small caliber/varmint rifles?

na1lb0hm said:
does anyone have experience with:
.17 fireball, .17 remington, .204 or anything in that area?
and the rifles they are chambered in?


i've got a .17hmr, .223 and a .243 but I'm thinking about something small, centerfire that hits like 10 shots of jager on an empty stomach.

22-250 just wasn't for me.
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I'm a fan of the .204. Great velocities that hit like a ton of bricks. I thought that it would be too small for coyotes but it has been bang flop (none were at long ranges). For gophers there is aerodynamic (to use another posters phrase) red mist. I currently have a Cooper and ordered a Sako.
 
I've owned a couple .17 Rems over the years and have had several .22-250's, .223, and a .243. Kept the .22-250 but was in a situation where I HAD to sell my favorite .17 Rem. Loved that cartridge and aspire to get another one. Killed a coyote with it and watched the whole show without even blinking in the scope. Coyote crumpled in at the shot and was dead before he hit the ground. Can't watch your hits with a .223 even.... just sayin... .17 Remingtons kill coyotes just fine. .22-250 or .223 for utility and .17 remington for giggles and to be a little bit different.
 
bogie said:
Cant watch your hits with a 223?? Am I missing something here?
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Sorry but yes you are. There is so little recoil and muzzle blast from these sub caliber rounds that you get to see the show through the scope. I used to shoot most of the faster .22 cal cartridges (220 swift, 22-250 223 wssm) and you don't get to see your hits when long range varmiting. You need a spotter to help walk your rounds in on long gophers. With the small stuff you can see your hits and misses through the scope. I have a 223 and you can catch some of the hits but most slip by in the blink reaction of the gun going off. With my 20 tac I get to see about 80% of my shots. You go down to say a 17 fireball and it gets closer to 90%. The fun factor in a gopher patch goes through the roof with these little gems, the acrobatics you are causing are there for you to see and on paper you get to watch the holes appear.
 
Sorry TDbpt I am still not getting it. I have a CZ527 223 currently carrying a Nikon Buckmaster 6-16 variable scope and no matter what ammo I am shooting and however hot I have loaded it I NEVER have a problem watching the hit. Then again Im only going out to 300m. Slipping by? Do you maybe have a little flinch?? One of the main reasons I have this cal is because I want to watch the shot.
 
Brutus said:
I am a dinosaur in regards to varmint rifles.
I've had a 222 for a very long time and only recently picked up a nice 22 Hornet.
With occassional gopher shooting and intermittent coyote hunting, these two serve my needs very well.
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Got the same two calibers for the same purpose in two CZ 527 LUXs. Cheers.
 
tbdtp said:
Sorry but yes you are. There is so little recoil and muzzle blast from these sub caliber rounds that you get to see the show through the scope. I used to shoot most of the faster .22 cal cartridges (220 swift, 22-250 223 wssm) and you don't get to see your hits when long range varmiting. You need a spotter to help walk your rounds in on long gophers. With the small stuff you can see your hits and misses through the scope. I have a 223 and you can catch some of the hits but most slip by in the blink reaction of the gun going off. With my 20 tac I get to see about 80% of my shots. You go down to say a 17 fireball and it gets closer to 90%. The fun factor in a gopher patch goes through the roof with these little gems, the acrobatics you are causing are there for you to see and on paper you get to watch the holes appear.
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Everything I've ever shot with my .223 I've spotted 95% of the hits/misses (with optics). There have been range days dedicated to just both eyes open during shooting and removing flinch for this reason exactly. a small set of surefire earpros lets me hear everything around me, but keeps the blast down, so noise isn't a blinking factor.


SCDL said:
Savage now makes rifles in 5.7x28. It'd get some pretty respectable velocities out of a 22" barrel, one would think.

http://www.savagearms.com/firearms/model/25WV

They're also working on a 5.45x39, which would be t**s.
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when might we see a 5.7x28 by savage around here do you guys think? any dies or reloading happening?

GRiNGo said:
Yes, yes......very nice idea! Or 20 practical!
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as much as I really like what I see from the 20prac, a factory produced rifle is more what I had in mind, hence the .17fb or the .204.
 
I have: 17HMR, and Mach2, which I really enjoy bench rest target shooting, 204 which is recent and have only test fired so far, 222 which is my all time target favorite, 223 cool, 22-250 ok but somewhat blasty, 243 and 6mm both dandy, with the 6mm being pretty blasty as well, and that one is in a Ruger No.1 varmint special! :)
 
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na1lb0hm said:
as much as I really like what I see from the 20prac, a factory produced rifle is more what I had in mind, hence the .17fb or the .204.
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Personally I shoot the 204. I found the energy from the 17's a tad small for 'yotes and such at any distance. Just personal experience. I know myself and lots of guys around here have switched to 204. :)
 
I have a Cooper in 17 RemFB and it's a fun round. Coyotes @ 300 yards easy. It's not a barrel fouler either.
 
I have both a 204 and 22-250. I have shot three coyotes with my 204 the longest shot a 328 yards with hornady 40gr v-maxs all DRT. In my opinion the 204 is just more fun to shoot and has proved to me to pack enough punch for 'yotes. I think I might put the 22-250 up for sale as I really have no need for it.
 
5.45x39 is pretty much where the 22 PPC came from. The 17's are fast, no doubt, but don't buck the wind very well. 20's are a nice compromise between the 17's speed and the 222/223/222RM class of cartridges better bullets. The 222 et al are the easiest to load for. 22-250/AI, 220 Swift, 220 Wby etc, are very fast, and can be real wind burners with tight twist and heavy bullets. The 6mm's beat the wind handily at generally a higher cost in recoil and barrel wear. The 25's are more of the same. Personally, for most varminting I prefer either the 222 or 22-250, depending on how far I'm shooting. FWIW - dan
 
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