favorite varmint caliber

[PDog]

I know this is off base but hey, what the heck. When you aren't walleye fishin', what's your go-to varmint rifle chambered in?
I'm down with the 22-250 and 260 Remington.

[Cormorant]

.220 Swift. The bullets are expensive, but the range, tradjectory and speed really make up for it. Not to mention the wreckage on the recieving end.

[ETT]

22-250 for sure

[coon dog]

I'll second the 220 swift, sighted in at 2 inches high at 100 yas. you have a dead on hold out to 350 tds. on coyotes, takes the guess work out of it, although the 22-250 is really, really close to it. I hand load so no big deal on price of ammo. Just love to see crows vaporized at 4000ft. per second. I'm using a 6.5-20 leuopold and really like it.

[BigBass]

Remington 22-250 with a varmint barrel is my Yote' gun. I wouldn't use any other... Over 80 rounds shot and shoots perfectly!

[WACKUM]

NOTHING(NOTHING)BEATS A 22-250. I USE FACTORY HORNADY AMMO. MY BARREL LOVES THE 60 GRAIN SPIRE POINT. IT TOOK SOME SHOOTIN B4 I FOUND OUT WHAT SHOOTS BEST IN MY WINCHESTER HEAVY STAINLESS VARMINT BUT I HAVE SEEN MY FRIENDS GO THROUGH LOTS OF WASTED AMMO HAND LOADING,IT'S FUN TO MESS WITH BUT THE HORNADY AMMO IS SO CONSITANT I DONT TRY ANYTHING ELSE. HOLD ER HIGH ON A DOG 400 YDS OUT AND SSSSMACK!! THE STATS ON THE AMMO I USE IS SOMEWHERE CLOSE TO 4800 FPS(ALMOST 1 MILE PER SECOND) WE GO TO MOBRIDGE SODAK VERY NICE PEOPLE OUT THERE. EVEN THE CIVIC LEADERS LIKE TO HAVE FUN WHEN THE SUN GOES DOWN!

[Buckeye]

I keep a single shot, 24" bull barreled .223 with a BSA 3x16 scope in my truck, tractor, or combine at all times. It has accounted for untold numbers of whistle pigs and several coyotes. Overall length of the rifle is shorter than my son's youth 870 so it is quick handling. Shooting factory American Eagle 50 gr. hollows.

[Phil T.]

Factory loads?! Boy this ain't shooters.com or huntamerica.com!

[Buckeye]

Not sure I can reload them for what I buy them for. As long as I buy 10 or more at a time they are $6. Besides I don't have the time. This is pest control for me not sport.

[FireTiger]

Hey, # 4 double long spring,and a drop of shunk scent, 22short behind the ear,works every time,and is cost effective w/little pelt damage

[Phil T.]

Okay, I've used my 22-250 on deer once, but my rifle is too heavy for that much carrying. I've also used my 257 Roberts (slightly less pewerful than the 260.)on prairie dogs. A bit too much recoil for many shots in a day. If you want a dual purpose rifle, mainly a deer rifle, get the 260. For a pure varminter, it's 22-250 all the way.

[delgue]

the 22-250 is a great gun,but if your going to put up fur, you will spend quite a bit of time with sewing needle on the yodel dogs, on a fox, it's too destructive. that hot load will exit with a big blow out. The 223 is slower,but is accurate out to 200-250yds,and on a coyote,it usually stays inside the critter, on a fox there usually is an exit hole, but is sewable. the ammo is still cheap by comparison. one more thing is the heavier buller of the 223 will go through a little bit of brush, whereas the 22 250 will deflect. that 22 250 is amazing though, have a friend that can shoot quatersize groups at 300 yds(on a good day) dog towns are in big trouble when he shows up.

[Thats Sick]

22-250 on a deer, hope you realize how stupid that is. My favorite is a 22 hornet, good out to about 200-250 on ground hogs.

[cisco]

It's also illegal in many (if not all) states.

H&R makes a nice single shot 22-250 with heavy barrel. Add a scope and bipod and you are at about $200 for the works.

[Pooch]

I own, live on and have farmed all of my life. Always have a 22-250 within arms reach for coyote and stray cats. Don't care about the pelt.
Pooch in central Illinois

[reddog]

Wackum, I think you mean 3800 fps in the 22-250 factory loads dont you? I dont shoot any P-dogs, but the .17 is my choice for my fur rifle.

[wakum]

no reddog,4800 fps im reasonably sure of it. hottest brand goin!!i love that thing.

[Steve Pierson]

Dont think you can get the 22-250 going that fast. I reload both 22-250 and 220 swift. 4200 is pushing them both to the brink, and thats with a 40 grain bullet. The swift is my prefered choice out of the two.
Steve

[Phil T.]

It's not only legal in my state, but with a "surgical" bullet placement, it's also very effective. 70grain bullet broke the shoulder knuckle and liquified the cest cavity. In fact only my 338WM with lightweight bullets has done a more effective job in a deer's boiler room.

[delgue]

Living in farmland being taken over by "acreages" and regular gouops of 5 to 10 houses makes for alot of stray cats. Had to figure how to protect remaining game birds,birds in general, and small game in a silent bequiet way- have an extremly accurate 22 cal breech load pellet gun out to 40 yards, gets the job done with a head shot- wont shoot unless i have a kill shot- and makes only a soft phhffftcrack noise from 50 yads away,the pellet loses enertia quickly,so shooting is safe amongst the gentleman farmers and new type of country folks(who values regarding animals is usually skewed by peta,the humane society,animal channel,walt disney). Cats slaughter wildlife, especially in the spring-they will kill all in the nest when they find it -thats all they do when they are "out", hunt and they are a hunting machine. We have alot of natural and created habitat around the place, and for the most part,or,if i can help it, cats dont hunt here.

[Buckeye]

Deluge you hit the nail on the head about the cats. My area hasn't been encroached upon by houses yet, but being the first place off a state highway 1.5 miles off an interstate that comes out of Toledo, we get unwanted cats dumped out here all the time. It's remote enough around here that the lights out on feral cats is usually preceded by a loud bark. It never made sense to me that I have to buy a county tag for each of my dogs and keep them confined. Cat owners can let their cat roam the world and kill whatever they want without a license.

I understand some of the metro and state parks around the Toledo area have the same problem. Rangers use .22 longs to eliminate those cats.

[cisco]

Is any useful purpose served by cats?

I, too, have often wondered why so many ordinance and statute requirements concern dogs, but not cats. The only cat I like is Garfield.

[Delgue]

Cats are the reason the Catapult was invented! alongtime ago, i would imagine the Vikings were having some real fun when it occurred to them, "hey, We could throw stones along ways too"

[EMOO]

I can't believe nobody uses a 22 Winchester Mag. Good out to 100 yards cheap and turns a cat insideout.
MOO MAN

[jim c]

just discovered 22 subsonics with deep hollow point,and use moly as extra lube,starlings out to 100 yds,they will just sit till you get the range.in the right conditions you can see them go

[chrism]

22WMR gets my vote - I don't have one (yet) but I have gone through a few bricks with my buddies and really like it...My second would be my old No.3 ruger 22 hornet.

But now it is time to fish......

[CatOwner]

Easy guys.....There are responsible owners out there. We keep our cat indoors and do not allow it to roam. We love our cat. He gives us a lot of affection and is a joy to be around. Catapult......Most mass murderers started out with one of these things and enjoyed hurting animals......Oh cisco....Do you serve any usefull purpose?

[swede]

Been a varmit gun fan for years. I have had 22mags, 22Hornet, 22-250, 243, 6mm., 257Rob, 25-06, 250-3000, etc. but my favorite, hands down is the 220swift. I've hand loaded for every gun I have ever owned, and will say that it has been my experience that there is no way to push a 22-250 to 4800 fps. It just won't work.

[Buckg]

Would be appreciative if you would mention what brand(s) you have found accurate for your mentioned "cat control" work. I know next to nothing about pellet guns and/or brand names. Thanks

[Hunter]

I have a Diana air rifle .177 at 1100 fps, side cocking. Extremely accurate and deadly on "rabbit" sized animals out to about 75 yards. Also an excellent squirrel gun, no meat damage.

[IaCraig]

Phil, I agree bullet placement is the #1 key to success but comparing a 22-250 to a 338 Win Mag is like comparing a grape to a watermelon. One is too small to be an ethical deer caliber the other is too excessive the other way. A 22-250 is a varmit gun and not legal in most states for deer. (usually 243 or 6mm is the smallest legal caliber). All that aside I've been told by a guide that you can shoot several LR 22's into full grown moose's rib cage while they doze then return back a few hours later after they bleed to death.

Phil, in your state do you hunt white-tails or muleys? Or are you hunting some smaller species of deer?

IaCraig

[IaCraig]

LAST EDITED ON May-29-01 AT 08:25PM (CST)[p]Pdog,

Like most things it depends. Are you shooting primarily prarie dogs or coyotes? Do you want fur or not. There is no such thing as a single gun for all purposes any more than a single rod/reel/line/lure combo for all fishing situations.

My favorite all round is 22-250 heavy barrel. It makes a big hole in the fur, but I can shoot through light brush if necessary with reasonable confidence. I usually handload but I can get groups 1 - 2 inches with many factory loads too. Also factory ammo is easy to find if you need to buy some.
If you have wide open spaces (no twigs or tall grass), and little to no wind a .17 cal is amazing too with zero fur damage.

IaCraig

[SDBear]

375 H&H w/310 gr. Nosler Partition... That is definitely overkill I know... Nice long range shots over the flat areas near Presho SD though.

[Larry]

Got to agree with you. Anything over 4200 starts making my primers real flat !! After reading the entire thread, I've got to cast a vote for a hand built .243 that I've used for 40 years on everything from jack rabbits & P-dogs to mule deer & antelope. It's all in the terrain you hunt and the loads you fire. A hunting buddy use to argue the merits of his 30/30 lever action iron sight gun against my .243. We went on a deer hunt just south of Wall, SD. He jumps a white tail in a ravine and plugs it in the head going away at 40 yards. I scope a mule deer from the top of a butte and drop it on the spot at 330 yards with a neck shot.

The main problem we're up against is the velocity drop in deep water !!!! Haven't given much thought to a load for walleyes yet. !! LOL

[cisco]

Hey, if you're going big, go .270 Winchester Weatherby magnum. Much faster, much flatter, much farther reach.

Water penetration characteristics for walleyes not known.

[Frank from TBay]

I have to agree with you on cats in the bush. I grew up in farming country in Southern Ontario. My father hunted and trapped. He had a particular dislike for cats as he had seen their handiwork. He said that cats kill even when there is no need for it. Kind of an entertainment thing.
We did our best to keep our area free of these full time hunters. I can never understand how a responsible owner can allow their cat to run at large and not expect there to be problems.