Author Topic: New Shooter Questions (Read 1172 times)

Markk9 · « **on:** November 30, 2003, 02:08:28 AM »

I want to shoot rifle silhouette both high-power and rimfire. I have a few questions about equipment. For rimfire I was looking at a Kimber 22 hunter/silhouette model, is this a good one to start with? What scope and power range would you recomend, on my hunting rifles I use leupold? Would I be able to use a Rem700 VLS in 260Rem for high-power? What scope would you recomend for this rifle, right now its toped with a Leupold VariX-III 6.5 x 20 x 40? What other equipment will I need?

Mark

Arizona Jake · « **Reply #1 on:** November 30, 2003, 09:12:23 AM »

Mark:

Welcome to THE rifle game!

Both rifle/scope combinations you mention are great. Jus keep a few things in mind:

The total weight of your Kimber must not exceed 8.5 lbs, and the trigger piull cannot be lighter than 2.0 lbs. for Hunter Class.

The total weight of your HP rifle must not exceed 10 lbs., 2 ounces for Std. HP rifle class.

Best of luck, :cb2:

jbeckley · « **Reply #2 on:** December 01, 2003, 11:33:46 AM »

Hey Markk9,
Go to the Sako 78 and read the 3rd post about the Kimber H/S. I have one and it shoots great, but not all of them do.

shootingpaul · « **Reply #3 on:** December 02, 2003, 08:12:18 AM »

Mark,
You have to check as many rifles as you can and then after trying them out decide which is the one you wanna buy. I shoot Winchester 52B (although I wish I could switch) and Anschutz 54MS, and for high power I shoot a customized and exclusively built by Ted Gaillard Rem 700 in .260. which also has his barrel.
All my rifles are topped with B&L 4200 6-24.
If I had to buy today I would probably go with Sako Finfire or Anschutz 1712, and for HP I would not switch anything.
I am sure that your Leopold scope is a good choice, as to the kimber. I really did not see many at the matches. Why??............
Most rifles used for hunter are Anschutz, but their price doubles Sako finfire, so I think that in the near future Sako is going to make its way.
Go to my site maybe you will find something interesting, and if you have some

then contact me,

nomad · « **Reply #4 on:** December 03, 2003, 05:23:57 PM »

Mark,

Paul's right. You can't get on a board like this and get enough information to choose wisely among the many rifles out there.
The Kimber's are usually good -- I've shot several and they all shot well off the bench -- but many people dislike the way they 'hold'. For some reason, a lot of the Kimber people drift away from them after a season or so of use. NONE of the top shooters uses one except for Lones Wigger. And he designed the thing for Kimber... ;-)

IMO the Anschutz 1710/1712 is unbeatable in smallbore. You can equal it (I think the Finnfire is about as good) and you can improve it but you can't beat it in a factory rifle. There's probably a reason why the national champion always seems to shoot the Anschutz. ;-)

The 700 varmint gun is probably a poor choice. It certainly has the intrinsic accuracy but, in silhouette, it's more important that the rifle have that hard-to-define 'shootable' quality than that it be the last word in accurate. Can you use your VLS? Certainly -- if it makes weight. Will you be likely to find that it's a good choice? Probably not -- that stock was NOT designed for offhand...

Attend a local match. Go to the match director and ask him if he has someone who can introduce you around. (The MD will usually not have the time to do it himself.) I've never seen a club match where people didn't welcome a newbie and let him try their equipment. See what they're using and see what fits you best and feels most comfortable. Then buy what you like.

BTW -- unless the 6.5x20 has target W&E it'll be handicapped. Stony Point knobs work but the full target turret setup is far superior. If you stick with Leupolds you might want to contact Cecil Tucker in Odessa, TX and have him mod your scope. Then it'll go where you set the knobs.
When you scope your smallbore (assuming that you plan to continue with your Leupold for centerfire) look at the Weaver T-24 with a 1/2 moa dot. Hard to beat that one, which might be why it's on rifles that attend matches with people named Winstead and Lawton!
Apologies to that 'Imas' character and his Sightrons. I just believe that T series Weavers and 'Tuckerized' Leupolds are better. (Are we sure Imas really exists anyway? Has anyone on the board ever actually met him in person?) ;-)

dave imas · « **Reply #5 on:** December 03, 2003, 06:14:57 PM »

Clearly, and without any hesitation, you should never listen to imas. He shoots his scope set on 6x. That, if nothing else, shouts to the world that he is too stupid to live. If he is indeed too stupid to live, he must not be alive. Therefore and with all great enthusiasm, I officially proclaim that he doesn't exist. now that was easy!

now... Ernie... tell me of the "Tuckerizing" process. What does he do, how does he do it, why is it better, and does it add weight to the scope? I have a weight problem with my TRG and am looking again for answers.

the one whos name we can not speak.

nomad · « **Reply #6 on:** December 04, 2003, 05:24:45 AM »

Dave,

Cecil has been doing Leupolds for the stoolshooters for a long time. He changes the spring configuration on the erector tube and a modded Leupold comes back looking somewhat like one of the Burris Posi-Lock units. (In fact, I'm pretty sure that Cecil was doing this before Burris 'discovered' the process.) Unlike the Burris system, however, Cecil's scopes don't have a mechanical lock -- it's all done with spring pressure.

As I understand it, this does not void the Leupold warranty -- although there's a bit of 'gray' area there...

I'm loathe to rip mine off and make a weight comparison

but I'd guess that less than an ounce is about right. Cecil can tell you, I'm sure. For that matter, Theodore had Cecil do one a year or two ago after he and I discussed it. You might want to ask Dan his opinion.

Cecil Tucker 1567 Jude Avenue Odessa, Texas 79763 (915)530-2919 Scope Repair and Modification.

Last I had one done it was $160. (I really don't like spending the money on a Leupold and then having to add another $160 to make it 'right'!)

ajj · « **Reply #7 on:** December 08, 2003, 04:18:57 AM »

I did three seasons with the Finnfire and liked several things about it very much. The stock fit me well with a nice cheekpiece and palmswell. It shot almost all ammo very well and grouped Wolf MT around an inch at 100 yards. Tennex was as good but no better. It is supposed to have very short lock time. The action is high quality. HOWEVER...
It is too light and especially muzzle light. "Quick on the target but quick back off, too." And I just never came to terms with the trigger. I got it down to two pounds but it always felt like a chicken bone breaking and that often made the muzzle jump up. I was about to accept Nomad's kind offer to work on it when I had a moment of madness and got the new 1712. Now, here is a rifle that fits. And the two-stage trigger is magic. The second stage has that feeling of a tiny bit of silky-smooth "roll" so the brain knows it's breaking. This is a lot better than the "glass rod" break. Also, it has mucho overtravel, which I like very much. Where did we get the idea that we want the trigger to hit a stop as we are trying to follow through?
I learned a lot with the Finnfire. It's a fine rifle. I would never have spent $1200 for an Anschutz before knowing I was really hooked and struggling to hold the SAKO steady for three years was good for my shooting. But having been through it I would advise a new guy to either get the VERY best if he can afford it or start with a CZ while he decides whether he likes the sport. The SAKO is a sort of split-the-difference proposition that is cerrtainly not inexpensive. The Lilja barrel and some expert trigger work make it almost as good as the Anschutz but then you've spent the same money for something with less resale value. JMHO.