Best long range varmint rifle for the money.

M

MrDontPlay

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I'd like to hunt prairie dogs next year but don't have a rifle for it. I'd prefer 223 because it's so common but you can try and talk me in to others because I'm new to rifles.

Go!
 
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I got invited to go on a pasture poodle (prairie dog) shoot with a group of guys about 15 years ago. Back then money was tight, so I bought a N.E.F. Handi Rifle in .223 with the heavy barrel. Found a load that worked good with it and off I went to South Dakota. It was a blast, and I did it on the cheap. Plenty accurate out to 300 yards, and my longest shot of the week was 429 yards.

I then wiped a coat of grease on the rifle and put it away for 12 years. Got it back out, cleaned it up, worked up some new loads, and it still shoots 0.6 MOA all day long. This past year I shot more rounds threw it then any other guns except .22 LR. It’s a bunch of fun to shoot, and I have less then $400 in it including the scope.
 
I'd like to hunt prairie dogs next year but don't have a rifle for it.
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"The best rifle is the one you have."

How about your deer rifle: handload some lighter bullets to similar velocities that your deer load is doing...... a couple of afternoons in June at a prairie dog town with your deer rifle and a hand press kit...... makes bambi a ridiculously easy target come November.
 
I've been looking at some savages. I'd like to get the long range presision varmint rifle but the price is up there. I'd like a gun with lots of after market support also, because I can't just leave something alone.
 
How about your deer rifle: handload some lighter bullets to similar velocities that your deer load is doing...... a couple of afternoons in June at a prairie dog town with your deer rifle and a hand press kit...... makes bambi a ridiculously easy target come November.

My only rifles are a 22lr, 22wmr, and an AK. I'm needing a long range center fire gun.
 
I'm needing a long range center fire gun.
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Define "long range'........

7-08, .260 Rem or .243 Rem, and a handloading set-up. Excellent high BC bullets available......

.223 bullets are too short, generally, to be efficient- even the sleekest .223 does not have a G1 BC of much more than .400 ......

.223 is not sufficient for deer at longer ranges, IMO .... and many places have a .243/6mm bore caliber minimum.

For future versatility, I'd go with the 7mm.
 
What cartridges would you guys recommend? I'm not a real good shot right now but I don't want to be limited by the cartridge as I get better. I am set up to reload.
 
Probably the best for the money -new-is the current Rem 700 SPS-Varmint models. Dicks Sporting Goods sells a special blind magazine version of the SPS-V for about $450, that usually includes a package scope (which sucks). Since it's still a 700, you can tinker with it ad nauseum, adding bottom metal, replacing the stock, rebarreling it,etc. But as it comes from the factory, it's a usable rig.
Just about any heavy barreled Savage or Remington will be a good starter rifle that can be built upon,however.
For long range precision varminting, get a 22-250 or a .243Win. The latter can also serve as a decent deer rifle.
 
The new issue of RifleShooter (Jan/Feb 2012) has an article on the 6.5 Creedmoor. How it is "the new .270 Winchester" and can be used for practically anything. More efficient than the .270 and originally designed for long range target and competition. Lots of extremely good bullets available for the diameter. Just a matter of figuring out what rifle to put it in. You could get a Ruger No. 1 or M77 Hawkeye. A Savage M16 Weather Warrior or Model 12 LRP. T/C is chambering it in the Icon. Or you could get an Encore barrel for it.

Gregg
 
I only have about $500 in this Rem 700 Varmint Spl. 243. Bought the rifle w/4x12 Redfield second hand (but still new), then added Stocky's thumbhole stock, Jewell trigger. Under 1 moa any day and with most factory ammo (which you can find 243 even at "Bubba's Beer Bait & Ammo". A 22-250 would be a good reasonable choice too.

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I would get one of the Remington 700 SPS in .308. There are bullets you can load for everything out to just over 1000yds. Pretty versatile and as your skill level increases you can add things to the rifle to increase the accuracy. I bought one a few years back and it shot sub-MOA out of the box. You can load 110 gr. bullets for varmint hunts, 165's for deer and such, on up to 175 SMK's for targets out past 1000. Over the past few years I have added a B&C Medalist A3 stock, Burris Signature rings, a Vortex Viper scope, and a Harris bipod. It shoots much better now, primarily due to the new stock. I have a Savage Precision Carbine in .223, and it's a great rifle that, at 100 yds., will place 5 shots in an area that a dime can easily cover, but it's nowhere near as versatile as the .308. Just my 2 cents.
 
I looked at a savage 12 and a remington 700 side by side today. I liked that savage a little more but I'm no expert. Either will work for me I think. I just need to decide on a caliber.
 
I just bought a Savage Model 12FV in .223 with a 4-12x40 Nikon prostaff for around $600 for the gun and $200 for the scope. I traded my DPMS for it. I had about 500 rounds left over of Ultramax 55 grain nosler balistic tips from my AR. The gun loves them, I have always shot this round for everything from gophers to deer. It hasent failed me yet. When I run out of this load I wanna try to find some heavier bullets and see what it does. But for now they work just fine.
 
Savage Model 12

I have a Savage model 12 with a 26" SS Fluted Varmint barrel... Sweet short action, jeweled bolt, 4 round DBM, nice balance It's a bit heavy but is a tackdriver... :)
 
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