I found a couple 40x 22lr and ended up buying one of them. they both were factory actions and barrels. one had the old military stock and one was a barreled action only. I thought i had a stock lined up for the barreled action so i went with that one. the stock deal doesnt look like its going to work out so i will have to find one. anyway will this barreled action be ok for benchrest shooting. As i have mentioned in the past, our small club is an informal match and mostly for fun, but who doesnt want to win!! Will the factory barrel likely be worth a hoot? the fella claims groups in the 2,and 3's but you know how that goes. The rifle has had the crown redone and it has a timney trigger installed. will i need to have the action trued right away or should i just shoot it? I really dont know squat about rim fire so i am looking for any info i can get. who is the go to guys on 40x rimfire actions? Thanks as always Lee
rem 40x 22lr
- Thread starter skeetlee
- Start date
bob finger
New member
First get a benchrest stock for that 40X. You might look at Don Stith. His business goes by St.Louis Plains Rifle. His stocks are reasonably priced and can be had inletted. Either do your own bedding or find someone to bed the rifle for you.
Next invest in the very best front rest you can afford. You should spend more for the rest than you did for the gun I suspect. If you are going to shoot ARA or PSL a one piece rest is a good way to go. Look at the rules before you buy since some rimfire games require two piece rests and sand. At the same time get 2 or 3 flags and learn to USE them.
Now shoot it a while (a year is not a lot) to get a feel for the rifle and see if you are enjoying it. Find ammo it likes and see how good you are. Odds are very good that the rifle will shoot much better than you do for some time.
When you reach the tipping point where the rifle is holding you back consider at a minimum a tuner on the barrel, or if you want to go that way get a new barrel on her. You will by then know what will make it shoot better (or not if you are lucky and have a really good rifle now). Welcome to the game and I hope you enjoy it as much as many of us do. bob finger
Next invest in the very best front rest you can afford. You should spend more for the rest than you did for the gun I suspect. If you are going to shoot ARA or PSL a one piece rest is a good way to go. Look at the rules before you buy since some rimfire games require two piece rests and sand. At the same time get 2 or 3 flags and learn to USE them.
Now shoot it a while (a year is not a lot) to get a feel for the rifle and see if you are enjoying it. Find ammo it likes and see how good you are. Odds are very good that the rifle will shoot much better than you do for some time.
When you reach the tipping point where the rifle is holding you back consider at a minimum a tuner on the barrel, or if you want to go that way get a new barrel on her. You will by then know what will make it shoot better (or not if you are lucky and have a really good rifle now). Welcome to the game and I hope you enjoy it as much as many of us do. bob finger
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thanks bob. I really enjoy benchrest shooting. I have a Sinclair front rest but a one piece rest would be nice!! I think the guys like to play 50/50 so i am not sure you can use a one piece?? There is a local shoot that i have attended for the center fire part a couple times now. the rimfire guys shoot first and man does that look like fun!!!! I hear it can be a money pit of a game. LOL!! Heck money isnt any problem Obama will print more i am sure. Now if i could just figure out how i could get some of that money. hmmm.. I guess working class folks dont need it. Anyway I am really looking forward to playing with the 22's. we were just going to by some cheap Savage rifles to play with but i think this will be a better bet, although those Savage rifle seem to shoot pretty good. This will feel more like a rifle anyway. What ammo should i try first? I know every rifle is different but is there a good bet ammo i should start with? I hear a lot of good things about Wolf?? Thanks Lee
K
KAZ
Guest
These are really sweet shooters. I have a full custom based on a 40X, but was able to acquire a nice stock 40X that someone put in a sporter stock. It will shoot tiny groups, but the Schnabel for end is terrible for BR shooting. Anyway with some help from my friends I found a military stock at e-gunparts for $55. I plan to try my luck at bedding. If, it shoots as well in the military stock as it does in the sporter I will be very pleased. You might try SK Match as a mid priced round that both of mine shoot well with. Of course one of Don Stiths stocks would be excellent. Also take a look at James Pappas rest, it is the single best equipment investment I've made. You can see theme at Killoughs Shooting Sports. Regards
bob finger
New member
Skeetlee
If you have a hankering for a one piece rest I have a Pappas listed in the classifieds.
Once you get serious you will need to obtain test lots of ammo. I shoot both Eley Black and Lapua Midas+. Last time I tested black box I obtained 8 different lots (it was a new to me rifle so did not know what it liked). Of the eight only two were acceptable. Would you believe the best one was already "sold out" and had to go with 2nd best.....but still really good stuff.
When I practice (read I score my own target) I generally shoot SK Standard +. At $400 or so a case it is nice ammo. I NEVER use it competition. It will throw a flipper now and again. So will the good stuff but far less often. Enjoy! bob finger
If you have a hankering for a one piece rest I have a Pappas listed in the classifieds.
Once you get serious you will need to obtain test lots of ammo. I shoot both Eley Black and Lapua Midas+. Last time I tested black box I obtained 8 different lots (it was a new to me rifle so did not know what it liked). Of the eight only two were acceptable. Would you believe the best one was already "sold out" and had to go with 2nd best.....but still really good stuff.
When I practice (read I score my own target) I generally shoot SK Standard +. At $400 or so a case it is nice ammo. I NEVER use it competition. It will throw a flipper now and again. So will the good stuff but far less often. Enjoy! bob finger
G
GTM
Guest
40x
Want to sell it?
You may have a good one. You really won't know until it is bedded properly in a true stock. You'll probably need to try several different lot numbers of the best ammo you can get. Don't forget a properly fit tuner too and good optics. I would get a accuracy minded gunsmith give it a good going over. Lot of little things he can find that will help accuracy.
Good shooting
Want to sell it?
You may have a good one. You really won't know until it is bedded properly in a true stock. You'll probably need to try several different lot numbers of the best ammo you can get. Don't forget a properly fit tuner too and good optics. I would get a accuracy minded gunsmith give it a good going over. Lot of little things he can find that will help accuracy.
Good shooting
A 40X Story
I bought a 40X CMP to build a rifle for my wife. Typical CMP gun, mis-matched bolt,scratched and dirty. Cleaned the bore and inspected the the bore and crown. EEEK, the crown was worn down to the bottom of the groves for the first 1/4 of an inch from cleaning rod wear! Cut off 1/2 and recrowned. The lead looks like it was chambered with a dull drill bit, lots of score marks and spiral machine marks. Slugged the barrel, the slug, pulled from some Wolf MT went through the barrel like a loose patch, didn't even take the wax off the bullet! Just rifling marks around it. Well what the heck, put it in an Edge stock, added a tuner and took it out to the range for a test fire anyway, I expected to have to rebarrel it anyway. A few shots to get close to point of aim and the the test. Shot one hits close to POA, shot two must have missed, the hole doesn't look any bigger, shot three makes the hole a little oblong and four and five make it a clover leaf of about 1/4 inch. next three groups look just like it, can't believe it. Give it to wifey and at the next match she proceeds to shoot a 250 21X IR 50/50 target and wipe our butts. Moral, you can't tell what a rifle is going to do until you shoot it! You can slug, inspect measure all you want but it's all a guess until you put it on paper. Stock it well and go shoot it first.
Dennis
I bought a 40X CMP to build a rifle for my wife. Typical CMP gun, mis-matched bolt,scratched and dirty. Cleaned the bore and inspected the the bore and crown. EEEK, the crown was worn down to the bottom of the groves for the first 1/4 of an inch from cleaning rod wear! Cut off 1/2 and recrowned. The lead looks like it was chambered with a dull drill bit, lots of score marks and spiral machine marks. Slugged the barrel, the slug, pulled from some Wolf MT went through the barrel like a loose patch, didn't even take the wax off the bullet! Just rifling marks around it. Well what the heck, put it in an Edge stock, added a tuner and took it out to the range for a test fire anyway, I expected to have to rebarrel it anyway. A few shots to get close to point of aim and the the test. Shot one hits close to POA, shot two must have missed, the hole doesn't look any bigger, shot three makes the hole a little oblong and four and five make it a clover leaf of about 1/4 inch. next three groups look just like it, can't believe it. Give it to wifey and at the next match she proceeds to shoot a 250 21X IR 50/50 target and wipe our butts. Moral, you can't tell what a rifle is going to do until you shoot it! You can slug, inspect measure all you want but it's all a guess until you put it on paper. Stock it well and go shoot it first.
Dennis
Kent Owens
Well-known member
Dennis is right, no way to tell until you shoot it and test it. Even if it's abarnd new build with all the right components!
I started out shooting in rimfire BR with a 40XR that was new/old stock from the late 70's! I bought it new in the box unfired from Jim Williams. I put the barreled action into a McMillan Edge stock and installed a tuner. I shot the rifle like that for 3 seasons and it won it's share against top competition.
Actually it shot so well I was reluctant to rebarrel it with a custom barrel but did so anyway. I'm just like that, got to see if we can't make it better! Anyway, with the custom barrel it was BETTER, way better. A lot less ammo sensitive. That rifle has shot a lot of 250's and won a lot of matches. Now it has a new barrel on it and i's shooting better than ever! The gun is as good as ever, but the shooter is worn out.....I wish I could rebuild me
.
Good luck with the 40X, they make a very good rifle. I have 3 of 'em.
I started out shooting in rimfire BR with a 40XR that was new/old stock from the late 70's! I bought it new in the box unfired from Jim Williams. I put the barreled action into a McMillan Edge stock and installed a tuner. I shot the rifle like that for 3 seasons and it won it's share against top competition.
Actually it shot so well I was reluctant to rebarrel it with a custom barrel but did so anyway. I'm just like that, got to see if we can't make it better! Anyway, with the custom barrel it was BETTER, way better. A lot less ammo sensitive. That rifle has shot a lot of 250's and won a lot of matches. Now it has a new barrel on it and i's shooting better than ever! The gun is as good as ever, but the shooter is worn out.....I wish I could rebuild me
.Good luck with the 40X, they make a very good rifle. I have 3 of 'em.