I do what little varmint hunting I do with my .243 Win. Steyr.
I have two 300 magnum Wins.....and I was contemplating loading them down and trying some long range varminting.
Anyone ever try this...and how were the results?

Does a 7mm Rem Mag on prairie dogs qualify?

PS - Don't load it down, load the lighter bullets insted.

Yup.....sure does!! I think if I loaded some 110 grainers in the 300 they would actually shoot pleasant!

Accurate big game rifles can make excellent long range varmint rifles. I favor them for coyotes for instance.

Back in the early 60's I had a 264 WM with a 1-12 twist for that purpose. Today I use various rifles like that. Yesterday I was out calling with another 264 WM.

The 300 mags. kick too hard to bother with. I leave those in the safe most of the time.

for years I've been a far gone chaser of rock chucks and yotes, I've most always used a big boy to do the work.

My fav's are as follows

6/06
270
7 Mashburn Super
300 Wby
340 Wby
375 Wby
416 Rig

Gotta go, I say go big or go home......

"GET TO THE HILL"

Dogz

i gotta Savage modle 110 w/o the accu-trigger. chambered in 300 WinMag. ussually loaded with factory 180 grain remington Core-Lokts. ive taken a crow at 365 yards with it one time.

I think I qualify also:model 70 in 264 Win mag & #1 in 7STW used on 5 ounce ground squirrels (called whistle pigs around here).
I might suggest you try our technique if you are a big game hunter. We always use the same bullets and loads in our game rifles as we use for big game. We always figured that if one can make that 300 yd shot on a little ground squirrel....well what chance does a deer have. It does wonders for range estimation vs trajectory also, aiming for the spine and hoping the bullet will drop to the heart just doesn't cut it on ground squirrels.
We switch back to the traditional varmint rifles as fatigue from recoil begins to set in, or as the barrels warm up on the magnums.

I use a Winchester Laredo chambered for the 7mm RUM. It's my 1000 yd. chuck gun. This winter she's gonna get a face-lift. New barrel, scope and load using a 169 gr. ULD from a fella in Canada. BC's supposed to be pushing .7. We'll see. For the closer stuff, I stick with the basic, smaller cartridges ... .25-06, .243, .223, .17 HMR. All in heavy barreled, benchrest style platforms. Later. >> klallen

I took a brand new Mdl 7 300 Rem SAUM on a critter calling trip once. Loaded with 150 grn Bal Slv Tips, it did bad harm to a coyote and a bobcat. I mean non usable hides. If you are killing, and not hide hunting, I'd say use the mags. As was stated earlier, if you can hit a small target at extended ranges with your meat getter gun....go for it!