wayupnorth
CGN Ultra frequent flyer
- Location
- Northern Alberta
earlier this spring my dad and myself got to talking over Facetime and as like what usually happens on a Sunday evening i mentioned something that might be fun to try and he took that as a challenge to which i proceeded to egg him on and we ran off to construct out new guns.
this time i had mentioned that i was 'in passing' interested in a bolt action 223 rifle to shoot gophers with as i wasnt very taken with the 17HMR or BMAG or any of the other rimefire of the months. but a 223, that may be interesting.
ive done it with a 243 before but that was not cost effective. a 223 on the other hand can be had for very cheap.
so we both went at it from 2 different avenues but with 1 overriding factor.....cost must be cheap.
as this was just for fun we where both striving to keep the costs well south of $1000 all in so as not to raise a red flag from the estrogen fueled monsters that we live with.
my old go to was of course Ruger.
i like ruger.
i have lots of rugers.
rugers are cheap and take a lot of abuse and for me at least ive never had any problems with them.
so i went with the Ruger American Predator in 223 as my base gun.
i then put a Cabela's Pine Ridge 4x12x44 on it with some rings from the local hardware store.
my buy in;
gun 499.99
scope 149.99
rings 25.00
bi-pod 75
total = 750
sorry stock photo, cant find my pic, will update when im not so lazy
my dad went a different route.
he wanted to go with a Howa but ended up going with a weatherby vanguard when he found they where the same gun.
he fleshed out a new in a gun store but discontinued one and got it for $500 (the new version had a nicer stock on it for more $$)
he then ordered up a Boyd stock for it and a new scope from Cabela's 4x12x44 Pine Ridge and i fleshed him out some rings for it off of ebay as he wanted some particular ones he couldnt find anywhere else.
the old man's buy in;
gun 499.99
scope 149.99
Weaver Mounts Bases #48460 Aluminum 9.86
Boyd stock 225 (stock, shipping, exchange)
bi-pod 75
total = 960
here is the Weatherby
now, keep in mind i am going to do a little more work to mine, i HAVE to replace the stock now that ive seen his and ill be adding a compensator onto mine... just because i can and he cant.
ok, back to the guns.
so last week we finally met up and went camping and we where able to compare our guns side by side.
now, i hate to admit when i have lost but i will come out and say it this time, the old man won this build.
the Weatherby fit and finish kicks the HELL out of my ruger.
the action on the Weatherby kicks the HELL out of my ruger.
i was actually proud and may have even been strutting around some when it came time for us to compare the rifles but i was instantly embarrassed when i got my hands on his and worked the action. my gun currently is $200 cheaper then my dads but if and when i replace the stock that will then make both guns the same price - OR (and dont tell the old man!) i may take my gun to a fella i know and have him paint the entire gun winter camo, a nice one off paint job!
so for 2 guns that are the same price - i lost - ruger lost.
i still like my gun and i will keep it and shoot it and enjoy it but at in the back of my mind i wont forget how smooth the action on his gun was or how deep and rich the blueing is or how smooth..... damn old bull!
my only concession in this race is that i have a removable magazine and he does not.
he can upgrade his to a aftermarket system that will give him a drop out box mag but that will run him around $150 Canadian after exchange and shipping.
both guns shot excellent and both where ringing the gong every time the trigger was pulled.
this time i had mentioned that i was 'in passing' interested in a bolt action 223 rifle to shoot gophers with as i wasnt very taken with the 17HMR or BMAG or any of the other rimefire of the months. but a 223, that may be interesting.
ive done it with a 243 before but that was not cost effective. a 223 on the other hand can be had for very cheap.
so we both went at it from 2 different avenues but with 1 overriding factor.....cost must be cheap.
as this was just for fun we where both striving to keep the costs well south of $1000 all in so as not to raise a red flag from the estrogen fueled monsters that we live with.
my old go to was of course Ruger.
i like ruger.
i have lots of rugers.
rugers are cheap and take a lot of abuse and for me at least ive never had any problems with them.
so i went with the Ruger American Predator in 223 as my base gun.
i then put a Cabela's Pine Ridge 4x12x44 on it with some rings from the local hardware store.
my buy in;
gun 499.99
scope 149.99
rings 25.00
bi-pod 75
total = 750
sorry stock photo, cant find my pic, will update when im not so lazy
my dad went a different route.
he wanted to go with a Howa but ended up going with a weatherby vanguard when he found they where the same gun.
he fleshed out a new in a gun store but discontinued one and got it for $500 (the new version had a nicer stock on it for more $$)
he then ordered up a Boyd stock for it and a new scope from Cabela's 4x12x44 Pine Ridge and i fleshed him out some rings for it off of ebay as he wanted some particular ones he couldnt find anywhere else.
the old man's buy in;
gun 499.99
scope 149.99
Weaver Mounts Bases #48460 Aluminum 9.86
Boyd stock 225 (stock, shipping, exchange)
bi-pod 75
total = 960
here is the Weatherby
now, keep in mind i am going to do a little more work to mine, i HAVE to replace the stock now that ive seen his and ill be adding a compensator onto mine... just because i can and he cant.
ok, back to the guns.
so last week we finally met up and went camping and we where able to compare our guns side by side.
now, i hate to admit when i have lost but i will come out and say it this time, the old man won this build.
the Weatherby fit and finish kicks the HELL out of my ruger.
the action on the Weatherby kicks the HELL out of my ruger.
i was actually proud and may have even been strutting around some when it came time for us to compare the rifles but i was instantly embarrassed when i got my hands on his and worked the action. my gun currently is $200 cheaper then my dads but if and when i replace the stock that will then make both guns the same price - OR (and dont tell the old man!) i may take my gun to a fella i know and have him paint the entire gun winter camo, a nice one off paint job!
so for 2 guns that are the same price - i lost - ruger lost.
i still like my gun and i will keep it and shoot it and enjoy it but at in the back of my mind i wont forget how smooth the action on his gun was or how deep and rich the blueing is or how smooth..... damn old bull!
my only concession in this race is that i have a removable magazine and he does not.
he can upgrade his to a aftermarket system that will give him a drop out box mag but that will run him around $150 Canadian after exchange and shipping.
both guns shot excellent and both where ringing the gong every time the trigger was pulled.
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