I rarely shoot varmints, mostly just coyotes, but I went with some friends today and really got into it. I have a 220 swift, my question is what is your opinion on the ulimate varmint gun and why.

Depends on what varmint you are banging. I like 17s, 20s and 223s for PD size of varmints and I also use all of those for coyotes. But is I am serious about killing coyotes, I only use 223s, 22-250s and 220S guns. I use a 223 AR at times and it shines on multiple coyotes coming to a call. But most of the time, I use bolt guns.
I just packed for a coyote calling trip to Ks, and cased a 20 Vartarg custom on a Sako A1 action and a Rem 700 220 swift.
My son packed his AR.
If I could only have one varmint gun, it would be a bolt 223.

A 270, LOL. Now I like the 22-250, speed, accuarcy it has it all. Mine is a heavy barreled M 70. What is nice about the rig is that I can see the impact when shooting 50 grain bullets. I tested 55 grainers first then 50 grainers. The 50's shot better in my rifle, and I noticed that the crosshairs did not "jump" as much.

I have used the 223's a lot as walking rifles, they are tuff to beat. I also used a M70 243 with a semi heavy barrel. It got fed 70 ballistic tips, they flatten yotes.

A good friend of mine used a 243 all the time for yotes. He said it performed better at longer ranges then a 22-250. Then he got older and started to use a Tikka in 22-250. All he uses for bullets are ones with plastic tip, no hollow points. He says hollow points are not as reliable. I figure he has been doing it for 60 plus years, so he knows.

Exactamundo.....

If you already have a sporter weight 220 Swift you are all set. If you are going to do high volume prairie dog shooting a heavy barrel 223 will let you see the bullet impact through the scope and it won't heat the barrel as fast.

To me the ultimate varmint gun is determined by what varmint and what the condition's are.

A few years ago we went to help out a rancher that was over-run with prairie dogs, it was 95 degree's outside and even shooting my triple deuce the barrel was hot in 5 shot's. the ultimate gun that day was the 17HMR as we shot at least 10 times the dog's we would have with any center fire.

On the other end of the spectrum me and my nephew were shooting rockchucks at 2100yard's and on that day my 338 LapuaAI was the ultimate varmint gun.

So to me the ultimate varmint gun is at a minimum 10 different varmint gun's.
hope this help's

It depends if you are a varmint hunter or a varmint shooter. Two different disciplines.

Perzactly. I have an itty bitty riihimaki 222 for walking/calling and a 15lb wide flat forend pure bench gun in 223 for sitting and shooting from a bench. Right now missing a true looooonnngggg range rodentbuster, when funds allow will build a big, heavy fast twist 224TTH. My newly aquired lightweight 6mmAI might be accurate enough to fill in during the interim, have yet to shoot it and see.

What prairie dog shooter said...with the Swift for coyotes, you could use the .223 for small high volumn shooting..then the next step would be a .25-06 or above for long range coyotes..

I used to shoot high-volume varmints (prairie dogs and gophers) exclusively with a .22-250 Rem or .22-250 AI. Over the years I found that I did not need to burn 35 to 45 grains of powder on every shot to kill a small rodent. I found that even a .223 or .204 is usually a bit much. Barrels heat up and you either have to put down the rifle for a time or you have to rotate to another rifle or two so that you can keep shooting. I probably use my K-Hornets the most. Next comes the 20 VarTarg. The results of the hits are not as spectacular with the smaller rifles (though the VarTarg shoots a 32-grain at 3850 fps), but the enjoyment factor is still high, plus I do not replace barrels every other season, either. Save the Swift for coyotes.

Varmint Looney, what IS the ugly creature in your Avatar? Been meaning to ask for a while now. THANKS!

i love my 204 with 39 gr sierra blitzkings with rl 10x 25.5 gr. i just hate that my savage is so heavy.its a bgtvss thumbhole laminate stock

Mygirlhunts: I have Hunted most all the Varmints available in all the western states (including North and South Dakota) and if I were to have to pick ONE Varmint Gun to do everything (from Ground Squirrels to Coyotes) I know the caliber would be the wonderful 204 Ruger!
This caliber simply has outstanding ballistic performance and lethality along with noteworthy accuracy.
The 204 Ruger cartridge does everything I need done and does so without excessive recoil (spot my own shots!) and without excessive barrel heating (for ease of Hunting all types of Colony Varmints)!
The caliber choice was easy - the Rifles format is more difficult to attain, "ultimate", status.
I would be hard pressed to find a more "universal" Rifle though than the plain Jane Remington 700 SPS Varmint!
This Rifle is moderately priced and comes with an easily adjustable trigger - the stock fits me moderately well and is about bullet proof in itself.
These Rifles are accurate and have served me well for several years now, without showing any wear or change in abilities or point of bullet impact!
I use my Varminters constantly and 24/7 use is the norm.
The dual front sling swivels of the SPS Varmint is a nice and useful touch, in this again, very modestly priced Rifle.
With this Rifle the North American Varminter would be well served and pleased no matter what manner of Varmint he is after.
At 8 1/2 pounds (even with the heavy 26" barrel) this Rifle is easily carried and yet has enough barrel mass to provide a steady sight picture in the field.
Yep... IF (Heaven forbid), I was to have to pick a single "Varmint gun" for the huge variety of Varmints I Hunt it would be the simple and satisfying Remington Model 700 SPS Varmint in 204 Ruger caliber!
To date, using my various 204 Ruger Rifles I have brought to bag the following types of Varmints: Ground Squirrel, Weasel, Cottontail Rabbits, Prairie Dogs, Skunks, feral cats, Rock Chucks, Jack Rabbits, Raccoons, Fox, Porcupine, Coyotes, Badgers and several varieties of winged nest robbing Varmint birds!
I am happy you are enjoying your new "expanded" sport - year round fun is in your future.
Hold into the wind
VarmintGuy

I've built and owned .17 Hornet, .22 LR and Mag, .22 Hornet, .221 Fireball,.222, .222 magnum, .223, .22-250, and up. I've sold ALL the centerfires except the Fireball. I shoot to 400 yards with confidence, although it lacks power on coyotes at that range. To 200 yards, it's 1" deadly. Beyond, it's arc reminds me of shooting a .22 as a kid, so is "instinctive", plus my Hakko scope has a circle in it that is exactly dead on at 400 yards. I can shoot 100 rounds without getting the barrel hot. If anything it's under powered, but my gosh is it fun to shoot.

I ran a M70 Win Coyote lite in 22-250 (custom 22" medium contour barrel) for several years and loved it, but since I have switched over the rifle below.
More user friendly, side sling allows for more comfortable and universal carry, naturally the compact package is nice.
I run a 3.5-10x40 TMR Leupold and push HSM 50gr V Max out.
When the coyotes and bobcats get tougher at 300yrds plus I will go back to a bolt 22-250 or 243 but the 50gr V Max does the job well.

You left off lion, leopard, rhino, buffalo and elephant.

I had a remington varmit rifle in 22-250 26 inch heavy that shot
many groundhogs at 300to500 yds I used 41 gr of varget and
a 35gr NTX hornady with a cci br#2 vol across the croney was 4448fps never had a exit wound stoped them cold but I would have to say is my 6mm-06 with a 1in12 twist 55gr combined tech over
55gr varget will stop anything varmit class vol 4200 also with
br#2 primer

I hunt p-dogs, foxes and coyotes. I use two rifles depending upon conditions. My 25-06 with 75g VMax at 3750 or 85g Nolser BTs at 3600 are for conditions where long shots will be necessary. It takes varmints from 300-600 yards and beyond much better than a 22-250 and coyotes drop dead at those ranges rather than dragging off crippled.

If I am anticipating multiple varmints in a group or shooting them on the run within 300 yards, I use a .223 Bushmaster Varminter. It is not as sporting but with almost no recoil, you stay on target and shoot til they are all down. A 50g VMax is hard to beat at 3450.

If I had a fast twist in a 22-250 so I could shoot 75g bullets, that would be a good choice too. The .243 with 58g VMax is deadly and a great choice if need to target a deer occasionally too.

If that includes longer shots and/or large predators, 223AI 75Amax will do all. If you're talkin chucks, P-dogs and such, at reasonable ranges, then the K-hornet with 40Vmax is a winner.

Get too serious about pushing the range limits, 6mms or 6.5s are in order. My vote is 243AI-105Amax or Berger VLDs, it makes a good gun for deer sized stuff too.

223 50grain horandy= out couple hundred
22-250 53grain sierra= out to 350
243 115 grain berger=LONG SHOOTING

Is it stupid to hunt coyotes with a 30-06? I know it is way too much gun.

The reason I'm asking is that when looking for a rifle a found a deal on a Tikka T3 Lite Stainless 30-06 that I couldn't pass up.

Now, I'm thinking of trading it for a more sensible caliber for coyotes. However, do you think that is necessary or should I just use it?

I guess I should add I'm not worried about saving the hides.

Thanks.

Blah blah blah blah blahhhhhh.

Ultimate varmint gun can be narrowed down to at least one caliber, .223.

As far as the gun, nothing will surpass a good bolt gun preferably a Sako of some sort...

I don't know about "ultimate" but I built this as my "practical" rifle for my kind of varmint hunting which includes a lot of walking in between sets and hunting in sometimes deep snow. I wanted a very lightweight, simple AR:



Between the carbon fiber, Colt guts, RRA 2 stage match trigger, turned down WOA barrel and ACOG,it is about perfect for my type of hunting.

Now for a bolt gun, I have multiple choices, but one real winner is this .223 Tikka T3 Lite Stainless. It has proven to be a stellar shooter and has killed a good number of yotes. It wears a 4x12 Leupold w/an M1 elevation turret and pretty much exclusively shoots 52 grain Sierra Matchkings.

They seem to work.

I started shooting prairie dogs in 1949. Started looking for an ultimate varmint rifle some years ago. Sofar I have tryed out the 17 HM2, 17HMR, 17 Fireball, 17 Rem, 204 Ruger, 22 LR RF, 22 WMR RF, 22 Hornet, 221 Fireball, 222 Rem, 223 Rem, 22-250 Rem, 220 Swift,and 243 Win rifles. I wont to try out the 17 Hornet and the 5.7X28MM rifles. Back in the 50s when I only could afford a 270 Win I used it to shoot p dogs ,other unwonted critters, pronghorn ,mule deer, and elk. But now the 204 Ruger is hard one to over look for a handy varmint rifle.

That's just sort of question made for controversy if ever I saw one. There's a big difference between ultimate and personal favorite, which a lot of people don't see the difference in.

One of the cartridges that has the most versatile range of available bullets and effectively spans the most critter territory is going to be at the top. Then there is the purpose driven angle for those who never shoot past certain ranges, which makes an alternat cartridge perfect for them, ultimate doesn't apply to someone who simply doesn't need more. Parameters would be like this:
1. inherent accuracy and what the groups look like at 300 yards
2. bullet weight and type range for different animals
3. trajectory for long range

I love a .22-250 and a Sako heavy barreled varmint was a decades favorite, the #1 favorite was a matching .243. I'd be hammering ground squirrels on levees in the delta and the wind would start pushing the .22-250 off a few inches to the side. Switching to the .243 gave me the same trajectory but way less wind drift.

I got a lot of Yotes with the .22-250, but as the shots went beyond 300 yards the drop in their tracks factor wasn't there the way it is with the .243, at some point I just switched to the .243 as it does it all and the right bullet can be used for whatever you are hunting. I've taken somewhere around 30 deer with one and never had to do any tracking, the majority dropped where they were hit with the exception of a few that were stumbling and dead but didn't know it yet.

The .243 WSSM is a whole 'nother beast, I wish I'd a had one 30 years ago. World record 1000 yard 10 shot group was just set using one at under 3 inches!

My first Coyote (and second) with this thing were 350 and 420 yd shots that would have been problematic with a .22-250 due to tricky wind, in fact the guy I was shooting with missed his at 350yds and I got it as it was running straight away from us. Jared's first words were "man I gotta get me one of them, you made that look stupidly easy".

For me...it's the Kimber 84M Montana in 223.

Do they make the 223 in a Finnlight? That would be sweet.

And for me a Kimber Montana in 204 or 17 Rem.

Shrap, I am sure you know the HK 630 is nice too.

Me thinks me smell something.....Come on....2100 yards rockchucks.....give me a break......LOL

Looks like a killer tomato from that old b movie.

can't see why anyone would pick a 223 over a 22-250.

I'll answer that....
You're in Virginia.
You have groundhogs, but not enough to melt your barrel, especially on Sundays (that's a dirty shame, by the way).
A 22-250 is actually probably better than a 223 given the size of the target and the rate of fire -- in Virginia.
But if you come out West to South Dakota and have a good guide and good shooting, or luck into a good ranch on a typical summer day, your 22-250 will start to droop.
I've had hunts where my 22-250 buddies had to sit and wait while I whaled away with the 223 -- especially when I used special Blue Dot loads that move a little bullet fast.
All that said, the ultimate varminter is the one that YOU like the best. I'm lucky in that I have several. Each is the "best" for the application at hand.
So the 22-250 is the perfect "core" gun for you, for others it's the .223, for others a six, or .204 --

I you like seeing your hits -

I'd pick my Tikka 204 varmint rifle.

I'm new at Coyote hunting but this is what I use.

Rock River Predator Pursuit 20" barrel. Leupold Vari-X III 1.75x6x32

I use a 30/06 on coyotes, but sometimes have to pass up shots that don't have a good backstop. My ideal choice would be a 6BR, 243AI or 243. with a match barrel for LR shooting.

To be the smart a$$ here I'm gonna say............. What ever gun I have with me at the time. I'm mostly a predator hunter (and yes, predators are predators and not varmints) but it seems to me that varmint hunting runs a rather large gambit. For an eastern ground hog guy a lightweight sporter in .22hornet may be perfect, a rock chuck guy out west may prefer a .22-250 or .243 and prairie dogin may be best with a .204 or .223 heavy barrel.

Personally I think a .22-250 with a 20" varmint contour barrel would make a great compromise gun. Light enough to pack, but a little heavier barrel to not heat up as fast.

CB

First you have to decide what all you're covering with the varmint label. Little rodents? Furbearers like raccoons and coyotes? Cougar? Bear? What happens if you go outside the US? I'm told of people shooting baboons and kangaroos as varmints.

Then you have to ask how far away, how many shots in a sitting, and whether you're trying to save hides etc.

"Ultimate" isn't so easy to pick without some context for the choice.

With the right equipment it can and has been done, find it interesting that you joined the fire just to call me out.
If you are smelling something you most likely shat yourself when you realized you are wrong.

Are you saying you have the right equipment and have killed rockchucks at 2100 yards? That would be just shy of 1.2 Miles. Sure it can be done but by how many and how consistanly?

For me, being a Pa boy, groundhogs are the varmints of choice.

For me, my cartridge of choice would be my 222 Rem in either my Rem 722, Sako L461 Vixen or Rem model 7. As you can see, I love the 222. I've owned and hunted with it since before their was a 223. Not saying that the 222 is better than the 223. Just that it's my favorite.

Ultimate Varmint Gun depends on who you are, where you are and what varmint you hunt.

for me its the rem 223 tactical rigged with hs precition stock muzzle break harris by pod burris 4.4x14. 2nd fav ( for more open country) is rem hv varmint 22-250 in an old hs precition m24 stock with 6.5x20 burris

Entertaining thred!!!Most of you ol boys are from out west I see. Up here in Pennsylvania we hunt ground hogs. We let them .223's alone. Like myself my go to G-hog rifle is a .220 Swift. Best .224 ever made, with a 55 gr. bt. chuggin along at 3800 from a 1-14 twist Ruger Mk.II and a Bushnell4200 6x24x40. The ol walk/around just an ol .222 Rem 700. 5x15 3200. Just for more fun I'll bring out the Creedmoor 700 action and some ol 95gr. heart stoppers. Us Pa. chuck hunters are known for our fine marksmanship, but 2100yds. is a bit much. We have a guy sayen he did a 1300 yd.'er who now has lost our respect for a chuck huntin fool. Oh well my best with the swift is 501yds. oo a calm day.....later

I know a few guys in PA that use Remington 40X target rifles
for groundhogs.

Mark, tell us, me, anyhow, about your 6mm AI.

How's yer ticker ticking now days?

Shrap, I am sure you know the HK 630 is nice too. [/quote IT is virtually imposible if you have ever used an H&K 630 to go to something else. of course a mannlicher .222 sako is right up there.

Ya they are nice. From my chuck huntin buds it goes mine .220swift Ruger mk.II, 1 guy 22.250 Rem. 1 22.250 Savage, 1 .243AI Sako. I've had a Mod.70 heavy barrel in .243. and a Mauser 26" Douglas blued in 25.06 with a 12X Luey. My newest adventure is my Creedmoor. I built it on a 700 Rem.action and wood ADL stock. Gun was from 1981. It's got a 26" Hart fluted barrel, with Timney trigger and a 6X18 on top. It's a ground hog/deer rifle. Waitin on first 4-600yd. chuck to flip.....later

Seem's like I have a few doubter's



If you have the desire and the equipment it can be done.

Just because you are not capable of a long range shot does not mean that other people are.

YES

boatanchor, nice set up for sure. Up my way with the guys I hunt chucks with we're still in the redneck stages I guess. We hunt chucks without benchs, or sleds. We still do the Harris, sticks, each others backs. This is the deal 2 guys on a hill side or field edge a couple lawn chairs and a pair of 20x's and 10x's. We take turns on shots. One ol boy did a chuck at 700 off hood of truck and rolled up coat with his 25.06. your set up makes a big difference in distance for sure. We've got a 1000yd.club that my rifle smith/builder plays a big part in. I've seen groups at 1000 on targets and steel and feel 1000yds. is hard shootin stuff. Up here a G-hog is about 16-18" high and about 8-10" wide which leaves plenty of MISS. Out in the western states shootin puppies is harder yet after 500yds. or so. Two of my gang have the dots set for vel. and bullets, but I'm stll a plex guy and do the hold over task. I shoot from the X and from the plex. I've shot at varis distances and learn from mistakes. SOOOO for me to do a 500yd'er+ with a 55gr.bt. from a swift is IMO very good. After I get time in with my high BC .264 6.5 140gr. Creedmoor we'll get back to this topic of How Far? If I ever get a chuck at 1000yds. it'll hit the News Paper. Again nice set up and nice equipment. What caliber is your rifle and wt. bullet? Hold onto your hat I'm not a bad guy.....later

Its quite the tail to claim rockchucks at 2100yrds a 1ft by 6in target. at 1.193 miles. what scope and power. what range finder? what barrel? Pictures? At that distance heat waves would have a target dancing all over the place. A breeze would be nasty on a bullet at that distance. If your 100 yrd group is .5 inch at 100 yrds it would be 10.5 inches at 2100 yrds if you could see the rock chuck. what bullet? if the 160gr is 3600fps and zerroed at 1000yrds the drop at 2100 yrds is 81.76 ft and 5mph wind drift is 10.57 ft. You may want to re think that distance.

for varmints only the swift is a little heavy. recoil and blast can get to you after 4-500 round day. also heats up fast. i have shot just about every varmint cal out there and kinda fell in love with the 20 tac.. 204 vol and made from 223 brass. if you dont reload the 223 with 40 gr bullets is tough to beat.

Ultimate varmint gun = AR-15 too many configurations to count.

There is no such thing as an ultimate varmint rifle. I use a battery of rifles in various calibers. Three Savage Precision Target Action based rifles with a series of easily swapped barrels and bolt heads, so I can tailor them to the need. Remingtons, some with Savage style swap barrels for the same purpose, some not. A Cooper, a Sako Benchrest, and a rimfire or two.

Cartridges include: .17HMR, .204 Ruger, .223 Remington, .22-250 Remington, .22-250 Remington Ackley Improved, .220 Swift, 6mm PPC, .243 WSSM, .257 Roberts Ackley Improved, 6.5x284. Some have more than one barrel with different twists for different bullets. All depends on what is begin hunted and where.

My favorites and the most flexible are the .204 Ruger, .223 Remington and the .243 WSSM - the later for long range and sheer spectacle of atomizing ground squirrels. The .204 Ruger seems to be the hands down most fun, and even when I think I missed - I find a splat.

boatanchor,

I've been reading about guys like yourself in the VHA for a long time. That's pretty impressive shooting/equipment.

I think it was Gordy Critters that wrote an article that involved an attempt to lay down some PD's @ 3,000yds. The curvature of the earth came into play and they ended up needing FO to radio back impacts.

Some pretty cool stuff.


Travis

Travis,

That's Gritters, not Critters, although the latter would make a great pen name for a varmint mag....

It was Gordy and his buddy Lee trying for the long range dogs. I shot with both of them at the 1K matches in Pella,Ia.

I've talked to another guy that as trying for a two mile dog. He was only trying the first hour or so of daylight before the mirage kicked in. He said he could have three bullets in the air at the same time......

My bad aalf. I knew it was Gritters, I guess my brain and fingers just weren't connected this morning.

Two miles... That schit is crazy.



Travis

A good man with a Nylon 66 and a Red dot can do that...

She'll be ridin' shotgun tomorrow....



Travis

Hey, I could live for an entire lifetime shooting nothing but the .223 Normal or the .223 Ackley. And simply H-335 with 40-Ballistics.

I've killed as many prairie dogs and coyotes and most anybody and the .223 just works ... want an extra 50yards, Improve it.

I've learned one thing in my looong life; a GOOD man with the .223 is frickin' AWESOME. Same goes for the .30-'06. Don't need more and less is too little.

God Bless,

Steve

Of all the varmint rifles I have had my ultimate so far is my Kimber Montana 223 with a VX-3 2.5-8x36 w/ M1 dial. I just wish Hornady would come out with an AMAX in 65-69gr.

Steve,

I totally agree......

I've got my own reamer for a normal, 250" neck, zero freebore specifically for the 40 BT's, of which I rat holed several thousand away before the metals went haywire......coupled with several jugs of AA-2230-C.

My idea of high cotton.......

Nothing at all wrong with a 22-250. It's done it all, but the 204 Ruger will do it as well, less muzzle jump.

For varmints....it gets my nod.

For predators(saving hides)a 17 Rem (or maybe 17-204 *grin*).

Working on one just like my 204 below but put together in a 17 Cal. (cant just buy one in 17)

I have had both, now want both in the same rifle.

Just my 2 cents and dont mean I WONT buy another 22-250. Still love em, but wont be because I "need" one with these two. Just another fun gun.

In fact I just realized Id trade for a CZ 550 in 22-250 for my second NIB 204 in classifieds. WHY didnt I think of that? lol

God Bless

here is how i see it the ultimit varmint gun is the one you reach for the most..
here is my list of rifles
1885 k hornet
ruger 77 hornet
sako hornet
#3 k hornet
sako 222
colt 223 (sako)
rem 223ackley
savage 223
3 700 22-250s
sako 220 swift
ruger swift
rem 6-250
sako 6-284
sako 20 tac
rem 17 fb
cooper 204
rem 223 tactical
2 17 hm2
17 hmr
rhe reach for gun is the 223 tactical. it shoots 40 gr v max and 52 gr tsx same poa. it goes gopher hunting pd hunting coyote hunting even killd a deer with it while calling coyotes during deer season. it is short reasonably light easy to handle heavy enough to make longer shots. just about the perfict varmint hunting platform. as you can see from the list it took me awhile to figure this out..i still use all the other ones but the 223 tac is always with me.

Fast twist 223AI and 75AMAXs.

.243 has done everything i ever need it to on varmints. but if i shot high volume, .204.

I love that pic. Looking at the barrel axis vs. the scope axis gives you an idea of how much elevation was necessary.

A ruger number 1 45-70 shooting 300 gr hp hornady will do well on keeping groundhogs out of the sweet peas.

Whelennut

M_S, does your .223 T3 have the 8 or 12 twist? I understand they offer both.

A few years back (about 30 yrs) I decided to build my version of the ultimate "calling" rifle. I settled on a Mauser 98 with a 20" barrel with the profile of the WW70 FWT chambered for my version of the .250 Savage Imp. The stock is a Fajen Thumbhole.
When out after 'yotes, I use mostly Sierra 87 grainers, but from time to time I run some Hornady or Speer through. When I'm playing with jackass rabbits, I usually use Hornady 60 grainers, either RN or pointed, whichever I find at the store.
When I lived in Alaska, I used 90gr HPs for the local Sitka blacktail. The scope is a Redfield Widefield 2-7X.
If I'm into production shooting, like our Richardson squirrel, here in Nevada, I bring out my Remington M700V in .222 filled with Speer 52gr HPs. The scope is an 8-32X, and I've carried THIS gun for over 40 years.
Some times I carry a second rifle to let the other "cool". It's a Winchester High-Wall in .219 Zipper Improved with a heavy barrel and BR stock and muzzle-brake so I can watch those "picket-pins" go through their contorsions wayyy out there. The scope is a Redfield 20X M3200. I've only used this one for the last 5 years, or so.
Have fun, Gene

The pursuit of the ultimate varmint gun is like the pursuit of the ultimate golf club so you don't have to carry that darn bag around.


I'm thinking a minimum of a 17 HMR, 204 Ruger, and a 243 to cover most scenarios.

The 17 HMR created a niche of it's own.
The 204 Ruger nudges the 223 aside a bit in mind for a balanced mid weight performer.
The 243 still king of the hill for when you want to lay the smack down right now on bigger vermin. Anything less is less and anything more too much so.

I'm doubting there is going to be a consensus here.

You westerners have all the fun with your long range shots and fancy wildcat custom guns! Back here with have to stick with our air guns or subsonic .22s or the neighbors will have five oh on our azz. Yesterday I saw something moving through the back yard and I knew it was not a squirrel. Yes, it was a big rat, maybe 6-8", not counting the tail. Damn, I did not have my air rifle when I needed it!

FVA change that 243 to a 260 and you nailed my lineup, 700+ the 243 didn't carry like I wanted it too.