Thread: Show us your Varmint rifles

Originally Posted by R93

Snotting distant fig 11's and 14's thru a tx 1200 barrel? Not many in NZ would have had the misfortune? Those were the days, eh, then technology interfered.

Thanks for that!
Yes those TX1200s sure do shoot , as you may have seen by the pictures , with the handloads ( pictured ) they do even better!!
On the range i visited in Wales , it was called WMS steel challenge.
You have all sorts of steel targets at differing ranges at different angles too , steel targets vary from fig 11s to Roe deer / Muntjac / Fox / crow and Rabbit life sized targets!!
A good friend orginised the trip and few shooters went , we all had a great time and it was beautiful scenery as we was up in Welsh mountains
All the best .

The C3 with a TX1200 barrel was the NZ and Aussie Army's sniper system until the early 90's. It was like a box of chocolates, as far as accuracy was concerned. Ya never knew what you were going to get.
Looked exactly the same as the one your pics except the barrel had a lighter profile.

For my lowish cost option..

HOWA 1500 HRE Suppressor. Trigger adjusted to light as a light thing.Harris Bi Pod with spikes (My DIY )
Magazine conversion with two 10 shot magazines. Laminated thumbhole stock. HOWA Varminter Supreme I think they called these.
Awesome to shoot pain in the ass to carry anywhere. Anything under 200 mtr just pull the trigger. Just gotta think a little after that. Leuopold VX1 3X9 - 50 Lr recticle.
Goes OK for not breaking the bank. Next Id like one lighter ...



Doesnt mind Hornady Training amm 55s like most use but being the HOWA sometimes wont eject one of the steel cases after it gets really hot.
Posibly 1 in 100 so not really a bother for the cheap ammo...

And .17 HMR another heavy be arch but man I ve mad some living shit dead shit with this thing,,,

Filled a 20 litre bucket once a week with Myna birds and starlings during Jan Feb this year

I like that rifle. that is very smart looking.

that barrel fitting is not to my taste tho

Originally Posted by Bill999

I like that rifle. that is very smart looking.

that barrel fitting is not to my taste tho

Roger that but after three previous suppressors it's lasted the longest and still quiet

I've already shown my Savage before, but after a couple months of testing loads up at the range I've finally settled on some pet loads for it. The results were interesting. These are at the most accurate powder loads for each weight I've found so far.

55 grain Sierra Gamekings
Average grouping 0.8"

69 grain Sierra Gamekings
Average grouping 1.2" (this suprised me as I expected a lot better out of this weight in a 1:9).

77 grain Sierra Matchkings
Average grouping (out of 6 x 5 shot groups) 0.4"
I did 4 groups of 0.35" (excluding my pull in the image below).




Very happy chappy with these groupings (at least the 77s... the 55's are alright).

Nice one

I bought one the same recently, hope mine groups that well! So far have only got it roughly on paper, no time to do anything else yet.

Mine:

Nice one Ben. I've had weird results with mine during load development, but it seems to really like the heavy projectiles. I'm about to send it off to get threaded for a suppressor.

Good old Savages they've got a good reputation for accuracy out of the box.

Have you tried the 77smk on game? Mine will be mostly used on goats/wallabies rather than bunnies, wondering if the match stuff bill be a bit too frangible.

Originally Posted by GravelBen

Have you tried the 77smk on game? Mine will be mostly used on goats/wallabies rather than bunnies, wondering if the match stuff bill be a bit too frangible.

No I haven't. I've got no idea how they'd perform. They do ahve a little hollow point at the end. Anything will kill a rabbit.
Maybe some of the other guys could answer on Sierra matchking performance? Might be best to start another thread. I'll do some penetration tests myself in the next couple of weeks and let you know.

I would imagine they will be fine. I used to use 75grain vmax in 25/06 going stupid faast and they were the ultimate goat load

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I envy you guys and your supressor's over there, it's crap we're stuck without em.

Originally Posted by Jackp.

I envy you guys and your supressor's over there, it's crap we're stuck without em.

I know mate it's stupid. Keep pressuring the government and show em it's not like hollywood where you can fire a "silenced" barret 50 cal and have it make no noise. Surely they'd be keen for it purely because it'd save them on hearing related healthcare claims in the future right? I dunno, as with many things it seems like an arbritraty political decision.

There's loosening up in the states. I think in Texas you can now hunt with supressors (you used to only be allowed to shoot). Can't remember if it was Texas. One of my US mates said they'd changed a law recently anyway because they'd been working hard on trying to get it through.