Favorite varmint caliber?

[zanemoseley]

I'm curious what everyone's favorite varmint caliber is. I'm thinking of shooting 3P small bore with all apertures next year which will free up a 6.5-20 VX-3 EFR Leupold. All my other rifle are big heavy target guns, thinking a semi light varmint gun might be fun. So far the 204 ruger is my favorite I've looked at. I know a lot of people like the 223 but I'm afraid I would overkill a 223 rifle with the idea of using it as a f/tr rifle as well which would kind of defeat the purpose. In all likelihood I'll probably build a 223 some year but I'll be a target rifle shooting fatties.

Also I don't actually hunt so it will be a plinking varmint rifle lol. Maybe I'll get some pdog knock downs.

 

[yotehater]

Take a look at the .17WSM bolt rifles. It would be cheaper to shoot and a pleasure to plink around with. Quieter to shoot and easy to use to teach someone else to shoot.

 

[Hotshot]

I'm 66 years old. My dad had me out gopher shooting at age 5 and took me on prairie dog shoots when I was 7. I can swear that I have fired over 300,000 rounds at varmints in my life, probably 400,000 for sure and maybe approaching 500,000. I've gone through hornets and swifts and wildcat 6mm's and lived through the 17 craze.
If I was limited to one varmint rifle(God forbid) it would be the 204Ruger. I don't think anybody on this forum can bring up a cartridge that I haven't tried or currently own.
I'm sure you will have a huge discussion on this subject. Stick with your first instinct, it's a good one.

 

[Terry]

The .204 is great. I use it for Prairie Dogs. No need to take anything else.

 

[zanemoseley]

Dang Hotshot, sounds like you've got a few rounds down the pipe.

 

[Hotshot]

Wouldn't trade my hobby for anybody else's. Can you imagine having all those barrel cleaning patches in one pile. I could have clothed a third world nation. I melted a few barrels too, my wife never wanted for garden stakes to tie the tomatoes to.

 

[swd]

6x45, 17 Rem and 17 Mach IV would be my favorites. 22 Hornet is pretty darn fun too.

 

[snert]

222, 6br. 22-250, k hornet, 220 swift

 

[Nomad47]

6SLR with the 6XC running a close second. Groundhogs out to 1000 yards - or more.

 

[long40shot]

Good old 22-250!

 

[RonS]

Let's not forget, one of my favorites, the 221 Fireball...

 

[cooperve]

.222 Remington magnum

 

[GrocMax]

PD's? 20 Prac.

 

[IdahoSharpshooter]

imho, the perfect Prairie Dog cartridge is the 223 in about any bolt rifle. You can take 300 or more shots in a day for as many days as you are in a good dogtown. It's a very good 300 yard cartridge with plain old 52-55gr SP or HP bullets.

 

[mikeinct]

I'm curious what everyone's favorite varmint caliber is. I'm thinking of shooting 3P small bore with all apertures next year which will free up a 6.5-20 VX-3 EFR Leupold. All my other rifle are big heavy target guns, thinking a semi light varmint gun might be fun. So far the 204 ruger is my favorite I've looked at. I know a lot of people like the 223 but I'm afraid I would overkill a 223 rifle with the idea of using it as a f/tr rifle as well which would kind of defeat the purpose. In all likelihood I'll probably build a 223 some year but I'll be a target rifle shooting fatties.

Also I don't actually hunt so it will be a plinking varmint rifle lol. Maybe I'll get some pdog knock downs.

Myself I'd hate to only have one Varmint Rifle...That said an accurate light-weight 223 is a good choice..Look at CZ bolt actions..Only drawback is the scope mounts 11MM...Grrr...You want some fun? Rebuild an old Savage sporter..22-250 or 243W....Rebarrel in 6MMBR, many possibilities if you reload your own ammo...Mike in CT

 

[varmintshooter]

I'm curious what everyone's favorite varmint caliber is. I'm thinking of shooting 3P small bore with all apertures next year which will free up a 6.5-20 VX-3 EFR Leupold. All my other rifle are big heavy target guns, thinking a semi light varmint gun might be fun. So far the 204 ruger is my favorite I've looked at. I know a lot of people like the 223 but I'm afraid I would overkill a 223 rifle with the idea of using it as a f/tr rifle as well which would kind of defeat the purpose. In all likelihood I'll probably build a 223 some year but I'll be a target rifle shooting fatties.

Also I don't actually hunt so it will be a plinking varmint rifle lol. Maybe I'll get some pdog knock downs.

All these posts and I didn't see any mention of the best varmint cartridge out there THE 20 VARTARG. Easy to load, accurate, low recoil, long barrel life, what's not to like.

 

[scope eye]

I can't load anything smaller than 22 cal without pinching my fingers in the press.LOL
So what I do is load 223 with 30,35,and 40gr bullets with Tight Group ,Trail Boss or Clays.
That way I can Taylor the fps anywhere I want from 1000fps to 3000fps.
You can get 4000fps out of a 223 with a 40gr bullet with 25gr of H4198, obviously the brass does not last as long before the primer pockets cry's uncle, but hey were talking 223 brass here, no real loss plus it's a blast.

Dean

 

[johnfred1965]

Dang Hotshot, sounds like you've got a few rounds down the pipe.

you can shoot a lot in 60 years! I didn't start until my teens, so I still have a long way to go.
and for the OP, the 204 is great, but if you shoot steel, set them way out, with that high velocity, I've dimpled my ar500 plates at 150. not bad but still it WILL leave a mark!
And as varmintshooter said 20 VT IS great. It would be my first choice if i didn't like the extra range of the 204

 

[Hunter2678]

Good ol 222 remmy for calm days and the 6x47L for windier days here in Ohio.

 

[zanemoseley]

Well dimpled steel would suck. Is there a particular FPS that damages AR steel? I have a good amount of 3/8" AR500 targets that I would prefer not to damage however I could just keep the shooting to the smaller targets that are cheaper to replace I guess.