What gun to buy?

[Ex-MA Hole]

I'm strongly considering getting "back into" benchrest shooting.  By "back into", I mean my previous experience was with a .22LR at 50 yards.  Show up on a Sunday morning with coffee and a cigar and shoot 50 or 100 rounds.  Stupidly sold that gun.  It was a Savage with Acutrigger.  Loved it, my interests changed and it sat.

I'm strictly in the "compulsive obsessing" stage at this time.

I'm looking for something I can afford to shoot.  I was thinking a Savage in 223 because brass is plentiful and I can roll my own.  By "accurate" I mean all of them touching/ some in one hole at 100 yards (obviously if I do my job).  I have zero desire to get into something like F-Class.

If I move, my new range may have a 300 yard range.

I have zero desire to use this for hunting.

I have a bad back, so the lower recoil of the 223 also had appeal...

I'd trade something, like my 686 for this...

What say all 2,000 of our resident experts?

[dogmush]

Price range?  (I don't know what a 686 goes for)  Glass?

I can get that accuracy out of my Model 1 Sales varmiter, which is pretty fun.  If you want a bolt, I've shot a friends Savage Model 12 w/accutrigger, and it was pretty dang sweet.

Then there's the ever present used Winchester 70, Remington 700 or Ruger 77.  Look for a heavy barrel varient.

[Ex-MA Hole]

I'd like to be in the 500-700 range.  Glass will be an entry level Leupold, that will be additional.

Price range?  (I don't know what a 686 goes for)  Glass?

I can get that accuracy out of my Model 1 Sales varmiter, which is pretty fun.  If you want a bolt, I've shot a friends Savage Model 12 w/accutrigger, and it was pretty dang sweet.

Then there's the ever present used Winchester 70, Remington 700 or Ruger 77.  Look for a heavy barrel varient.

[Jim147]

Don't overlook a used Remington in .222.

If I was buying new I would look at a Savage or a Stevens with a little work done to it.

jim

[Hutch]

My "all holes touching" rig is a Remington 700VS in .308.  I think an LTR in .223 fits your bill.  Components are much cheaper.  The Savage has a cult following, and I'd like to have a .223 with a 1/7 twist, so Savage is about the only game in town, unless I have my 788 rebarreled.  Let us hear what you decide.

[Tallpine]

I'd trade something, like my 686 for this...

What say all 2,000 of our resident experts?

I dunno ... I sure hate ever letting go of a gun 

[Perd Hapley]

I dunno ... I sure hate ever letting go of a gun 

Please don't discourage folk from selling their guns. It makes it harder to find second-hand ones.

[lee n. field]

I'd trade something, like my 686 for this...

What say all 2,000 of our resident experts?

I suspect you'd eventually regret that.

[seeker_two]

Please don't discourage folk from selling their guns. It makes it harder to find second-hand ones.

This.....+1.....