Good All-Round Varmint Calibre?

hoocli

hoocli

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I hope this is the right place for this.

I'm going to a gun show this weekend in Lloyd and I'm thinking about picking up a good varmint rifle.

I'm looking for something decently accurate that's on the cheap end to shoot.

Key word being on the cheap end. I do have a .308 but I can't justify the price of shooting that all day long at gophers and coyotes.

I do have a .22 but I'm looking for something with more range and stopping power on the cheap.
 
If you reload, the choices are endless; anything in a CF .22 like .223, .222Rem, .22-250 are all good choices. If you're wanting to shoot factory ammo, .223 is about the best you're going to find for bulk pricing; premium grade ammo is expensive no matter how you slice it.

Some of the hotter RF such as .17HMR are pretty impressive too.
 
Use your 22 any decent 22 hollowpoint will take out the gophers for dirt cheap
But for the coyote you will need something bigger to be humane i would suggest 223
you can get some cheap bulk stuff norinco or mfs

happy hunting
 
.223 is the cheapest to shoot for factory loads....really a shame that we can't use AR 15's for varmints like we could in the good old days!!!
 
Thanks guys! what about rifles now for 22-250 or 233?

I personally don't reload..... yet but I might one day. I just don't have alot of money to throw around right now so I want something that's reliable but can put rounds down range decently accurately.
 
A bud of mine got a Stevens 200, in .223. Cheap, nasty looking stock, shoots like a laser beam. Not much $$$

A .223 will give you 90 percent or so of the performance of a 22-250, on half the powder, brass is common as dirt, and easy to reload.

Ammo is available in bulk, if you don't reload, too, but you should:) .

Cheers
Trev
 
The Savage Axis in .223. They are, in my opinion, one of the ugliest rifles on the market. The are made as cheaply as Savage can, with a universal stock that has different trigger guards with a spacer built into it for different calibers. But as has been said about the Stevens 200, they shoot like a laser beam. Under $400 with a scope included. .223 isn't the greatest varmint caliber, but it does get up over 3000 fps. You can buy it pretty cheap in bulk, and you can get it anywhere. One of the shops in Lloyd (The one by the Husky) has American Eagle "tactical" at around $400/1000. Again that's not the best price you'll find but it is convienient.
 
hoocli said:
Thanks guys! what about rifles now for 22-250 or 233?
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What kind of action are you looking for? Budget?

KePet said:
The Savage Axis in .223. They are, in my opinion, one of the ugliest rifles on the market. The are made as cheaply as Savage can, with a universal stock that has different trigger guards with a spacer built into it for different calibers. But as has been said about the Stevens 200, they shoot like a laser beam. Under $400 with a scope included. .223 isn't the greatest varmint caliber, but it does get up over 3000 fps. You can buy it pretty cheap in bulk, and you can get it anywhere. One of the shops in Lloyd (The one by the Husky) has American Eagle "tactical" at around $400/1000. Again that's not the best price you'll find but it is convienient.
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Funny. I was going to suggest the Savage Axis too. Cheap but accurate.

If you have doubts on its construction check out the torture test Jerry at Mystic Precision did on an Axis.

http://www.canadiangunnutz.com/forum/showthread.php?841972-Crash-Test-Axis-THE-FUN-BEGINS
 
Savage Axis in .223 if you're on a budget. Savage (anything else) in .223 if you can. The Axis is as ugly as a bag of hammers, but they sure can shoot. I've heard that, I've witnessed it dozens of times now. I think it's a 1:9", so don't go lighter than 55gr. on your rounds. Hornady V-Max 55s are pretty remarkable. :)
 
i say spend the money on reloading gear instead of a new rifle and factory ammo. you can load up the 308 with 125gr bullets for varminting.
 
.22 mag. rimfire, works well, reaches out there and destroys anything within 100 yrds, reaches out to 150-200 no prob, a gun might be $200 for a bolt and ammo is 12-15 for 50 pcs
 
Yeah I say a Stevens 200 in 223rem. Cheap, shoots great and the rounds for it are cheap too. Im paying 10.99 for 20 JHP rounds.
 
Mighty Peace said:
22-250 or 243 for me. 204 ok. For cheapset, 223 but not the range as a 22-250.
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That's hooey! :D

Best read the "Shooting the .223 out to a mile" article that Jerry Teo posted. Pretty sure he wrote it up here too, some time back. w ww.longrangehunting.com/articles/shooting-223-mile-1.php


As long as the bullet has the needed energy at the range, the shooter, not the cartridge, is the limiting factor. Know the trajectory, adjust as required.

A light bullet pushed hard out of a 22-250, sure will turn a crow or a gopher inside out, though. :) You get a little bit longer range for point-blank, but the difference in powder costs is not worth it most often, IMO.

Personally, my tastes run a little more old school than the current crop. A slower twist barrel, a light bullet, and a comfortable load, rather than going all out and trying to push a long heavy-for-caliber bullet out.

This spring I am going to start trying cast bullets, too. At the range I usually get close to starlings here, they should be alright!

Cheers
Trev
 
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