Build me a Vintage Varmint Rifle

I'd say the last pic with a classic barrel profile, barrel couple inches shorter with open sights would fit your bill pretty good, with a lower power scope and slight alteration to the grip and schnable and possibly a straight bolt sweep.
 
Meroh said:
In our area the Leach Jet was the rifle of the serious fox hunter back before my time (and I'm almost 60; most of these had been relegated to the closet and replaced by .222s in the late 50's through the 60's); these were built on .303 Lee-Enfileld rifles with the cases necked down to .22; his rifles were sold with dies for reforming brass and reloading.
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WR1894 said:
The hi wall i picture earlier was chamber by leach in the 1958, when i got the gun it came with some information. It was built by Parkinson in London earlier and chamber for 219 then rechamber to the 22/303 reloading tools included
I also have a Ross action rifle in 6.5 /303 with a slow twist for light bullets that was built by Epps when they were in Clinton
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Ah, memories! I bought my first big game rifle, a Savage 340 in 30-30 for $40, from Charlie Parkinson while I was attending University of Western Ontario, in London. That was in 1962. He traded with me for a Model 110 in 270 Winchester the next year.

Earl Leach was a great builder of wildcats, and rechambered a 98 Mauser for me to 8mm-06 Improved. He also made the dies. It was death on wheels with Herter's 225 gr soft point round nose bullets. As far as I know, that rifle is still hunting moose and bear in Northern Ontario.

I also had a 25-06 on a Husqvarna for a while. It had a 24 inch barrel, and killed mountain sheep and caribou like lightning. Never used it on coyotes or wolves, but I'm sure it would be fine, if you weren't concerned about hide damage.

Ted
 
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Loyalist84 said:
Well, put an order in for a D grade BSA sporter on a 1917 action, pics to come on arrival, rebarrel to .257 Roberts at a (much) later date.
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I am still a strong believer that the .250-3000 sav AI will fill your need of a quarter bore, but also very easily give you the performance you'd like for varmints. It would sit very nice to your .280 AI!! Just some food for thought....
 
I've got a Pre-War M70 that is currently in foster care for a few years. Granted, it's in 219 Donaldson Wasp which isn't what the OP is exactly looking for, but it's the same sort of thing. You won't go wrong with a Pre64 M70 as a base for your custom, nor an '03 Springfield. The problem is that both are rather spendy donors. Same for an old 1885. I guess it also depends what your idea of "vintage" is. For some people it will be 1930's or 40's, while for others it might be 1965 or 1980. All those eras will require different donors, so that's what needs to be decided first. Just don't build something period incorrect.
 
That's my exact issue BUM.

I've decided on a '30s-'40s build, which is why I chose a 1917 action and .257 Roberts chambering, and I figured I could work in my British roots by choosing a BSA sporter. It's coming with a scope, model unknown, but I may sacrifice historical accuracy for the sake of not having a scope that fogs up while hunting in February. If the scope on the rifle is no bueno, I'll probably track down a gloss-finish 4x or 6x fixed power Leupold or Redfield. That being said, this build should come out pretty close to a Remington Model 30/720, which is fairly ideal IMO!
 
BigUglyMan said:
I've got a Pre-War M70 that is currently in foster care for a few years. Granted, it's in 219 Donaldson Wasp which isn't what the OP is exactly looking for, but it's the same sort of thing. You won't go wrong with a Pre64 M70 as a base for your custom, nor an '03 Springfield. The problem is that both are rather spendy donors. Same for an old 1885. I guess it also depends what your idea of "vintage" is. For some people it will be 1930's or 40's, while for others it might be 1965 or 1980. All those eras will require different donors, so that's what needs to be decided first. Just don't build something period incorrect.
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;) I seem to have an item in that same chambering :). E-mail info on it headed your way as we speak.
 
Loyalist84 said:
That's my exact issue BUM.

I've decided on a '30s-'40s build, which is why I chose a 1917 action and .257 Roberts chambering, and I figured I could work in my British roots by choosing a BSA sporter. It's coming with a scope, model unknown, but I may sacrifice historical accuracy for the sake of not having a scope that fogs up while hunting in February. If the scope on the rifle is no bueno, I'll probably track down a gloss-finish 4x or 6x fixed power Leupold or Redfield. That being said, this build should come out pretty close to a Remington Model 30/720, which is fairly ideal IMO!
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.257 ackley improved by chance?! Hehe. A gloss fixed 6 power leupold would look very nice on a vintage BSA varmint rifle. It'll look somewhat correct, but defenitely be nice to have modern optics. The other optics I'd suggest is an older Schmidt & Bender scope. They often can be had for $500, will look very "vintage" and still have hat SB quality!
 
Arrived from Vernon in record time! Grip feels a bit chunky, the Red Ram scope is destined for the junk bin, and the bolt's a bit sticky, but nothing a Leupold M8 and a coat of oil won't cure! Only rub is to replace the vintage swivels with ones more modern so I can mount a Harris bipod for calling.

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