New coyote rig

HaMeR · February 11, 2016, 09:14:08 AM

I decided at the end of the 1st day at LBL 2016 I was tired of racking the bolt to unload my 204 & scratching up my nice Maple stock & decided it was time to make a change. I had been tossing the idea of a dedicated coyote rifle around for a couple years now because of that. So I finally made the plunge into the World of the gun safe fillers!!

I was at a nice gun shop up the road from me looking for a Ruger American in 223. They had one in 308 & I did like the feel of that one & was purdy sure I would be getting one of those. That was when I seen they had the Savage Axis on sale for $199.99. Plus another $50 off with a mail-in rebate. Kinda hard to go wrong for the purpose I had in mind. So I brought one home.

Keeping in mind this rifle is as basic as they get. No sights at all, 4 scope mount holes in the receiver, a purdy decent synthetic stock, & a 6lb trigger. I will be ordering the RifleBasix trigger for this setup as well.

On the plus side the bolt works very smooth. I did not expect that from a $150 rifle. It rolls down & locks smoothly & tight. Fully scoped & loaded,, 4+1,, it comes in at 8.6lbs. I can do that easily enough. My 204 is 1lb heavier. I ran all 5rds out with the bolt & can't believe how smooth this rifle really is!!

I found a tight spot about 3" from the muzzle. After plenty of solvent patches & some brushing I've come to the conclusion it was more gunk than anything else. This bore is not as smooth as Diane's CZ American in 221FB but it's darn close!! If the copper fouling is minimal then it's a win-win on this rifle.

I went with a Bushnell Banner 3-9x40 on this one. I found them on sale at the same store & decided that since the one on my ML has held up incredibly well over these past 10yrs that I needed to try another one. I went with 2 piece Weaver bases & Leupold rings. Just need the weather to turn for some range time now.

I'm into this rig for right close to $354 with the RB trigger.

Frogman · February 11, 2016, 09:39:42 AM

Glen, that looks like a really good deal!! Hope you put down lots of coyotes with it!!

Jim

riverboss · February 11, 2016, 09:50:30 AM

Good choice Glenn I own one in 22-250 very accurate it killed a lot of coyotes before I went ar15.
I fixed my trigger by cutting off a couple coils on the spring you will not regret buying it.

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Okanagan · February 11, 2016, 10:22:05 AM

Very nice! I have a Rifle Basics trigger on my dedicated calling carbine and just reading about yours evokes muscle memory of the sweet pull. My bet is that your new rifle will shoot tight groups.

JohnP · February 11, 2016, 02:18:06 PM

Nice buy Glen, hope it serves you well. I have that trigger on two of my rifles.

bigben · February 11, 2016, 02:53:39 PM

I picked up one of those for dad a few years ago for Christmas for the same purpose. Shoots handloads decent. nice find hope it serves you well.

weedwalker · February 11, 2016, 05:21:31 PM

Good deal on that one Glen!! I've got one in .22-250 and it's a tack driver.

nastygunz · February 12, 2016, 04:42:24 AM

Good onya mate! I know how you feel about that maple stock getting scratched up, I hate to take my
CZ527 Carbine out because the wood is so pretty. I got a Stevens 200 in .22
3 for low money and it is an excellent rifle.

nastygunz · February 12, 2016, 04:45:08 AM

What are you shooting for a carbine Mr. O. .

Quote from: Okanagan on February 11, 2016, 10:22:05 AM
Very nice! I have a Rifle Basics trigger on my dedicated calling carbine and just reading about yours evokes muscle memory of the sweet pull. My bet is that your new rifle will shoot tight groups.

FinsnFur · February 12, 2016, 05:05:40 AM

I like it. Boy that WAS a good price

I hope it lets you move ahead of Diane a little too. Shes been out doing ya

HaMeR · February 12, 2016, 06:55:04 AM

Thanks guys!! I'm sure it'll shoot something!! Being a coyote rig I only need MOA at 150yds for all the places I call them. If I can get 1" @ 150 I will be happy for sure.

This will be the 3rd RB trigger we've got here & I do like the simplicity of them. Even I can install & tweak them. RB is another great product for the money IMO.

I'll know more when it warms up about 40* around here in a couple weeks!!

I'll even nail a groundhog or 2 with it Jim!! Just enough to get the lead then watch it "slip" away AGAIN!!

Okanagan · February 12, 2016, 11:05:50 AM

Quote from: nastygunz on February 12, 2016, 04:45:08 AM
What are you shooting for a carbine Mr. O. .

Quote from: Okanagan on February 11, 2016, 10:22:05 AM
Very nice! I have a Rifle Basics trigger on my dedicated calling carbine and just reading about yours evokes muscle memory of the sweet pull. My bet is that your new rifle will shoot tight groups.

Remington Mohawk-600 in .243 with a bargain 2-7 Bushnell Firefly scope with RainGuard water/fog repellant lenses. Love it. It fits perfectly in the short little soft side case made for a Ruger 10-22.

Hawks Feather · February 12, 2016, 04:00:48 PM

Glen, that does look like a nice rifle at a great price. But I have to ask. . . do you think that the .223 will have the knockdown power that you need? After all you were looking at a .308 at the start.

Jerry

HaMeR · February 13, 2016, 07:51:46 AM

Actually I was fondling the RA in .308 because they didn't have one in .223 Jerry. I just wanted to get a feel for that stock again. I hadn't handled one in almost 2 years & thought I should at least get a feel from it again.

Over on "another predator forum",, back when the .204Ruger came out,, a lot of those "that never shot a coyote let alone a .204R" experts said that caliber wasn't enough for coyotes as well. I'm guessing they're holding to their ignorance yet to this day.

I do have a lot of confidence in the .223. I know it will knock the snot out of them. Gonna wreck a couple groundhogs this Spring with it tho just to make certain.

Gotta like those carbine rifles Ok & nasty!! I think they have a real cool factor to them!! I'll have to look up that Mohawk!!

HaMeR · February 13, 2016, 07:56:13 AM

If this is the same rifle Ok I see why you like it!! That's a nice looking rig with a decent scope for a darn good price!! You need another one??

http://www.gunbroker.com/Auction/ViewItem.aspx?Item=540239670#PIC

Hawks Feather · February 13, 2016, 12:19:19 PM

Glen,

I know that the .223 will be more than enough for anything in Ohio - even that occasional black bear that comes across the border from PA.

I was just giving you a hard time about the .308. I have a .308 that I bought a few years ago and have shot it about 10 times getting it sighted in. Since then it has enjoyed the inside of the safe. Maybe this spring when the young (terrifyingly vicious) baby groundhogs are out I will take it out for protection.

Jerry

Dale · February 13, 2016, 11:00:11 PM

good looking rifle...

how does that 204 work for you?... watching "the Furtakers" sponsored by FoxPro they had a bunch up in VT, and the ole fat dude, I think his name was Al, whacked a couple dogs right off the bat that ran off never to be found... after that he had the other guys back him up and every one he shot after that needed to be hit again with a bigger rifle, Steve Dillon, one of the owners had a 22-250 , not sure about the other, but that 204 didn't impress me at all...

HaMeR · February 14, 2016, 08:08:00 AM

It's all good Jerry!!

Thanks Dale! I wouldn't be without the .204!!

I never watched that show so I can't comment on the shots taken. I do know I used to see a lot of pics over on predator masters,, FP's personal forum,, of gut shot coyotes. Never understood the theory of just throwing lead to kill a coyote then bitching a certain caliber was too small. Of the 4 I shot with the .204 only one made it to the 50yd mark. It was my fault. She was trotting at an angle & I couldn't get her to stop. So at about 60yds she was starting to get to my downwind & I had the crosshairs on her shoulder & not far enough in front of her. Hit about 4 ribs back & blew her open on the exit with a 40gr Berger at the back of her ribs. Bad shot on my part. The other coyotes died quickly enough. Including this years at 30yds.

Shot placement is key with any caliber or gauge as well as a lot of shooting time.

Les Johnson,, I'm purdy sure that's his name,, shoots coyotes all the time with a .204R. He shoots hogs with it as well.

Hawks Feather · February 14, 2016, 09:59:01 AM

Quote from: HaMeR on February 14, 2016, 08:08:00 AM
Shot placement is key.

So true!

Jerry

Okanagan · February 14, 2016, 11:06:50 AM

Quote from: HaMeR on February 13, 2016, 07:56:13 AM
If this is the same rifle Ok I see why you like it!! That's a nice looking rig with a decent scope for a darn good price!! You need another one??

http://www.gunbroker.com/Auction/ViewItem.aspx?Item=540239670#PIC

Good link! That's the same rifle, though the.243 in the link has been tricked out a bit from original. At $440 that is a good buy from what I've heard. They made it in several short .308 length type calibers, with the 350 Rem. magnum now a collector's item in Model 600. I don't think any of the originals came with synthetic stock like the one on gunbroker, and I don't know what to make of the shiny bolt (stainless?). Mine is blue in scratched up wood, 37" overall length including a needless recoil pad.

The Models 600 and 660 were a small package many years prior to the Model 7. They were known for having a strong very stiff action and some bench rest shooters built target rifles around the 600 action. The early 600's had a ventilated rib on top of the barrel. The bolt release is an odd one, requiring a smallish screwdriver (or flattened chopstick in my rifle case) to poke a bolt release inside the action--FWIW if you ever buy one and can't figure out how to get the bolt out.

Somebody here should buy that one in the link! My grandsons have killed four deer with mine and one of them will likely wind up with it.

Ditto to shot placement. Well said! I've seen coyotes run off after hits from a 300 Win mag in the hands of an excellent shot (using full metal jacket bullet); 6mm; 30-06; 22-250 etc. Ironically, I have never lost a coyote out of several that I have shot with a .22 long rifle, though that is too small for intentional coyote hunting. I got flamed for saying this one time so will add that I am not advocating the .22 rimfire as a coyote round, merely stating historical fact. We were teenagers and it was the only firearm I owned, plus sometimes it was the handiest rifle when a critter was raiding chickens.