The rifle that surprised you.. what’s the one that was way better than you expected?
- Thread starter dnuggett
- Start date
Rem 700 tactical in 223. Shoots 1/2 MOA out to 500 with hand loads. Awesome shooter. Barreled action put in BC stock and Timney trigger is only upgrades
Sako S20 in 7RemMag, with muzzle brake. I was expecting the rifle to have a bit more recoil, but knew it would be an accurate rifle from my research.
I have shot a little over 500 rounds with the rifle out to 300 yards (longest range I have had available, so far). Typical groupings with Hornady 162gr ELD-X rounds and 165gr Norma is roughly .5 inches.
I have shot a little over 500 rounds with the rifle out to 300 yards (longest range I have had available, so far). Typical groupings with Hornady 162gr ELD-X rounds and 165gr Norma is roughly .5 inches.
The most surprising was the first rifle I put an aftermarket barrel on. No going back now.
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Remington 700 ADL .223 and a Remington 700 SD in .300 blk. Both easy .5 rifles.
Ruger 77/22 we routinely take to 400 on an 11”x13” plate with a vortex XBR scope.
Ruger 77/22 we routinely take to 400 on an 11”x13” plate with a vortex XBR scope.
Sako s20 in 6.5cm. It was my first real precision rifle and i dont think its ever shot a group over .5moa with handloads or hornady match. To bad the mags are trash
Thompson Center Venture 30-06. It shoots just as good as any of my trued remmy 700s with aftermarket barrels and with a way smoother action. Too bad it’s a lightweight barrel that’s discontinued with hardly any aftermarket support.
Ruger American 6.5 Grendel. Put it into a Trybe Chassis and with hand loads shoots regular 3’s and 4’s with an occasional low 2/high teen. Stock barrel and trigger. Amazing what a simple stock change and load development will do when a rifle is a hammer in waiting.
Another Remington 700 SPS Tactical, but in .223. It averaged a legit 1/2 minute, and was fantastic for training new shooers on.
The "Salvage" 110 Timberline in 6.5 CM that I got my F-I-L. It's a bitch to get the mag to seat right, but it is stupidly accurate.
The "Salvage" 110 Timberline in 6.5 CM that I got my F-I-L. It's a bitch to get the mag to seat right, but it is stupidly accurate.
Howa 1500 Mini in 6.5 Grendel. Pure box stock with a. Leupold VX-II 27x30 it was shooting sub-MOA at 500m using Hornady Black. With load development, a new stock, and Obendorf style bottom metal and a VX-3 39-40 it is averaging under 1/2 moa at 100m. More than acceptable for a pencil barreled 6lb 3oz hunting rifle.
For MY uses, I would not hesitate on the Howas, but would get the barreled actions from Brownells and add the stock that I want. BTW, anyone interested in a couple of OEM Howa mini stocks?
For MY uses, I would not hesitate on the Howas, but would get the barreled actions from Brownells and add the stock that I want. BTW, anyone interested in a couple of OEM Howa mini stocks?
CMP Winchester 54D built in 1963. The inside of the barrel looks like a sewer pipe but it loves Center-X and will shoot sub-1 inch at 100 yards when I do my part.
Box stock 700 ADL in 22-250. Topped with 4-12x40ao Bushnell banner. Or was it a trophy 
We'll just say wal-mart special.
An easy half moa gun with factory 55gr core-lokt. Total freak of nature. I also loaded the Sierra 55gr spbt for it. The only gun I've had that I actually shot out.
We'll just say wal-mart special.
An easy half moa gun with factory 55gr core-lokt. Total freak of nature. I also loaded the Sierra 55gr spbt for it. The only gun I've had that I actually shot out.
I had a gunsmith put together a Solus action and Krieger barrel in 6mm Creedmoor. That thing consistantly shoots 1/4 moa groups with factory loaded 108 gr ELD-M ammo.
I've had a few really surprise me over the years, but most recently was my old 1993 Ruger M77 MKII 24" 7mm RemMag. Bought used in 2002 at the gun store I worked at. It sat on the shelf collecting dust for over a year because it kicked like a mule, and nobody wanted it, so I got it dirt cheap.
Back in May of this year I had my smith do some updates to it, like drilling and tapping the receiver for 8-40 screws and mounting an EGW 20MOA picatinny rail on it. He also did a full stone & polish trigger job, and lightened the pull to a nice clean & crisp 2 lbs. Zero creep or over travel. Also, had him thread the thin sporter barrel and permanently install a 5/8-24 shouldered adapter made from an old piece of 416r barrel he had laying around, so I can run my suppressors on it.
Now that I had a decent gun, and a good scope on it, I decided to work up a load for it with some old-stock Nosler 160 AccuBonds and some new old (still in the original bag) Winchester 7mmRM brass that I forgot I had sitting sealed up in an old .50 cal ammo can for the last 10+ years. First round of load workup, I found a nice node, and this was the best groups in that velocity node. It's not the fastest load at around 2,933 FPS, but it's a solid performer.
These were shot back-to-back (letting it cool, of course) on the same day, from the same set of load development. I'd say I found the sweet-spot.
Back in May of this year I had my smith do some updates to it, like drilling and tapping the receiver for 8-40 screws and mounting an EGW 20MOA picatinny rail on it. He also did a full stone & polish trigger job, and lightened the pull to a nice clean & crisp 2 lbs. Zero creep or over travel. Also, had him thread the thin sporter barrel and permanently install a 5/8-24 shouldered adapter made from an old piece of 416r barrel he had laying around, so I can run my suppressors on it.
Now that I had a decent gun, and a good scope on it, I decided to work up a load for it with some old-stock Nosler 160 AccuBonds and some new old (still in the original bag) Winchester 7mmRM brass that I forgot I had sitting sealed up in an old .50 cal ammo can for the last 10+ years. First round of load workup, I found a nice node, and this was the best groups in that velocity node. It's not the fastest load at around 2,933 FPS, but it's a solid performer.
These were shot back-to-back (letting it cool, of course) on the same day, from the same set of load development. I'd say I found the sweet-spot.
Tikka Whitetail. Got it as a Christmas gift. My dad had a Sako, so I thought I had a "low end" rifle. When I started shooting LR, I used it for a class. Every instructor offered to buy it. I realized I had something a little better than "low end". Still haven't missed a deer with it yet.
I’ve had a lot of rifles let me down… I’ve had a handful meet my expectations. I suppose too much time on the Hide and reading articles with cherry picked groups growing up probably ruined me. I will say that my Tac Ops had the highest expectation to meet, and did so. It’s one thing seeing and reading about other people shooting tight groups. Shooting my first 10 shot, half MOA group was believing.
Savage MkII circa early 2000s. If I told you how well it shot with one particular lot of CCI mini mags you‘d call me a liar.
I can't remember exact was either the Ruger or a Savage 6.5.....sighted one of those in for a guy on the hunting lease about 5 years ago. Some combo from a budget big box store deal with a whatever 3-9 on it. I will never forget it was blown away as I hadn't shot a 6.5 yet. American Hunter soft point 3 shot group was well under 1". Bolt face looked like a beaver had chewed on it and a trigger as smooth as pea gravel under your feet. Sub $500. Thinking it was the Ruger b/c I bought a RPR 6.5 a few years later.
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My Howa Barreled Action from Brownells, following use of some Emory cloth and ultra fine Arkansas stones, has a smoothness in operation that I will put against custom actions.
The same Howa, once I clipped 3/4 of a coil off of the HACT trigger, has a perfect-for-me 2.25lbs trigger pull with a nice wall.
Separate from rifles, the simplicity of the Ruger SP101, GP100, and Super Redhawk mechanisms enable the kitchen table gunsmith to do amazing trigger jobs at home. I will never go back to Smith and Wesson.
-Stan
The same Howa, once I clipped 3/4 of a coil off of the HACT trigger, has a perfect-for-me 2.25lbs trigger pull with a nice wall.
Separate from rifles, the simplicity of the Ruger SP101, GP100, and Super Redhawk mechanisms enable the kitchen table gunsmith to do amazing trigger jobs at home. I will never go back to Smith and Wesson.
-Stan
My Steyr SSG 04, my 1st 5 round group with Federal GMM 169 gr .25 group. Never did it again, in fact it doesn't much care for 169 gr bullets , but with Sierra 150 gr and Benchmark powder its .25 inch all day.
I was so impressed with it that when Steyr came out with the THB with Manners stock i got it , but the SSG 04 is still king even with the cheep plastic stock.
I was so impressed with it that when Steyr came out with the THB with Manners stock i got it , but the SSG 04 is still king even with the cheep plastic stock.
Another vote for a Remington 700 SPS Tactical in .223. It's shot numerous sub half moa 5 shot groups. Only upgrades are a Triggertech special, Stockys Stocks LRT accublock stock, oversize bolt knob and fluted bolt.
Took the Ruger American Grendel that has surprised me the most out today to test primers. I’d say it didn’t take long to figure out which way I’ll be going With this load. First 4 into .034…..I fucked up the 5th one. Choke’o’rama. Ignore the 3 groups across the top. Playing with some 6 dasher stuff as well. And yes, it says “No gay shit”. I told the RO don’t be writing no gay shit on my target. He apparently took it quite literally.
It wouldn’t be a shock to most here, but I put my .22BR together in 2019. Origin, Bartlein, TT, Bravo.
Was my first custom barrel. I spitballed a load of 30 grains of Lever under an 88 ELDM, seated bullets till the bolt would close, and the first five I fling through it after sight in went just under .5”.
I’m sure some guys here do stuff like that with boring regularity. I felt like I had just discovered fire.
I do have some others that make shake my head. A Ruger #1 .45-70 that shoots way better than what it should (it being a buffalo rifle that handles like a quail gun adds to the “charm”), a 16” AR with a BHW barrel and 6x SWFA that does things at 600 with 53 V-Maxes that I’d call bullshit on if it weren’t my rifle.
Guns like that are fun!
Was my first custom barrel. I spitballed a load of 30 grains of Lever under an 88 ELDM, seated bullets till the bolt would close, and the first five I fling through it after sight in went just under .5”.
I’m sure some guys here do stuff like that with boring regularity. I felt like I had just discovered fire.
I do have some others that make shake my head. A Ruger #1 .45-70 that shoots way better than what it should (it being a buffalo rifle that handles like a quail gun adds to the “charm”), a 16” AR with a BHW barrel and 6x SWFA that does things at 600 with 53 V-Maxes that I’d call bullshit on if it weren’t my rifle.
Guns like that are fun!
My grandfather won a Winchester XPR in 30-06 and won a quigley ford scope as well. Added a big cheap muzzle brake. Shooting Barnes TTSX factory ammo I got it roughly 2.5” high at 100 in a couple of rounds with the intention of “zeroing” with the reticle at 300. First group at 300 was slightly less than 2” and a little off center. Second group was perfect and slightly less than 2”.
Blew my mind. My Ruger American 6.5 didn’t shoot that well in factory configuration.
Blew my mind. My Ruger American 6.5 didn’t shoot that well in factory configuration.
I put together 2 of these AR45ACP's. One to keep, one to sell. Both are very surprisingly accurate out to 400 yards with a Rainier upper. The other thing surprising about them is the recoil. It's not bad, don't get me wrong, but far more than anticipated.
SAKO S20 6.5PRC
Price was right at LGS, had elk hunt coming up and hadn’t made a priority of getting my SAKO 85 Finnlight in 300WSM updated to a better optic nor getting barrel threaded so I looked on reviews here and they were kinda hit or miss
Called Richard at CST and he had an NX8 here in 2 days, put the Trash Panda on and then got on paper with Hornady Match. Found some 156gr EOL on sale from Choice Ammo and went to the range. 1 shot cold bore, zeroed and then 3 at 100yds in pic below. 9/10 from 300-1160, only miss was due to not ranging correctly at 770. Just winged a few guesses on AB app for dope! It’s the easiest rifle I’ve ever put together. But unfortunately it’s still just a steel killer, no opportunity for deer or elk on my MT hunt.
Price was right at LGS, had elk hunt coming up and hadn’t made a priority of getting my SAKO 85 Finnlight in 300WSM updated to a better optic nor getting barrel threaded so I looked on reviews here and they were kinda hit or miss
Called Richard at CST and he had an NX8 here in 2 days, put the Trash Panda on and then got on paper with Hornady Match. Found some 156gr EOL on sale from Choice Ammo and went to the range. 1 shot cold bore, zeroed and then 3 at 100yds in pic below. 9/10 from 300-1160, only miss was due to not ranging correctly at 770. Just winged a few guesses on AB app for dope! It’s the easiest rifle I’ve ever put together. But unfortunately it’s still just a steel killer, no opportunity for deer or elk on my MT hunt.
