Gun Help

[Grizzly Johnson]

Looking at a varmint/coyote rifle..... in .223 since that seems to be the popular caliber around here.

Would the shorter barrel have a big effect on long range accuracy, say around the 300 yard mark vs. a longer barrel? Any of you guys have one of these short barreled rifles that can give experience?

Here are the two I have been looking at:

Model 700 SPS Tactical


Or the longer barreled one..... but I am not sure I like the length.....since it's the .223 round. I would probably change the stock too.

Model 700 SPS Varmint

 

[bjohnson]

Get the SPS Tac...people shoot 18" .308's to 1000 all the time. So yeah the .223 with a short barrel will definitely get you to 300 and further if you so choose. Plus it will be easier to manuever.

 

[Grizzly Johnson]

Get the SPS Tac...people shoot 18" .308's to 1000 all the time. So yeah the .223 with a short barrel will definitely get you to 300 and further if you so choose. Plus it will be easier to maneuver.

The maneuverability was the main reason I was looking at the Tactical rifle..... it would be lighter plus it comes with the Hogue stock with pillar blocks.

This would be my first .223 gun..... I originally bought a Ruger 25/06 with heavy barrel for varmints, but it has turned into my primary deer rifle.... looking for something a little easier to tote around.

 

[rdl65]

The SPS Tactical has a 1/9 twist as opposed to the Varmint which has a 1/12 twist. This will allow you to shoot a heavier bullet.

 

[Grizzly Johnson]

The SPS Tactical has a 1/9 twist as opposed to the Varmint which has a 1/12 twist. This will allow you to shoot a heavier bullet.

Would it be possible to accurately shoot the 53 or 55 grain V-Max bullets in the 1/9 twist?

Please forgive my ignorance.

 

[rdl65]

Yes they will shoot fine out of a 1/9 twist. The wind moves them around a little more at longer distances. I use to shoot the 55gr Nosler Ballistic Tips in mine. I now shoot the 70gr Bergers with good success.

 

[Grizzly Johnson]

Only reason I said 55gr bullet, I was looking at the new Nikon Coyote scope with the BDC crosshairs "calculated" with the .223 bullet @ 55gr with a 100yd zero and aim points out to 400..... how accurate it will be is yet to be seen, but thought it should make a good combo...

 

[fastbs]

I would go for sps tac. It will shoot a much wider variety of pills, the factory stock is a step up from the varmint stock, and the overall size is much nicer to pack around.

Accuracy wise both the tactical and varmint shoot the 55 grain loads well.

The benefited velocity from the 26" varmint barrel just doesn't out weigh what the tactical offers in my opinion.

Then I'm not a fan of bdc reticles either but that's another story.

 

[mr.big]

for coyote hunting only,,I would get a standard weight 243 with a 22 inch bbl and load the 70 gr NBT,,you do not need a fat bbl heavy rifle to kill coyotes,,

only reason for a ft bbl is sustained fire like you would get into prarie dog hunting,,or target shooting.

 

[buckdead]

Seems like a pretty fair price.
http://www.budsgunshop.com/catalog/prod ... s_id/42069

 

[ShamrockIV]

i have the sps varmint cut down to 20 inches. it handles and shoots really good. plu si can shoot it alot cheaper than my 308. the only drawback is the twist but all i shoot is 55 grain balistic tips. whoch is good cause my next toy is the m223 scope from nikon.

hey fastbs bought the aac-sd 700 with the hogue stock and he yanked it, the forend is very very limber. would be a good setup if it was stiffer.