Thoughts on a new walk'n stock'n calling rifle $* Update @ post 24 *$

rig_pig69

rig_pig69

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So I'm sick of packing around a heavy barrel. This summer I've been putting on more miles calling/stocking coyotes then usual, so it's time to lighten the load... and what better excuse to grow the herd?:)

Not looking to break the bank, but I don't want a piece of s**t either. So....

Are the Stevens 200's REALLY all that?? I'm looking for something I'm not going to feel bad about getting any 'safe kisses', and the whole thing is likely to get painted, so blued synthetic is fine, with stainless a close second. As for caliber.... I'm torn between .204, and .22-250.... since I already have two .223's. Or should a guy go with something like a .257 WBY??:confused: The majority of shots seem to be 50 to 300yds, at coyotes and the like.
Also.... magazine isn't really of much importance, can be blind, hinged, or detach.... not real fussy.

Anyway, any thoughts would be great.
Update

So what are the thoughts on the A7's and the Icons??
 
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Shots 50-300 yards? The 223 will do that and then some. A 223 and 243, in sporter weight rifles, will cover most bases for predators IMO.
 
I have a stevens 200 in 22-250 and so far all I have shot are the win and rem factory bulk varmint bullets 45 grain and both seem to group in around 1" or 1/2" depending on my shooting at the 100 meter mark.The gun is bare balls with leupold rings and bases and a tasco varmint scope 6-24x42. the only other thing done was i painted it white
 
LittleBoyLefty said:
Hhhmmm... That'll do nicely for the longer stuff then.:) Specs?
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Well, the rifle is an experimint. It's a Rem 700 BDL, with a savage style barrel nut conversion deal. It's a McGowan 26" heavy barrel, 1:8 twist. I haven't 'built' any brass yet, but I'm sure the barrel won't last long:redface: once I do.

Anyway, I had a .243 once, and it just didn't perform like I wanted..... hence the AI6-06.
 
My coyote rigs are a Rem heavy brl 243, and a Ruger light sporter with a very light barrel in 243. A lght rig is great for walking and you don't shoot enough to heat it up. If you are looking for something different,I've had good luck with the 220 swift. The 22-250 is also good but the 22s have a lot less oomph at 400yds. Coyotes can be tougher than most think. Any cal can & will kill but go for "enough" gun to do the jod well. good luck. The 6-06 will be great if light enough for a walking gun. Hav fun & keep us informed. AJ
 
I got another "great Stevens 200 Story"..Few years ago when the 200 first came out, I read some good stuff about them...and, I wanted a cheap gun I didn't have to worry about dinging and nicking as I was climbing in and out of the truck crawling up and down the brush piles and humps, callin yotes and messin around at the range...also, I thought it could become a dual duty gun for whitetail deer for the Lil Wifey or my youngest daughter(12) who is taking her FAC course and Hunters Safety next month! Soooo I grabbed one of them 299.99 dollar guns, thinking, that'll serve my purpose wonderfully and I ain't gonna break my wittle piggy bank!!..SURPRISE!! What a Tack Driver it turned out to be!!....My buddy and hunting partner who was with me when I broke it in said....."Man, that sure is a cheap stock....man, not sure if I like that cheap finish on it or not?....Holy F***...CAN THAT THING EVER SHOOT!!!!...HAHAHAHA....He was SOOOOOO impressed that the following monday morning, he ordered one in 22-250...and it shoots THE SAME!!!....Mine is a 243...shoots Win Factory Super X 100 gr PSP's into a cloverleaf @ 100 yds....consistantly!!...Reapeating that nowusually one ragged hole when I do MY part... with my own loads...w/95 Bal-Tips...90 gr Scenars.....and esp the 55 gr Nos/Bal/Tips!!! I Krylon Camoed the stock and filled in the butt with spray foam, put a Rifle Basix in it..quite simply..it's AWESOME!!....It gets USED very much so.....narry a complaint out of it!!

Have ya given any thought to the X-Bolt Micro Hunter...22-250...5 lb 15 oz naked ??...course...You can get 2 Stevens for the same price...heh heh heh!...best of luck...these are FUN decisions!!....Kevin
 
I thought that the ideal calling rifle would weigh and handle like sporter, yet hold and shoot like a varminter. Turns out the Kimber Varmint weighs 8.5 pounds scoped with a 4.5-14 VX111 LR and loaded, and shoots about as well as a rifle can shoot. Works for me.
 
no idea about the 2 rifles your talking about bu my little 22-250 stevens is alot better shooter than i though it would be.




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bu my little 22-250 stevens is alot better shooter than i though it would be.
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Yes, it does look good, however I have NO interest in investing 9 hours smithing into a $300 dollar gun, regardless of how it shoots. For the amount invested you could have gotten more gun.

Did the stock improve accuracy, or just fix the ugly problem??
 
rig_pig69 said:
So does anyone have experience with the A7's or the TC Icons?? There doesn't seem to be any info on the A7 on sakos website?? Are they discontinued??
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I have an Icon in .300win. The rifle shoots tacks with factory hornady 180gr sp ammo. The trigger is great and it's fully adjustable with three screws. I love the intergrated weaver bases, less room for mounting error or problems. The rifle is heavy though, around 8.5-9lbs scoped and loaded. Thats ok for my .300 but maybe not for a walking varminter. Of course a smaller action model should be a little lighter, maybe a lb?

As far as the cartridge, I like my kimber classic varmint in .22-250 when there is no wind other wise I like my .243 or 6.5-06. .25-06 may be a good one for you, and not far of the .257wby maybe 100-150fps. You could AI the .25-06 and probably be right on the heels of the wby. Way cheaper brass and about 8-9gr less powder.

BUT....... just researching the ICON website, they are chambering the 6.5 creedmoor. 120gr bullet at 3000fps will smack those coyotes at 300yds with a 20 mph wind! Damn, now I want one!
 
I occasionally meet up with a guy at my local range who has a couple of the TC Icons.....

One in a varmit cal (danged if I can remeber .22-250,.223 or .243 or some such) and the other is in 308 (if memory serves)

They are a really nice looking rifle, well thought out ergonomically. I have not had the chance to shoot one but the fella that owns the 2 I saw was overall impressed with his..... He must have been after he bought one he bought another!

By his report, they are a little finicky to get sub MOA out of them without extensive load development and tunning but they do hold up to the 1 MOA guarentee TC states. He told me they both hold MOA with just about any factory ammo he could find.

Seems to me all the gun mags had write-ups about the whole TC line of bolt-guns a few months back...... Of the 9 mags I subscribe to, not one had a single bad thing to say about the TC line of rifles....... Take that with a grain of salt IMHO......

Cheers!
 
kimberman said:
I have an Icon in .300win. The rifle shoots tacks with factory hornady 180gr sp ammo. The trigger is great and it's fully adjustable with three screws. I love the intergrated weaver bases, less room for mounting error or problems. The rifle is heavy though, around 8.5-9lbs scoped and loaded.
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I too have a TC Icon, but in .308. I concur with what's quoted above, just not so sure weight wise it will accomplish what you wish. I would be using another rifle of mine if I were dogging it, but then again, my REM 700 in .223 is what I use on coyotes, and equipped with barrel, bipod, and scope it weighs a good 2lbs heavier than my TC. I don't mind the extra weight getting my set up, cause I find the heavier platform gives greater stability. Just a thought!
 
Both the Icon and the A7 have an accuracy guarantee of three shots in 1". The Icon in wood stock is a fine gun but about 1/2 lb. heavier than the A7. I haven't seen the A7 in a short action yet but I own an Icon .308 and it shoots very good. As for finicky to handload the first load I tried put three into 5/8". Both guns come with factory test targets so it boils down to personal preference, as to calibre I would go with 22-250.
 
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