More .223 Remington Varmint Gun info.

[Picher]

Hey Picher,

Thank you for sharing your stories. I'm another virus shut-in at age 73. Didn't start varmint shooting as a young hunter. Shot only .22 and 410 at rabbits, squirrels, and quail. Couldn't afford centerfire and being dirt poor, we were mostly food hunters. Through the years coyotes occasionally became targets of opportunity, but never really hunted them. Fast forward to about 20 years ago, my varmint hunting began in earnest. I called a friend who owns lots of land in western Kansas and had lots of pheasants in past years. This time, however, he said, "Don't have any pheasants, but you need to come out here and shoot some of these damned prairie dogs!" My income had improved a lot and my varmint hunting was born, along with the accumulation of 6-7 varmint and reloading equipment. I now reload 5 different calibers, mostly for prairie dogs and coyotes, but also load my deer rounds. While I shoot deer and turkeys and I still hunt squirrels, varmints are my favorite target. I've settled on .223. and .204 as my favorite varmint calibers. I did buy a Remington 700 VLS heavy barreled .243 and developed rounds with 55gr bullets that would travel around 3600 fps. The intent was to shoot long range prairie dogs and did kill some at 300-350 yds. But, I quickly learned that I missed more often than not and I don't like missing. So, I abandoned the long distance shots and mostly shoot under 300, preferably closer to 200. My longest shot with my .223, measured with laser range finder was 326 yds. I've killed 1,000s of prairie dogs with .22LR, 17HMR, 22Hornet, .223, .204, and .243...shot a prairie dog with a 12ga last year! At present, I'm developing test loads using CFE 223 for my latest acquisition, a custom AR-15 .223 to be my go-to coyote rifle. Loads of FUN.

Nice! The only thing about the hot .20-.22 caliber rounds like the .223 is that wind raises cain with them, compared with heavier rounds, but those heavier rounds aren't as pleasant to shoot for long strings and barrels warm too quickly. I guess we haven't found the perfect varmint round, but .22-250 Improved seems like it could be a winner. I also have a couple of .243s that are quite effective in the field...very stable and very strong for larger coyotes and have taken several deer by grandsons, and I took my light Tikka on a mission to set up a pop-up blind on a high hill for my grandson and stopped while setting it up to nail a 130 lb buck in the old county road, at 200 yards when standing and resting my left pinkie on top of the blind. It never took a step! The round was a handloaded 80 grain solid Hornady GMX.

 

[Picher]

Yep.....223 gets my vote. Back before I knew anything about varmints and varmint rifles, I looked into .204 and .223. First one I bought was a Ruger #1 .204, followed quickly by a Remington 700 VSF .223. Since then I've acquired another .204, another .223, a 22Hornet, a .243, two 17HMRs, and a 17Mcah2. Just returned from the range testing some new .223 loads. It has been a ton of fun experimenting with both .223s and the many load and bullet options. Great round. But, in the favorite column is a growing appreciation for the 17HMR for prairie dogs. Why? No reloading required!!

I discovered the joys of shooting the .17 HMR last year and am really having fun with it. I can walk down to my son's wood/fields with a pocketful of ammo and three loaded magazines and plink a bit if there aren't any varmints around. In another thread, I mentioned shooting two coyotes within about a minute because they were sleeping in the blueberry field and made the mistake of waking up and standing up, about a minute apart. I was surprised, but lucky to nail both of them. That really "made" my season! (Photo: CZ 452, .17HMR heavy-fluted)

 

[Sniper66]

I discovered the joys of shooting the .17 HMR last year and am really having fun with it. I can walk down to my son's wood/fields with a pocketful of ammo and three loaded magazines and plink a bit if there aren't any varmints around. In another thread, I mentioned shooting two coyotes within about a minute because they were sleeping in the blueberry field and made the mistake of waking up and standing up, about a minute apart. I was surprised, but lucky to nail both of them. That really "made" my season! (Photo: CZ 452, .17HMR heavy-fluted)View attachment 900930

That rifle has classy looks with better than average figure in the wood and that heavy fluted barrel is right up my alley. I started my HMR venture with a Ruger77/17 with a sport barrel. It shot OK, but when it heated up, like shooting in a very busy p-dog town, the accuracy went to hell so I got rid of it. Took a big jump to an Anschutz 1517MPR with a target grade barrel and my overheating worries were gone. Best out of the box rifle I have ever owned. Prairie dogs fell by the dozens. But, it was too heavy for a walk-about varminter, so I bought a Sako FinnFire II. Accuracy is almost as good as the Anschutz, but, due to a familial tremor, I don't shoot it as well. Your CZ looks like the perfect combo for me. I've yet to kill a coyote with a 17HMR. Thanks for sharing the picture.

 

[Picher]

stillquietvoice: The Annie sounds like a winner! I've lusted over Annie's and had a pretty nice .22LR target rifle I used for Rimfire BR.

The second coyote was still at about a hundred yards when I shot from standing, then it took off running directly away. It kinda surprised me, thinking I'd hit it, but I recovered quickly enough to shoot again when it got to about 150 yards and it piled-up a few seconds after. It appeared to be dead when it hit the ground, about 170 yards or so. I was so surprised I made that shot, and so pleased with the performance of that "tiny" round!!
JP

 

[lightman]

I voted 223 but the I use different calibers for different purposes. I use the 223 for Prairie Dogs because the faster cartridges get hot quicker. I don't want to be sitting behind the scope thinking about the high percentage of barrel life that I'm burning up with my 22-250 on a large dog town. But the faster cartridges are easier to make longer shots with and the terminal ballistics can be spectacular. I use a 22-250 for Bobcats and Coyotes unless I'm walking around. Then I use a 222 because my Remington M-600 is short and light.

My main Prairie Dog rifle is a Remington M-700PSS. I have a new barrel for it in the safe but the accuracy of the factory barrel just keeps holding up. I usually take another rifle as back up. Either a varmint weight 243 or 6.5-284 for long shots.

 

[Sniper66]

I voted 223 but the I use different calibers for different purposes. I use the 223 for Prairie Dogs because the faster cartridges get hot quicker. I don't want to be sitting behind the scope thinking about the high percentage of barrel life that I'm burning up with my 22-250 on a large dog town. But the faster cartridges are easier to make longer shots with and the terminal ballistics can be spectacular. I use a 22-250 for Bobcats and Coyotes unless I'm walking around. Then I use a 222 because my Remington M-600 is short and light.

My main Prairie Dog rifle is a Remington M-700PSS. I have a new barrel for it in the safe but the accuracy of the factory barrel just keeps holding up. I usually take another rifle as back up. Either a varmint weight 243 or 6.5-284 for long shots.

I'm curious. What bullet do you shoot in your .243? Tom

 

[lightman]

Has anyone here had their .22-250 rechambered to .22-250 Improved? I'd often thought about it, but it didn't happen.

I have not rechambered one but I did rebarrel one and went with the AI. The reamer was suppose to be a no turn neck but mine is too tight for unturned brass and I have to remove .002 or .003. But it shoots great, .25 MOA almost all of the time. Even the fireform loads are accurate. Since I have to turn the necks I load with bushing dies. The AI also stopped the case stretching that I was having with the stock 22-250.

But, I'm not sure if I would do it again or not.

 

[Offfhand]

Here is another interesting example of a .223 Rem. varmint rifle: The first version of Remington's M-700 Varmint Special. There were a number of changes in the Varmint Special series over the years, most of which have been cosmetic changes in the style and methods of stock decoration and checkering. This version of 1967, being identified by its pressed checkering and metal buttplate. (Later versions have plastic buttplates.) The medium heavy barrels on the Varmint Special models were in part responsible for the M-700's reputation for fine accuracy. Which I suspect is also due to the fact that Varmint Specials came with target style scope blocks attached. Which augmented the use of high quality, high magnification (10X and higher) scopes available at that time, and subsequent better accuracy. An example being the superb 12X Unertl Ultra Varmint scope mounted on this rifle. (Full disclosure: when this rig became available a few years ago, bought it just to get the scope.)

 

[Eagle 17]

I took my Savage .223 Remington B.A. Rifle out to the Range
to see how my 30gr. Varmint Grenade loads would do
they did even better than I was expecting, great little tack drivers.

30gr VG.jpg

 

[Eagle 17]

Here is another interesting example of a .223 Rem. varmint rifle: The first version of Remington's M-700 Varmint Special. There were a number of changes in the Varmint Special series over the years, most of which have been cosmetic changes in the style and methods of stock decoration and checkering. This version of 1967, being identified by its pressed checkering and metal buttplate. (Later versions have plastic buttplates.) The medium heavy barrels on the Varmint Special models were in part responsible for the M-700's reputation for fine accuracy. Which I suspect is also due to the fact that Varmint Specials came with target style scope blocks attached. Which augmented the use of high quality, high magnification (10X and higher) scopes available at that time, and subsequent better accuracy. An example being the superb 12X Unertl Ultra Varmint scope mounted on this rifle. (Full disclosure: when this rig became available a few years ago, bought it just to get the scope.) View attachment 901138 View attachment 901140 View attachment 901142

Wow, Nice I've never seen a scope like that before.

 

[redneck2]

I voted .223 because I’ve shot more of that, primarily at prairie dogs. My Varminter AR is super accurate.

Then again, have a soft spot for .22-250’s. I smoked a lot of groundhogs in my high school days. My first real rifle. I started reloading for it with with one of the whack-a-mole Lee loaders. I recently sold a Remington 700 VS .22-250 that I had acquired for prairie dogs. Super, super accurate also. Too loud for doggin’

Then again, I could have voted for the.204. Mine is a CZ 527 with a 4-14x50 Leupold VX-L. Had a hard time developing a load. Initial accuracy was horrid. Kept working at it until I found a 39 grain Nosler BT’s and Varget combo that it loves. .22-250 performance with less than .223 noise levels and absolutely zero recoil

 

[ACES&8S]

I voted for the 223, however I try to get the fur done so I really use the 22 Hornet in the CZ.
The 223 is for 150+ yards.
Most of our critters are inside 100 yards.
Often have just used a 22Mag, according on where the set up is.
Around here, not a lot over 200 yards.

 

[horsey300]

Amongst other Varmint Calibers why does the .223 Remington stand out ?
Is it because of it's versatility and it's availability of reloading components and low cost factory ammo ?

Went with .22-250, close enough balance (with a fast twist barrel) because it's the compromise between my 2 favorites of .223 and the fast 6mms .223 loses in the wind, the 6mms lose in volume.

 

[Skeptic13]

.223 gets my vote. There are so many different platforms you can shoot .223 out of and such a great variety of ammo it is really a no brainer. I think that the ballistics of the .22-250 are probably superior but it is a lot more expensive to shoot.

 

[Sniper66]

While I voted for the .223 for many of the same reasons you all have listed here, I also have to give a nod to the .204. I have owned 2 of them and currently have a Kimber 84M with walnut stock and SS fluted barrel. It is a handsome rifle and ridiculously accurate with 39gr Sierra BKs on prairie dogs. I still lean toward the .223, simply because I shoot it better. I sold my Ruger #1 .204 after a few years and 100s of dead prairie dogs. Had it refinished and it was so beautiful that I couldn't risk taking it out and scratching it up again. I might buy a Remington 700 VLS in .204 after owning and shooting 2 of them and finding them to be very accurate and first rate priairie dog rifles. Also might buy one in.223....tough choices.

 

[Eagle 17]

The smallest and fastest bullet that I've loaded for my .223 so far is the 30gr. Varmint Grenade @ 4,000+fps.

Has anyone else loaded anything smaller for the 223 ?

 

[FL-NC]

I only use factory ammo. I know which of my 223 rifles like which particular round, and which rounds to use for a particular purpose. I have also used 223 to successfully hunt deer, hogs, and turkeys.