Bolt Action Rifles and Anti-Tactical Bunny Guns

I'm a firm believer in having a rifle chambered for each handgun round which I use frequently.  Since I decided that my CZ52 and TT33 pistols were both "keepers," I wanted a rifle to shoot those rounds also.  A problem is that the only rifles around in this caliber are converted SMGs which are clumsy, ugly and "scare the natives." 

I wanted an accurate, STRONG boltgun with quick-detachable scope and sturdy backup iron sights.

It should, of course, digest any hot military handgun loads, but its strong point would be the potential to exploit this small-capacity case to efficiently launch heavier, 150-grain or so bullets subsonic, for low noise. The rifle muzzle would be threaded for a "can" so that it would be ready to install one, in the event that they are removed from NFA. I have no plans for getting one now, and having do the NFA stamp, etc.

I found a used Remington 722 in .222 Rem. on GunBroker and sold off the vintage B&L scope and mounts. I then sent it off to John Taylor to rebarrel and chamber 7.62x25. This entailed opening the boltface, installing a Sako extractor, chambering and fitting a suitable barrel. PTG made the CIP-spec. pressure barrel reamer and headspace gage. Rear sight is an XS Ghost ring peep, front sight is from an M14, both which I already had. Picatinny rail mount accepts Millet 1-4X DMS scope, and the mount is from LaRue Tactical, which I pulled off an AR I sold several years back when outgrew that particular "affliction."

I used a benchrest-style single-shot loading tray, because I didn't want to have the hourly rate meter running at high rpm while John fiddled with it trying to make it feed. This rifle is a hunting piece and absolutely not tactical. A poacher's pet maybe... John removed the ejector from the bolt face so that I can pick fired cases off the bolt by hand and not have to chase brass or shake it out of the bolt lug way when the tiny, short case flips off the bolt face inside the receiver ring.  Have not been to the range yet, but will do so soon. 

Rounds pictured left are PPU 87-grain FMJ, cast 100-grain FN, velocities of full charge loads from the rifle should approximate an M1 carbine. Long nosed rounds at right are subsonic 148-grain FMJ with M80 bullet and 150-grain subsonic cast bullet, initially using 11 grains of IMR4064.

If 4064 proves a "blooper", I try the next faster powder, 4895, then RL7, then 4198, then 4227, then #2400, etc. until I get the results I want using a compressed case full of powder. Objective is to determine best performing rifle powder to be used in a compressed charge, providing base support to the bullet, as if loading black powder, with 100-yard varmint accuracy, reliable bore exit and subsonic velocity, hopefully low noise even without the possible future can.