I was wantin to get a cartridge specifically for rock chucks. Maybe the occasional coyote. I was thinking of 223/5.56. Then thinking of a 22-250. Be shootin 300 yards and closer. I dont want to blow the chucks up so i was thinking of a deer bullet or fmj. I seen what a 22-250 does to chucks using varmint bullets. I got a 17 hmr but I want more reach. Or if there is any more calibers you would suggest. Then i was thinking of a 6mm Remington but that might be a bit over kill, but yet I can use it on deer to. I got alot of 223 and 6mm brass. So tell me what you think?

1) If I wanted a rifle exclusively for shooting chucks within 300 yards AND I don’t want to explode the critters, I’d go with a .223, perhaps with a fast twist to stabilize heavier bullets.

2) If I wanted a rifle to shoot chucks within (or well beyond) 300 yards AND I wanted to hunt deer with it too, I’d go with a 6mm Remington with a 1:10 twist.

There are lots of bullets for the 6mm ranging upwards from 55 grains to over 100, and for those for which H-4895 is listed (and that's quite a few), I could safely reduce the charge to 60% of maximum.

With the variety of bullets available, and the flexibility of H-4895, I could have my cake and eat it too.

quote:

I dont want to blow the chucks up

Right, no need to waste such good eating.

A .223 is fully adequate for 300 yard shooting. A larger case like a .22-250 gets you more velocity, but that really doesn't get you much more range unless you step up in caliber and bullet weight.

A 6mm is an excellent long-range varmint round, but not needed at 300 yards and under. Its additional kick and muzzle blast will wear you down in extended shooting like prairie dogs, but rock chuck shooting doesn't typically call for an extended barrage, so that's not much of an issue.

Do you need your chuck rifle to double as a deer rifle? In that case, go with the 6mm, otherwise the .223 is a better choice.

I use a 222 L-46 Sako for most rock chuck shooting in the Snake River Canyon near my house, and in my pasture..I also use a 6x45 Sako L-461 custom rifle..Sometimes a 22 L.R. on the sneak is fun...

Your choice of a 223 is an excellent rock chuck caliber, and certainly all that's needed for coyotes..

Caliber and rock chucks is of no importance to me but the 22-250 would be the ultimate I suppose..Its a non issue with me, any gun is fun rock chuck hunting and a miss or hit is also a non issue...Im there to have fun, but I have some friends that are totally twisted out on rock chucks, even keep records on each kill! I get a kick out of them, its worth the hunt even without a gun, just to watch when they miss one!!

I like the 6x45 on coyotes, and our coyotes can be a good ways out yonder on occasion..A 22-250 is a great coyote gun..I would think the Creedmore would be a great coyote gun an has a lot of reach as does the 250-3000s that I have been shooting for years..Ive used the 222, 223 on coyotes many times but there have been times I wished for more..The 250 Savage fills that that void for me...I have a Sagage 99 and an FN Deluxe in that caliber that are incredibly accurate.

On my last Rock Chuck shoot I took two guns ,an XP-100 in .223 and a T/C Encore pistol in 6 Creed. with a 1 in 8 twist 15.5" barrel. The .223 will do what you want out to 300 yards but in the wind the 6mm rules.

Under or over 300 yards the .204 Ruger works well.

No idea why you don't want to blow the chucks up. But 223 is all you need under 300. Use varmint bullets. When I go prairie dogging, I take everything from a 17 HMR, to a 22 hornet, 223, 22-250, 243 and a 6.5x284. They each have their "place", but the 17 HMR and 22 hornet are interchangeable for each other and used for walking up close shots out to about 200, depending on the wind. From there its 223 to 300, 22-250 out to about 500, 243 to 600-700, and 6.5x284 out to 1k plus a little. All this is wind and mirage dependent of course. When the wind starts cranking up, the ranges come in a bit.

A good heavy barrel 223, loaded with your favorite varmint bullet (I prefer the Hornady's, and they come in bulk pack reloading bullets, which is a win-win for bulk loading/shooting) and a quality scope is your best bet imo. Don't skimp on the barrel, or the optic.

Varmint bullets aren't just for how much you do, or don't "blow up" the chucks. They are also better insurance against ricochets, or bullets just penciling through the chuck, skipping off the ground, and cruising over the horizon and off to who-knows-where. Whereas most of the time, when the varmint bullet whacks the chuck, or hits the ground, the bullet breaks up, and thus doesn't travel a great distance past the target.

I would never use a deer bullet for prairie dogging myself.

I've used 17 Hornet, 218 Bee, 204 Ruger 222, 223, 22-250 and 6mm Rem for rock chucks. They all work. Since you're planning on coyotes and deer as well, I would suggest a properly twisted/bulleted 6mm Rem.

I'm probably no help I use both a 223 and a 243 win.
if it gets personal I break out the 25-06.

either way the bullet choice will dictate the damage more than the diameter.

oh the 223 is for inside 200 yds and the 243 is for 2-300yd shooting.
the 223 doesn't have the oomph for 300 chuck shooting.
the 204 ruger does, the 223 don't.

I did ID with PaMike. I used a Encore handgun in 6mm AI and a XP-100 in .250 Sav. AI. Both did great out to 350-400.
This year I'll use the 6mm AI and a factory original XP-100R in .22-250. Done groundhogs in WV this year out to 350 with 50 gr. BT, BST, Horn. VMax, and Horn. ZMax. All shoot the same in my gun.

forgot about the little Savage 250 AI.
that would be a pretty good all around chuck gun.
I usually run the 86gr bullets around 3-K just like your supposed to, I just forget to take that rifle out.
probably be a lot lighter than that AR I usually haul around the rock piles.

I think i found the answer. I was at the local pawn shop. Found a savage 110 223, before the accutrigger. You think its worth trying out?

sure is.
the worse that happens is you re-barrel it to a 6x40 or a 300 BO.

quote:

Originally posted by Lamar:
sure is.
the worse that happens is you re-barrel it to a 6x40 or a 300 BO.

+1 Or, you rebarrel it to .223, 204, 20 Practical, etc.

You'd then have a wonderful conundrum!

My choice would be a Swift or a .22-250 with a fast twist barrel shooting 80 gr bullets.

quote:

Originally posted by B L O'Connor:

quote:

Originally posted by Lamar:
sure is.
the worse that happens is you re-barrel it to a 6x40 or a 300 BO.

+1 Or, you rebarrel it to .223, 204, 20 Practical, etc.

You'd then have a wonderful conundrum!

I just built a 20 Practical on a 700 Rem action. It's fun, shoots great and no recoil to speak about.

It's so new to me that paper is the only thing it's slayed.... yet, but that will change when coyote hunting begins!

I have no doubt that I wouldn't like it (wouldn't use it, period) for deer however.

Zeke

quote:

Originally posted by ZekeShikar:

quote:

Originally posted by B L O'Connor:

quote:

Originally posted by Lamar:
sure is.
the worse that happens is you re-barrel it to a 6x40 or a 300 BO.

+1 Or, you rebarrel it to .223, 204, 20 Practical, etc.

You'd then have a wonderful conundrum!

I just built a 20 Practical on a 700 Rem action. It's fun, shoots great and no recoil to speak about.

It's so new to me that paper is the only thing it's slayed.... yet, but that will change when coyote hunting begins!

I have no doubt that I wouldn't like it (wouldn't use it, period) for deer however.

Zeke

Oh, I wouln't use any of those I listed in my latest comment for deer either, but I can sure see how one could read that particular comment to suggest I would!

The OP was leaning strongly towards that .223, which I took to mean he was bagging the idea of using this particular rifle on deer. I think that either the 6.5x40 or .300 BO would be fine for deer but neither would be something I'd select for varmints, though that's just me.

As I said at the very top of this thread, if the OP decides to use his rifle for chucks AND deer, a 6mm would be great.

If he were to decide that his rifle will be used for varmints, sans deer, then a .223 would be a better way to go.

And if he decides to stick with his decision to use his rifle for chucks, then a .20 or .22 caliber would be the way to go, if he wishes to rebarrel it.

Just my way of approaching the problem.

I strongly recommend the .223 Rem., particularly with a heavy barrel. Matched to a decent scope with at least a 14X maximum magnification, it will be heavy enough that you can spot your own shots. The .22-250 similarly equipped has just enough greater recoil that you lose your sight picture.
The .223 with Nosler Ballistic Tips (40 or 50 gr) or similar tipped bullets from Hornady or Sierra are quite effective out to 300 yards. My 26" barrel Remington 700 SPS Varmint pushes the 40 gr bullets over 3700 fps, and they plant chucks at 300 yards.

I guess Im not all that particular as all I have to do to shoot rockchucks is open the kitchen window and start shooting...

Side note to Slim:

The very best shooting practice with
any gun or caliber is prairie dogs!

Take your deer or elk rifle and lots of
ammo a few times and you'll become a whole
lot better shooter with it. This will show
on game shots.

We've used Dad's .375 a few times before he
went to Alaska. He said it paid off knowing
the gun much better than punching holes in
paper.

Ray?

George

#1). My gunsmith buddy, rest in peace, ran with a herd of gunsmiths and he said he never heard of a 6mm/.284 that did not shoot well and with about any load. I gave him a Chrony and he was a bit surprised that his mild 70 grain load (IMR 4350 dipped I think) was running almost 4,000 fps. He would build a rifle, someone would see it shoot and shove money at him, and he would have to build another rifle. He did advise against reduced loads. Said the sharp shoulder needed full pressure for best accuracy but he wasn't into reduced loads anyway. I finally found a 6mm/284 barrel at a price I could not refuse and he screwed it into a Mauser and felt he had me fixed for the rest of my life. Great friend. RIP.
#2). The one I have always admired and never got to play with is the "6mm Internations". Basically the .250 Savage necked to .243. Couple different neck length. Reportedly it ruled the target range for a time. And I am guessing the barrel life should be many times the 6mm/284. Cases all over. Neck up .22/250's if you get desperate. This should give you the wind resistance and long barrel life and ??? But you have to choose. Mr. Ackley's books are available with hundreds and hundreds and he trailed off about 1980. Luck. Happy Trails.

Places to shoot chucks is harder and harder to find. I have 7 farms that I hunt on now. This is my third year and they only allow air rifles. The first year I had one farmer. That winter I have a couple call me asking me to come talk to them. They signed up and then more heard about me using an air rifle and more wanted me to help them. Last year I shot 250 with my air rifle. This year I am at 425 and still going. Some of the original farmers now allow me to use my 17HMR. Some chucks get smart and stay out of range of my Air Rifle. Those are candidates for the 17HMR. I use a blind to shoot most of my chucks. It works awesome. The farmers give me full access to any place that has chucks. I shot over 50 in one shed.

I just came back from a Southern Idaho chuck shoot and the day we choose was not ideal. A wee bit cold and windy.

I take a 17HMR for the up close shots which is anything from 20 yards to 100 yards. Beyond that I seem to be using a Rem 700 bull barrel .223 the most with a suppressor on it. If they are out there beyond 300 yards I will use my 22-250 and further and more wind calls for the .243.

The 17HMR is using 17g, the .223 is using 40g NBT at 3900 fps, the 22-250 is using 50g NBT at 3800fps and the .243 is using 70g NBT at 3700fps. All rounds are "quick" and the results are terminal if I do my part.

This year we did not get as many and found the some of the farmers were hauling off their rock piles.

My son and I went to South Dakota to shoot prairie dogs a number of years ago. I was using a 222 Rem with 45 gn bullets. He used his 6mm Rem deer rifle with 55 gn Nosler BT’s. We shot at ranges from 150 to 300 and while my 222 was picking them off quite regular, my son’s 6mm was blowing those dogs to pieces. I could easily see what 4000 fps does compared to 2800 fps.

It was after that trip that I had my 222 rebarreled to 223AI. Not quite 4000 fps, but it sure made a difference for me.

quote:

Originally posted by Uncle Grinch: (...)my son’s 6mm was blowing those dogs to pieces.(...)

My shooting buddies and I call that "Chunkage." We lust after it.

Georgegild,
NOpe, the Jack Rabbit is the best varmint to up your hunting skills, rock chucks just sit on a rock, Jacks fly, and its mostly running shots..Im still waiting for them to come back in the thousands like they did 10 or so years ago and farmers were killing them with bats, bats were being sold as bunny boppers or something like that and the killing ripped a new one for the liberals who claimed the baige bunnys were doing no harm to crops..I sat with tony barnes near a haystack and we each shot a carton of 22 L.R. HPs, an every circumstance possilble. He like lng shots, I chased them and took running shots...Folks in Idaho remember that year and still talk about it at the coffee shop. Suppose to happen every 15 years but if that's so were way passed due I think..

Kennedy,
Why would you be concerned about a rock chuck exploding to the shot, its sure humane from a killing standpoint, and not as many wounded chucks, as you get with full metal jackets.

quote:

NOpe, the Jack Rabbit is the best varmint to up your hunting skills, rock chucks just sit on a rock, Jacks fly, and its mostly running shots..

I would love to get in on the high end of jack rabbit cycle. Just to practice running shots.

I load the truck and guns up today if I knew I could get into that kind of shooting.