Best all around varmint gun.

Jarred · May 13, 2009

Just wondering what yall thought the
most reliable, durable, and accurate
varmint rifle out there. Looking in to
get one and wanted to know what
yall thought first.

jdgreenberg · May 13, 2009

There are so many variables to that questions. What caliber, semi-auto, bolt, heavy, light....etc. Money wise depending on what you want to do, I hear that a savage bolt 17hmr is stuff to beat on smaller critters. I got my savage 22 bolt mk2 for 150 and put a 60 scope on it and it kills just fine. My cz 452 is a tighter built gun but cost 400 with a 150 scope. You couls also look into 22-250 center fires, .204 ruger is also a hot center fire round.

jdgreenberg · May 13, 2009

I misread you post. If its a rimfire you want cant beat a cooper or anshutz, but they run 1500$ plus

Nitro · May 13, 2009

Jarred said:
Just wondering what yall thought the
most reliable, durable, and accurate
varmint rifle out there. Looking in to
get one and wanted to know what
yall thought first.

Hands down, a bolt gun in 22-250.

wareagle · May 13, 2009

Bolt gun 22-250 or .223 Remington.

Nitro · May 13, 2009

wareagle said:
Bolt gun 22-250 or .223 Remington.

223 is another hard to beat choice for sure.

The only reason I vote 22-250 is Hornady's 40 grain V MAX loading at a published 4150 FPS. It is WICKED..... :shoot:

Gentleman4561 · May 13, 2009

I would go with a 22-250 bolt action...You can't beat it

jdgreenberg · May 13, 2009

the .204 is a newer round, but it has no recoil and is just a necked down .223 cart. Supposed to be much like the 22-250, but less recoil and less barrel wear. DPMS makes a nice ar rifle in the .204 caliber

Nitro · May 13, 2009

jdgreenberg said:
the .204 is a newer round, but it has no recoil and is just a necked down .223 cart. Supposed to be much like the 22-250, but less recoil and less barrel wear. DPMS makes a nice ar rifle in the .204 caliber

Not to mention less bullet weight, velocity and energy.

Oh yeah, try to find ANY ammo........... I have shot a .204 more than a few times and find it to be much less accurate than either the .223 or the 22-250..

22-250 will (and has) stood the passage of time. I wonder if we will be able to say the same for the .204 in ten years.

chase870 · May 13, 2009

220 swift, this ought to get a rise out of the 22-250 crowd, a bit harder to get ammo for but it has stood the test of time and shoots very flat

Nitro · May 13, 2009

chase870 said:
220 swift, this ought to get a rise out of the 22-250 crowd, a bit harder to get ammo for but it has stood the test of time and shoots very flat

Meah..........

The Swift is 50 FPS faster than the 22-250 in the 40 grain bullet. Slight lead on energy.... all in a long action cartridge that eats chamber throats and rifling.......

Pass......... Next.

short stop · May 14, 2009

best all rounder ...varmit
I personally love a Rem .222 mowhawk
little but puts everything down .

But Best allround Ive ever had /used is a ruger ranch in .223 .. Nothing like an automatic varmit rifle

Randy · May 14, 2009

Until the costs of 223 go so out of hand I woudl have said the AR-15 target guns in 223. Use to be a real cheap, fun, and accurate gun to shoot.

Philbow · May 14, 2009

Jarred said:
Just wondering what yall thought the
most reliable, durable, and accurate
varmint rifle out there. Looking in to
get one and wanted to know what
yall thought first.

To answer your question correctly, a definition of "varmint" is required. If you are only refering to non-game species (feral hogs, coyotes, ground hogs, etc.) as varmints and you do not intend to hunt WMAs except during deer season then a centerfire rifle would be best. If you consider some game animals as varmints (fox, bobcats, raccoon, opossum and other targets of opportunity) or intend to hunt on WMAs during small game only dates then a rimfire of 22 caliber or less is required to be stay legal.

Since I hunt WMAs during small game season and will take foxes or bobcats during their open season I think a 22 mag is the "Best" varmint caliber. I use a Marlin but the CZ is much better looking.

If you are only hunting coyotes and other non-game animals and can live with the hunting regulations concerning centerfires, then a 223 or 22-250 Remington 700 would be my choice. If only coyotes are varmints then the 223 would be best, IMHO. If you would also take any feral hogs you chance upon, then I would choose the 22-250, for its increased power.

TreeFrog · May 14, 2009

Philbow makes some very good points. The type of game and location (WMAs) will impact your decision most. 22 mag would be my choice if I couldn't use a centerfire. If hogs and wolfs are added to the list of varmits I would go with the 6mm rem or .243 win.

ATLRoach · May 14, 2009

jdgreenberg said:
the .204 is a newer round, but it has no recoil and is just a necked down .223 cart. Supposed to be much like the 22-250, but less recoil and less barrel wear. DPMS makes a nice ar rifle in the .204 caliber

20 Tactical is 223 Necked down to .20/5mm. The 204 Ruger is a 222 Mag necked down to .20/5mm.

Nitro said:
Not to mention less bullet weight, velocity and energy.

Oh yeah, try to find ANY ammo........... I have shot a .204 more than a few times and find it to be much less accurate than either the .223 or the 22-250..

22-250 will (and has) stood the passage of time. I wonder if we will be able to say the same for the .204 in ten years.

Maybe want to get your facts straight. The 204 is pumping out 4050fps w/ a 40gr Berger out of 26 Barrel. I shoot a .5 MOA or less out to 400 yards in a White Oak Armament AR. Guess that's not accurate enough for you?

Woodscrew · May 14, 2009

.22 mag would be my choice if I could only have one rifle.

Nitro · May 14, 2009

ATLRoach said:
20 Tactical is 223 Necked down to .20/5mm. The 204 Ruger is a 222 Mag necked down to .20/5mm.

Maybe want to get your facts straight. The 204 is pumping out 4050fps w/ a 40gr Berger out of 26 Barrel. I shoot a .5 MOA or less out to 400 yards in a White Oak Armament AR. Guess that's not accurate enough for you?

Get your facts straight. Factory ammo ballistics are my quoted numbers. As I wrote, a 40 grain bullet shot out of a 22-250 from several readily available Factory loads runs 4150FPS MV. Do the research :hammers:

If I were to post some hot handload velocities, again, the 22-250 would EASILY trump the .204.

The 22-250 is pure and simple, a better, more versatile cartridge. Swallow it down. :banana:

Nitro · May 14, 2009

Straight from Nosler's website........ need I provide more "facts"? Or shall the beatings of dead equines continue??

204 Ruger
40gr. Ballistic Tip®
Primer: Federal 205M
Ballistic Coefficient: .239
Sectional Density: .137
* Most Accurate Load Tested

Powder: H335
Charge Weight (in grains) Muzzle Velocity (fps) Load Density
25.0 3565 fps 85%
24.0 3445 fps 81%
23.0* 3311 fps 78%

Powder: H322
Charge Weight (in grains) Muzzle Velocity (fps) Load Density
24.5 3608 fps 89%
23.5 3473 fps 85%
22.5* 3340 fps 81%

Powder: Varget
Charge Weight (in grains) Muzzle Velocity (fps) Load Density
27.5 3648 fps 99%
26.5* 3527 fps 96%
25.5 3407 fps 92%

ATLRoach · May 14, 2009

Sure since we are stating "FACTS" of stock rounds and not hot handloads. Choke it down the 250 does not EASILY beat the 204R. Energy numbers, BC, and velocity show.

From Hornady:

204 Ruger 40 gr. V-MAX 83206
Muzzle: 3900/1351
100yds: 3482/1077
200yds: 3103/855
300yds: 2755/674
400yds: 2433/526
500yds:2133/404

22-250 Rem 40 gr. V-MAX 8335
Muzzle: 4150/1529
100yds: 3553/1121
200yds: 3032/816
300yds: 2568/585
400yds: 2148/410
500yds: 1771/278

I'm not disagreeing with you that the 22-250 not more versatile due to bullet choice but 40gr to 40gr the 204 carries more energy than the 22-250 past 200 yards and very close in speed. I have a 243AI that will smoke them both so it doesn't really matter.

Best all around varmint gun.

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