Gun show madness

W

William Suter

Well-known member
Another show this week-end. Small but interesting. Went Saturday and sold my 695 Tikka 270. Loved the rifle but just didn't feel a "need" for it with so many different hunting rifles that I have. I looked at a Rock River LAR-8 in 308. It was an older version but in good shape. He said he'd take a $1000 for it which I thought was a decent deal but really wasn't sure I wanted to get another AR. Went back today to look the RRA over again but found a unicorn. It was a Stevens 200 with a factory heavy barrel. I've read about them but had never seen one. He wanted $400 and was firm. Came back home and fired up the computer for a little research and found that Cabella's had some of these on a special order back in like 2008. Not considered "rare" but there weren't many made. My intentions were to try to work a deal with him. I had sold a rifle to a guy a month or two ago and he still had it. I told him I still had the original stock and would bring it to him so back in the truck and back to the show. Its not that far from the house. When I got there, from the time I was there to the time I got back he traded the rifle. Here comes the good part.......he traded my old rifle for a really nice Remington 700 Varmint Special in 22-250. Right off I knew the money I made on Saturday was about to leave me. A little haggling and me and the Remington walked out the door. Those damn Varmint Specials are my Achilles's heal. I sold my 222 to my smith and I've been trying for two years to buy it back. No dice. He's not turning it loose. Hopefully this new 22-250 will be a shooter.
 
It was just a small show but you never know what will turn up. I think the Remington VS was a much better buy than the Stevens even though it was more expensive. The Varmint Specials just don't come around here that often or for the price I paid. I bought a Cooper 22 from this same guy a month or so ago and got a super deal on it as well. We've became pretty good friends and he seems to always cut me a deal. As long as he makes a buck he's happy and I get good deals. Win Win!!
 
Another deal I saw and missed the boat on. A guy was selling bullets. He had two sleeves of 22 cal., 52 grain Sierra match. Another guy was looking at them and I was waiting/hoping he would leave. The dealer was on the phone with the guy that evidently owned the bullets and came back with a $60. I said for both sleeves and he said yep. The guy bought all ten box's.
 
Sounds like you got a nice deal on the 700. I am sure it will shoot. the rifle in my Avatar is a 700 VSSF in 220 Swift that I have been shooting since the early 90's and it is very accurate. I don't put a lot of rounds down the tube as I am not using it to sit at prairie dog towns as we don't have them like we used to. It mainly puts down the coyotes and since I have a number of varmint calibers it gets shot even less.
Good luck with your new rifle. BTW, a great bullet for it is the Sierra 55 gr HPBT (#1390).
 
Well I went for a new trigger. Got the TT Special. I was going for the Primary but figured a 1 1/2 lb trigger was almost as good as a 1lb and saved about $50 difference. Install was pretty simple until my bolt release spring decided to leave planet earth. After a short search on hands and knees it was located and I finished the installation. Nice and crisp and 1 1/2 lbs. Nice!!! I think I've spent more than enough money on my hobby this week. Time to shoot a little.

I will say that being able to do some of my own work is fun and seems every little project enhances my knowledge on firearms. I'm no gunsmith but I am/have learned enough through the years that "most" of the time I can talk to a gunsmith and not sound like an idiot. Other times I get on a site and people are so far advanced that I have no clue what they are talking about and I really feel like I have a lot to learn and not near enough time left to learn it.
 
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