i paid 800 bucks for the varminter, and about 850 for the heavy barreled car.
the varminter is the way to go if you want tiny little groups. it shot great, but to really ring it out i tailor made some ammo for that rifle specifically and played with different powders and bullet types. the best combination i found was with benchmark powder, winchester brass, a fmj 55 grain bullet, and cci magnum primers. it was a mid range loading, neither fast or slow, right in the middle.
i find that most rifles will shoot way better than the people shooting them can; sometimes you have to tweek this or that, other times you need to play with bullet type, weight, or make. powders and primer type also can make or break you. sometimes, the gun is hopeless.
i will also add that i am not out there pounding hundreds or rounds downrange. i shoot the rifle a few times, clean and cool it, shoot it a few more times, clean and cool. that particular rifle will outshoot any bolt gun i have ever shot, it is a truely amazing rifle. all reports from other bushmaster varminter owners lead me to believe mine is not a fluke. will it do it round after round, day in day out? i dont know, i dont shoot that rifle that way. i can tell you that i can take it off the rack, fire a three shot group that is one hole at 100 yards.
i also had a ruger 10/22 that you could put three rounds into a dime at 50 yards straight from the factory, with nothing more done to it than putting a weaver fine crosshair scope on it. maybe i am just lucky, or maybe i can shoot; perhaps a little of both. but i have had some turds come my way also. you buy enough guns i figure sooner or later you will find a few exceptional ones.
