I will start with a little history. Way back when I got my first Contender, which I am guessing was in the late 1980's or early 1990's. A 22 LR Super 14 barrel was on the original order list, along with a 7x30 barrel to deer hunt with. I have always enjoyed my trigger time with my Contender Rimfire barrel. It has always had the same Burris 2-7 scope as my hunting barrels until lately when I have added a couple of the new production Burris 2-7 scopes to the stable. The 22 Rimfire basically has been my practice/training/trigger time handgun, tuning up for deer season. I can make multiple trips to the Range, shooting up lots of ammunition with pretty much no impact on my wallet or time. I enjoy reloading, but it is nice to shoot a 22 LR and not need to reload the ammunition for it. I will spend time at the Range practicing getting on the bags and setting up the shot, just like I would during deer season stand hunting. It is very nice for the Practice/Training Handgun to be set up exactly like the one I am hunting with. Same Scope, Same Forend, same function. One of my favorite activities with the rimfire is shooting Clay Birds on the 100 yard Berm. No problem breaking a Clay Bird at 100 yards, but it gets more challenging breaking all the chips up until they are too small to see. As you can tell I really like my Contender 22 LR Barrel a lot.
At the moment I am working with a couple Nosler M48 Bolt Action Handguns. As I am sure most reading this know the Nosler M48 Handgun is a Center Grip, modernized version of the Remington XP100. I currently have an M48 in 6.5 Creedmoor, as well as one in 22 Nosler. The M48's are all Right Bolt, and Right Port. This is not a big problem for me as I have only Right Bolt Right Port Bolt Action Handguns at this time.
I have been doing a little thinking about a 22LR "Range/Practice/Training" Center Grip, Bolt Action Hand Gun with the same basic feel, function and Scope Eye Relief, (AND SCOPE) as my centerfire Nosler M48 that I Deer Hunt With. I starting reading and researching how to make this happen. I have called and e-mailed several on this site, as well as the Specialty Pistol site who have extensive knowledge of bolt action center grip handguns. What I discovered was that very few had any experience with a center grip 22 Rimfire build. I did learn a lot along the way however. Hoggin suggested that I just buy a Voodoo, which is very good sage advice, if Voodoo is building them at this time it is not obvious on the web site. No mention of a Center Grip 22 Rimfire Handgun on the web site that I could locate.
I really did not want to end up with $2500 to $3000 invested in my 22 Trainer if I did not have to. More research with an economy build in mind was on the agenda. UPDATE: Looking like I will be in the $1900 - $2000 Range by the time that I am done, and have what I want.
My research led me to Pacific Tool and Gauge. They are selling the Lone Star Action, as well as a Remington Custom Shop Single Shot Action for the 22 LR. The price at this time is $600 for either. That is as reasonable as a new undesignated action gets in 2022.
I just thought of something of importance to the build. The Original XP100 used a Remington 600 Single Shot Action. The Rimfire 40X action has the same footprint as a Remington 700SA. The 700SA is approximately 1/2 Inch longer than the Remington 600 action. This is an important consideration with the build. Lots of the late model Center Grip, Centerfire Builds are being done on 700 Short Actions now days. The Remington Short Action is longer than the XP100 action requiring the longer Trigger Linkage as well as a different Stock with a 700 Short Action Foot Print. The Remington and Lone Star 40X Actions are the same foot print as the 700 short action.
For a Center Grip Trigger you pretty much have Three ways to go.
ONE: Locate a factory take off trigger.
TWO: Buy a new Trigger from Del Taylor
THREE: Buy a new Trigger from Mike Dewey.
I am pretty sure with either the Dewey or Taylor Triggers that you can get them with the Extended Linkage used with the Remington 700 Short Action Build. Using a Remington XP100 take off trigger you will need to have the linkage extended, or buy the extended linkage from some one such as Mike Dewey.
I did some checking on a barrel. My local Gunsmith who builds very high end target rifles quoted me a price on a new barrel. His price for what I would get was reasonable. My thoughts at the time were that using a 40X Take-Off Barrel I probably had a very good chance that timing it would be fairly close. I wrongly assumed that a 40X Barrel would be marked Remington on the side. And last I assumed that a Take-Off Barrel would probably shoot about as well as I could with a 2.5-10X Scope.
Last but not least would be the Center Grip Stock. A take-off XP100 is the wrong foot print for our 40X build, so that leaves a couple options. Order a new Stock or advertise for a pre-owned stock.
THE BUILD
ACTION
I made an order with Pacific Tool and Gauge for a Remington Custom Shop 40X Single Shot Action. The Action is to be Right Bolt and Right Port, just like my two Nosler M48's. The action is to be marked XP100 instead of 40X. I have seen a picture of an original Remington Custom Shop XP100 in 22LR. I am hoping that I can replicate it as closely as possible. The Action has an 10 to 12 week wait from my order date of 3 August 2022.
TOTAL PRICE: $635
CENTER GRIP STOCK
I called Jim Rockwell of Rockwell Stocks to check on a Center Grip Stock. I was planning on waiting to order the Stock until he mentioned the 10 to 12 week wait time. The same as my Remington Action. This prompted me to go ahead with the order at that time.
I now have my Jim Rockwell Stock on order.
Stock: Center Grip Handgun "Right Hand"
"Foot Print" Remington 700SA (40X) Single Shot
Right Bolt
Right Port
Color: Nutmeg "Laminated"
Finish: Unfinished
Forend Length: 10" (2" longer than his standard stock forend length PLUS $20)
Forend Width: App 2"
Barrel Diameter: 1.170 Full Bull
TOTAL PRICE: $370
BARREL
I located a Take-off 40X Barrel on GB for $200 Plus Shipping. It did not end up have the Remington Roll Marks that I was hoping for, so it is probably a take-off from a CMP Barreled Action. Someone had started to set the barrel back and rechamber it. That will have to be addressed by setting the barrel back and re-threading and re-chambering it. This could end up being Bad or Good. The Barrel looks pretty good, now if it will shoot good enough to make me smile. My plan is to have the Barrel Finished at 15". HIND SIGHT: I would have went with a NEW Barrel if doing this over.
TOTAL PRICE: $234
TRIIGGER
I located a slightly used Remington XP100 Trigger Assembly for $100. I got all the parts needed to assemble the Complete Trigger Assembly except the Barrel Lug.
TOTAL PRICE: $100
BARREL LUG
I have an XP100 Center Grip Barrel Lug coming from Florida. I really expected it to be delivered yesterday. I should have it shortly.
TOTAL PRICE USED: $20
EXTENDED TRIGGER LINKAGE
Jim Rockwell "Rockwell Stocks" has an Extended Mike Dewey Trigger Link he will be shipping me shortly. I put my check in the mail 16 August 2022, so with luck it should arrive in another week or two.
TOTAL PRICE SHIPPED: $68
WHERE I AM AT
I have the 40X Barrel in hand
I have the Factory XP100 Center Grip Trigger in hand
Mike Dewey Extended (700SA) Trigger Link is on order from Rockwell Stocks
Barrel Lug is in the Mail coming from Florida
The Action is on order
The Stock is on order.
It will be rough shelving this project for 10-12 weeks waiting on the Stock and Action to arrive.
THE FINISHED PRODUCT
The finished product will be a 15" Full Bull Barreled Center Grip Remington XP100 in 22LR. It will have a Center Grip Laminated Stock in Nutmeg. It will be Right Bolt, Right Port, and use a Factory XP100 Trigger Assembly with Mike Dewey's Lengthened Trigger Linkage. It will have a Match Chamber and the Factory 40X Extractor Cuts.
More to come, as things progress.
Bob R
Bob R
