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Varmint Rifles

songdogsongdog Member Posts: 355 ✭✭✭
edited December 2001 in General Discussion
Hello folks.
I have two Remy 700 Varmint rifles,
heavy barrels,light triggers reinforced
syn stocks and decent glass.

The calibers are 243 and 223.they are both
great shooters but I have no where to shoot them.
I have a mickey mouse 100yd range, loads of fun
but these firearms haven't even got started at 100 yds.

Now if I had a 400 yd range,I'd have a ball, but I don't
so here is my question : What should I trade these in for
to have fun at 100 yds or less.

I bought a 243 handi rifle and I love it.
I need to find a couple of rifles to have fun with
but are serious enough to reach out there if need
be.
thanks-folks
Ronny
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Comments

  • songdogsongdog Member Posts: 355 ✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    It's been a while since I posted but I had a question for everybody. I am looking to go ground squirell hunting this spring. I am getting diffrent opinons about which caliber to use. The 17hmr is fairly inexpensive, but dosn't have quite the poop like a 223 or 22-250. Trying to do this on a fairly decent budget. Any info would be appreciated. Have a great weekend.

    Tony Schneibel
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  • songdogsongdog Member Posts: 355 ✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    What is your favorite and why? Include any extras you have included and types of barrels and stocks. I am thinking of getting new rilfe and i wanted the input of all on this forum. I currently have a 257 acklwey that i use for yotes but the power is too strong in my opinoin. I am a hide hunter so i want a rifle with minimal damage to the pelt but great killing power. I have used a 22-250 as well and it was pretty good. All of my ammo is strictly reloads, as i feel i do a muck better job of taylor-making loads that fit my rifles. Thanks again as always for all of the replies, brilliant, ignorant or otherwise.songdog
    Be bold in what you stand for, careful in what you fall for.
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  • OrphanedcowboyOrphanedcowboy Member Posts: 351 ✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    I have 2 rifles I use mainly, a Model 70 push feed action,heavy Douglas barrel 243 with a Leupold Mark 4 M1 10x40mm, Harris Bipod, Accu-shot monopod, HS Precision stock, shoots one hole groups @ 100-150 yds, and the other is a complete custom 7mm-08 with a heavy Douglas barrel, Winchester Classic action, Coyote Rifle stock, Harris Bipod, Accu-shot monopod,Williams bottom metal, been trued, fluted, cryo'd, pillar bedded, and glass bedded as well, floated, target crown, A-2 style muzzle break, converted with an internal box mag, and shoots no better than my 243, but is fun to shoot on really windy days, yotes don't know what to think when I am about 400 yds away when I wax one of them. If your hunting hides, I would go with a .223 or 22.250 and FMJ rounds, if your like me and you just plain hate them, use a good gun, a good scope, a great bullet that will be stablized with your twist rate, and practice alot, I am lucky, the local gravel company piles the dirt really tall here, provides a good vantage point when they go to yelping, I go to shooting, I got five in one outing, they shouldn't be following each other like that
    Orphanedcowboy@msn.com www.texdeer.com
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  • MojorisinMojorisin Member Posts: 41 ✭✭
    edited November -1
    For what it's worth, my experience is very limited as I usually trap the yotes, but if I've got one that I can't put the steel on I rely on a Remington Sendero, synthetic stock, stainless BBL., .220 Swift, shooting factory load Winchester 40 gr. ballistic silvertip, I've read a lot on professional predator control men & they always mention the .220 swift as being one of their main tools & they always use bipods, all I know is that I can put one down way out there with mine without too much fur damage.A well seasoned guy once told me on the subject of trajectory "just aim in the middle", works for me. [This message has been edited by Mojorisin (edited 12-25-2001).]
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  • pops401pops401 Member Posts: 616 ✭✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    THE ONE SANTA BROUGHT TODAY.WINCHESTER MODEL 70 VARMINT (sn=circa 1957)26" HEAVY Bbl. IN 220 SWIFT. HAVE NO IDEA WHERE SHE... I MEAN SANTA.... FOUND IT, OR HOW SHE..... HE..... KNEW. A REAL SURPRISE!!!!!!NOW IT'S SCOPE HUNTIN' TIME.
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  • jeenyesjeenyes Member Posts: 330 ✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    Hey Orphanedcowboy, did the M4 come on the rifle or did you buy it. If you bought it, what did it cost? I have one new and trying to figure out what it's worth.
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  • OrphanedcowboyOrphanedcowboy Member Posts: 351 ✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    I bought it at the same time as my Mark 4 M1 16x40mm, paid a little less than $2000 for them both new in the boxes at a gunshow here in Texas, had to haggle with the guy, and he wouldn't deal till I told him I wanted them both, I put the 16x40mm on a Winchester Model 70 .308, I noticed that midsouth shooters supply has them listed for $1097 now, should have called them first.
    Orphanedcowboy@msn.com www.texdeer.com
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  • will270winwill270win Member Posts: 4,845
    edited November -1
    Got a remington LTR in .223. Never has made a exit hole with 55 gr Ballistic Silver Tips. It's got a synthetic stock with a Palm-swell so it ain't a looker. I put a Leupold scope on her and she is dead on at 500 yds (at least good enough to hit a dawg).
    Eat healthy, exercise, avoid smoking........Die anyway. will270win@aol.com ~Secret Select Society Of Suave Stylish Smoking Jackets~
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  • gjshawgjshaw Member Posts: 14,730 ✭✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    I use a Win. 70 in .222 for ground hog and it shoots real flat and far, at least as far as I want to walk to go see what I"ve hit and I also use a .257 weatherby for real long shots at real small kritters . The weatherby will shoot real flat out to 500 yards then I have to guess, ha . Try them out and see if you like them. I did.
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  • WittumWittum Member Posts: 553 ✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    Songdog-Down here is sek i use a 788 Remington 223, i think it is the best shooter i have even had!!
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  • 218Beekeep218Beekeep Member Posts: 3,033
    edited November -1
    Man,you guys got it made!!Wish I had some of them there yotes ta shoot at! .218
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  • whiteclouderwhiteclouder Member Posts: 10,574 ✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    will270:How do you range find? I've never been able to judge distance worth a hoot out past about 250 yards. Most of my long range shooting here is done at rock ridges, dirt mounds etc, where I have paced the distance off at one time or another over the past 50 years. I can't imagine my .223 making consistent hits unless I knew within a hundred feet or so the distance to the critter.Clouder..
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  • songdogsongdog Member Posts: 355 ✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    Mojorisin- I did not know that remington made a 220 swift in a sendero with the heavy barrel, spider web stock? Just like the varmint synthetic model? IF so that is what I will get, but i thought that remington only made the sendero in a 25-06, 300 mag, and the vs in a 223 22-250 and 308. I hope that what you are saying is true. I would be very fortunate to find one at the next gun show here in January.Hey point 218, A 218 would feel like a meer bug bite to a coyote. songdog[This message has been edited by songdog (edited 12-26-2001).]
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  • MojorisinMojorisin Member Posts: 41 ✭✭
    edited November -1
    Songdog,I thought it was a Sendero, I'm holdin it right now,Heavy fluted BBL., stainless, spiderweb syn. stock, serial # on the action starts with an S, maybe I'm wrong, would it have Sendero stamped ? It's probably the varmint.[This message has been edited by Mojorisin (edited 12-26-2001).]
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  • 5db5db Member Posts: 1,621 ✭✭✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    Hey Songdog (name make me think of the movie Tombstone, where Wyatt is called "Lawdog") What range are you shooting and is it for yotes only? What kind of terrain? The .223 if shots under 300 yards in open country, would be a good choice. If shooting in mixed terrain, use more gun, 22.250 comes to mind. I shoot Rem. 700's, VSSF in .223, LTR in .308 and PSS in .300 Winch. All standard, stock rifles, the PSS was rebarreled by Remington and the trigger was cleaned up, they did a righteous job. Leupold scopes are my choice for telescopic sights. Personally, I like whatever rifle I have with me best! But for Dogs, Prairie dogs that is, the .300 Winch, shooting the 190 grain SMK about 1/2" left or right of the dog proper is great fun .
    If you have one shot...Accu-Shot Website
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  • 7mm_ultra_mag_is_king7mm_ultra_mag_is_king Member Posts: 676 ✭✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    Clouder, have you ever heard of a neat little toy called Bushnell yardage pro? You need to get one of these neat things. I never go hunting with out mine and I know within 1 yard where my shot is going. Good investment and not expensive. I have a yardage pro 800 and on a clear day and a good target it has read 1000+.Best little toy I ever bought. Also its no bigger than a pair binocs
    when all else fails........................
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  • WittumWittum Member Posts: 553 ✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    My floated 788 is an awesome shooter although i have not pushed it passed around 200 yards is is awesome at 150 the groupings are insane. I might get a chance to push it in the morning because all the buddies got new calls for xmas and we are gonna try to shoot some yotes in the morn, see you guys later...
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  • songdogsongdog Member Posts: 355 ✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    Thanks for all of the replies. I will be shooting across flint hill canyons. Anywhere from 10 yds. to 400 yds. I alrady have a 22-250, but the reciever and barrel are silver so they stick out like a sore thumb. I am really looking at a 220 swift right now unless i can be convinced otherwise. I have another question about 220 swifts, Do they still havegreater tendencies than most rifles to have the barrel burned out? I know it all depends on the ammo, but i wondered if the gunmakers have started constructing the barrels out of something different, stronger?songdog
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  • songdogsongdog Member Posts: 355 ✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    Mojorisin- I do remember seeing the rilfe that you are describing at the gunshow lastt year. I am trying to find one that does NOT have the stainless barrel,but all other credentials are the same.songdog
    Be bold in what you stand for, careful in what you fall for.
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  • 5db5db Member Posts: 1,621 ✭✭✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    Back in it's introductory heyday the .220 Swift got the reputation for being a barrel burner because it did just that. I've heard tell that today's barrels are made with alloys that will give a bit longer life. However any time you introduce friction you will get wear. And it just goes to reason high speed friction would equal high speed wear. But, if you want that 220 Swifty get it! After all they make barrels don't they?
    If you have one shot...Accu-Shot Website
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  • 218Beekeep218Beekeep Member Posts: 3,033
    edited November -1
    Songdog must think I`m some nut that don`t have anything but a bunch of bees. .218
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  • songdogsongdog Member Posts: 355 ✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    Bee- I just figured that the 218 was your weapon of choice. But what ever suits your fancy is fine with me. Speaking of nuts, I was out shooting squirrels with my .257 the other day when i saw a little vermin chomping on a nutin the fork of a tree. There was a 15 mph crosswind, and i thought that i would shoot the nut out of his mouth. I hit the nuts alright, but they were the 2 between his hind legs, i was a little the left.songdog
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  • robsgunsrobsguns Member Posts: 4,581 ✭✭
    edited November -1
    Guess I dont fit in with the varmint crowd, I use my Ruger 77 in 338 Win Mag on everything, if its a pelt I want, I just shoot 'em in the head, course, if I want all the hide, I just shoot in front of their nose, and the vapor trail takes their breath away, then I just walk out and hit them over the head while they're still gasping for air.
    SSgt Ryan E. Roberts, USMC
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  • Jeff HankinsJeff Hankins Member Posts: 5 ✭✭
    edited November -1
    The 220 swift will not burn a barrel any faster than a 22-250 if you dont heat up the barrel. the dis advantage with the swift is the rim on the case. they must be stacked in the mag one in from of the other. there for I prefer the 22-250. the shells are easier to find if you plan on reloading. 36 grains of AA2460 abd a 55 grain blistic tip in the 22-250 will do you wonders. I have shot 3 gray fox this year with that load and I must say that they preformed quite well. Zero 1 inch high at a 100 and you are good for a dead on shot out to 300. yards.
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  • will270winwill270win Member Posts: 4,845
    edited November -1
    Clouder, I use the rifle range method. Since our rifle range is 500yds and I have shot on it at least once per year I guess I just got lucky at rememberin' what 500 yds looks like. Anything in between is pretty easy. Out past that I ain't to good at tellin' ya how far it is, but I get lucky sometimes.
    Eat healthy, exercise, avoid smoking........Die anyway. will270win@aol.com ~Secret Select Society Of Suave Stylish Smoking Jackets~
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  • IconoclastIconoclast Member Posts: 10,515 ✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    SD, there was a recent thread seeking loads on the Swift which you may wish to consult, might have been on the Experts board. I've had one for 25+ years. I use factory ammo or handloads in the 3700-3800 fps range and have seen no sign of degrading accuracy. I readily admit I don't shoot it a great deal; around here about the only places where there are long open spaces are lakes filled w/ tourists (no open season, unfortunately), but the few places where it's a viable option, it takes varmints quite nicely. Some day, I will try it out West. Longest shot I've made was 350 yds, and it was deadly.
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