Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Predators and Varmints Equipment Advise - getting serious on varmints

Last few years every spring I have headed out here in Idaho and plinked around with a remington 597m .22 with a weaver 2-7x scope at ground squirrels and even the occasional badger and even a coyote or two. Being a big spring bear hunter, varmints really didn't do much for me.

But this year, I have decided to get serious (within my financial budget) and put together a true dedicated longer range varmint rig. I am looking at something heavier with a longer barrel that will be used from bench/prone for these critters that are a ways out there. Plus it would be nice to have a low recoil rifle to practice my general marksmanship with. I am open to any and all feedback as this is not my area of expertise, so here is what I am thinking.

Savage 12fv - 22-250, 1/12" twist, 8.5 pounds, 26" barrel - $420
SWFA SS - 10X42, rear focas, MOA, $299
Weaver 6hole steel tactical rings, 1 piece picatinny base.

Right now I plan to find a good fast 55 grain load. Can the 1/12 twist shoot heavier low drag long range bullets? Any other thoughts?

BTW, total budget for rifle, scope, rings/bases is no more than $800.

Thanks
Adam

Everything sounds petty good but the scope, I'd like a little more top end on a scope for varmints say 6.5-20. Woodchucks ànd ground squirrels can be pretty small out there a ways.

I'd change the scope to more power as well.

Also, get it in 243. You can launch the 55gr 6mm bullet in excess of 4,000fps, and the Hornaday V-max has higher BC than the 55gr 22cal. And for really long range, you can run much heavier bullets with the 243.

Hiaring,

I think you'll find the 22-250 to be a bit more than you care to shoot on a gopher field. Also, that 1/12 will not accommodate the low drag bullets you're hoping to use. Not that you need low drag bullets on a gopher field, but it won't handle them.

I'd look at getting a new Howa in .223. Get the standard short action. They are twisted 1-9" and should handle most any bullet you want to give a try on the gopher fields this season.

The SWFA 10X's are good scopes but I'd get the mil/mil version and not the MOA.

If you decide against a Howa or Weatherby Vanguard and stick with Savage, I'd at least steer clear of the 22-250 for your purposes. I break mine out on gophers every once in a while, but it gets old pretty quick.

The .223 sized stuff is more better.



Travis

^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^



This. in a BIG way!

Yeah, I fought the 223 tooth and nail, mainly because I thought I had enough when I got discharged, and didn't want to fall into the military wannabe category, but its freaking amazing how utilitarian a fast twist 223 pretty much does everything from ground squirrels to whitetails, from 50 yards to oolong range.

Don't fight it....

Not to mention you can call your own shots with the .223

Even a heavy 22-250 has enough recoil to take you out of the scope...not so with the two two three

Since the OP mentioned budget constraints in his post here goes -

223 brass - dirt cheap and tons of it, quite often available just for picking it up.

223 vs. 22/250 powder charges - generally speaking the 22/250 uses about 1/3 more powder than the 223, which means that with a 223 every third can of powder is a freebie.

The 223 and a 40 gr bullet at 3800 fps is a magic combination on everything from gophers to coyotes.

Personally I am ok with a 10 power scope for varmint shooting, about the only time I am above 10X is for load development when I am shooting paper.

Forget the tactical rings and picatinney base - they will gain you nothing and probably cause difficulty getting a good cheek weld due to the increased height. Weaver bases have worked for over 60 years, get a set of Burris Signature Zee rings to go with them and you are good to go.

drover

I have a 12FV .22-250 that gets used on Idaho ground squirrels. Mine keyholes with some 55 grainers, like Sierra, so I have been shooting 40 gr. ballistic tips at 4000 fps. This combo has recorded hits at over 400 yards. That is with zero wind. I have been developing a load with a 50 gr. Midway Dogtown that is showing potential.

One thing with the .22-259, you have to discipline yourself to keep the barrel from melting down. I generally bring a .223 and a .22 rimfire too and switch off.

The 12FV is a good rifle, but there are a few things I don't like. First, the stock that comes with it is garbage. I put a Bell and Carlson on mine. The other thing is that the throat is very long. I can't get a 40 gr. ballistic tip anywhere near the rifling. Even so, it can put 5 rounds in a half inch @ 100 yards.

My scope is a Burris 4.5-14X50.

I'd look at a fast twist 223 or maybe a 204.

223 with 1&9 and the SS Scope in 10 power will be all you need, but they also offer it in 12 power and that might be a better option if Gophers will be your main target. Another plus on the 223 is barrel life compared to the 22-250.

I would go with the .223 also.. But I am not so hung up on the fast twist.. I mostly shoot p. dogs and gophers with 40 gr. Vmax.

Mine has a 4.5-14 on it right now.. but I put a SWFA 10x on my .222.. Will see how that goes..

But for bigger varmints, I do like the .22-250 and again I am not caught up in the fast twist deal.. If I want to shoot a 75 gr. Vmax, I will use my .25-06..

To me if you want to enjoy the broad area of varmint shooting you need more than one rifle..

If I were just starting out, I think I would opt for the .223 and build from there..

ill be the voice of dissent here and say 22/250 shoot the winchester white box 45 grain jacket hollow points at $35 for 40 rounds

no experience with the SWFA but id shop around for a Leupold of some flavor i have a bunch of M8 12x A/Os on various guns and a 4.5-14x on my 22/250

might also look into a laser rangefinder of some sort

Leupold STD bases and rings are hard to beat

22/250 trumped the 223 in the pdog shooting we did 2 years ago in south dakota

Hiaring8: I wish to highly recommend for you a "serious" Varmint caliber for your consideration!
Currently I have Varmint Rifles in 26 (twenty six) different "Varmint" calibers (under .25 caliber that is)!
And in most of those calibers I have multiple Rifles.
I have been shooting Ground Squirrels with both centerfire and rimfire guns for more than 50 years now and hope to do so for another 50!
I know, wishful thinking that.
IF... you are looking for ONE cartridge to use on Ground Squirrels at "longer ranges" then THE perfect caliber for you IS the 204 Ruger!
In my opinion Varmint Rifles in caliber 204 Ruger are THE best of "all around" Varminting Rifles!
Don't get me wrong - Varmint Rifles in caliber 22-250 Remington WILL kill Ground Squirrels (I have eleven of them in this caliber right now!) but for Ground Squirreling and for useages "all around" the Varminting world, GO with the 204 Ruger cartridge in whichever Rifle you like best.
I had a friend along Ground Squirreling last year and he had a Remington heavy barrel Rifle with him in caliber 22-250 Remington.
He could NOT spot his own hits and misses - and he was constantly complaining about having to wait for his barrel to cool before he could shoot it again!
Barrel heating IS a major concern in Colony Varmint Hunting.
I have killed MANY Coyotes and Badgers with my various 204 Ruger Rifles - don't doubt the lethality of this smaller caliber for even a minute, as I have as yet to need a second shot on any of these!
Best of luck to you with whichever you choose.
Hold into the wind
VarmintGuy

Very much a + 1 on what varmintguy said.

I would think that to if you wanted to see where your shots hit at long distances that a good muzzle brake would be perfect. You have to wear hearing protection so the noise shouldn't be a problem.

The 204 is a good gopher cartridge but something to consider with it is the availability (or lack of availability) of 204 brass and the higher cost of it as compared to the ready availability and low cost of 223 brass. There is also a more plentiful selection of bullets for the 223.

The 204 burns the same amount of powder as the 223 but it is burning it through a smaller bore so barrel life will be a bit less than the 223.

I cannot see any reason for a fast twist for a gopher rifle, the most common bullet weights are 40 to 55 gr and a 1-10 or 1-12 will stabilize in either with no problem and probably have a slight accuracy edge.

drover

My main prairie dog rifle is a savage M12 BVSS 22-250. I have others but this one is the one that gets used 90% of the time off the bench on prairie dogs. I wore out the factory barrel shooting 55 gr. ballistic tips through it so yes the factory 1/12 twist will shoot them. I don't believe it will shoot anything much heavier. I replaced that barrel with a 1/9 twist criterion barrel and added a muzzle brake, the brake allows me to see the hits through the scope.

The 223 is a great round no doubt, but for longer ranges when the wind is blowing I've definitely seen the advantage to the 22-250. The 223 doesn't hang with the bigger case at longer ranges. For shorter ranges the 223 with a lower power scope is perfect, but I tend to mostly shoot off of a bench in open fields and many of my shots are in the 300-600 yd range.

Your setup is a good one except for the scope. I'll echo what others have said and say get something in the 6-20X range. 10X isn't enough power for bench shooting varmints for me.

A laser rangefinder is a must also.

There are those that shoot and those that read about it. The advice on a 223 is as good as it gets. Use 40 grain plastic tips and kill as far as you want.

A word to the wise, forget fast twist in a 223 size case, that is the biggest myth in varmint shooting...

I have an Sako 85 Stainless varmint on order. 1-8 twist with a Leupold Mark 4 16x40 on top.

Single feed 75 A-max when needed. Otherwise 40-50 grains in the magazine.