Help me pick my next gun!

C

ckpj99

New member
So I'm itching for more precision. I'm shooting the lights out with my Marlin 336 at 50 yards. I'm love the capabilities and practicality. I'll have that gun forever. However, I want to step up in accuracy and quality. I'm just not sure exactly what I want.

I want an open sight rifle of some sort. I'm thinking I want a bolt gun due to the inherent accuracy. As much as I'd like to say that I'm wanting to shoot bullseyes out to 200 yards, really I never shoot past 100, and mostly I shoot at 50 yards.

I'd also like to think that this gun would be used take hogs in swamp or save people during a hostage situation, however, this is again likely to never happen. I'm trying to be honest with myself here. So caliber really isn't too much of an issue either.

I'm leaning in a few directions.

First, some sort of .22 target rifle, like a high-end bolt gun or something like a basic Olympic style rifle. I'd like to get it equipped with aperture style sights.

Second, a traditional style target rifle like a high wall or rolling block or something like that. Some have tang peep sights, others just have a super long sight radius.

Third, a "safari" style bolt gun. Something in .270 or similar with really good sights. I'd say "just a bolt gun" however bolt guns with any type of open sights are just about impossible to find these days.

Fourth, a light caliber varmint gun in .22 mag or .17 or something like that. Again, these are hard to find in platforms with good iron sights.

Fifth, some sort of military-style bolt gun noted for superb accuracy. Maybe a mint K-31, or some sort of Springfield '03 that's been worked on, or like a Winchester Model 70, or I don't know.

This is just going to be a target gun. I love wood and steel. I'd prefer an older gun that I can find used.

I'd love some help!
 
That's a long list... I would start with the varmint gun, as you'll be more likely to shoot it than just about anything else, and with a small-bore centerfire cartridge, you can accurately shoot at your desired ranges of 50-200yds. I would recommend a .22 Hornet for this. Ammo is cheap and plentiful (at least in my area it is). Other good options are the .204, .223, and .222... CZ, Ruger, and Savage all have moderately priced rifles in one or more of these calibers, many with iron sights.

Military style bolt guns noted for supreme accuracy... Not much in this category as far as I know. You're just about better off going with a modern sporting/target rifle than trying to get "supreme accuracy" out of an older surplus rifle. I'm not saying that it can't be done, and I'm not saying that old surplus guns aren't accurate enough for hunting, but supreme accuracy out of a surplus gun is a tall order. Just about any modern sporting/target rifle in the $600-$1000 range will run circles around a surplus gun. Savage, Browning, Remington, Thompson/Center, Kimber, Winchester, etc... They all make a rifle that will shoot more accurately than most shooters will.

A safari gun in a lightweight sporting caliber with irons isn't very common. Most safari guns are made in heavyweight calibers, starting with the .375 H&H and increasing from there. The Kimber Caprivi and Talkeetna models are good examples of this. They are both FINE safari style rifles.

I don't know anything about the high walls or rolling block rifles, never had much use for them.

For a .22lr target rifle, look no further than the Ruger 10/22. You can buy a bone stock rifle for cheap, then customize it any way you like. The options are literally endless. Precision trigger groups, stocks, barrels, bolts, etc etc etc... Every single millimeter of the 10/22 has overwhelming aftermarket custom/precision support. It's probably one of the most popular and most customized rifle in America, and for good reason. They're fairly accurate out of the box, but swap in a new barrel, stock, and trigger and you can be driving thumbtacks at 50yds and flicking pennies at 100...
 
Thanks, JG. I have owned a 10/22 in the past. While it was pretty accurate, I never fell in love with it and eventually traded it. The new owner, a friend of mine, swapped the barrel and did some other mods. He has it shooting pretty good, but not as good as I'd like for my new rifle.

The .22 Hornet sounds really interesting. I was looking at Handi-Rifles in that caliber a couple years ago. That being said, I couldn't find enough information about the rifle's accuracy to make the commitment. I really wouldn't mind a single shot like the Handi or a Thompson Center or something like that if the accuracy was really solid.

The ability to reload also appeals to me. I already reload for .38 Special and .30-30.

Thanks for the advice. It gives me some places to start looking.

Anyone else?
 
Sounds like an 03 is a good fit. Limited options in a bolt wrt good iron sights. Plenty of semi-autos but you'd likely sacrifice some accuracy or have to make a size able investment. Personally that's the way I'd go- m1a, ar or garand with some work
 
If you have a surplus rifle AND a .22lr itch... have you taken a peek at the CZ 452 Military Trainer? I'm just guessing it's never been in anybody's Military Training system- but it sure feels at home next to the old school milsurps. And the darn thing is crazy accurate, comes with iron sights, a European style stock (don't let that spook ya- those things feel and should really comfortably!)

Edit to piggyback on what 1st Marine said:
Yup, a 1903 or 1903A3 can be had pretty reasonably. If one scouts around, you can find one that still has original metal, but a sporter or bubba'd stock. They can be a huge amount of fun restoring back to glory with a Numrich or Boyds stock. All the other small metal parts are still available in quite a few places for good prices.
 
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Both my brother and dad have Smith Corona A303 rifles and they are dead on smooth rifles. It makes me want one but I shoot theirs whenever I can.
 
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