Describe your ideal carry around varmint rifle.

R

R&H

New member
If you could go out and buy a new varmint rifle to be used for farm pests skunks,
racoons, foxes, and coyotes what would you buy. Or if you allready have a rifle for
this purpose descibe it. Ranges are from 10 to 350-400 yards.

I was thinking of .233 or a .243 in a sporter style rifle, but I also like the idea of a
22-250 in a varmint rifle.

Let me know what you would choose, rifle brand and cartrige.
 
I own a rifle for exactly that purpose and it is a Tikka Whitetail Hunter in .223 Remington. It is my predator control rifle. I chose this rifle because it has a reliable detachable magazine. I prefer not to leave a loaded rifle around my place.

Were that not a consideration, I would go for a Remington Model 7 in either of the two calibers you mentioned but would lean towards .223 because of the extra round and the lighter recoil.

I have a 1.5-5 scope on my Tikka and that meets my needs. I'd rather have the low power option for the 10 yard shots and 5 power is enough for longer ranges as required. If it isn't I won't take the shot. My second choice for a scope might be a 2.5-10x but the Bushnell and Simmons AETEC scopes in these magnifications are a little large for a walking around rifle.
 
You didn't say prarie dogs, so MOA accuracy isn't as important. I choose my SA2000M (AK-47 clone) with Kobra sight. It's light enough, accurate enough, has a synthetic stock, and has 10 round mags, filled with el-cheapo ammo. ($80 for 1000 rds!) That's my choice when MOA isn't necessary, but a light, fun and cheap to shoot rifle is.

Oh, yeah...did I mentin that the rifle is $200 new and the sight runs about $175 includint the nount and rail?

[This message has been edited by Frontsight! (edited September 14, 2000).]
 
350-400 yards? Well, that lets out my little skinny-barrel .243... Can't walk around with the bench guns, and the bag guns are too heavy... IMHO, 350-400 yards is too much to ask of a walking rifle. My .243 shoots 3/4" with Nosler 55 grainers, and I'm happy with it out to about 200 yards - It's light, and easy to carry.
 
My Remington 7KS with a 1.75 x 6 Var-X-III in .308 works ok as a 250 yd (or so) "walking varminter" for predators - not many praire dogs in Florida.

Fed GM 155 gr HP's work fine (consistent 1.5-2 MOA from field positions). I'll be trying out the 150 gr Hornady Lt Mag loads later this fall.

My neighbor uses an iron-sighted Mini-14, but his shots are usually taken off-hand or from his truck at less than 100 yds. He's had some success, but has a pretty low kill per round ratio.

A .243 sporter with a medium-heavy barrel would be a great choice.

-ric
 
Most "varmint rifles" are heavy assed target guns trhat are a bear to lug around.

I'd choose a Savage 116 fsack (fluted bull barrel) "weather warrior" with tasco 3-9 40mm scope in .243 for "walking around" I use this rig for antelope/deer/elk in 30-06. I can shoot out to about 350 accurately without a bipod with this rifle. Use a GI leather sniper sling and practice breath control. You may want a higher power scope for the longer range stuff.. but at that range you should have a spotter too. ;)

Another ideal rifle is that new CZ 527 in 243 or 223.. lighter profile barrel and blue steel but it sure is pretty. It's clip fed so you could carry a variety of ammo loads.. ie thgis is a wood chuck bullet vs this is a coyote killer.

An inexpensive option is an H&R varminter single shot in 223 or 243 Great bang for the buck. Top in off with a tasco 4-16X50 and you can really get out there, and even with a bipod attached this is a cherry rig for walking and shooting all day.

Just be forewarned those light wieght 22/6mm bullets are more prone to wind drift than a .308 round is.

Rob
 
For this type of shooting, I like the 22-250.
The light recoil makes for better shooting, and ~4000 fps makes for VERY straight shooting, and quite a bit of oomph downrange.
It is my favorite round to shoot (.270 being my fav. to hunt with)


.243 would be my second choice, and can serve double duty for deer.(though for deer, .270 is my favorite). The .243 and .270 make a bit of a mess out of racoons though.

I'd go with a Rem 700 BDL, in 22-250, topped with a Leupold 3x9.

[This message has been edited by LoneStar (edited September 14, 2000).]
 
If you could go out and buy a new varmint rifle to be used for farm pests skunks,
racoons, foxes, and coyotes what would you buy. Or if you allready have a rifle for
this purpose descibe it. Ranges are from 10 to 350-400 yards.
Lets's not forget the favorite tool of choice in this situation! You will see a lot more of these critters at 50 yards or so and need to make a fast move to catch them. Longslide 45's or 10MM pistols work great!
350-1000 yds isn't jump shooting, get your favorite out, set up, range in....
Much more fun but you need to be verycareful as you must know.


[This message has been edited by HankL (edited September 14, 2000).]
 
My ideal "walkabout" varmint rifle is taking shape right now but slowly and in small pieces...

It consists of an older (Pre Garcia?) Sako Forester in .243 with the 23 1/2" mid weight barrel complete with front sight.

I will refinish the metal as it is in rather poor condition-- either a bead blast then matte blue or a rust blue. I will set the factory stock aside and pillar bed the action into a Richards Microfit Fancy walnut stock in the Old Classic style complete with Neider steel buttplate and ebony forend cap. The stock will be trim-- English express rifle influence and wear a Brownells Latigo sling on Supergrade style swivel studs... The rifle won't be a lightweight but I'm trying for a well balanced sweet handling rifle.

I'm leaning toward the simple Leupold 4x33 matte but my preference may change to a 4x12-- either in QD rings if possible on an old Sako reciever. 300-400 yards is a bit of a stretch for a walkabout varminter...

I'd love to get teeny tiny groups with that 55 grain stuff for varmints and also be able to shoot some 100 grain FailSafes or some similar hi tech slugs into reasonable groups for deer.
 
I have a couple varmint/predator rifles. I use a Ruger Mark II SS in 223 with a 4-12x44 scope on it. It's nice and light and shoots well. Ammo? 40 gr V-Max, one hole in and no exit hole, with massive internal destruction.
I also have a heavy-barreled 223 semi-auto scoped in a similar fashion. The light rifle is nice to carry on snowshoes and for real long distances. The HBAR is better for precision work. SamC
 
I just bought a Remington 700 Light Tactical Rifle (LTR) in .223 for just that reason. Has a fast twist, 20 inch barrel, flutes to cut weight and cool faster and is light. I have the Leupold Vari-X II 3-9X40 Tactical with Mil-dots in Leupold 2 piece dual dovetail mounts and a Harris bipod. The sling is a M1907. So far, so good.

I am eager to get into hand loading to experiment with this rifle and my .308 PSS.
 
I must like doin' things the hard way..

My "varmint rifle" is the first .22 I ever owned and was given to me by my father long ago when I was around 10. It always seemed to me that an old Marlin model 81-DL (in .22) always did the trick. No scope needed.. just a small box of good .22s and a sling would suit me just fine.

That bein' said.. I can still hit a coke can at 100yrds, and if the vermin' are out farther than that, then they got off lucky that day.. (unless I feel like ambusin' them) :D

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God, Guns and Guts made this country a great country!

oberkommando sez:
"We lost the first and third and now they are after the Second!(no pun intended)"

[This message has been edited by KaMaKaZe (edited September 17, 2000).]
 
The rifle I have been using all summer to shoot groundhogs is my choice. It is a Ruger 77/22 VBZ(?) in 22 Hornet. With my pet handload using a 40 gr. VMax I have no trouble headshooting hogs out to 200 yds. The load will print .5" at 100 consistantly and is averaging about 2900 fps with no signs of pressure.
The rifle is light, even with a 6-24 scope and a harris bipod and is just plain deadly! It's cheap to reload and can be reloaded to most anything you want. I am working on a lower velocity squirrel load and a heavier, less explosive load for larger varmints like coyotes. I haven't shot it at game much past 200 yds. but I can hit what I'm shooting at at 300 yds. at the range.
The Hornet is a vastly underrated cartrige and the Ruger seems to get a bad rap. All I know is that there are about 30 dead groundhogs that would argue otherwise if they could!

Dr. Rob, I'd like to hear how that Savage shoots for you. That rifle interests me grealtly, but only if it will shoot sub moa. Have you run any of Federal's 175 gr. Matchkings through it yet? I'd like to hear your experiences with it.

[This message has been edited by Jaeger (edited September 15, 2000).]
 
I still say that your intended targets are large enought that you don't need a "varmint rifle." If you were shooting prarie dogs, then the above suggestions would be more in line. I'd go for a military type carbine. Again, either an AK clone or an AR-15.
 
H&K SL8

Lightweight, accurate, effective, versatile, reliable.

That fulfills all of my requirements.

Skyhawk

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For my Walkabout Vaminter I'm using a sporter wieght stainless & gray/green laminate Ruger M77 MkII in .223 Rem topped with a matte 3-9x40 Leupold Vari-XII and a (now discontinued) Uncle Mike's 2" brown nylon sling. It's a nice rig - moa (for the first couple of shots), light to carry, and sharp looking! Rifling is 1:9, I think, which is fine because I don't intend to shoot super heavy bullets. For a Calling Rifle I have an older M77V in .243 Win with a Japanese Bushnell 6-18x44 w/AO, a real tack driver, it's the gun that sold me on Rugers, my best shot with that rig was on a coyotte at just over 450 yds. -- Kernel
 
Winchester model 70 .264 with a baush&lomb elite 3000 scope.
overkill on parie dogs, but then again i think going out and just wasting a bunch of little helpless animals is kind of stupid anyway.
we have a large coyote problem around here and thats what its for is coyotes.

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while u are burying your head in the sand i will be out doing something about the problem, excuse me if i tramp upon your skull.
 
R&H, when you talk about "farm pests", I think of a rifle that you have close at hand at all times while doing your work.

There are many excellent specialized, and very accurate, varmint rifles out there. But, these are made for those who are doing just that..... varmint hunting! If you have the time as a farmer to go out on "varmint safaris", get one of those rifles.

If you want an inexpensive rifle that will take abuse and you don't need to "baby", something like a NEF Handi-Rifle in .223 Rem (or another caliber) might meet your needs. Remember, you can add a shotgun barrel to this gun for about $40. Very versatile! And it's actually very accurate!

This is what I'd recommend to the farmer wanting to control varmints.

Regards! DaMan



[This message has been edited by DaMan (edited September 15, 2000).]
 
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