# Best Varmint Gun



## DAN (Aug 13, 2005)

I was looking for suggestions on the best varmint gun I can get for around $500? Im looking to shoot around 300 yards. I would like a bolt action. Thanks guys.
Dan


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## Murphy (Aug 10, 2005)

22-250 would be my guess.. I dont hunt varmit but I understand this caliber has a very fast muzzle velocity which would mean it fires flat over a longer distance.

I like my .308 but there would not be much left of the varmit to collect .. :lol:


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## Sprytle (Jan 8, 2005)

What are you hunting? Coyotes? 25-06 would be a good choice along w/ the 22-250.
Take a look at the Savage bolt actions, bull barrel, pillar bedded stock, accutrigger, great shooting guns for the price.
You could get a Savage and have it scoped w/ a bi-pod and sling for around 500.00.

Heres a pic of mine....love it.


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## Huntsman27 (Sep 29, 2004)

Sprytle said:


> What are you hunting? Coyotes? 25-06 would be a good choice along w/ the 22-250.
> Take a look at the Savage bolt actions, bull barrel, pillar bedded stock, accutrigger, great shooting guns for the price.
> You could get a Savage and have it scoped w/ a bi-pod and sling for around 500.00.
> 
> Heres a pic of mine....love it.


 Your getting good at this.....22-250,243,25-06 lots of good ones. Savage pkg is alful hard to beat......Look into the Stevens [Savage] Model200 only 265 or so. Slap on a bipod, sling,scope ready to knock em flat......BOB hows the G-R show this weekend???


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## DAN (Aug 13, 2005)

Im going after wood chucks on my dads farm. They are over running the hay feild. We just tipped over a hay wagon in one of their burrows. Thanks for the insight


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## Huntsman27 (Sep 29, 2004)

DAN said:


> Im going after wood chucks on my dads farm. They are over running the hay feild. We just tipped over a hay wagon in one of their burrows. Thanks for the insight


Hmm wont be long til the beans are off and I can get back on with my tally.....


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## Ray Duve (Jun 26, 2004)

I use a 243 that has worked quite well.I have a few woodchuck kills at 400 plus yards and some coyoye kills over 300 yards.Good luck with what ever you choose.


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## Sprytle (Jan 8, 2005)

Talk to Rich (Huntsman27) if you want to talk chuck huntin!!
MasterChuckAWhacker!!!:evil:

Whats your tally up to this year Rich??

-Bob


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## Huntsman27 (Sep 29, 2004)

Sprytle said:


> Talk to Rich (Huntsman27) if you want to talk chuck huntin!!
> MasterChuckAWhacker!!!:evil:
> 
> Whats your tally up to this year Rich??
> ...


farm, Im figuring near 40 plus now. When I figured in the other areas I hit in Spring. Good year for target production.


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## phantastick fish (Jun 8, 2004)

22-250 rugar WILL get the job done. ive shot crows at 410yrds. so this gun will work for you. is right around five bills too.


fish


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## Cobra (Jan 19, 2000)

Don't under estimate a .223. Very accurate with ample inexpensive ammo available. Plenty of gun for most varmint situations. No longer own a 223, sold it to a friend to get him started, but I had a 350 yd kill with it. The Savage packages are hard to beat but that old NEF was very nice for the price. Friend now uses a Savage package 243, good for varmints and he did get a deer with it also.


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## Rick Hodges (Jan 30, 2002)

Another vote for the .223. Kills to 350 yds on chucks and at least 280 yds. on a coyote.

Rick


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## Swamp Monster (Jan 11, 2002)

Savage, Weatherby Vanguard, NEF. The NEF in .223 will set you back about $230...that leaves you money to get an adequate scope and a nice bipod and a few boxes of ammo. Single shot is all you really need for varmit hunting and those NEF's are very accurate. So are the Savages and the Vanguards. And the Stevens that Hunt suggested is an even less expensive verison of the Savage....hard to go wrong! I like the .223 just because even factory ammo is dirt, dirt cheap and it will get the job done at most any rational range. There are some faster sexier cartridges out there, but the .223 is tough to beat. In windy conditons etc, the .22-250 or even .243 will be a bit better choice, plus the .243 can do double duty as a deer gun as well. 
Oh, and if you have a .270 or .30-06 etc, don't be afraid to just use the trusty deer rifle!

I just took a nice chuck at 23 yards with my Hoyt this morning. The fellow took up residents under my shed in the backyard and I wanted none of that! 
A 450 grain carbon arrow tipped with a 100 grain Wasp SST worked quite nicely!
Probably not an ideal varmit rig to be honest though!


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## bl00dtrail (Feb 13, 2005)

under $500 for the rifle alone or the entire package?

you've gotten alot of good info so far (NEF, Savage, maybe Ruger..?)

I just bought another Varmint gun and I went with the Remington 700 SPS chambered in .204. (I paid $400 for the rifle) here's a pic:










as far as caliber choices, all of them will serve you well .220 swift, .222, 22-250, .223, .243, 25-06, all have their advantages and disadvantages depending on who you ask..... I went with the .204 on this gun and I'm very happy with it! The .204 seems to be gaining alot of respect and stealing alot of the 22-250's thunder so to speak. Read up and get what best suits YOU.

you can definately find a nice varmint shooter for under $500... easily!


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## trotterlg (Oct 26, 2004)

22-250 is still king of the hill I think. Savage has the best prices with good out of the box accuracy. Package rifles will be less than $400.00. Stevens (same thing as Savage without the new accutrigger) are a good bet, but they have a shorter barrel and to make use of a 22-250 you really need at least 24 inches, mine is 26 inches. It will make 4,300 fps with 41gr of Varget with Barnes 40gr VLC's. If you go with a .223 which isn't bad at all then the shorter barrel will be about right. Larry


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## Murphy (Aug 10, 2005)

Isnt a .223 a bit large for varmit hunting?

Just wondering..

Murph


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## lwingwatcher (Mar 25, 2001)

trotterlg said:


> 22-250 is still king of the hill I think.


Yup...


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## lwingwatcher (Mar 25, 2001)

Murphy said:


> Isnt a .223 a bit large for varmit hunting?


Nope, and ya have a decent assortment of bullet weights from which to select.


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## Swamp Monster (Jan 11, 2002)

Murphy said:


> Isnt a .223 a bit large for varmit hunting?
> 
> Just wondering..
> 
> Murph


Not at all.....that's is exactly the whole purpose behind the .223....other than the two legged type varmits! 
Lots of folks use the .220 Swift, .22-.250, .243, 6mm Rem, .25-06 etc all of which are much more powerful than the little .223. Some use the .223 for deer, but I don't condone it, at least on deer here in the north.


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## Huntsman27 (Sep 29, 2004)

bullets from 35gr to 70-80gr there are a host of varmints that can be eliminated with the 223, 22-250,220,22Hornet/Bee and many wildcats. The 6MM/243s are also very good as are the 25s. Essentially all you need is an accurate gun, be that a 45-70, 30-06, 270 or the 223. As a reloader I can tailor a load to the varmint intended. Although one has to consider the terrain, and proximity of occupied dwellings and riccochet potential before using said calibers. Thats what makes varmint hunting so fun, trying all the different loads and guns. Nothing like a 500gr 45-70 slug KO-ing a nice woodchuck.


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## LarryA (Jun 16, 2004)

500 gr 45-70 on a woodchuck!!!!! Huntsmen, if the term over-kill was in the dictionary, I am afraid your picture would be included.:lol: 

You must really hate woodchucks!:lol:


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## vandermi (Jun 6, 2003)

trotterlg said:


> 22-250 is still king of the hill I think. Savage has the best prices with good out of the box accuracy. Package rifles will be less than $400.00. Stevens (same thing as Savage without the new accutrigger) are a good bet, but they have a shorter barrel and to make use of a 22-250 you really need at least 24 inches, mine is 26 inches. It will make 4,300 fps with 41gr of Varget with Barnes 40gr VLC's. If you go with a .223 which isn't bad at all then the shorter barrel will be about right. Larry


I know you said you want a bolt, but I bought the Mossberg SSI in 22-250. And with a bipod, nice Burris scope and mounts have $400 in the setup and I can pattern tighter than any of my buddies with savage bolts. But if I was to buy a bolt it would be the Savage. savage is excellent for the money!


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## Huntsman27 (Sep 29, 2004)

LarryA said:


> 500 gr 45-70 on a woodchuck!!!!! Huntsmen, if the term over-kill was in the dictionary, I am afraid your picture would be included.:lol:
> 
> You must really hate woodchucks!:lol:


 I love taking them out with all legal means. I saw one guy posted on Varmint hunter one wiped out with a 458 Lott talk about over kill...makes my 45-70 look punny!


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## DrEw8716 (Jul 1, 2004)

Savage 110 .243


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## anonymous21 (Jul 22, 2005)

25-06 you can use on anything from woodchuck to deer,depending on how you load it.Have one in the nef handy rifle,only a single shot but it's a shooter.a lot of gun for 200-300 bucks depending on how many frills you want.And good luck with those hole diggin, bean eating S.O.B'S. :evil:


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## trotterlg (Oct 26, 2004)

All you need is a really flat shooting accurate rifle. Loaded and sighted right a 22-250 is within a half inch of dead on between 50 and 250 yards, and lead on anything moving is nearly nothing. A good fast 22-250 will make well over 4000 fps with 40 gr varmint bullits and is an amazing thing to shoot. The .223 and 243 are not far behind, and I hear the 204 is nearly as good or better. I have a 22-250. Remember what they tell you in school "speed kills" Larry


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## DAN (Aug 13, 2005)

I think im gonna have to go with the 22-250 (by popular demand). Thanks for all your input guys.


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## anonymous21 (Jul 22, 2005)

The 22-250 will easily get the job done,You might want to look at one in the heavy barrels if you can get one in your budget,they are sweet.have fun with those chucks.


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## Cobra (Jan 19, 2000)

Have an older heavy barrel Savage in 22-250. Excellant woodchuck gun, after installing a new trigger, but don't think much of it on closer/tight area shots for coyotes or for following one across an open rolling field until it stops. Plenty accurate but feels like swinging a telephone pole, heavy and cumbersome. On a bipod and with a bit more time to line her up it's lethal to over 458yds, my longest confirmed kill on a 'chuck. Coyotes get nailed with Rem 700 Classics in 220 Swift, 17 Rem. or a shotgun.


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