what gun to buy for "varmints"

[MossRoad]

Yeah. I was always surprised how accurate a .22 is. I did notice it is affected by wind quite a bit. I had my single shot Remington sighted in for a couple hundred feet on our rural property. It would always be accurate up and down within an inch. However, it could go left/right by 10" in a light breeze.

How do you guys sneak up on a groundhog anyway? It never fails that I walk around the corner of my garage and see the groundhog over at the garden looking at me before I see him. Then he bolts through the fruit trees. I would never have time to get a shot off. Our yard is over an acre, about 110 yards deep, but really, between the house, fences, two garages, a swimming pool, a dozen fruit trees and the garden, the groundhog has the advantage. I suppose I could creep around the corner and observe for a while, but then, that is like hunting. I don't feel like stalking varmints all day. Maybe if I was retired!

 

[2manyrocks]

I would start to worry about using a gun with neighbors only 400' feet away. Would you be comfortable if your neighbor was the one using a gun that close to your place?

RFC Home -more than you ever wanted to know.

 

[cowboy357]

Thats mighty close to neighbors in my opinion for a 22 caliber rifle much less anything bigger . I,d first check with the neighbors & see if they are having the same problem & make sure they wouldn,t be bothered by shoots being fired when needed .

Then I,d go with a 20 guage shotgun with # 2 shot . Just my opinion . Its hard enough for an experienced shooter to safelly discharge a rifle in the heat of the moment , without risking putting others in danger. As said the rifle loads carry a very long distance . much less someone that has little or no experience .

You might also want to consider live traps to contain them & use a pistol to put them down where You know where the bullets going to go. Then dispose of them properlly so no one has to put up with the smell . & a dead carcass can bring other much more serious problems depending on what type,s of critters are in Your area . Best of luck . Bob

 

[scott_vt]

Good Afternoon Bill,
I have a couple of rifles that I use. My favorite is my model # 77 Ruger 22-250. As one of the other posters mentioned is is a bit overkill for small varmints IMO. I also have a Ruger model #77 22 mag. This might be a bit more suited for what your looking at. As one poster mentioned the Ruger 10-22 is a great semi weapon with alot of rounds at your disposal. No matter what you use as far as a rifle goes, you have to be careful where your pointing it because they can travel some serious distance ! If homes are fairly close together then the 20 ga might be an option !

 

[LD1]

I will say a .22 also. A .223 or .22-250 isn't much good around the house/tight areas, and they will deffinatally worry the neighbors. A .22 works just fine out to about 75 yards, very quiet(especally with shorts), almost no recoil, and you just cant beat 500 rounds of ammo for about $15.
For $15 you would be lucky to get 20 rounds of decient .223 or .22-250.

As far as being able to clean up so you don't have a stinking mess, just wait till you shoot a varmit at 50yds with a .22-250. You'll spend all day picking up pecies. With a .22 (which is pleanty accurate of head-shots), the dead animal will look as if it hasn't even been touched.

As far as the .17 rim-fires go, I don't have much experience, but have heard good things. But their range is still limited and the light 17gr bullets loose energy real quick and wind will blow them around a lot easier.

To the comment about a .223 being crippled at long range is just BS.
Shooting a 55gr bullet, the .22-250 only has 400fps on the .223. With a 200yd zero, they are both in the double digets for drop at 400 and 500 yards. The .22-250 being about 35" @500 and the .223 being at 45"@500.
Both still have pleanty of power, but at those ranges, it has a lot more to do with shooter and windage than capability of the rifle. I will note that with my .223 I am 3 out of 4 @ 325 yards this year on groundhogs. The one miss, was due to windage as I saw the dirt kick up beside the hog but my elevation was good. The hog didn't run all the way in and I got him with a second shot, corrected for the wind.

Bottom line is, unless you plan on routinely shooting at 100+yards, a .22 will work just fine. They are cheap, ammo is cheap, and they are even fun just to plink at popcans and such in the back yard with the kids. Shotguns and centerfire rifles are noisy, more expensive, and not as much fun with the kids.

 

[cowboy357]

All great advice but IMO , the keywords are ( i,ve never owned a gun before ) . I dont know about Ya,ll but that kind of scares Me. Also neighbors 400 foot away . Bob

 

[Will_C]

With your parameters, just get a .22. I know I would be upset if someone touched off a .22-250 300' from my house.
Will

 

[The Dougster]

Hmmm a lot of opinions fer sure....

I own several guns of several calibers... the 22/250 suggested will certainly do the trick but it ain't a small round... To be honest, that's all I have used to hunt deer with for several years now.... The 22 is an excellent caliber for what you want, but as stated, it has the potential of long range.... Someone also suggested the .410 shotgun... inexpensive to purchase, inexpensive to shoot and easy to handle... Your neighbors homes will be safe with the .410...
Another suggestion would be to buy both a .22 and a .410... use whichever will do the job you want... More good advice would be to take the gun to a rifle range, or if you have room, use the cornfield when you practice.. Just please be careful.. Okidokers?

 

[jimmyj]

Ha ha ha.

See, I told ya I was pretty dumb compared to the others on TBN. (Please forgive, not trying to hijack but this is very interesting and informative).

I like the idea of a .22 and a 410 both though. And excellent advice about ranges, I am super super super careful about my angles and such when I shoot the .22. We are only on 10 acres and all of the shots I ever take are done so in such a way that no bullet could ever go astray (at least very unlikely, I suppose I could richochet off a rock in the dirt or something).

I have found you can sneak up on woodchucks in your truck, they seem to let me get closer than on foot. We also have shot beavers, darned nuisances they are.

Let us know what you get. And GREAT advice on practicing first.

 

[LD1]

.22's have a very good chance of ricochet.

If you are shooting at anything, make sure there isn't any houses in the background, because .22's bounce off the ground like skippers "flat rocks" bounce off water.

.22's will even bounce off water if you are shooting at beavers or muskrats.