Need opinions on a varmint rifle

[igotta40]

Well that triggered quite a discussion. I haven’t been hunting since 2015 and have no plans anytime soon, varmint or otherwise. I shoot at the range and I’m working my way out to longer distances (baby steps). For no particular reason I recently got the itch for .308 Win. I already shoot .243 Win so it makes little sense but oh well, one wants what one desires. I have 2 scout rifles in .308 so I’ll probably sell those. I appreciate the feedback on this thread, looks like I’ll buy this CZ557 soon.

 

[igotta40]

Hogs count as vermin/varmint, right?

 

[Varminterror]

Hogs count as vermin/varmint, right?

A lot of my buddies from OK and eastern TX include hogs as “varmints.” Kind of a class of game we shoot, but maybe don’t hunt the way we’d hunt other species, and maybe are rather invasive or even nuisance, so we have more concern with killing them any way possible, and somewhat less concerned with productive recovery.

 

[AlexanderA]

You are behind the times, it crept into the language in the 18th century.

Substandard dialect doesn't count. Or rather, it does count, if you're trying to prove that you're a hillbilly.

 

[Jim Watson]

It is in the dictionaries and Varminterror has tracked it back over 400 years.
Lots of newer usages are accepted without classist insults.

 

[Varminterror]

Substandard dialect doesn't count. Or rather, it does count, if you're trying to prove that you're a hillbilly.

Stop saying “ammunition” then also.

Stop saying the word “apron.”

Stop saying “orange.”

Stop saying “aught, as it SHOULD be “thirty Naught six”.

We probably really shouldn’t be saying “gun” to describe any firearm any of us here are using, since “gun” is really an abbreviation of the Norse Lady Gunnhildr which originally described, effectively, a massive crossbow, and the adoption of the abbreviation onto a firearm is obviously misappropriated.

Language evolves and colloquial pronunciations have been accepted into “official” language throughout it history. What’s worse, acceptance of a colloquial mispronunciation, or intentional renaming of nearly every country in the world, rather than accepting their native names? Or maybe intentional replacement of familial surnames at Ellis island either because the clerk couldn’t understand the accent of the immigrant or read their handwriting…

At worst, “varmint” is a hell of a lot better than the modern era acceptance of “prolly”.

 

[I6turbo]

Well that triggered quite a discussion. I haven’t been hunting since 2015 and have no plans anytime soon, varmint or otherwise. I shoot at the range and I’m working my way out to longer distances (baby steps). For no particular reason I recently got the itch for .308 Win. I already shoot .243 Win so it makes little sense but oh well, one wants what one desires. I have 2 scout rifles in .308 so I’ll probably sell those. I appreciate the feedback on this thread, looks like I’ll buy this CZ557 soon.

These guns (550 and 557 Varmints) are large guns with some weight to them. They weigh almost 11 pounds without a scope or bi-pod, which make them very nice to shoot from a bench or other decent rest. The recoil from a typical .308 round fired from this weight of a gun is very mild, IMO. In fact, I like the feel of the recoil as compared to the .223 527 Varmint pictured above (2nd gun from the top). The .308 round feels like it's got some punch compared to the .223, but due to the weight it's very pleasant to shoot. If you get the 557 I think the odds are high you'll like it. (Have we convinced you yet? )

 

[adcoch1]

Go buy the CZ. They are very nice rifles. Then decide if shooting "varmints" is the right application. Btw, hammer forged barrels have very nice, consistent rifling and many fine firearms companies use them.

 

[igotta40]

Before the thread goes too far off the rails, I’ll throw this in- technically we aren’t using guns. Only the Navy has guns. Big ones. And caliber has a whole different meaning.

 

[Picher]

Thousands of words have the same origin - a simple corruption of some other word. But documented use of “Varmint” predates the United States by a couple hundred years…

“Ammunition” was also a corrupted word. We should all be saying “munition,” as the French base was “la munition,” and somewhere along the way, English speakers assumed it was l’ amunition” and misappropriated the syllable.



In study, it seems this 18th century utilization is referring to the use of “varmint” in the Yosemite Sam context, as using it in slang to refer to a nuisance person.

The origination of Varmint as an alternative to vermin dates to as early as 1530’s:
View attachment 1122291

Seems that people like parasitic "T"s, especially at the end of "Varmin". Seems to go well with the rest of the word. Funny that nobody says, "I'm going "vermint" hunting!" Seems that the first I'd heard the word "varmint" used was either watching cartoons, or Western movies. Yeah...had to be old western movies.
JP

 

[redneck2]

Seems that the first I'd heard the word "varmint" used was either watching cartoons, or Western movies. Yeah...had to be old western movies.
JP

Or Yosemite Sam on Buggs Bunny cartoons

 

[Picher]

Since this topic has wondered off the track about the word "Varmint" anyhow, here's another interesting twist: It's pretty well known among 20th century sporting cartridge students that back in the 1920's and early '30's a number of ambitious wildcatters and ballistic experimenters had tried necking the .250/3000 Savage down to .22 Caliber. Each of whom seems to have been convinced that he alone had independly created the alltime highest-velocity, and most accurate cartridge for killing woodchucks and sundry other varmints. One such ballistic tinker, J.E. Gebby, was so proud of his accomplihment, which he called the .22 Varminter, that he copywrited the name. Thus expecting that gunmakers or gunsmiths making rifles bearing his cartridge name would be obligated to pay him a royality. Which apparently caused some ill-will and caustic exchanges among other gunsmiths and tinkerers who felt that Gebby was encroching on their developments. In any event, it was assumed by all that Winchester's soon to be announced super high speed round would be based on the .250 case and they were perpared to take credit. Which is why Winchester's .220 Swift, based on another case they had scarcely heard of, was met with resounding surprise and utter disappointment. Which I suspect is one of the reasons the Swift was met with so many undeserved criticisms.

I had a .22-250 Remington 700 soon after they "came out", along with my varmint hunting buddy. The cartridge is everything the .220 Swift was not. It fits short-actions, uses less powder, and is wonderfully-accurate for informal target shooting. I won numerous turkeys at 100-yard target shoots in Sidney, ME, and noted that many guys used poor excuses for rifles, often obsolete rifles with iron sights. That was, until I told the guys that I could show my wife how to shoot my .22-250 rifle prone and she'd clean their clocks. Most of them disagreed, saying it was the shooter, not the rifle, so I told them that I'd show my wife how to shoot prone and bring her the next week. Which I did, after teaching her how to hold the rifle, when prone. She only fired one shot at the meet and it was a "pinwheel". End of discussion, wives berated their husbands and she was the "toast of the match" if there was such thing. The next week, we couldn't hold a match because hardly anyone showed up! So much for telling people the truth about shooting!!! Let 'em believe what they want, no matter how wrong it is!

 

[jmorris]

Hogs count as vermin/varmint, right?

To me they do;

Vermin (colloquially varmint(s)[1] or varmit(s)) are pests or nuisance animals that spread diseasesor destroy crops or livestock. Since the term is defined in relation to human activities, which species are included vary by region and enterprise.

The term derives from the Latin vermis (worm), and was originally used for the worm-like larvae of certain insects, many of which infest foodstuffs.[2] The term varmint (and vermint) has been found in sources from c. 1530–1540s.[1][3]…


Varmint[edit]
Varmint or varmit is an American-English colloquialism, a corruption of "vermin" particularly common to the American East and South-east within the nearby bordering states of the vast Appalachia region. The term describes species which raid farms from without, as opposed to vermin (such as rats) that infest from within, thus referring mainly to predators such as feral dogs, foxes, weasels, and coyotes, sometimes even wolves or rarely bears, but also, to a lesser degree, herbivores and burrowing animals that directly damage crops and land.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vermin

That said, when people say “varmint rifle” I see something with a long heavy barrel, in my head at least and generally a smaller, longer reaching chambering.

Then again, it doesn’t matter what I call it or would call it, if I want to know what features the rifle in the OP has. I would have to figure out what the people who made it or at least the people that work in the offices marketing department name them.

The “American” looks like a “sporter” contour with wood stock



“Varmint” has a barrel with less taper (often called “target” contour). A better stock for long range shooting and a detached mag to make stuffing it with more rounds than one might take hunting a game animal would need.



Their “Urban Counter Sniper” or can I say “tactical” of course has a black stock, threaded barrel, detacheable mag, rail and extra swivel to attach more stuff, an extra big and heavy bolt handle and a shorter barrel that still a “target” contour.



Now, I could use any of them for any purpose. I could kill vermin out in the middle of nowhere with an “urban counter sniper” rifle or shoot targets with a “varmint” rifle. Or I could make a decent argument on the Internet that neither are correctly named. However, that wouldn’t change the fact someone named them what they did…

 

[doubleh]

Vermin seems like a "sissy" name for any of the creatures it is used to describe. Varmint just seems to fit better for creatures that are so determined to make life annoying to mankind. Call me a hick if you wish but do not refer to me as a hillbilly as I have never lived anywhere close to anything that fits the definition of a hill. Ridge, hump, high spot but no hills in my immediate world.

 

[Gordon]

picture is before I changed to Votex -6-24 scope :
If I was looking for a varmint rifle I would get the new Howa Varminter in .22-250 (or .243) with a 20" barrel and a stock they offer with aluminum chassis and pillar bedded . Put Dead Nutz #215 Tactical Reaper mounts with the scope of your choice that has a top range of power at least 18 -24 . I chose a Vortex Viper 6-24x50 when I found one on a good sale . My .22-250 Weatherby Varminter (same as the Howa pretty much) with that combo is capable of 1/2 MOA with the right load and shoots factory ammo into less than MOA to 400 yards. The newer trigger is adjustable down to about 2 pounds and crisp if you know what your doing. It is good enough as it comes if you don't understand trigger work fully. The whole rig is about $1500 and would take at least a $1000 more to beat it by miniscule amounts.

 

[rjk2475]

Gee, why did they discconinue such nice rifles? Anyway, I really like my Tikka varmint.

 

[Frostbite]

Get the CZ and enjoy shooting the rifle. The trigger is a dream on mine (30-06 Black Edition), and it shoots. Excellent weapon to shoot paper targets, the weight soaks up the recoil (and the muzzle brake on mine is also helping in this way). A tad too heavy to carry all day. Treestand hunting would be fine.

 

[45/30-06OKIE]

Today at Cabela’s library I saw a CZ557 Varmint in .308 Winchester that looks new. It’s a little under $700. Really nice looking heavy wood stock and Bull barrel. I’m tempted to get it for bench shooting but I don’t know much about them other than they have been discontinued. Any ownership out there with first hand experience? Opinions? Thanks!

So I would've snagged that up and wrapped it and put it under the Christmas tree and addressed it as being from Santa to me lol.
Edit: if it's anything like my 457 Pro Varmint then it'll be a tack driver!

 

[igotta40]

I know Cabela’s has rubbed some folks the wrong way but today I have no complaints. I asked for an additional price incentive above the veterans discount on this rifle, so they dropped it another $50. Also the sales tax didn’t calculate but they were so busy with customers they said to heck with it, “Merry Christmas” so there you go. The soft case was included.

 

[45/30-06OKIE]

I know Cabela’s has rubbed some folks the wrong way but today I have no complaints. I asked for an additional price incentive above the veterans discount on this rifle, so they dropped it another $50. Also the sales tax didn’t calculate but they were so busy with customers they said to heck with it, “Merry Christmas” so there you go. View attachment 1122584View attachment 1122585View attachment 1122586View attachment 1122587

Holy cow that is gorgeous!!!!!

 

[LimaCharlie]

A 308 is a little big for most varmints, but it is a great all around cartridge. I have owned a CZ 308 rifle and I currently own a CZ 550 American Safari rifle in 416 Rigby. They are great rifles with great triggers.

 

[igotta40]

It probably won’t go anywhere but the rifle range. I’ll get some groups at 100 yards and go from there.

 

[45/30-06OKIE]

It probably won’t go anywhere but the rifle range. I’ll get some groups at 100 yards and go from there.

Yeah that's way too pretty to take out hunting!

 

[Gordon]

Great looking package ! I really like the stock and stippling and 10 round detachable mag !

 

[igotta40]

Yea I’m a sucker for a high capacity rifle magazine that isn’t an AR