# good gun for varmit hunting?



## Architect414 (Nov 9, 2006)

I am currently using a .264 to do some varmit hunting around my house. But it's getting harder and harder to find rounds for it, and it's value keeps going up so I figured I would get a new gun. I normaly hunt fields and tree lines and take shots ranging from 25-300 yards. I need a gun that can handle anything up to a coyote but can still reach out and touch them. I am looking to spend no more then $600 bucks. Does anyone have any suggestions as to what to look at?


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## clampdaddy (Aug 9, 2006)

I feel sorry for the varmint thats being hunted by a guy useing a 264 win mag! Are you wanting to stay under 600 for the scope and rifle or just the rifle? Also are you thinking standard weight or bull barrel? Either way I'd look at a savage bolt action in 223 or 22-250


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## Architect414 (Nov 9, 2006)

I want to stay under 600 for the gun it's self, and i was thinking of a standard barrel. Unless anyone would recamend a heavier barrel.


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## Horsager (Aug 31, 2006)

I only use heavy barrels for a strict diet of Prairie dogs. I've hauled several different 10#-13# rigs around through deep snow and I don't want to do that anymore. In your price range I'd look at a Tikka, WBY Vanguard, or a Remington Model 7. My personal preferrence is a 223, because ammo is everywhere and dirt cheap. 22-250 is another good choice, but ammo costs over double what 223 ammo does.


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## Sin man (Jul 25, 2006)

you can get a really nice single shot (nef, HR) for under 300 that will do the samething alot of 500 dollar guns will do (maybe even more) but you just have to reload every time and you can get them in just about every cal you would ever want.


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## wiskodie1 (Sep 11, 2006)

Tikka 22-250 with a heavey barrel, the gun is very light for a bull barrel go to the gun shop and play with a few differnt kinds to see the differents in weight and feel. i have one and love it, also right in your price range.


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## Scooter (Nov 4, 2005)

You can't go wrong with either the the Savage or the Tikka in .223 or 22-250. I would lean toward the Savage myself simply for the Accutrigger system. As for the heavy barrel unless you hunt varmints in warm weather or shoot often and quickly the advanges of the heavy barrel dissapear quickly. As for myself just for the sake of saying so I would go with a .223 AI with 26" 1 in 9 or 10 twist barrel on a model 700 Action. It's one to reload for and stick to the 55gr and up bullets. On a side note I am also a huge .264WM fan I just got mine completed a few weeks ago and I'm loving it!


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## Architect414 (Nov 9, 2006)

Hey thanks for all the help. I'm going to head down to the gun shop today and check out what they have for a .223 or a 22-250. What would u recommend looking for as far as a scope. The gun I've been using has a 6 power Leupold on it, and It just was to powerful for those close shots. I was thinking something in the 3-9 power range. And price really insn't to much of a big deal here. I know the more u spend the better you get.


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## clampdaddy (Aug 9, 2006)

I agree with Horsager. If you plan on doing high volume shooting go with a heavy barrel otherwise I'd stick to a standard contour. I learned this the hard way when I thought I was buying "the perfect coyote rifle", turns out my weighsamillion pound rifle gets left home more often than not and one of my smaller caliber deer rifles gets used for yotes instead. For a scope I'd go with a Burris with the ballistic plex reticle, I really like mine.


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## Scooter (Nov 4, 2005)

clampdaddy,

Couldn't have said it better myself! Big Burris fan using a 4.5-14 FFII on my custom .264WM and just shot a deer at a little over 500 yards using that ballistic plex. It works as adverised.


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## SDHandgunner (Jun 22, 2004)

I too prefer a Sporter Weight Rifle for a carrying around rifle. Yep the Heavy Barrel / Varmint Rifles are great in a Prairie Dog Town and or shooting from the Bench, but are miserable to carry over long distances.

As per caliber, .223 Remington, .22-250 Remington and .243 Winchester are all good choices. There are others to consider also, the the 3 listed above seem to be the most common and ammo can be found virtually anywhere.

Personally I have a .223 & a .243, both are in Ruger's Stainless-Synthetic version of their Model 77 MKII. The .223 wears a 4.5x14x40mm AO Nikon Buckmaster Riflescope and the .243 wears a 3x9x40mm Nikon Buckmaster Riflescope. So far I have not found a problem with either the guns or the scopes.

I shoot 50gr. Nosler Ballistic Tips in the .223 and 70gr. Nosler Ballistic Tips in the .243. Both are quite accurate and pure death to Varmints & Coyotes (with the .223 being the more fur friendly of the two).

Good luck with your quest.

Larry


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## ba_50 (Oct 11, 2006)

To kill a coyote at 600 yards a 243 would be the best choice.


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## Longshot (Feb 9, 2004)

I would also have to recommend the Burris Ballistic Plex. I bought one this year and couldn't be happier.


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## clampdaddy (Aug 9, 2006)

ba_50 said:


> To kill a coyote at 600 yards a 243 would be the best choice.


A little more calling and a few more muinuts is the best choice for a 600 yard coyote.


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## People (Jan 17, 2005)

If you do your part a 600Yd shot it easy. Especially with a scope. Practically a give me shot. Now taking that shot with a 15 using 77gr or an 80gr will require a lot more knob turning.

Granted the chances of missing goes up as distance increases. Missing also makes smarter dogs. Granted even smart dogs make mistakes. lol

Chuck Norris rejected an invitation to Vin Diesel's house to play Xbox 720 and Playstation 4 as he was busy playing his Xbox 1080 and Playstation 5.


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## Chestnut (Aug 9, 2006)

Sin man said:


> you can get a really nice single shot (nef, HR) for under 300 that will do the samething alot of 500 dollar guns will do (maybe even more) but you just have to reload every time and you can get them in just about every cal you would ever want.


I just bought one (NEF) in .223 a couple months ago. It's a fine gun for the price, and accurate enough, but not the most accurate rifle I own. I think the hammer has a longer lock time than a striker fired bolt gun. The other downside is that Wolf laquered steel cartriges tend to stick in the chamber since the extractor doesn't have a rim to use. But mine works great with brass cases. My wife told me last trip that she's claiming that rifle for herself. Seems she likes the centerfire feel without the big kick of my other guns. :eyeroll:


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## ba_50 (Oct 11, 2006)

Even though I stated the .243 is the better choice for 600 yards, I agree that calling them closer is the best idea. With a mil-dot Super Sniper scope for holdover or comeup on elevation should really help.

About 6' holdover @600 yards with most reticules is mostly guesswork. You will miss a lot more than you hit.


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## Bore.224 (Mar 23, 2005)

600 yards Holy  You guys are Good!


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## stearns24 (Oct 17, 2006)

Bore.224 said:


> 600 yards Holy  You guys are Good!


Nope, just full of it!! LOL :lol:


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## clampdaddy (Aug 9, 2006)

Chestnut said:


> My wife told me last trip that she's claiming that rifle for herself.


Looks like you've got the absolute best excuse possible to buy a new rifle............LUCKY DOG!!!!!!


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## SDHandgunner (Jun 22, 2004)

clampdaddy said:


> Chestnut said:
> 
> 
> > My wife told me last trip that she's claiming that rifle for herself.
> ...


That's the same thing I was thinking. Wish someone would tell my wife to claim one of my Rifles so I could get a new one.

Larry


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## clampdaddy (Aug 9, 2006)

I'm lucky, my missus doesn't have any intrest in rifles or shotguns (she's left eye dominant, right handed, and does't care to relearn to shoot a longgun left handed.) so after seeing a few stainless with black synthetic or blued with walnut bolt action rifles around the house, when I get a new one she never knows if I've had it for years or I just picked it up from the gun shop. Just make sure you get rid of the box before you get home! :lol:


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## Chestnut (Aug 9, 2006)

LOL that's funny! And yes, the first thing I said when she claimed the gun was "Fine, I'll need a new one now." Maybe an AR. I've never had one...


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## Csquared (Sep 5, 2006)

Come on guys....600 yards... easy? Please explain.

I've been doing this a long time, and I'd put my rifles up against most anyone's, but there is NOTHING easy about a 600 yard coyote. If you ARE that good, you probably shouldn't be suggesting that to the rest of us.

A coyote's kill zone (verticle body size) is probably smaller than most guy's rifles on here will group at that range, and that's assuming a perfect hold. I'm not talking about computing group size based on MOA or your 100 yard grouping ability, I'm talking about actually shooting at that range where you have limitations such as mirage and crosshairs covering the body completely, etc.

Maybe I'm just not good enough, but I would bet good money very few shooters could hit a 9" paper plate with their first shot at ranges randomly being one side or the other of 600 yards.

I know I'd miss it more than I hit it, so please tell me what I'm doing wrong!!!!


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## Longshot (Feb 9, 2004)

What scope are you using that covers a coyote completely at 600 yards? Take a look at some of the competition groups at 600 yards once. 600 yards is not impossible to hit most of the time with good preparation, but would stick to calm days.


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## clampdaddy (Aug 9, 2006)

600 yards is quite a poke. The guys that are doing that kind of shooting in competitions are shooting off a bench or from the prone position with wind flags placed down range. I've never been able to take a shot at a liveing animal from the prone position because there's always some kind of vegitation in my way. Sure it can be done but why do it when you can bring the dog in closer with a call or move closer to it. But lets just say I wanted to slap a yote at 600 yards, my cartridge of choice would be a 25-06 pushing 75gr hornadys. I've shot mine out to 500 yards and could probably hit a coyote 4 out of 5 times but I hate missing and I know the one of the five shots that missed its mark would probably happen when my hunting buddies are around and I'd have to hear about it for years.


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## Longshot (Feb 9, 2004)

I shoot prone with a bipod. For the last few years vegetation has not been a problem in western ND. My caliber of choice is a 260 Rem. built off of a Rem. XP100R action. I shoot 139 gr. Lapua Silver Scenar that require 13.5" hold over at 100 yards, clicked in on my target turrets. The reticle in my Leopold 6.5-20x50 M1 LR covers very little of a coyote at 600 yards. I like to be able to shoot this range for those coyote that hang up and those that hold up after the first coyote is down. As I said before a calm day is best for this kind of shot but so is calling. If it's windy I don't call.


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## Csquared (Sep 5, 2006)

Longshot, I sort of owe you an explanation. I was assuming (wrongly so, I guess) that we were talking about hunting rifles, and by that I mean a rifle set up to "hunt" coyotes at various distances, and would also include being carried for various distances.

I would concede that the odds of a first shot hit would go up greatly if the shooter was using a rifle set up for 600 yard competition, but since his hold and rest would most likely be far from ideal, and leave much to be desired when compared to that which he would have at the bench, I'm still not ready to jump on board and agree a 600yd coyote is easy.

As far as my statement about the crosshairs covering the body, well I was just flat wrong! I checked, and it's only about 5 1/2" for the scopes on MY hunting rifles, and just under 2" for the 6.5-20's on my varmint guns. I honestly thought it would be more. Sorry for sounding stupid!

You asked what kind of scope, so let me explain why I feel so strongly about this in the process of answering your question. My favorite coyote "hunting" rifle is a 700 with a #3 Lilja 3-groove, 14" twist barrel chambered in a tight-necked 6BR with Leupold QR mounts. I hunt with a vari-X lll 2.5-8X scope on it, but do load developement with a Leupold 24X BR scope. The rifle with the 2.5-8X on it weighs just a fuzz over 7lbs in the McMillan stock. For me to shoot at a coyote that far the bottom portion of the thick part of the duplex reticle will cover, well, 5 1/2" of the coyotes chest.

Now, that rifle will shoot in the .2's and .3's just about every time I shoot it, with 60gr Sierra HP's and 55gr Nosler BT's. BUT, with the 24X scope on it at our 300 yard range I can rarely beat 1.5". I attribute that to the increased difficulty of aiming at precisely the same point with each shot, to the amount of target covered by the reticle (1/8" target dot), and to my lack of proper skill.

Point here is this. 1/2 MOA does not equate to 3" at a 600 yard coyote under hunting conditions. And although your opinion certainly seems to be based on actual experience, I'm afraid most guys just "do the math" to determine how far they can kill something with their particular rifle.

I've actually proven this on more than one occasion. I sometimes run across a few guys who claim to be excellent shots, and are willing to show me just how good they are when asked to put their money where their mouth is. So we have gone to picked corn fields and placed gallon milk jugs at ranges from 300 yards out past 500, at 50 yard intervals, and allowed them a chance to show me they can "pop" them, with their first shot. I have done this three different times, and NEVER has a jug further than 450 yards been popped by any of the "so-called" experts.

I'm not making fun, only illustrating why I believe long shots are much more difficult than alot of people think.

For you guys who can do it, I admire you deeply. But when I'm holding the rifle, 300yd coyotes are dead, 400yd coyotes got a real good chance of making it, and 600yd coyotes are absolutely safe!

Thanks for the opportunity to explain myself.


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## Wiley C (Dec 1, 2006)

Very well put Csquared


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## Jiffy (Apr 22, 2005)

Longshot will take your money and I'm willing to double the bet....lets put your money where your mouth is.  I have very little doubt in my mind with this!!


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## Csquared (Sep 5, 2006)

I have no money at risk, Jiffy, 'cause I've freely admitted my limitations. And the post clearly shows it is the self-proclaimed experts who have money on the line in the examples stated.

So, with that in mind, bum a ride with Horsager, and bring your money, and meet me in WY this summer. I'll be shooting on 50,000 acres of private land, and if I can get creative enough to convince the rancher you're a nice guy, MAYBE he'll let you shoot with us, and you can show me just how good you are.

I'll look forward to learning something.


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## Jiffy (Apr 22, 2005)

I don't think I said anything about myself shooting. I do think it was Longshot I was talking about.

Never the less, it sounds like fun. I have never claimed to be the best shot out there.....however, there are a lot worst than I. :wink: I hold my own.  A fact I am not scared to back up.


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## Jiffy (Apr 22, 2005)

One more thing before I go to bed.

So how do you know Horsager?? Is he a friend of yours or something?? Funny, he has never mentioned anything about you to me.

I'll ask him tomorrow when I go over to his place and look at a TRG-22 he just picked up for his buddy. We'll have a couple beers and discuss this so called shoot you guys are going on.

hhhhmmm, I wonder if it is going to be news to him....... :lol: :lol:


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## Longshot (Feb 9, 2004)

Csquared, my post was not meant to be sarcastic or cause any ill will. I was only stating that my experience with shooting 600 yards with my 260 has been good and that I would not hesitate to take a shot at that range on a coyote if conditions were favorable. I use my 260 for more than range time and though it may be heavier than some it is not too bad to carry. It is in fact less weight than my Rem. 700P and more accurate at long range. I do not have a dedicated coyote rifle. I choose from a few depending on conditions and the person I am hunting with. As I stated before I would only take a shot at this range with very little or no wind. This fall I wanted to test some new reloads at long range. Unfortunately there was a 20+ mph variable wind, but my curiosity got the best of me. I wanted to witness the drift during these conditions with this new load. Let just say the outcome was not good and the rock was safe. I do enjoy testing the extreme and put a lot of time into testing loads and rifle set up. The ranch shoot sounds like fun. I'm always excited to do some long range shooting.


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## Csquared (Sep 5, 2006)

Jiffy said:


> So how do you know Horsager?? Is he a friend of yours or something?? Funny, he has never mentioned anything about you to me.


We share a common pain in the ***!


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## Csquared (Sep 5, 2006)

Longshot said:


> Csquared, my post was not meant to be sarcastic or cause any ill will.


Longshot, ABSOLUTELY no explanation necessary. You wouldn't be doin' your job if you let an inaccurate statement like mine go by un-challenged. I appreciate your attention.

Besides that, I don't have any feelings left, and it is totally impossible to offend me, so don't give it another thought!

I have the same gun, but with the factory barrel still on. My collection grows in spurts, and it takes awhile for me to catch up, so I have not put that one through it's paces yet, but plan to when I'm tired of chasing deer for the year.

Would be neat if we could all meet somewhere west of the Dakotas. Don't tell Jiffy, but I'm even looking forward to meeting him somehow, and not even for the reason some might expect!!!!! 

Keep in touch.....I obviously could learn a few things from you.


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## Jiffy (Apr 22, 2005)

Don't worry...I won't tell him anything 

I can't type tonight......


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