Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Hunter's Campfire Practicality of HB Varmint rifles.

I don't shoot colony varmints very often anymore so I sold my last HB rifle last year.
I still have a handful of small caliber sporters.....all between 6 and eight pounds and barrels between 18 and 24 inches.
At this point in my life a 6.5lb wood stocked sporter with 22" barrel is just about perfect but I did pack a 10lb MK V 300Wby around for about forty years so I can appreciate the benefits of a heavy gun too.

I know exactly what the OP is saying. I used to have a heavy barrel Savage 22-250. It was definitely a tack driver but was so barrel heavy that I couldn't even carry it with a sling. It was a PIA to lug over a hill to set up on the far side. I sold it and got a standard weight rifle. MUCH better.

For me it just depends on the number of targets and shots I anticipate having available.

If we're talking 1 to 5 shots in an outing, obviously there is no need for a heavy barrel.

If that number jumps to 50-80/hour, definitely a heavy barrel is the way to go.

Unfortunately, the days of 50-80 shots/hour in a dog town are few and far between anymore.

I'm thinking I'm best off buying the rifles and then selling the 22-250. It will take longer though. I'll just buy it them and swap the scope.