Need some advice on woodchuck rifle

[cisco]

Well, you don't need anything but your 270 - just get a good scope (I favor a higher grade Leupold, but my son has a higher grade Bushnell on his 243, and it's 1/3 the price, and works fine in all but very low light conditions) and something stable to rest against when you line up a shot. For less recoil in a lighter and shorter (usually) rifle, one that's readily available used and for which ammo is available at many country stores, consider a 243.
Yeah, you could get into long range and fairly flat shots. Without getting esoteric (rule of thumb - if cartridges are not available at your local K-Mart or Walmart - forget it, unless you're a shooting enthusiast), say a 7mm Rem mag with a 140 grain bullet (sighted in at 200 yards is off by less than .5 inches at 50 yards and only 1.3 inches at 100 yards), but you don't need anything like that - a standard Ruger 10/22 would be fine for < 100 yards. Stick to inexpensive and readily available - don't buy a thing, except a decent scope for your 270.

 

[jimg]

The H&R single shots are usually very good for the money. If youre willing to pay a bit more the TC Encore or Contender would also be a good choice. Theyre somewhat more versatile in that bbls can be interchanged easily. In fact they are very configurable...bbls, stocks, forearms, etc.

For those advocating the 270 and bigger: Very little, if any, varmint ammo is made for those calibers unless you reload. Large game rounds are loaded w/ bullets having a thick jacket and are *much* more liable to ricochet than one w/ a thin jacket (like a varmint bullet would have). So, what happens when you miss? You own that bullet until it comes safely to rest.

As for the .204 I would wait until the market sorts it out. If you want really flat and lethal look at the .17 CFs (.17 Remington, .17M4, etc). The .17 Remington is available commercially and there are rifles chambered in it off the shelf. The others would be custom and need to be reloaded. In nearly all you're looking at muzzle velocities of around 4000'/s. The 17 rem would meet you distance requirement easily.

 

[yellowsocks93]

I just bought a Marlin 17 HMR model 17VS. Nice gun now I just got to get the right scope for it. They are said to kill coyotes. I have 2 Marlins and love them. If I were to buy another gun it would be a 7mm ultra mag Remington BDL. I really like those guns.

 

[TresCrows]

</font><font color="blue" class="small">( I just bought a Marlin 17 HMR model 17VS. Nice gun now I just got to get the right scope for it. They are said to kill coyotes. I have 2 Marlins and love them. If I were to buy another gun it would be a 7mm ultra mag Remington BDL. I really like those guns. )</font>

Wow, coyotes with a 17HMR /forums/images/graemlins/shocked.gif. That is like shooting elephants with a 270. No way you can assure humane kills /forums/images/graemlins/frown.gif. I got a Marlin 917VS so I know what they are and I love the little thing but it is to small for coyotes with the current offered ammo and it does not have the range for woodchucks at 300 yards. That is out beyond what I would consider doable with my centerfire Hornet. I also shoot a 270, great deer rifle and all around shooter but not ideal for long range varmint work. You need something that shoots the new frangible ballistic type ammo that disintergrates upon touching anything--no skips--no richochet. A 270 would be very tiring to shoot as well for repetive shots at woodchucks over a shooting session--holy cow /forums/images/graemlins/shocked.gif. I actually do this type of shooting and I would not use a 270. Way to much gun, noise, recoil /forums/images/graemlins/shocked.gif.
I suggest the new Ruger 204 in a TC carbine. Another good choice is always the 22-250 or 223. With varmint loads the 243 is an excellent multipurpose rifle such as the Ruger Light Weight. That way you could use it for a carry rifle as well as varmints.
The SKS in 7.62 at 300 yards--lol /forums/images/graemlins/laugh.gif /forums/images/graemlins/shocked.gif /forums/images/graemlins/laugh.gif /forums/images/graemlins/tongue.gif. No way. Oh, and if those chucks are not really all out there at 300 yards might I humbly suggest the renowned 22 Hornet centerfire in the Ruger M7722H with heavy barrel or TC Contender Carbine. It is supremely accurate and way more punch and range than any rimfire including the new 17 HMR and it will kill coyotes if the need arises humanely, virtually no recoil, no loud report, no richochet and with modern loads from Hornaday, 35 gr ballistic tip, the muzzle velocity is 3100FPS and that is chrono verified. In fact, my handloads do better with the same bullet. Woodchucks don't require a 270.
Did y'all see the story on the History Channel about the battle of Adobe Wall? Here 29 buffulo hunters were attacked by hundreds of Indians. The Indians took horrific losses and only 3 hunters were killed. They, unknown to the Indians, were professional marksmen shooting the then finest long range weapon--the Sharpes. The Indians over a 3 day period took a beating and finally retreated beyond some hills more than a mile away. The hunters came out cautiously. When they saw the Indians gone they were relieved. Then several Indians appeared on a distant hill top and began taunting the hunters /forums/images/graemlins/crazy.gif. One hunter told another--"I bet you cannot knock that Indian off that horse"--so the other fellow took aim and let her fly. The distance was later verified by the US ARMY as just over 7/8ths of a mile, according to the story, the longest verified shot EVER /forums/images/graemlins/shocked.gif. Yes, he knocked the Indian off the horse and with that the Indians all left. I am not taking sides in the Indian Wars, it is simply history--good or bad. The point of my story--if you are shooting nearly a mile then maybe you need a 50 BAR or a Sharpes but at 300 yards even a little 270 is over kill on a woodchuck.
My humble opinion, like it or not /forums/images/graemlins/wink.gif. J

 

[Deerlope]

Your 270 with a 130 gr bullet and a good scope is all the rifle that you will need for chucks.A heavyer bullet will take any thing in North America.

 

[Robert_in_NY]

Ideally I would get the 22-250 but I already have the 270 and can not swing more then $250 for a new gun. I have a couple places to check out and see what they have in used rifles. Also, I have been told there are varmit rounds for the 270.

I have a sight range of over 600 yards where I will be shooting. However, I am only concerned about the 300 yards closest to the barn as that is pasture and I will be turning up the other fields over time so I can knock off those chucks later after first cutting and so forth when I get more time. I know the 270 is overkill and if I find a 22-250 I will not even bother using it. I took out two chucks last night with my 22. one was 117 yards and the other was 128. The rest were in the 250 yard range or near the road. The grass is getting up high enough now I am about done shooting till first cutting so I will have a month to get a rifle set up correctly.

 

[QStottinNC]

Fivestring, Where did you shoot hi-power? I've been shooting hi-power for a few years. Some at Camp LeJune (Stone bay ranges), but mostly at Camp Butner near Raleigh. At LeJune they have new restrictions on caliber because of the impact area. The Butner range is 1000 yds, and the electric target carriers are really nice! And yes, I really feel fortunate to have 2 ranges with a 1000yds within an hours driving time.

 

[EdKing]

Robert, You might want to look into a H&R/NEF Handi Rifle. They are a single shot break open rifle. You can get one new for under $200. I have one in .223 and have killed several ground hogs out past 300 yards. You can get the Winchester Varmit Pak ammo, 40 rounds, for around $13 and they shoot well from this rifle.

 

[TresCrows]

"Also, I have been told there are varmit rounds for the 270."

Hmmm, I am looking in my catalogs and not finding it. I see some for the 243 but not the 270. I don't think I have ever seen a 270 used for that type of shooting. The bullets that are loaded for it are designed for deer sized game etc and will skip along the ground after going through a woodchuck. I would hate being down range of you /forums/images/graemlins/shocked.gif. Further, while for a few shots the 270 is a pleasent shooter, I figure after 20 or so your shoulder is going to start to hurt.
The 250 dollars is not much of a budget for a rifle even at gun shows but you might pick something up that way used. Another rifle no one mentioned is the Ruger Mini 14 in the 223 caliber. I cannot attest to it's accuracy but many ranchers carry them for varmint control and the 223 round is itself accurate and low recoil and is available with varmint specific loads.
Yeah, I could handload 270 loads for varmint, Hornaday has a V-Max bullet for example, 110 grains that is a varmint bullet in the 270 caliber. This is a ballistic tip bullet that is highly frangible. Basic handloading equipment is fairly cheap and simple to do.
Whatever, you guys know best. /forums/images/graemlins/wink.gif J

 

[jimg]

Great post!