went into the back of one of my gun safes and was forgotten about..... for a long time!
So last summer when my dad mentioned using that rifle he was bang on right, it has the long bull barrel, it has the massive wood stock which is really only good for bench shooting and while the caliber is not the best it will work for what range im looking for.
im not looking to do competitions with this rig, just get out and visit with my dad in his twilight years while we try to beat each other at ringing the small gong at 1000m.
But this rifle needed some work to get it into shape if I was going to use it.
so, over the winter I sent the rifle down to Alberta Tactical and had them thread it and put on one of their brakes.
once back i picked up a cheap but good enough for me Vortex to let me see out at some distance.
and to my luck, my local gun store had a aftermarket Timney Trigger for my rifle!
that's the good thing about Savage i guess, everything is pretty interchangeable between their rifles.
and then lastly i decided to treat myself and i ordered up a replacement bolt handle with an over-sized bolt knob on it.
and now I have this!
My dad is coming up for a 3 week visit here soon and ill make up a ladder or 2 and we can go and do some testing!
all in on this rifle I am into it for under $1700 and with factory ammo it was shooting beautifully so far out to 500.
My hope is to get it out to 1000m this summer..... and make a louder smack on the gong than my dads 6.5!
