I got to thinking on one of the Taurus raging bull threads, I should write down how I got into the Remington 40x.
My first rifle purchase was 40x.
It was the late 1990’s and I owned a few revolvers ( king cobra= wedding present, old army and a Taurus ranging bull.)
This was well into the 454 craze. Taurus had just come out with a raging bull. I was unable to afford a freedom arms at that point in time and Taurus was a great option.
One day at the local gun store I came across this beautiful rifle, blued action, stainless barrel, wood stock and Olympic sites. It had all the accoutrements for high power shooting( I knew nothing about that at the time.)
I had to have it but I couldn’t afford it. I could not trade my wedding present in and the black powder pistol really wasn’t all that valuable. Thus the Taurus went up for trade and that plus cash I brought home my first 40 X. 7.62 x 51.
(Now with Unertl programmer)
I shot it for a year or two with the open sights and decided it was time to own another one of these rifles. I then came across a 22LR Again with an Olympic set up but also in an unertl programmer on it. This was also my foray into these programmer scopes
I swapped the scope onto the 7.62 x 51 and kept the open sights on the 22 after a while. Eventually I added the Womak front tube
Years later I began to think of getting a third one. I came across a nearly new 22 -250 from the 1960s. A risk, as this cartridge would tend to burn the barrel. The condition of the rifle appeared near new, I took the risk. Again, I topped it with an another programmer. To this day it shoots my best groups including my all time best.
Years later, I was browsing GunBroker one day. Of course searching for 40 X rifles, I came across a sporter style 40 X. I did not know much about them but there were no bids on the rifle, new in box in the $1500 range. I bought the rifle. I was happily surprised, it was better in person. Light, nimble and new. This was the single shot version. I didn’t really understand the rarity of this rifle at the time, but it didn’t matter I was going to shoot it anyway. I topped it with a Swarovski scope and off to the range. I started using the same rounds that my other 40X 22 rifle liked and right off the bat it was dialed in.
Likely, the journey would’ve ended there, fast forward may be another seven years or so. An older friend who had always remark that he loved my rifles at the range and told me that he owned a .222 that he had a shot in years and what I like to own it. It was just too heavy for him at this point in time. Enthusiastically I said yes, topped with a Lyman All-American, another 40x in the stable. I admit, I have slacked off and I haven’t worked up a load for this piece at this point in time. It has sat in the gun safe as I have moved forward with other projects.
I do have a programmer for it but I may keep the Lyman, time will tell
Likely I will add one more someday, probably a composite stock, 220 swift.( Don’t judge me, LOL!) I have a beautiful Swarovski scope that needs to go on something and what better than another 40X!
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Originally Posted by Jack Stanley
