H&R Ultra Varmint Rifle
12-06-2006, 09:41 PM
#2
Join Date: Mar 2005
Location: Colorado
Posts: 4,127
RE: H&R Ultra Varmint Rifle
I had one of these in a .223. It shot fairly well - particularly with mid range reloads. Didn't likefull throttlehandloads, though. Wanted to string these out vertically. And the trigger wasn't too hot either. Overall, it was a pretty good rifle for the money.
12-08-2006, 08:37 AM
#6
Join Date: Oct 2006
Location:
Posts: 93
RE: H&R Ultra Varmint Rifle
The above pictures are of one of our reworked H&R Ultra rifles. This rifle started out as a 243 Winchester and was rechambered to the 6mm Rem. Ackley Improved. The trigger was reworked down to 1 1/2 pounds and the forend was both glass bedded and pillar bedded. The muzzle was recrowned with an 11 degree target crown and a muzzle brake was added. The scope base and barrel were also modified for the larger 8-40 screws. What started out as a gun that would shoot no better than 1 1/4" at 100 yards for 3-shots with either handloads or factory ammo, will now consistantly keep 3-shots under 3/4" with some going 1/2" or even below....
DAVID
DAVID
12-10-2006, 08:23 AM
#10
Join Date: Oct 2006
Location:
Posts: 93
RE: H&R Ultra Varmint Rifle
Chris,
from the chamber aspect of it, if you were a handloader you could do one of the following:
1 - Cut a rim counterbore and use 307 Winchester brass...
2 - Cut the chamber to the 308 Bower Alaskan. This chambering is an "improved" case based on the 307 Win. brass...
3 - Cut the chamber to the 308X444 which is loaded using the full length 444 Marlin case necked down to .30 caliber. Loading dies used are a regular set of 308 Win. dies to size the neck and bump the shoulder and a 444 Marlin size die is used to size the rest of the base where the 308 die stops short...
4 - Cut the chamber to my 308 PREDATOR cartridge. This one is based on the full length 444 Marlin case necked to .30 caliber, is short necked, has minimum body taper and a 40 degree shoulder angle...
The reason for rechambering to a "rimmed" cartridge is that a rimmed cartridges has proven to be more accurate in a break open single shot than what a rimless case has. Also, by rechambering to a longer cartridge, it allows me to be able to cut both a tighter and shorter throat and to be able to cut a chamber that is properly aligned with the throat and bore. This is the biggest reason why I can get these H&R's to shoot as well or better than most bolt actions...
A "good trigger" is essential to obtain best accuracy performance from any rifle...
I can't do much with the factory "plastic" forends but if you were to switch over to one of the laminated forends, withit beingproperly pillar bedded as well as glass bedded, it takes a lot of variables out of the equasion because of the way it "deadens" the vibrations. When I bed a forend, it completely eleminates the need for rubber washers between the barrel lug and forend or any of the gizmos and gadgets that guys use between the forend and barrel...
I would definantly recrown the barrel with an 11 degree target crown. The barrel could also be shortened if desired...
Muzzle brakes are real popular on these as I install them on a daily basis...
I also do a lot of base and barrel modifications by redrilling and tapping the barrel to take the larger 8-40 screws and modify the base accordingly...
I can also rebarrel what you have using a Green Mountain stainless steel barrel blank. I do alot of these in 22 K-Hornet and 223 Ackley Improved and 22-250 Ackley Improved. Far too many options to list here...
DAVID
from the chamber aspect of it, if you were a handloader you could do one of the following:
1 - Cut a rim counterbore and use 307 Winchester brass...
2 - Cut the chamber to the 308 Bower Alaskan. This chambering is an "improved" case based on the 307 Win. brass...
3 - Cut the chamber to the 308X444 which is loaded using the full length 444 Marlin case necked down to .30 caliber. Loading dies used are a regular set of 308 Win. dies to size the neck and bump the shoulder and a 444 Marlin size die is used to size the rest of the base where the 308 die stops short...
4 - Cut the chamber to my 308 PREDATOR cartridge. This one is based on the full length 444 Marlin case necked to .30 caliber, is short necked, has minimum body taper and a 40 degree shoulder angle...
The reason for rechambering to a "rimmed" cartridge is that a rimmed cartridges has proven to be more accurate in a break open single shot than what a rimless case has. Also, by rechambering to a longer cartridge, it allows me to be able to cut both a tighter and shorter throat and to be able to cut a chamber that is properly aligned with the throat and bore. This is the biggest reason why I can get these H&R's to shoot as well or better than most bolt actions...
A "good trigger" is essential to obtain best accuracy performance from any rifle...
I can't do much with the factory "plastic" forends but if you were to switch over to one of the laminated forends, withit beingproperly pillar bedded as well as glass bedded, it takes a lot of variables out of the equasion because of the way it "deadens" the vibrations. When I bed a forend, it completely eleminates the need for rubber washers between the barrel lug and forend or any of the gizmos and gadgets that guys use between the forend and barrel...
I would definantly recrown the barrel with an 11 degree target crown. The barrel could also be shortened if desired...
Muzzle brakes are real popular on these as I install them on a daily basis...
I also do a lot of base and barrel modifications by redrilling and tapping the barrel to take the larger 8-40 screws and modify the base accordingly...
I can also rebarrel what you have using a Green Mountain stainless steel barrel blank. I do alot of these in 22 K-Hornet and 223 Ackley Improved and 22-250 Ackley Improved. Far too many options to list here...
DAVID
