Whats your varmint rifle? pics :)

Armored farmer said:

View attachment 783190 this little H&R in .204Ruger gets strapped to the atv, propped in the corner of abtractor cab quite often.

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I have always been a fan of the H&R rifles too. I have a Buffalo Classic Carbine that rides in a scabbard on the Mule. It is a very quick handling and rather potent little rifle.

308 with a good scope and a can. Does a anything you ask of it within 1000 yards.

The 22-250 hasn’t been out of the safe in 4-5 years.

Mine is a .40 caliber flintlock that launches a 90 grain .390 patched, round, lead ball at about 1800 fps and a conical bullet at about 1500 fps. Hammers deer, woodchucks, squirrel, rabbit, and I'd imagine a turkey or a 'yote.

I must confess though that I have a Mossberg Predator bolt-rifle in .223, and I've been itching to try that on woodchuck.

I also saw a video on "long range" shooting with a .17 HMR and I'm curious as to what I could do with one of those.....

LD

For me;.... Varmints = Woodchucks........... So over the years I amassed a battery of rifles for 'chucks near & far. Near meaning 50 yds. or less and at those distances a woodchuck can be taken cleanly using a 22LR with a head shot like my late dad did in the late 1930's & early 1940's before he went in the navy in 1943. I call it "old school" 'chuck hunting as it involves stealth, stalking, and hiding to get within range. He did all that with an iron sighted Mod. 67 Winchester single shot in 22 LR that now resides in my gun safe and of course, years ago I had to get a few ' chucks "old school" style like dad used to. It was fun although I confess it was mostly hiding in the woods on the edge of my buddies meadow and targeting the woodchucks that lived within 50 yds. of the treeline. So here's the Model 67 that's harvested woodchucks pre-WWII and then again in the 1980's & 90's and beyond. Don't have any digital pix of it with dead woodchucks because that was all pre-digital photography for me but I do have a couple pix of the gun all by itself here on the computer. I'll post up the rest of the varmint rifles in the near future. Stay tuned......E.T.A. Found an old snapshot today of that rifle and one of the woodchucks that we used to "thin out" from my buddies field.... Took a digital photo of it, and being a "picture of a picture" it's not as sharp as it should be but that's a clean one shot deal at about 50 yards with a 22LR "old school" style.

coyote gun

I believe that varmint rifles generally begin with .2.
My father's very accurate 700 Rem .243 complete with vintage Weaver 6x, Ruger SR556 /Nikon 3xbdc, Ruger American .22wmr /Simmons 4x32, Winchester 9422XTR .22wmr.
Before the coyotes took over, i saw my dad take many groundhogs with the 700 Remington. They were a nuisance to a soybean farmer in the late 60s.

Here's the follow-up to my post about culling woodchucks with a 22 LR. Most people don't consider a 22LR as a woodchuck rifle but I've used it so often I just had to include it. Now we can get to the centerfire stuff. Beyond 50 yds out to about 125-150 yds I enjoy using a neat old 22 centerfire round that first appeared commercially in the early 1930's. The mild mannered 22 Hornet has been my mid-range 'chuck slayer since I got this one from an old high school buddy of mine in the late 1990's and he had gotten it from the original owner circa 1966. A 1930's vintage Savage Model 23-D with its original pre WWII Wollensak 4x scope. I love 'chuck hunting with this thing as it feels as though I'm stepping back in time. No hot handloads or anything like that; just loaded to pretty much duplicate standard Hornet ballistic performance and within its range it does all that is asked of it very efficiently. The Savage 23-D was the first American rifle chambered in 22 Hornet, (introduced in 1932 and produced until the latter 1940's IIRC) and is what many consider to be the pioneer of factory varmint rifles, as the 22 Hornet is considered to be the first successful factory varmint cartridge.

Down to two, a 24V 222 and a contender carbine 223. Also have a Tracker .17HMR and a 222 contender but don't need all four. Seem to always grab #2.

Next up in the varmint rifle battery picks up where the 22 Hornet runs out of steam. An older Mod. 700 Remington Varmint Special in 22-250 Rem. Launches 55 gr. Ballistic Tips at an average 3550 fps with IMR-4320 and they could go even faster but over the years this load has proven to be consistently the most accurate and as long as it's that accurate, who cares about an extra 100 fps or so? Woodchucks can't tell the difference. Has an older (1960's vintage) straight 12x Leupold that's been on and off a few times since I got the rifle used in 1979. Tried a couple other scopes but went back to the 12x every time because of the clarity. Also included a digital picture of an old snapshot from May, 1983 of a woodchuck that surprised me as he stood up from the grass 40 yards in front of me as I was prone watching a 'chuck mound over 100 yds away. Not very sporting at that distance with a 22-250 but the property owner wanted to see some dead woodchucks so I obliged him. That's the exit wound from a 55 gr. Remington factory round at about 40 yds.

For the two kinds of varmints I shoot, muskrats and coyotes:

REM 700 XCR Compact Tactical in .223 with Leupold MK4 6.5-20X, Nosler 55 BTs is my primary rat gun:



Home built, Larue PredatAR 16" 1-8 Wylde chamber in .223 with Leupold VX6 1-6 is my primary yote rifle (calling), Nosler 60grn BTs:


Benelli M1S90, low-light muskrats and coyote calling gun, #6 shot for rats, #1 buck for yotes:


Ruger RPR in .243, Timney 2-stage trigger, Vortex Razor HD 4.5-20X, 105 Berger Hybrid, not a primary yote rifle, but I've popped a couple with it as they trotted across my back 40 right next to my 547y tgt:

My .243 without a doubt.

Nothin' special, just a 20" AR-15 that was my first 80% lower and first rifle build. Topped it with some Leupold and finished the bottom with a Geissele National Match trigger.

I have used several rifles for varmint, ranging from a heavy barrel 10/22, to 6mm Rem, and yes, even .270 Win. Currently, any of my rifles could serve for varmint. All are heavy barreled, and nicely accurate. The added barrel weight is nice considering that I have endured nearly a dozen cervical neurosurgeries.

I would count my Savage M93 .17 HMR among the favorite, as well as my Savage M11 Predator chambered in .223 Rem. Hopefully I can get an opportunity to use either my PSA or Bear .223 Wylde uppers on my Seekins lower.

Which is my favorite?! The one I happen to be using at that time.

I dont currently have a varmint rifle. However one is on order. Mossberg mvp varmint in 5.56, 1/9, 24" barrel. Going to be topped with a vortex 6-24x50. Any suggestions on rings?
Looking at Harris bipods, which model do you guys like?
This will be for bench shooting and coyotes.
Not trying hijack this thread, but hoping for a little guidance from those with knowledge.

Rings? Steel. Warne or Leupold,

Base/Rail? Steel. Warne M1913.

Bipod? Adjustable to the height of your desired shooting position. I have have Harris bipods for prone position in 6-9 inch, and 12-15 inch (I think it is). I used a Harris 24-27" for seated position. I hate the swivel type.

Geno

I have a couple Harris and they work well. My RPR sits on an Atlas with spike feet so I can "load" it when on the ground. For the precision stuff 500+ yards I prefer the Atlas. Great aspect is the attachable leg extensions. It is a little up there though at about $270+ for a base model. Most of the time I yote hunt I use a tripod. Not a fan of something attached to the carbine. Sometimes we'll call, AR resting in the tripod and shotgun in hand for the ones that run in.

Rings: I have a bunch, Leupold, Larue, Warne, American Defense, Steyr etc. I prefer aluminum.

Remington 700 SPS tactical in .223, with a VLS stock and a Leupold VX-II 6-18

RPR .243 Leupold 6.5-20 40mm........

This Ruger SR556/Nikon 3x P223 is my most capable varmint rifle.....

...but this NEF Handi-rifle in .204 with a cheap 3x9 scope and 10rd ammo sleeve sees the woods several times per year.
It has been a very rugged woods bumming, farming companion. It has a few scars to show for it too.

Remington 700 VLS in 22-250. Hope someday to take it to a prairie dog farm.

I see that i have posted the same rifle twice in the same thread.

They say that long term shooting can result in memory loss.
And memory loss.

just jokes

i have several for p-dog shooting....my favorite is probably my remington 700 vsf .223 with 26" fluted barrel, shilen trigger, and leupold vx III 4-12x ao. not my best scope but is very good. i've killed 100s of dogs with it...longest shot 326 yds measured with lazer range finder. probably killed nearly as many with my kimber 84m .204 with bushnell elite 6-24x...great scope for longer shots....longest around 300+ yards, but not measured, but many killed over 200 yds. and my favorite rimfire varmint is my anschutz 1517 mpr with leupold vx3 3.5-10x...it's my most accurate rimfire too...all of them lots of fun.