what gun to buy for "varmints"

[studor]

There are some replies on this thread that make me happy I do not live in a ten house subdivision with lots of six acres or less where you can discharge centrefire rifles Even a .22 has no problem crossing that entire distance in any direction and remaining lethal. A 22-250 would still probably penetrate 1/4inch plate at those distances. Sound is not the issue -- the sherriff has developed a "safe' shooting area but unless you are willing to berm your entire property and post it it does not strike me as particularly safe to shoot in any direction in the circumstances.
If you cannot kill a groundhog at less than fifty yards with a .22 maybe you should stop shooting them or find a better shooting .22. As for the 22/250 not exiting at 50 yards, that could be true -- it might only be the inside of the groundhog exiting but something is going through those big holes
True, varmint bullets in centre fires may have less chance of richochet etc -- but I personally do not want to be downrange at any angle when the "experiment" is carried out
Trap them -- If you are worried about pets, then live trap them then shoot them safely in the cage
JMHO
regards

 

[LD1]

I have shot scores of chucks at ranges of 25 to 100 yards with a .22/250 and only one has been disemboweled, all the rest did not show a mark on the body. I never go for head shots but always try to hit the center of the body. I usually use 55 grain Hornady varmit express bullets. Almost all .22 centerfire hunting bullets are designed for the high capacity 22/250 case. Using them in smaller case like the .223 results in less than optimum performance which will sometimes require a second shot as a previous poster mentioned. A .223 is more likely to exit the chuck, struck in the body at close range, making a big mess, than a 22/250, because it is not moving fast enough to properly disintigrate after piercing the skin. I do agree however that the .223 with FMJ bullets is a signigficantly better combat load because its smaller size means a man can carry more. That dont come into play in a typical hunting situation however and if you use one there, much like an R4 tire, you are compromising and will always be playing second fiddle to the man with the 22/250. Some folks are ok with compromise. Me, I will always use the best tool I can afford for the job at hand. When it comes to killing chucks at close range without making much noise, that would be a .22 rimfire. When noise dont matter, it is a 22/250 at any range. Defend thier misuse if you want to, but in my opinion, 223's should best be left on the battlefield, just like R4 tires should be left on construction sites.

Most .224 cal bullets being designed for the .22-250 just simply ain't true.
The bullets are very close in performance. As I stated earlier, I used to have a 22-250, and my dad still does. We load the same bullets, with a middle of the road powder charge, neither max nor min. .22-250 with a 55gr bullet=3500fps. 223 with same bullet =3200fps
only 300fps difference.

The 22-250 @200yds has exactally the same speed/energy as a 223 @ 130 yds. Same with 223@50 and 22-250@120yds. I have shot with both calibers and all ranges inbetween 30 and 400yds, and they all leave a big exit hole, and the closer the bigger. A 22-250 @ 50yds vs a 223@50yds, both leave a big mess, but the 22-250, just a tad bigger. 223@50 and 22-250@120 = the same.
If you really want the best tool for the job, why are you using a 22-250. Why not a .220swift, or even a .223WSSM

As for the 22/250 not exiting at 50 yards, that could be true -- it might only be the inside of the groundhog exiting but something is going through those big holes

I agree

 

[Egon]

If you really want the best tool for the job, why are you using a 22-250. Why not a .220swift, or even a .223WSSM

Whats wrong with a .243 using 60 grain hollow points?

Or else step up to a .338 using Barnes 160 grain.

 

[Dargo]

True, varmint bullets in centre fires may have less chance of richochet etc -- but I personally do not want to be downrange at any angle when the "experiment" is carried out
Trap them -- If you are worried about pets, then live trap them then shoot them safely in the cage
JMHO
regards

I won't go into details, but a person very, very close to me is in prison right now because they shot at a varmint and the shot took that "one in a million" ricochet and killed a young mother. That one shot not only took the life of a totally innocent woman, but pretty well destroyed several families for life. Since I'm so close to this incident I can't possibly put into perspective how important it is when deciding whether to 'take the shot' or not. I thought I was extremely cautious before but, after what I've seen and been involved with, I'll never shoot at any critter if there is any possibility that the shot could bounce and hit anyone. It's impossible to tell you what it's like to look through the visitor's glass at a prison and see someone who can do nothing but cry and talk about nothing but how sorry they are for taking someone's life.

Trust me, even when the crime scene investigators state in court that the 'freak accident couldn't be replicated in a million tries', it makes no difference when a life has been taken. I can't stress enough how much damage can be caused by one single freak bounce from a powerful firearm. My sister hadn't had even as much as a traffic ticket as far as I'm aware and now she's in a maximum security prison and another family is missing a mother, wife, daughter and granddaughter. I can't say anymore about taking any shot when homes and people are within range of the bullet.

 

[Sigarms]

Amazing.

Here in North Carolina, a couple of years ago a grandfather and his grandson where out deer hunting. The grandfather instructed his grandson how to take a shot at a deer when he had one in his "sights".

Turns out the "deer" which was shot dead, was actually another hunter, wearing blaze orange.

Charges were dropped agasint both the grandson and grandfather.

 

[LD1]

Whats wrong with a .243 using 60 grain hollow points?

Or else step up to a .338 using Barnes 160 grain.

I was trying to stick with the 22 calibers. But since you mention it, why not a wildcat .22-243.

 

[Egon]

Well I was thinking of stepping up a bit so the chuck didn't get away!

 

[smitty9266]

Here Ya go...I will stir the pot a little.

Try a 22 with sub sonic ammo, it has far less penetration heavier bullets and is better at killing small game. All of this without the crack of the bullet going supersonic. Or... a 38/357 lever action carbine will kill any chuck or squirrel out to 50-75 yards, but not travel into the next city!

Jeff

 

[wolc123]

If you are getting a mess with woodchucks shot in the body at close range with a 22/250 you are simply using the wrong bullet. Around here, for the chuck contests that pay by the most weight total in dead chucks, most everyone uses 22/250's because all the parts usually stay inside. Like I said, a 223 will often blow lots of chucks out because complete energy transfer does not occur due to the lower bullet speed (those couple hundred extra fps actually make quite a difference in this regard), causing the bullet to exit the body along with lots of other stuff. Like I said, 1 time out of around 100 chucks shot at under 100 yards was all that "blew chunks" for me. Facts is facts man. Also, a 22/250 bullet will explode on impact with almost anything so it can very safely be shot down from an elevated position at a target across level ground which make it very safe for shooting chucks from a house on flat land. Obviously one should not take a shot at a chuck up on a ridge or for any reason when the full trajectory of the bullet is not known.

 

[LD1]

If you are getting a mess with woodchucks shot in the body at close range with a 22/250 you are simply using the wrong bullet. Around here, for the chuck contests that pay by the most weight total in dead chucks, most everyone uses 22/250's because all the parts usually stay inside. Like I said, a 223 will often blow lots of chucks out because complete energy transfer does not occur due to the lower bullet speed (those couple hundred extra fps actually make quite a difference in this regard), causing the bullet to exit the body along with lots of other stuff. Like I said, 1 time out of around 100 chucks shot at under 100 yards was all that "blew chunks" for me. Facts is facts man. Also, a 22/250 bullet will explode on impact with almost anything so it can very safely be shot down from an elevated position at a target across level ground which make it very safe for shooting chucks from a house on flat land. Obviously one should not take a shot at a chuck up on a ridge or for any reason when the full trajectory of the bullet is not known.

Well to each his own. But my goal is to do the most damage possible. I get dissappointed when i shoot a hog and it looks like just a through and through with a .22. Which only happens when I run out of my varmint bullets and have to use a few of my 69gr sierra Match grade bullets till I get some more loaded. But like I said, My goal is the most damaging.

Just a few I shot this year
One at 50yards, (which would be like a .22-250 @ 120), he was standing facing me, and I aimed for the middle of the throat, and there wasn't anything even resembling a head left.

2 @ about 330yds, One hit mid section, and disenboweled the hog. The second, hit the shoulder and exited the opposite shoulder and left about 1 1/2" exit would and only left that arm hanging on by a little skin.

Everything I have read about varmint bullets, it is my understanding that they are supposed to be explosive on groundhog sized game and smaller and leave an un-recognizable mess. And this has held true with the hogs that I have shot with both the .22-250 and .223. And have pics to prove it.