I already have my favorite rifle for everything but ground hogs. 1953 Winchester M70, .30-06.
After floating the barrel, adding a recoil pad, and pillar bedding it, it shoots like this:
That's a 150g Hornady SST pushed to 3,000 fps by a max load of H4350.
It was my Dad's big game rifle. I added a 3-9x40 Leupold VX-II with ballistic plex reticle. The reticle is a perfect match for the load I like to shoot in it (see above) for PA deer.
My other favorite rifle, used mostly for ground hogs, is my CZ527 American in .223 Rem. I kill 20 to 30 ground hogs a year with it. It loves the 40g Nosler BT seated 0.020" off the lands and pushed to 3,640 fps by AA2460.
Fitch
After floating the barrel, adding a recoil pad, and pillar bedding it, it shoots like this:
That's a 150g Hornady SST pushed to 3,000 fps by a max load of H4350.
It was my Dad's big game rifle. I added a 3-9x40 Leupold VX-II with ballistic plex reticle. The reticle is a perfect match for the load I like to shoot in it (see above) for PA deer.
My other favorite rifle, used mostly for ground hogs, is my CZ527 American in .223 Rem. I kill 20 to 30 ground hogs a year with it. It loves the 40g Nosler BT seated 0.020" off the lands and pushed to 3,640 fps by AA2460.
Fitch