Who makes bolt action pistols in rifle calibers?

[gadgetguy1288]

I keep looking cause i know ruger made one but i cant remember the name.


but who else makes em?

Im looking for something new for primarily a range toy but quite possibly hunting, in the near future.

[Sevens]

You may be thinking not of Ruger, but of Remington's XP-100 pistol. Good for hunting and metallic silhouette competition. I don't think ever made a bolt action handgun in any caliber.

The Remington XO-100 is, I think, a custom shop order these days if it's made at all. You can find them used, but I don't think any of them are in heavy calibers. I know Anschutz made one, but I think all of their bolt handguns were .22LR match only, and likely very expensive.

Your best bet for a single shot handgun in a rifle caliber is not a bolt action, but a break open Contender or Encore, made by Thompson/Center. Cailbers are almost limitless.

[jfrey123]

I'm a lil' bit confused by the op... Did you mean to say bolt action RIFLE in PISTOL caliber? I've just never heard of a bolt pistol, and the closest I could imagine would be the single shot Thompsons.

Now, a bolt rifle in .45acp or .50ae or something would be sweet!

[Sevens]

Primarily for range toy, but possibly hunting? As I said, the calibers are almost without limit. But there are four VERY common calibers in the Contender where barrels are everywhere and easy to find. (the basic frame takes a barrel in almost any caliber, that's why they are so popular)

For range fun, any caliber is great. For hunting, the four that are perhaps most common in the Contender are:
.223, .44 Mag, .30-30, and .35 Rem.

The .223 is scary accurate and nice and flat shooting with almost no real recoil. For hunting, it's a great varmint rig on small animals out beyond 100 yards. 200 yards is reasonable. 300 yards is possible, but optimistic.

The .44 mag is not a real rifle round, but it's popular in some rifles and popular in hunting handguns. With a Contender in .44, you don't get 4 or 5 follow up quick shots as you do with a revolver, but you do get a very accurate platform, a relatively light handgun (good for carrying in the field, bad for recoil!) and you get a great handgun for scope use. With a 10, 12, or 14 inch barrel, you also get every little drop of performance out of any .44 Mag round. It's a great round for deer at or under 100 yards in this setup, and also for anything smaller.

The .30-30 round is also a decent choice for deer, but I don't have a lot of help with this one. T/C has been making and selling them for years and years. Unlike a .30-30 lever action, you can load it with any .308 bullet you can find without limits. It can be quite versatile if you are a handloader.

For a larger, heavier bullet there is the .35 Remington. Another I don't know a heap about but I think it's safe to say that if you want something out of a single shot hunting handgun with more punch than a .30-30, look to the .35 Rem.

I mention those four calibers because there are heaps of these barrels to be had out there on the market. But you can really have almost any caliber you can dream up between the factory and the custom barrel makers and even more if you know a competent shop that can chamber on for you. The Contender is the classic platform, the Encore is newer and can handle heavier rounds.

If you buy a Contender in one caliber, you can then go out and buy barrels in other calibers and they'll work with the frame you already own. You can find used barrels starting around $100, new ones starting around $225.

[gadgetguy1288]

Stevens you had it right, thats what i was thinking of, but im positive that another company made them within the past few years but for the life of me i cant remember what it is.


EDIT: Savage was the other company i was thinking of, Theirs was called the Striker

[Stevie-Ray]

The Savage Stryker was the latest and greatest. I'd still like to have one in .308 Win. I know a guy that has one in .308, and it's scary accurate. I passed up a Remington XP-100 from the custom shop in .308, and have been kicking myself ever since. Also check into the Thompson Center Encore for the heavier calibers. I have a Contender in .30-30 and .45-70, myself.

[Sevens]

I must be living under a rock-- I've never heard of the Savage Stryker. I'll have to look in to that one.

In other single shot handguns, there have been a few tried, many of them back in the 80s. There was the SASS (I think that's what they called it?), it was Springfield Armory's attempt... interchangeable barrels, single shot and mounted to your 1911 frame!

There was one by, I think, Wyoming Arms? I think it almost looked like a lever action handgun. Kind of odd, and it wasn't popular.

Magnum Research (the Desert Eagle guys) made one that had this massive rear action lock on it that looked like a bank vault. Can't recall the name of this one.

The Remington XP-100 probably owns the best reputation for all-out accuracy and fine build quality, but nothing ever made on this planet can claim anywhere near the success of the Thompson/Center Contender.

[Stevie-Ray]

In other single shot handguns, there have been a few tried, many of them back in the 80s. There was the SASS (I think that's what they called it?), it was Springfield Armory's attempt... interchangeable barrels, single shot and mounted to your 1911 frame!

Maybe a copy of the Pachmayr Dominator? I remember when the SASS was out, but I don't quite remember the action.

[steveno]

Wichita Arms made bolt action pistols. they were popular in IHMSA shooting. I'm not sure if they still make them or if they are even in business now. they were well made but expensive for the day. I think that Weatherby still makes a bolt action pistol

[gadgetguy1288]

Thats the one!!!

The Weatherby Mark V CFP, thats the one i was talking about.

[K.W.]

Anschutz makes left hand bolt lock action pistols for right hand shooters. Calibers, I think only .22LR and .22Hornet. I have .22LR. Like to have .22Hornet too.

[eastbank]

i have two contenders-22 hornet 14" and a 30-30 win.14"and they are great but i love my xp-100R in 260 rem. with a 2.5x8 leupold on it. quarters at 200yds. eastbank.

[Ranger61]

The first bolt action pistol was the Remington XP-100 it was available in 221 Fireball only. That was in the early 1960's. 'Course the 221 wasn't a rifle caliber back then. Then in the late 70's and early 80's shilouette shooting really took off and Remington introduced the xp-100 in 7mm Benchrest and several other manufacturers to include Wichita, Weatherby, Ultra Light Arms, Kimber, Anschutz, and most recently Savage. However to the best of my knowledge they are all out of production at the moment. Probably the easiest to find with the largest group of calibers are the Savage Strikers. The center fires I have seen are in 22-250, 243, 260, 7mm- 08, and 308. I have a 308 and as stated its very accurate but also quite heavy.

[Doyle]

I've been wanting one. I really want the Savage instead of of the Remington because the Savage has a left-handed bolt. That enables a right handed person to maintain his grip while cycling the bolt.

The Savage model is nothing more than a left-handed 110 (a tried and true rifle) action with a short barrel and a pistol grip.

[tulsamal]

The Remington XO-100 is, I think, a custom shop order these days if it's made at all. You can find them used, but I don't think any of them are in heavy calibers.

One of the calibers they were produced in was .350 Remington Magnum. As the owner of a Remington 700 in that caliber, I would classify it as a "heavy caliber!" I always thought it would be cool to have a custom XP-100 in .350 RM but other cool stuff always came up first.

And, as was mentioned, the Encore can handle just about any standard length rifle cartridge. 30/06, 338-06 AI, .257 Roberts, etc.

Gregg

[Hook686]

from: http://www.remington.com/library/his...ire/xp-100.asp

Model XP-100™
Description: High power, long-range bolt-action pistol for target shooting and hunting
Introduction Year: 1963
Year Discontinued: 1994
Total Production: N/A
Designer/Inventor: Remington Arms Company
Action Type: Bolt Action
Caliber/Gauge: 221 Remington Fireball (1963 -1985)
22-250 Remington (1992-1994) Custom Shop only
223 Remington (1986-1994)
250 Savage (1990-1991) Custom Shop only
6mm BR Remington (1990-1991) Custom Shop only
7mm BR Remington (1980-1985)
7mm-08 Remington (1993-1994)
308 Win (1992-1994) Custom Shop only
35 Remington (1986-1994)
Serial Number Blocks: Starting: N/A
Ending: N/A
Variations: XP-100 (1963-1985)
XP-100 Varmint Special (1986-1992)
XP-100 Silhouette (1980-1994)
XP-100 Hunter (1993-1994)
XP-100 Custom (1986-1994)

The XP-100 looks like a petty interesting firearm. I wonder at what ranges it excells. Anybody ever shoot one., say 6mm Remington ?

I see them on gunbroker in .223 at about $1,000.

[Jager78]

Weatherby Mark V Compact Firing Platform
I know that Thompson Center Arms also has a nice pistol.

[HKFan9]

A Friend of my Father had a XP-100 it uses the same action as my Remington model 600. They are amazing accurate at 100 yards. Pretty sure it was one of the original .221 fireballs. I was rather young but it shot a group Sub 1 inch thats for sure of 3 rounds. If I found one at a good price I would determinately pick it up. Seems the Remington model 600 I own is even sought after today it seems like a very nice action.

[rbb50]

I never could find anyone that makes a good high-powered bolt-action pistol so I just made my own.

This is the latest custom bolt-action pistol I made from a 7.7mm Model99 Japanese rifle and it came out very nice.

http://raybb.com/pistol14.jpg

I'm still working up loadings for it but today I had very good luck with some I had already worked up this weekend for the Sierra soft point 125, 150 and 180-grain bullets.

All had fantastic groups considering I'm shooting with open sights at 50 yards and better than some people with scopes at that range LOL

Ok so they were newbies I still shot better than them with my open sights than they did with scopes LOL

I use the H4831 only because I got 2 pounds of it for free from a friend but now I will work up some loads in accurate 4350 as I did for my 7.7mm Model 99 Japanese rifle I also customized into a rifle sported stock this year of which shoots one hole groups through the bulls-eye at 100 yards

Of course having a 4-16 power scope on the rifle sure helps with that also.

Someday I might invest in a long relief scope for my little custom pistol but for now just shooting a pistol that powerful was a whole lot of fun for me and everyone that got to take a look at it or shoot it while I was there today.

Next I'm thinking about building a 7mm magnum pistol, which I think will be even more fun.

Did I mention I have a really strong grip and these things are not for people with weak wrist?

Ok yeah now I did LOL

Guess I’m lucky I know how to make stuff like that because as far as I could tell no one else makes them at all besides Thompson contender of which they want an arm and a leg for.

Total cost to make my 7.7mm pistol was that I got the action and receiver for free at a garage sale, I got the bolt for $70 at the gun show, and the sights cost $18 at academy then of course about 2 months of work in my spare time added up to no telling how many hours that turned out to be well worth them all anyway.

I am probably the only person on earth that has a 7.7mm bolt-action pistol now and I’m sure if I make a 7mm magnum it may be the only one around also.

What ever happen to all of them old folks in the old gun magazines like Elmer Keith trying to develop the most powerful handgun loads??

Guess I will have to fill in for old Elmer for a while and make some of my own stuff to bring back some power in pistols the likes of which no one has ever seen before.

I’m even thinking about 7mm WSM and a 300 WSM version later on.

Nothing like having a powerful pistol and blowing holes through the bulls-eye at the rifle range on a weekend and having people gathering around saying stuff like, “Wow that is one cool pistol”.

[44 AMP]

What did the BATFE have to say about your 7.7mm pistol?

[rbb50]

What is odd you can make a pistol with a barrel 20 feet long if you want according to law but a rifle with a shoulder stock must have a barrel of at least 16 inches long which is why most manufactures make their shorter rifle barrels at least 16 1/2 inches long just to make sure.

Custom high-powered single shot target pistols are around and made by some gunsmiths making them for themselves but there are not many manufactures making them most likely because of liability reasons.

I have never seen any gunsmiths selling them either and I cannot see selling this one I have for the same reasons and mostly because it took months of labor to make.

I did see a 50 caliber BMG pistol here recently on line a manufacture was making eagle arms or someone and thought heck my pistol is a pop gun compared to those things and the other giant 50 caliber magnum revolvers out on the market now days.

BATF could care less about law abiding citizens doing stuff like I do solely for myself to have fun at the target range or hunting and they mostly concentrate on felons and criminals in the business of buying and selling firearms illegally for the purpose of committing crimes.

I’m not a manufacture or a dealer of firearms so I have no worries and the officers at the rifle range get a kick out of my new little target pistol.

I even joke about how I will need a saddle holster to make a shoulder holster for it so I can use it for a concealed carry weapon the joke being that it’s overall length is 26 inches long and there is no way that would ever happen.

Actually I had measured the barrel wrong also thinking it was 14 inch when in fact when measured properly it turned out to be 16 inches long and overall length was a little over 26 inches which made it a perfectly legal rifle with a pistol grip.

Wow I need to use my reading glasses more often when I'm using that little tape measure LOL

After all of those months of work there I was always thinking I was making a neat custom pistol and I just ended up with a custom pistol grip rifle instead LOL

[Master Blaster]

Thompson center contender, lower powered cartidges up to .30.30, .223,
Thompson center encore 300 win mag etc.
Savage stryker high powered rifle cartidges, and a .22lr model as well.
Anschutz exemplar, not sure if they are still being made, .22lr and 221 remington IIRC.

Thiseare the choices still in production with the encore being the most popular and the savage stryker being the only one with a 2 shot magazine internal to the pistol.

[oneounceload]

I have a Remington XP-100, (in fact it's for sale as we write), in 7mm BR - a nice mild-reporting caliber great for deer/antelope out to 250 yards or so

T/C makes one, Savage used to, as did Weatherby IIRC.....

The XP is one accurate pistol - mine is a single shot that is highly accurate

[tulsamal]

BATF could care less about law abiding citizens doing stuff like I do solely for myself

I'm sure that is your opinion and that it seems very logical to you. Regardless, it is still against the law to take a rifle and change it into a pistol. Period. That's what the law says.

I hope for your sake that your "just for fun" gun doesn't someday get used as an excuse to put you in jail! It may not be likely but it is certainly possible. I don't like depending on the generosity of Federal agents to keep me out of jail. But that's just me!

If you want to build a bolt action pistol, you need to either use an existing pistol action or at least start with a virgin action. Be rather difficult to claim you found a virgin Jap surplus action to build your pistol on!

Gregg

[brickeyee]

BATF could care less about law abiding citizens doing stuff like I do solely for myself ...

You must be joking.

Sawing off rifles or shotguns, making anything full auto, creating a silencer, etc. will all get you a nice cage at Club Fed for a prolonged stay.