This rifle has a 1 in 14" twist...
is that sufficient to stabilize 55 grain boattails?

Is this a long or short action?

Anyone have it? Any comments? Pro's and con's?
Does it have a favorite factory load?
(I'm still gathering reloading equipment.)

The website says the action is "firmly bedded in the stock"...
How is it bedded? Glassed? Pillars?
Does free floating (with 2" of bedding) improve accuracy?

I am so full of questions this morning!
But, if this comes about, it will be my first true "varmint" rifle...
Thanks again for all the input!!
me!

I had one about a month ago. I don't have it now! I don't reload therefore I depend on a good gun-factory ammo combination. I tried white box whinnies, Black hills 50gr vmax, Whinchester 55gr. ballistic tips and hornady 45-50-55gr. vmax's. they all shot constantly around 1.5-2" groups @ 100yds. I'm sure you could expect better with your bedding and floating techniques and a good reload but as far asme and the gun went we had to seperate.

Just to compare aplles to oranges I bought a Savage 12BVSS w/ accutrigger in .223 rem and it would shoot anything you could feed it @5/8"-7/8" @100yds. all day long. If it were me (no pun intended) I would look to the savage they have a 1-12" on the 22-250. Sorry your question as to short or long action it was a very smooth and tight short action. Good luck with whatever you buy.

One more thing the action was probably "firmly bedded in the stock" but so was the barrel. If you're stuck on a remmy look at the VSF its still a 700 SA but the barrel is fluted and has a I beleive HS precision stock. Very nice looking rifle. Around here they run a little over a hundred more than the VLS.

Mine will shoot 3 round groups into a ragged hole. Starts to open up a bit with 4 & 5 rounds but can still put them in 0.5" or less, using my handloads with 55gr Ballistic Tips. The barrel channel needs to be cleaned up a bit on mine, I'm sure the group opening up is a result of the barrel making minor contact as it heats.

Mr. Goat -

I know Savage makes good rifles... But... My first and only Savage was a 93FSS in .22 Mag. I can't begin to tell you how disappointed I was in this rifle. Everything from not being drilled and tapped to not having sling swivles (the literature said it did) to a super flimsy stock. I know Savage makes good rifles... But... I was so very disappointed in them... I swore I'd never buy another Savage and I won't.

Don't get offened Savage owners! I know most of their rifles are great. I just got the one really poorly, slapped together model... And you know how women carry grudges!



Thanks for the info so far!
Any more would be appreciated!!

Thanks!
me!

Tikka would be my choice

It is probably a short action (contact Remington to find out for sure).
If it has a "favorite" factory load you will just have to try several different ones to find it (good reloads can be a lot better).
As for the bedding; if it was pillar bedded the manufacturer would say so, if it was glass bedded they would say so, they say "firmly bedded" which mains it is not glass or pillar bedded just bedded.
One piece of advice, find out how well it shoots before you start tinkering with it, you might find that other than a good hand load you don't need to do anything with it, but others well back to the gun store they go.

It's a short action. Mine was made in 98, I think. At that time the VLS was neither glass not pillar bedded. Best to shoot one for a bit & see how it groups, let that tell you waht to do to it. if anything.

I bought a Remington VLS last summer. The barrel was touching the barrel channel in the stock on one side with a large gap on the otherside. I didn't even shoot it before I took it to my gunsmith and had it accurized. He floated it, and glass bedded it, squared the bolt face and lugs and took the trigger down to about 20 ounces. I've been happy ever since. It is heavy, wide forearm and very stable in the bags or rest. It has killed a bunch of groundhogs since then.

Great performing rifle, I have one in 243, it is a real tackdriver. The only thing I did was to free float the barrel with a little sandpaper and a dowel rod.

I have one in 223 and love it. It loves the Hornady 50gr ZV-max with 25 gr of benchmark behind it. Gets to .405" @ 100 yds 5 shot groups all day long. It will do the same with Hornady 53gr HP match and 24.2gr of Benchmark. I soon will have a trigger installed other than that I will do nothing to it.

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One more thing the action was probably "firmly bedded in the stock" but so was the barrel. If you're stuck on a remmy look at the VSF its still a 700 SA but the barrel is fluted and has a I beleive HS precision stock. Very nice looking rifle. Around here they run a little over a hundred more than the VLS.

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I was just going to suggest a VSF. I've got one in a lefty and it is a bona fide .5-.7 MOA shooter with my handloads (it's never seen a factory bullet). The only work I've done to it is a trigger job and had a 'smith add a muzzlebrake. It's accounted for scores of dead prairie dogs, much to several ranchers' glee. It's extremely good for a factory rifle, especially considering the aluminum block bedded, H-S Precision synthetic stock. Very high quality rifle. My buddy liked mine so much, he went for one (righty) in .308 Win. We've got that thing cloverleafing with Hornady A-Max factory match ammo and doing almost as good with V-Max handloads.

Ya know... I spend a LOT more time sitting and watching for game than I do shooting... LOTS more!

While I'm sitting there, I contemplate all the problems in the world... And solve them ... Eventually, the world runs out of world problems... So... I turn to admiring my rifle... It's so much easier to admire a laminated or wooden stock than synthetic!

me:

Do you color coordinate your hunting clothes to the rifle stock?

I too like a nice piece of walnut on a rifle stock, but for general hunting, you can't beat the synthetics for stability and durability.

And besides, you can paint a synthetic stock to match your favorite formal hunting dress and coordinate with your choice of shoes and accessories.

Just a thought that I wanted to pass along......

-BCB

PS - Good luck with your choice.

U-u-u-uh-h-h... Well... Actually...
I do try to coordinate firearms with their game.....
Walnut/stainless to red/gray...
Silver to gray...
Tan to brown...