Bolt Action Handguns? Learn me something

[Sniper260]

Ive seen em... never shot one.... I have nothing but basic knowledge on em though so teach me beacuse I want to build one!!!

Is there an actual name for them?

I got the basic idea but not sure what part im looking for to have the trigger set in front of the action....

Theres gotta be some calibers that work better in these short 14-16 inch barrels than others...

Those of you that know more than me School me please!!

 

[tt66]

You can find a lot of info here Specialty Pistols Forums

 

[308boltgun]

The most common and probably the original mass produced bolt action pistol was the Remington XP-100. It is a single shot solid bottom action very similar to the Remington 700. It was sold primarily in .221 Fireball which is basically a short version of a .223. The primary difference that makes it a pistol or makes it able to be a pistol is the remote trigger. This is a linkage that connects the trigger back to the back where it has to be for a bolt action. Take a look at this image XP100 Accessories | Numrich Gun Parts to see the remote trigger linkage. It is item #53 in the picture.

The gun was very popular for varmint hunting. When pistol silhouette started, many of the XP-100's were converted to bigger caliber. The xp-100 has also been used for bench rest rifles because it was a fairly cheap solid bottom action.

 

[Sniper260]

Oh so its a different trigger group all together besides buying a jewell and connecting a linkage part?...

 

[armorpl8chikn]

I have some pretty extensive experience here so listen carefully. I have had 2 XP100s and numerous TC Contenders, and an MOA Maximum. Both my XP's were custome built. If you are really serious about building an XP I highly suggest you contact Apache308 through a PM. He has never built one that wasn't a hammer, and he has built them from 17 Fireball to 376Steyr. He IS the XP guru.
I am was a long time member on Specialty Pistols and still am but do not have a premium membership any longer. Over there you will be lauded with how to build a Savage Striker into teh best thing since sliced bread. People who are serious about handgun hunting and competition(silhouette) do not own Strikers.
The XP does have special linkage to accomodate mid grip stocks but plenty of folks have stripped the linkage and placed them in rear grip stocks. They take regular Remington 700 triggers after the linkage is stripped. The XP100R is also in the same class with teh plain old XP. It was a repeater and based on the model 7 action. It was only available in rear grip. The XP I still have was built on an XP100R action. It is of course rear grip, I converted it to single shot, and it is chambered for 223 with a fast twist and throated for80gr SMKs and AMaxs. The other XP I had was in 6BR and I converted it to rear grip(some people like reargrip some like midgrip). This was my dedicated US(unlimited standing)rig.

Good choices for an XP build would be 223 fast twist, 6BR,6.5CM,308, and a host of other wildcats and standard short action cartridges. Talk to Apache, he will tell you what you need to know.

 

[yoteman]

I have some pretty extensive experience here so listen carefully. I have had 2 XP100s and numerous TC Contenders, and an MOA Maximum. Both my XP's were custome built. If you are really serious about building an XP I highly suggest you contact Apache308 through a PM. He has never built one that wasn't a hammer, and he has built them from 17 Fireball to 376Steyr. He IS the XP guru.
I am was a long time member on Specialty Pistols and still am but do not have a premium membership any longer. Over there you will be lauded with how to build a Savage Striker into teh best thing since sliced bread. People who are serious about handgun hunting and competition(silhouette) do not own Strikers.
The XP does have special linkage to accomodate mid grip stocks but plenty of folks have stripped the linkage and placed them in rear grip stocks. They take regular Remington 700 triggers after the linkage is stripped. The XP100R is also in the same class with teh plain old XP. It was a repeater and based on the model 7 action. It was only available in rear grip. The XP I still have was built on an XP100R action. It is of course rear grip, I converted it to single shot, and it is chambered for 223 with a fast twist and throated for80gr SMKs and AMaxs. The other XP I had was in 6BR and I converted it to rear grip(some people like reargrip some like midgrip). This was my dedicated US(unlimited standing)rig.

Good choices for an XP build would be 223 fast twist, 6BR,6.5CM,308, and a host of other wildcats and standard short action cartridges. Talk to Apache, he will tell you what you need to know.

Not that i,m a chikin lover LOL, but he is a good friend,
better listen up on his pretty words. I have seen him an apache shoot at the silhouette match, nuff said!!!
that i cant run with them nope not even going to try
i also have play around with the ideal of xp for yote hunting,
an like has already been said apache 308 is the MAN,
there are more smiths around these days, but only one get my hard earned money

 

[shovelstrokeed]

You might wish to look around as well for a Wichita pistol. Single shot mid or rear grip, I had one of each at one time, the rear grip in a 15" bbl 1:12 twist and the center grip in a 13" bbl 1:12 twist. Both were hammers and Wichita Arms built some great actions. I don't know how many there are out there anymore. They cost about as much as an AI chassis back in the day so there were never very many.

 

[Guerrilla Monsoon]

Here's my Striker. It's the best thing since sliced bread!:

.260 Rem Bartlein 5r

 

[armorpl8chikn]

The Mongoose after a workout:

The Pale Horse, US rig, yes the scope is supposed to be there, on purpose:

 

[dsf]

I have a few XP 100s to include a Remington Custom Shop XP in 223. Most of my "hand-rifles" are of the break action T/C type - Encore and Contender. Just a few random thoughts .....

Good scopes & rings are important on a handgun, and when you see how much a scoped handgun recoils it's amazing everything stays in place. You can buy a cheap scope and $8.00 rings, put them on a rifle and probably do OK, but not on a handgun. Buying cheap optics is expensive.

Putting your eye right with the scope, getting into a good, stable shooting position takes practice. Handgun scopes have a less forgiving "sweet spot" than rifle scopes. On light recoiling handguns (emphasis on light recoiling) some folks actually use rifle scopes instead of handgun scopes.

I've found that "limp wristing" works well shooting larger calibers such as the 375 H & H, 405 Winchester, 45/70, etc. Rolling with the recoil, within limits, makes it a bit easier to handle.

Some reloading manuals (Sierra for example) have a "Single Shot Pistol" section and you can get a good feel for what cartridges work well in the 14" to 16" barrels. One that has worked very well for me is a 15" T/C Encore barrel (by MGM) in 350 Remingtom Magnum. Makes sense that a cartridge developed for a 16" carbine would do very well in a 15" pistol barrel. Most rifle cartridges lose a fair amount of FPS in the shorter barrels, but reloading can make up for that loss. Faster powders, lighter bullets help too. I have some pistol barrels, like the 375 H & H and 25.06 which, to tell the truth, probably were bought more for fun and don't work all that well as a handgun. Others such as the 260 Remington, 7-08 and 375 JDJ are more efficient and do very well out of the shorter tube.

I think it takes a little more "sticktoitivness" to have a good single shot, centerfire scoped handgun set up and to shoot it well, but being able to produce groups as good or better than the rifle shooters, and maybe letting them squeeze off a few rounds too, is great fun.