Building New Varmint Rifle

[Kiwi]

planning a new varmint rifle in 22-250AI, which sporting rifle action would suit this project best.

                                           :? Kiwi

[oso45-70]

Kiwi,
Welcome to the best site going, You ask a hard question. I would say to find a action and build as you go, There are plenty of 22-250s out there that are ready to go hunting and just waiting for some one to take them.
Don't know what you have available in the way of gun shops in your area
But if you have a shop near you go see them and see what you come up with, Good luck on your project..........Joe...............................................

[Kiwi]

Thanks Joe have asked a few other people and they have all said Remington model 700 so that has narrowed the field down a bit, but would still look at a Winchester m70 or Sako.

                         Thanks for the reply

                                Murray

[trappenjoe]

My dad ( oso 45 - 70 ) made my 222 with a sako action and has proved
to be the most durable , and kept simple action I've seen I would shure check into one first . I also like the ruger actions . What kind of barrel are you thinking of ?
Little Joe

[Kiwi]

Hi Little Joe, Thanks for he reply there, the barrel will be a heavier varmint profile match grade possibly with a muzzle dia of 9/10 of an inch and fluted, also looking at a McMillan stock with an after market trigger. Hope to be able to knock over rabbits at 300yds +.

                                       Regards

                                       Murray

[Mike in Ct]

kiwi just buy a good solid varmint weight barrel from any company these days.Sako winchester ruger  savage remington...save your money for a replacement or professional trigger job & a first class scope..The custom (22-250 AI) chamber can wait till you burn up the first barrel..I have no trouble hitting 4 inch targets at 300 yds...inside 200 yds most factory guns will be under an inch with factory ammo..it is one of the most accurate & flat shooting cartridges available..I've had 3 in the past 30 years they were all great shooting except one with a sporter weight barrel..My latest is an eleven pound plus Winchester model 70 Stealth  with a 6 X 24 scope..I did the trigger job myself..It shoots very well..mostly sub .5 MOA ..It loves to shoot the 55gr bullet at just over 3600 fps..with IMR 4064 powder & Winchester 748...I've used the fifty gr. bullet as well & it can put them all touching at 100yds...You won't regret buying an off the rack 22-250...The add ons you can aquire as you go..fancy fiberglass composite stock etc...Any questions just ask...I really like that cartridge & I've had it in a few differant manufactures models..If you can afford it  I am partial to the Sako ...I'm using an older hunter model right now to build a 35 Whelan...good luck , Mike In Ct U.S.A.

[PeterF.]

Kiwi:  Check out Varmint Al's web-site (www.varmintal.com).  It's full of informed opinion and information ... including his experience with certain rifles (esp. Thompson Center and Sako) and calibers (he's a fan of the .22-250 Improved/40Degree and the .223AI).  
By the way, what do you find to hunt in NZ?

[Kiwi]

Hi Peter, thanks for the advice already had a look at Als,  at present using an improved 223 and getting good results, .75 inch 5 shot groups at a hundred yard but expect this to improve once I start using my fireformed cases. This rifle is built on the Brno zkk601 action and shoots so well my wife won't give it back. Nothing left to do but build another one and at this stage it looks like it will be built on a Remington or Sako action.
Varmint shooting in NZ is mainly Rabbit, Hare (close relation of a rabbit)and birds such as the Magpie (about the same size as a crow)and Mynah (smaller than a crow) In the smaller calibers (.22lr) possum usually spotlighting at night. In the larger calibers  (.243 up) we have wild goats and pigs and about 6 species of deer.

                                              Murray

[Catfish]

With the standard .22-250 you will get a max. point blank range of about 315 trds. , plus or minus. With the AI you will get about another 10 yrds., 15 max. You will burn alot more powder than you will gain in velosity, or range. If your looking for a wildcat that will reach out and touch them to these same yardages, and do it with less powder why not go with a .17 or a .20 round. I`ve got a .17 AH that pushes a 19 grn. bullet to 3600 fps. and shoots point blank to 290 yrds. with 10.4 grns. of powder. A good .17 Rem. will shoot with the .22-250 AI, and it`s a factory round. My next project, and I think the best long range round for varmints, is going to be a .20 BR. The new .204 Ruger should shoot with, or alittle better than the .22-250 AI, and the .20 BR should really put it on the .204. I do some strange things though, my smallest wildcat round is a .17 AH and my largest is a .411 Hawk, maybe you don`t want to play with the stuff alittle father out.

[coopershooter]

i love my 22-250ai, i shoot 40gr. balistic tips at 4300 fps. into about 3`8 of an inch. after you fireform, the brass doesn,t grow much. i dont like case trimming very much. as said above, it,s hard on barrels.  cooper said between 1500 and 2000 rounds. i shoot groundhogs with mine, and i love it. my longest hit with this rifle has been 521 yards, measured with a rangefinder, by mike groff of north central ohio varmint express.
  for high volume shooting, less powder is a good thing. like your .223AI.
  good luck.
   coopershooter.