Favorite Varmint Cartridge
- Thread starter Jud96
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Got a question about that Groundhog coat. If I get one for my wife does that mean I won't see her every winter until February and maybe a little longer?
Only problem with that: she'll only want to mate once a year.
Might be worth it!...Right now am calling her 3 Horses...Nag, Nag, Nag!
packrat
people who say the 204 is to wind sensitive and then go on to say they use a 223 instead with 50-55 gr bullets make me wanna bang my head against the wall.
run the numbers wit a good high bc 40 gr or 39 bk against your 223. in my opinion the 32 gr bullets in 204 are useless. the 39 bk will pass them in speed at around 300-350 yards due to the much better bc
run the numbers wit a good high bc 40 gr or 39 bk against your 223. in my opinion the 32 gr bullets in 204 are useless. the 39 bk will pass them in speed at around 300-350 yards due to the much better bc
just country
Well-Known Member
morning, very good info. the 243AI with 77gr. Lapua's is a real bug shooter. very long ogive bullet. use the bullet yote, deer or anything that steps out to longest shot 500yrs range. we r blessed with an array of very good varmit calibers. 223,223Ai,22-250,22-250AI,243,243AI,250sav.,6mm,6mmAI, 25-06, 2506AI and on.
Heavy to very heavy barrels, good triggers, good stocks and very good optics all play a part in the art of varmit hunting. The Remington SPS in 243 should b a good choice for a start. I have one in 223 really like the feel and accuracy. My preference of bullets runs deep, but the Barnes TTSX, and TSX r my favorites.lightbulb
Thank U for the ear
just country
Heavy to very heavy barrels, good triggers, good stocks and very good optics all play a part in the art of varmit hunting. The Remington SPS in 243 should b a good choice for a start. I have one in 223 really like the feel and accuracy. My preference of bullets runs deep, but the Barnes TTSX, and TSX r my favorites.lightbulb
Thank U for the ear
just country
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If I was limited to one varmint rifle then it would have to be a swift.
In a varmint rifle I want something that will give me the maximum point blank range possible in other words point and shoot, not range, consult ballistics programs or charts and then dial up.
40gr pill driven flat out from a swift still gives as flat a trajectory as I have found from a factory chambering, sure heavier bullets will show an advantage past 500 or so but if I want to range and dial up at long range then really just about any cartridge can be used successfully.
The 40gr from the swift can still be used successfully at longer range, sons best with my current swift is 668y on a rabbit.
My favourite was a deliberate double at 334y, head shot on the front rabbit and chest shot on the one behind. Will have to work out how to put up video and pics, have both of the double recorded through the spotting scope.
In a varmint rifle I want something that will give me the maximum point blank range possible in other words point and shoot, not range, consult ballistics programs or charts and then dial up.
40gr pill driven flat out from a swift still gives as flat a trajectory as I have found from a factory chambering, sure heavier bullets will show an advantage past 500 or so but if I want to range and dial up at long range then really just about any cartridge can be used successfully.
The 40gr from the swift can still be used successfully at longer range, sons best with my current swift is 668y on a rabbit.
My favourite was a deliberate double at 334y, head shot on the front rabbit and chest shot on the one behind. Will have to work out how to put up video and pics, have both of the double recorded through the spotting scope.
22-250 TC Venture max-1 camo topped w/a nikon buckmaster 6x18 SF target dot is my go to gun for varmints. 32.5 gr/4895/50gr hornady sp These rifles are amazingly accurate and the triggers aredamn good it also comes with 5r rifling. I't a killin bastard to 300 on a dead hold.
Im working on an m700 SPSV .243 topped w/a Nikon monarch 4-16 SF.I bled it but decided to dress her up right...stock trigger ect. the stocks on these are complete garbage n the trigger sucks also.~if ya keep throwin hundos these rifles will shoot well.~ I also have a .17 and a .223 that dont get out much.
Im working on an m700 SPSV .243 topped w/a Nikon monarch 4-16 SF.I bled it but decided to dress her up right...stock trigger ect. the stocks on these are complete garbage n the trigger sucks also.~if ya keep throwin hundos these rifles will shoot well.~ I also have a .17 and a .223 that dont get out much.
My Savage Model 12 FVSS in 22-250 has been great for me, 26" factory barrel in a Stockade Elk Stalker stock, Leupold 6.5-20 Varmint Hunter reticle. A 55gr Sierra Gameking over 36.0gr of Varget is death in this rifle. This year I've killed 7 ground hogs past 400 yards with it.
COBrad
Well-Known Member
Been shooting 22-250 for about 15 years. Great PD gun, but with a 14 twist barrel the bullets it shoots get blown around pretty good past 400 yards if there is much breeze. Barrel is about toast, so will be replaced soon with an 8 twist.
Long range critters are handled with a 7 mag. Those 180 gr Berger VLD's are pretty wind resistant. Furthest marmot, so far, 1402 yards. Furthest PD 963.
Long range critters are handled with a 7 mag. Those 180 gr Berger VLD's are pretty wind resistant. Furthest marmot, so far, 1402 yards. Furthest PD 963.
For me it would be my 22-250 but after shooting my old mans 20 PPC and don't laugh on a Norinco EM331 I'm leaning towards the 20 PPC. So far its a freak of a rifle he has tried about 5 different bullet manufactures and weights using AR2208 ( Varget ) it shoots 1/4 - 1/2 MOA constantly. Even when doing load work up and firing forming it was still doing 1/4 - 1/2 MOA. Also with a 6-24x50 Vortex PST removes heads of rabbits and foxes nicely at 300 yards.
But for something different and extend the range building a 6.5 Epps looking forward whenits running and see how this goes.
But for something different and extend the range building a 6.5 Epps looking forward whenits running and see how this goes.
I could say the 204 or 20ppc as they are fun to watch the x hairs turn red or the 243 because it turns the whole scope view red. When it comes right down to what I always grab when I go out and about its just the plain jane 223 shooting cheap soft nose 55 grainers out of the sweet little CZ American.
The 40 Vmax will throw a prairie dog a little better but they don't walk away from the 55s and the 55s are more accurate.
The 40 Vmax will throw a prairie dog a little better but they don't walk away from the 55s and the 55s are more accurate.
Deerslayer11
Well-Known Member
My personal favorite is the 223 rem. why? I buy a box of 50 Hornday V-max 55 grain. factory ammo for $24.99. then I buy whatever bullets I want and reload them. you could really buff them up. the fastest I got it up to was 3800 fps. my rifle is a Savage 11 with a Boyds Tactical Stock. Scope is a vortex crossfire ii 6-18x44. my farthest kill shot was 830 yards and I like the scope more than any of my leupolds. for the long range shots (600 yards+) I use a Siera Game King 77 grain. it wolloups anything. last deer season I dropped a doe at 570 with this.
Groundhogshooter
Member
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- Jun 26, 2015
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I gotta go with the 222 if I could only have one caliber/ they are tried and true with their root going back to bench rest competition. I have tried 223 and the hot rod 223 WSSM, heck of a round but very finicky to load. I have a 700 Rem that has taken out 1000 plus woodchucks over the years and still shoots 3/4 moa with handloads. I have had a couple of 243's and I agree they are a great round, just a bit rough on brass. My new favorite long range caliber is 25-06. My Ruger 77 with 26 in bbl launches 75 VMAXes at 3650. It thumps coyotes
real hard. Chucks don't have a chance.
real hard. Chucks don't have a chance.
