Home Forums Reloading Varmint Rifles best varmit rifle(not including a scope) under a grand?

I never had a dedicated varmit-rig,but I am going to get one and I need help,it will probably be in .223 and weight will not be a factor

I've been hunting eastern woodchuck for 30+ years with a Remington 788 in either .222 or .223. I free float the bbl and glass bed the front of the action and first 2 - 3 inches of bbl. and the rear tang area only. People laugh when I call it a "varmint rig" but it's the only rifle I ever saw for $500(today's dollars)that will consistently shoot under a 1/2MOA with no work on it other than as mentioned above. p.s. it is a medium weight gun so you won't have to schlep around a 12 lb. boat anchor. Go to Gunbroker etc and get you one. JMHO J.N.

If this is a rifle for sitting in one place and shooting ground squirells or prairie dogs, then get a Savage, CZ or Tikka with a heavy barrel in .223. Put the extra money you've saved into a good scope - I like a variable that I can crank up to about 20 power for small vermin at long ranges.

If you want a light rifle for walking around and won't be shooting more than a few rounds right after each other quickly like you might with prairie dogs, then I'd go with a CZ or Tikka with a standard barrel.

You can certainly spend more, but I don't think you are as certain to get a good one as you are with those 3 brands, IMHO. You should not have to do anything to get them to shoot well under MOA, unless you get a cheaper version of the Savage with the flimsy tupperware stock.

The savage 10 predatorhunter would be a great option and is well known for it's CONSISTANT out of the box accuracy, and is quite a lot under $1k which means that could now buy a ziess conquest 6.5-20x50 w/target turrets and you will shoot better than most $1k+++ custom rifles.

Savage Model 10 in black with an Accutrigger. They almost always shoot.
If you really want to be cheap for a coyote rifle, try a Stevens 200. The trigger needs work, or an aftermarket, but again, I was amazed how well it shot out of the box for a lousy 300 bucks.

"... get a Savage, CZ or Tikka with a heavy barrel in .223."

Right, but make it a .22-250. ??

id second the 22-250 in a savage. i have a model 12 savage with a swift premier 8x32x50 . its a great shooter.

Add the Ruger V/T to the list of rifles , but in any case make the caliber 204........

I'm pretty impressed with the Ruger Predator...


Ingwe

me too . it depends on how heavy a gun ya want..........

I have a Remington bdl in .223. A factory 24" barrel varmint contour and shoot 748 with a 40gr. bullet. I use it just for prairie dog hunting. I like the .223 I would think hard about a Remington in 204. If you ever have the change to get in a dog town you will be hook for life.

Savage Predator in 22-250.

Blackeyeddueler: If you are going to have just one Varmint Rifle and the cost is to be under $1,000.00 for it I would certainly consider one of the fine Rifles from Remington Arms Company!
Not only do these Rifles shoot very well - they look great!
This can NOT be said for the savage line - they not only look like crap, they feel funky and most hanging parts not only look cheap they ARE cheap!
My retired gunsmith friend here in Dillon, Montana spent $949.00 for a whoop-de-doo savage Varminter in 223 Remington this past year, and it would NOT shoot consistently - no matter what he tried!
An examination of the barrel with his Hawkeye Bore Scope showed an impossible to fix situation with poor machining and chatter marks!
In disgust - he spent nearly $450.00 more dollars to have the barrel replaced with a custom, and it now shoots consistently - but not outstandingly!
I have a plethora of Remington bolt actions Rifles that DO shoot outstandingly, and they look and feel great!
Their resale value is also MUCH superior to the grunge that savage sells these days!
Specifically now for you - of recent the Sportsmans Warehouse chain has been selling their few remaining last of inventory Model XR-100's (some in 223 Remington!) for $600.00!
I have three of these Rifles and each shoots VERY well indeed!
They have wonderful triggers and superbly shaped and designed thumbhole stocks.
These are single shot Rifles though and if you want a repeater then choose one of the other Remingtons like the 700 VL SS or the 700 VS SF II for your heavy barrel needs!
This same Sportsmans Warehouse chain is selling Ruger Model 77 V/T's this week for $510.00 - my friend Craig just bought one a couple days ago but it was in caliber 204 Ruger!
I have two of these myself (in 204 Ruger) and another in 223 Remington - all three of them shoot quite well and are very pleasing to use afield and at the range due to their stock design and nifty two stage triggers!
The mention (by me and of others!) of the 204 Ruger brings me to this bit of advice for you as well - the 204 Ruger FAR outperforms the 223 Remington in every category!
Including lethality and better accuracy, NOT just ballistically!
If I were beginning Varmint Hunting today (instead of 50+ years ago!) and knowing what I know now - I would not even consider buying anything in the way of Rifles but Varminters in caliber 204 Ruger!
The 204 Ruger does more (WAY MORE!) than the 223 and does it with virtually NO recoil!
And remember, this is coming from a Varminter who Hunts year round 24/7 and ALL manner of Varmints and Predators!
And, this is coming from a Varmint Hunter who currently owns 11 (eleven!) Varmint Guns in caliber 223 Remington!
best of luck with whichever Rifle and caliber you choose.
Hold into the wind
VarmintGuy

Hello, I would have to lean towards the Remmys, I picked up a gently used VLS 223 and it's a real shooter 1/2" 5 shot groups or better any day. I would also reccomend the Light Varmint Stainless Fluted {LVSF}. I have a LVSF in 7/08 and after a bit of trigger work it is shooting 3/4" and better with most loads. My buddy shoots a 204 and if I didn't already have two 223 I would most likely buy a 204. one thing about the Remmy's, they are like Harley's you can buy just about anything aftermarket for them that you would ever dream of. Good luck with your search.

I'll outline a different approach.

I just bought what I feel (for me at least) is the perfect Varmint Rifle for under $1000.00 (only made it by a couple bucks though).

Just this past Wednesday I picked up a DPMS Panther Bull 20 in .223 Remington. In addition I also picked up a JP Enterprises Fire Control System consisting of their Adjustable Trigger (adjustable for engagement and overtravel) their Speed Hammer and Springs. (I have the same JP Enterprises Fire Control System in my 16" Bushmaster)

Everyone has different ideas of their prefect varmint rifle, and I am no different. About 3 years ago I bought my first AR-15, and have been sold on the design ever since. I just like the ergonomics of the AR platform and I think this design lends itself to being easy to shoot either from the bench or off hand.

Larry

The "BEST" for what? Now if your talking styly, looks or just being able to shoot tiny groups right out the box with factory ammo, I will vote for either a Savage model 12 or the CZ rifles. I have a couple of each and was really surprised at how they shot.

It took awhile to find out what ammo they liked but after that it was nothing but small goups at the bench and that is a plus for just a production rifle under $700 dollars.

The last 2 days I have been able to shoot at the gun club and come away with targets that measured well under 1-MOA for 3 shots. Rifles were CZ-.223 caliber, CZ-.222 Rem cal, Savage model 12 .204 and Savage model .243. All these rifles shot very good 3 shot groups.

My new Ruger with bull barrel in 25-06 was not so lucky but I only had 2 types of ammo for it to shoot. Will try some more factory stuff next week. I do handload by the way but was trying to get an assesment of just how these rifle would perform with factory shells.

In a bolt gun ? Use a Savage or Stevens action and build a barrel of your choice....223 Imp...20 Practical...204 or the plain Jane 223.....use your stock of your choice...add your bases/rings & glass...just over a grand for the whole set up...pic shows my 223 AI....

The term �varmint rifle� describes a large family of rifles. Terms like �gopher rifle�, �coyote rifle�, �groundhog rifle� narrows the field quite a bit. I would not take my prairie dog rifles out shooting coyotes. I did that once. I took a heavy Savage single shot out to shoot coyotes. I needed a follow-up shot and fumbled the cartridge with my gloves on and dropped the round in the snow. That turned into a long walk in the snow and I never did find the dog. If you are going to buy a rifle as a do-all varmint rifle, you will have to accept its limitations.

First, I do not shoot my varmint rifles in low light like my hunting rifles, so I do not need an expensive light gathering scope. I have found that the Millett scopes are excellent scopes for the money. I have purchased five or six of them for my varmint rifles. The Long-Range LRS-1 scope and the BUCK GOLD scopes both work well and the prices are quite good. Because I buy good scopes at low prices I can pay more for a rifle. I feel that my Kimber Varmints (nice walnut stock) and my Remington VSSFs are the best mid-weight and most accurate rifles. My Rugers and Savages are good for what I use them for, but for looks, you just cannot beat the Kimber Varmint. In fact VarmintGuy said in another post that a Kimber Pro Varmint (laminated stock) is for sale at a pawn shop near him. You should check it out.

be pretty hard to reccomend one without knowing what & how you are hunting, but if i had to pick just one from my guns, i sure like my Remmy 700LVSF in 223. rides the bags well with the forend shape, but is light enough to carry without wearing you down, and the 22" barel works well if i'm calling in timber.

I suggest a Winchester 70 short action heavy barrel...the one they referred to as the Stealth. These come equipped with an HS Precision stock in the Marksman Winchester styling and a heavy 26 inch 1/9 twist barrel. They are deadly accurate. Even before installing mine into a McMillan A5, it would shoot in the .3-.5 inch range for five rounds with ammunition tailored to the gun...Sierra bullets and Varget.