Looking at picking me up a varmint gun

[manwe33]

Well guys i want so ideas on what i should pick up. I have been looking into getting me a nice Varmint gun. Any ideas would be great. i will be shooting mainly really small animals.
http://youtube.com/watch?v=xhz4Julq3Ko&feature=related
(The link is a local guy called Kalai. One of my fav artest of all time. He has a song called killing small animals. I thought you guys might like the song:clap::clap::clap::clap:)

Also if there are some sites or forums i could look around that would also help a tons.:wthumpup:

[Boy_Wonder]

Bushmaster Varminter
http://www.rrarms.com/catalog.php?prod=GPCWVMS24FVAR9

[spwz99]

If you've got the resources, I would recommend converting a 22 hornet into a .17 Ackley hornet. if not, a 17HMR is a solid varmint caliber that's easy and fun to shoot.

[Moose]

I have a .204 ruger, super fast ,accurate for prarie dogs easily out to 250+ yds..


single shot break open....i love it

:wthumpup:

[Tracker]

my vote is for a .17HMR, if money isnt an issue you can beat something chambered for .223, a remington 700 is perfect, or even a nice bushmaster

varmiting is fun, but one thing to consider is, you shoot alot of rounds, and some of the really nice rounds get expensive, quick,
.17HMR is only useful out to 200 yards, after that, it drops like a stone, and its a 17 grain bullet, if you live somewhere windy, forget it.. but you catch a prarie dog inside 100 yards with one, it will look like it got hit by a 30-06
and a 917VS is a helluva gun for the price

.223 is surplus, so ammo is dirt cheap, unfortunatly the guns that shoot it usually arent(rossi does make a nice singleshot for it thats pretty cheap), .223 is also versatile, it can be used for anything up to small deer, its fast, and its accurate.

if i had to make a decision, i would go with a nice reminton 700 chambered for .223 with a good scope, youll get alot more use out of that gun than anything varmit specfic

hope any of that helps

Tracker

[TheLPB]

.17 is a real fun round to shoot. i always put a few through it when we go to the range... i get more fun from the old lever action .357 and misc pistols, though

[MoeMag]

An AR in 223.

17HMR's are barrel burners.

[manwe33]

Thanks for the imput guys. I have looked up every gun you guys have pointed out. The one i am kinda leaning at getting is a DPMS Pather LR-204 From what i have read its a great gun and you can custom it how u like.

http://www.dpmsinc.com/firearms/firearm.aspx?id=1

Has any one owned a DPMS gun?
What are they like?
Cal i picked is the .204 ruger Thanks Moose for the idea of looking into them. They have some good reviews.

[Moose]

No problem, I know its a relativly new caliber, but at ~4000 FPS, this critter sings...

Its sound signature is very mild..

Won't make a prarie dog dance like some of the higher calibre ones, but does more damage than a rimfire can..

Cost to rebarrel mine if I ever wear it out, about 150 bucks...


edit :: make sure you use the proper weight bullet for your rifle, too heavy or too light , it will keyhole.....very sensitive to twist rate..Mine works best with 40-45 grn slugs(have to dig out a box to see exactly what weight I'm using)

[MoeMag]

~4000 FPS, 40-45 grn slugs

Word. Got my attention.

DPMS is muy bueno. buddy of mine has an m4 of theirs... nice.

[Aegis]

Tracker is right on, what you didn't mention is what animals and what range. That makes a lot of difference.

The .17 caliber options can be a lot of fun, the .223 is a fundamental varmint round but they are both severely limited for a lot of varmint hunting situations out west where ranges often exceed 300 yards.

I have all of them and if I had to pick one gun for a trip it would be a .22-250 or .243 winchester. They will do everything the little guys do and a whole lot more.

[manwe33]

Tracker is right on, what you didn't mention is what animals and what range. That makes a lot of difference.

The .17 caliber options can be a lot of fun, the .223 is a fundamental varmint round but they are both severely limited for a lot of varmint hunting situations out west where ranges often exceed 300 yards.

I have all of them and if I had to pick one gun for a trip it would be a .22-250 or .243 winchester. They will do everything the little guys do and a whole lot more.

I guess i should have said what i was going to be shooting. I have a .243 and .223. I love the .243 alot but it costs to much to shoot. I have a few friends that come with me and was looking for something different. I shoot mainly rockchucks and popguts. few birds here and there.

[Aegis]

I guess i should have said what i was going to be shooting. I have a .243 and .223. I love the .243 alot but it costs to much to shoot. I have a few friends that come with me and was looking for something different. I shoot mainly rockchucks and popguts. few birds here and there.

Do you reload? If not then definitely .223. If you reload you should consider a .22-250 to fill the gap between those two.

Theere are no wrong answers here, depends on what you want to do. If you want to shoot squirrels in CA or East Oregon, you need to be able to hit a beer can at 300 yards plus reliably. If you are groundhog hunting back east, a 100 yard shot may be as long as it gets. All depends.

All I know is that you can't have too much gun for varmints, but you can come up short.

[manwe33]

This gun is going to be for rockchucks. I was leaning more for a semi for the fact u can get a few fast shoots at a couple.. I want something that does not cost alot. But more powerful then a rimfire. I have a .223 but kinda looking at a .17 Rem or .204 ruger. those r kinda the 2 i have leaned more at getting. I cant find anywhere where i can find a seni .17 rem. So that has left me at the .204 ruger. most of my shoots will be around a 100 - 150 yards. but i would like to shoot upto 250+ yards with no problems.

[Desega]

.223