Thread: What is the rifle that has surprised you the most

Mine would have to be my mossberg 223. It was in a local gun shop cheap. It looked the part with its heavy fluted barrel and spiral cut bolt has a grey laminate stock takes ar mags which seems to give some a hard on not me tho. So after reading all the bad reviews I thought why not. Bought it home threw a scope on it and went and tested it out. Put some factory ppu through it and couldnt see what the complaints were about. Was going to try handloading for it but came across some fmj american eagle i think it is for cheap as, pulled the fmjs and reseated some 55gn soft points, the thing shoots better than any other 223s Ive owned. Then went and got it threaded and fitted a dpt. Cant really fault the thing....

Springfield waypoint surprised me how shit it was

Dam those waypoints have rave reviews

Ruger ranch in 6arc. Currently my only rifle as the kimber is with the Smith. For a budget rifle it goes really good. From possums to reds at 500 yards, very versatile and fun to shoot and watch the impacts.

culling mate ordered and waited and waited for his 222 Anshutz did eventually arrive so we sighted it in and then flew into Mangaotane for 3 months of goat work - week later anshutz out to road end meet up with Boss back to shop -- bloody thing was gouging back of receiver and binding badly - put me off centerfire Anshutz - I am presuming when you say surprised thats good and bad

Originally Posted by Sakoswarosorted

Springfield waypoint surprised me how shit it was

Sauer 100 ditto for me have literally never come across something so shit as those things

Ruger American Rifle, LH Predator version, 243W
Just after buying it I scoped the barrel before first shots and was so shocked at the bore roughness I wanted to immediately return it for a refund. I was certain that bore would not shoot accurately. Moaned about it to a good friend who is Ruger knowledgeable and he convinced me to shoot if first. Glad I listened to him. It shoots wonderfully ( 1:9 twist ). One of the most accurate rifles I ever owned. I was genuinely surprised.

The first Sako I bought, a 75 in .222, wood stock with stainless barrel, shoots amazing. It’s when I realised that there are some accurate factory rifles out there

Never owned a Sako or Tikka that didn’t shoot well.

A mate's rusty, mistreated 10/22 with a shitty cheap scope that made one hole at 50 metres with 10 shots.

another culling mate tried a ruger semi .223 Ruger mini matic looked the business big mag light seemed well made - but one of the most inaccurate rifles I have had anything to do with - it was shite - real pity as the concept as a goat culling rifle was great

My son n laws Sako 416? Vixen 222,which was his fathers from New.
Shot 46 rabbits out of 50rd box.Distance from 180yds to 220yds.
Deadly accurate,I can see why deer cullers used them yrs ago.Its not getting threaded for a suppresser either.Keeping it just like it came out of the shop new.
Mind you,its tipped over a few goats n fallow around QT too,where it resides.

Originally Posted by Barry the hunter

another culling mate tried a ruger semi .223 Ruger mini matic looked the business big mag light seemed well made - but one of the most inaccurate rifles I have had anything to do with - it was shite - real pity as the concept as a goat culling rifle was great

Some legends have it old Bill Ruger did some cost cutting on the barrels.
Aggressive machining techniques to speed up the profiling process and supposedly had a big chance of inducing accuracy killing harmonics in them.
An acquaintance from years ago culled in the north island in thr late 70s.
One if his mates got a mini 14 and had it rebarrelled in 222 as he was supplied the ammo. Bloody tack driver

[QUOTE]Originally Posted by Sakoswarosorted View Post
Springfield waypoint surprised me how shit it was/QUOTE]

Originally Posted by Ryan_Songhurst

Sauer 100 ditto for me have literally never come across something so shit as those things

That's interesting. What didn't you guys like about them?

Another one Ive got is a well worn/used slazenger 22 that sat on the rack of a local gun shop for 10 years or so. It had obviously been a work gun dirty, rusty, had a scope rail roughly attached to it. After seeing it there for so long and I was looking for another project I thought why not, how bad could it be? Got it home gave the metal work an oil and steel wool tidy up took it apart and cleaned everything fitted an old 3x32 scope and went to see what it would do. Very boring accurate as I did thread it tho for a muzzle brake....na a suppresser what tosser puts a brake on a 22lr? Only thing really to do is give it a blue if I get the urge one day. Its my go to possum and plinking gun

Ruger predator .223 not the best finish, it just shoots 40g to 65 way better than it should