Perfect Varmint Caliber???

[Big joe]

I already have a 243 Win., 270 Win. and a 300 Win.... I'm now thinking about a varmint-only caliber. I'm leaning toward the .223 Rem. right now, but before I make a big decision like this I'd like you guys to give me your opinion. If you were to buy a caliber for plinking, target, fun and varmints only ... what would it be and why ???

Thanks

[scooterman27006]

big you said the word fun in there somewhere and -- well IMO the 17hmr will put a hurtin on most any varmint within 100 yrds and where the fun words comes in you dont have to reload them and they are not that expensive for 50 -- now its not long rifle 22 prices but once you get the rifle to shoot then a box goes a long way unless you get happy with the trigger - the 223 would have to be my next choice

[Dom]

Well, I'm not so sure there is a perfect varmint caliber, at least for as many conditions and variations that are involved, and then throw in fun. So, I'll have fun and pick 3 based on distances.

Out to 100: .22 Magnum
100-200: Hornet
200 beyond: 22-250

Based on your plinking, fun, and varmints, it'd be a close toss up between the 22M and Hornet.

Now if I had a 17HMR, I might just be tootin' that horn.

223 wouldn't be a bad choice, but I'm not sure I'd call it a plinker. I think the 22-250 is a fantastic caliber that outperforms the 223 without going to barrel eating as long as you don't heat it up too Swift ly.

Well Big Joe, I done gone and did you a big favor -- just get three new rigs ;-) Waidmannsheil, Dom.

[Mil Dot]

What kind of varmints? What kind of ranges? And are you a "Red Mister" type of guy?

The 223 is a great varmint caliber. Inexpensive, available ammo. You can shoot a bunch without over heating very quickly. It gives you a pretty exciting impact on prairie dogs out to about 350. Doesn't completely destroy coyotes if you're careful with shot placement, can completely destroy coyotes if you're careful with your shot placement and bullet selection. If you reload you can heat 'em up, if not factory ammo generally shoots relatively good.

I tote both 223 and 22-250 in varmint guns. The first was the 223 for the above reasons. The 22-250 was for distance and speed. Both are capable of turning vermin inside out.

17 is a good plinkin and hide saver. A friend has one and we've tipped a bunch of P-dogs over with it, but I tend to like multiple revolutions and landing zones. Nothing you get a solid hit on is going to suffer with the 223 or 22-250.

MD

[JimHnSTL]

i went through this same thing just this past winter and ended up getting a savage 12bvss in .223. i wanted to do some long range target shooting/plinking and have something to use for varments. i still would like to get a sporter weight rifle in .22 magnum but the .223 seemed best choice for me once i factored ammo cost. now i'm looking to add a .204 barrel down the road just to see what all the hype on that round is.

[Evan03]

see how 55gr bullets fly out o your 243.

you might have the perfect varmit rifle right there and not know it. 55gr loads can be had in facotry offerings

[reload]

The .204 is a great caliber for what you are asking about. Very little recoil, accurate with factory ammo, when reloading it will probably do a lot more with accuracy and distance. Good Luck

[fabsroman]

This is almost like trying to pick the best deer cartridge and that thread got pretty long and pretty heated.

For varmints I have a .22 lr, a .222 Rem, and a .220 Swift. As Dom said, it pretty much depends on the range you are shooting at. The .22 lr. is good to about 50, maybe 75 yards. The .222 Rem is good to about 200, maybe 250 yards. The .220 Swift is good for a long ways unless it happens to be very windy. I also have a .270, .30-06, and .300 Win, but I don't use any of those three for varmints. The next rifle I buy will probably be a .25-06 for those really long range shots on varmints and those shorter range shots on deer.

Which gun I take out of the cabinet/safe on any given day depends on what the day is like (e.g., wind), what the ranges will be, and what the quarry will be. It is tough to just select one cartridge/shotshell for all my hunting when there are so many different ones out there. Same goes for guns and optics, and don't even get me started on hunting and fishing gear.

Kind of like asking which bait is the best for Rockfish. The answer is whatever they happen to like the day you are fishing.

[Cossack]

I shoot the following that fall into the category:17 Rem, 17 HMR, 22LR, 22 WMR, 22 Hornet, 223, 22-250 and 6-284.
If you load, 22-250, or perhaps 204, depending on what you're using it for.
If not, 223 with Black Hills ammo, Red box or Black in a load that matches your barrel's twist rate best.

[Andy L]

This could be exactly like the perfect deer caliber......



There isnt one. What do you consider varmints? If they include predators, do you want the hides? How are you hunting? How long are your shots? Do you want red mist? Do you reload? How much do you want to spend?

On and on and on and on the questions could go.

There is no perfect varmint gun. But, if you want one that is middle of the road. Can be loaded to hunt most varmints and predators for either red mist or lower hide damage. Can be loaded to shoot very well out to 300 yards or further with the right load and person. Cheapest to shoot in most cases, whether you reload or not. It would have to be, yep, you guessed it. The .223.

Yes other guns will outshoot it in distance. Others do better on hides. Others do better on red mist. But for all around, its pretty good at everything.

Kinda like a Yugo. (or a .270)

Andy

[JackRabbit]

I agree with Evan that you might already have it in your 243.I love me 22-250,but if I had the 243 already thats what I would use on varmints

[.243hunter]

The 243 is a good varmint caliber. Its one that you can also put a 95 grainer in and go shoot deer with. Mine is very accurate with those small 58 grain hornadies. I know that i wouldn't want to be avarmint

[bigbrother]

I used to shoot 60g Sierras out of my .243 and killed ground hogs and crows out to around 400 yds. Wind was a killer with the little bullet because of the bad b.c. but when you hit a grounhog with it you usually had 2 pieces left! If I was to go to a strictly varmint gun and was going to keep my shots less than 300 yds or so. I would probably go with the 20 vartag or something similar. 4000fps with 32g bullets and burn less powder than the .204 ruger....might be neat. But then again, I haven't shot at a ground hog under 350 yards in 3 years

[Ridge Runner]

223's why? because I shoot'em alot, I also like the AR-15 platform they're in, the 1-8 twist can do remarkable things when you move up to a heavy bullet, the 3.5 inches of clearance between the scope and barrel really helps the long range trajectory. I've got a groudhog marked for death, his hole is 598 yds from my shooting position, I've missed him twice but not by much, when the wind lays I'll get him.
RR

[Rocky Raab]

Big Joe, here in Utah you really can't improve on the 223. As someone said above, there are calibers that shoot a little flatter, there are some that shoot a little quieter, and there may be some that shoot a little cheaper.

But there aren't any that hold the broad middle ground of varmint shooting like the 223.

You can load it to plinker levels. You can buy ammo (really GOOD ammo or really CHEAP ammo) for it anywhere. It is effective on everything from mice to coyotes to rock chucks. You can shoot 100 rounds an hour in a PD town with it and not ruin it. Baring too much wind, you can hammer animals to 300 yards with it.

Heck, I go so far as to say that EVERY varminter needs a 223. You may eventually add a smaller round like a Hornet or 22 WMR, and you might need a bigger round like a Swift or a 243. But you'll always need a 223!