Just to be clear, I'm moving location and clubs at the end of the year, so was looking for a rifle to get me by until then with a view to trying new disciplines next year. I shoot and enjoy field rifle mostly and will continue that wherever I end up. I have a decent .22 and my .223 (CZ) is OK for now. Both my rifles shoot better than I do offhand. I also occasionally shoot rimfire silhouette. A decent 6.5 would allow me to shoot centrefire silhouette and, if I continue to improve, would be an upgrade to my .223 for field rifle (something to grow into). It might also allow me to have a go at F class or some other form of prone distance shooting that I haven't yet tried.
If I sound like I'm trying to be a jack of all trades and master of none with three rifles, it's because I'm new to shooting, haven't competed much, and just want to have a go at everything until I find my niche. A decent .22, .223 and 6.5 covers a lot of ground for a beginner. I just wanted to hear from those who own/shoot varmint barrelled rifles offhand, or those who shoot sporter barrels prone to weigh up the pros and cons of each.
Thanks to Gwion for some common sense advice. And to Wm.Traynor for telling me what I'm already starting to realise - that competitive shooting is seductive
Thanks also to Gamerancher. Though I think you need to chill out a bit...
People have been very helpful in this sport, which is why I've been enjoying it so much. One thing I am learning is that if you invest in decent equipment to begin with, you can grow into it and it becomes a much better investment than trying to cheap out. Of course "decent equipment" is also a relative term when you do not yet have the skill set to warrant a huge investment in top-end gear. A T3 Varmint would likely take me a long way in prone shooting. But a sporter would probably satisfy my immediate offhand needs. Hence the dilemma.
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