After reading some of you talking about varmint hunting I want to try, but I need a rifle for this. The most of the shooting would be about to three hundred yards to 500 yards for groundhogs. My dads farm is infested with them so we usually just use a 22 at about 10-30 yards. but this sounds more fun.
What is your opinion either a .223 or 22-250.
What brand?
Any adice would be great

I can't speak for the 223 but I have a Remington 700 varmint special, manufactured in 1968 with the original barrel, in 22-250. I have shot it at 300 yards, there was very little drop if any from a 200 yard zero. Using 55 grain Nosler balistic tips. I would suggest a 22-250 unless you are expecting a lot of action. You may be able to shoot more rounds from a 223 before letting the barrel cool off.

Welcome to AR.

I shoot both, almost. The .223 has an Ackley Improved chamber. Not much difference except the brass tends to last longer. It's a heavy, custom bull barrel Rem 700 with 8x32 Burris scope. (It's more of a bench gun.) You don't say what part of what country you hunt groundhogs but if it's anything like here in eastern Pennsylvania the shooting never gets as fast and furious as with ground squirrels out west. So the point of barrel overheating is moot.
Groundhogs are tuff critters to anchor with just a 22 rimfire unless shot in the head or unless you don't care if they crawl off to eventually die in their burrow. And some farmers don't care as long as they are rid of the pests. I, however, never count one as a kill unless I can hold him up by the tail. The 223 will do that every time out to about 300 yards using 50 grain Speer TNT bullets. The 22-250 is a single shot Browning 1885 with 6x24 B&L Balvar scope. Very nice to carry in alfalfa fields. It's good to about 500 yards. I don't usually shoot that far; I stalk closer. I use the 55 grain Speer for this rifle. Both weights act like cherry bombs going off inside their bodies. Not exactly 'red mist' like prairie dogs, but close. You need to go up in caliber and bullet weight, like 85 grain 25-06 to really 'mist' a groundhog.

Good luck, be safe and have fun!

This is in Western Canada and we have been over run, and we just don't want the horses getting hurt in a hole, and now we have more coyotes and badgers than we know what to do with.
Last weekend we had lots of family out there and we killed at least 150 and didn't even make a big dent, but i figure i might as well learn something and have some fun at the same time
Thanks

I'd go for the 22/250. I believe the 223 will run out of steam on woodchucks at 3-500 yds. better yet is a swift or 6mm

10 Ga shotgun with buckshot !!!!!! Point at a group 100 yards away and mow many down with one shot. But thats just me ?

I agree with the majority here in suggesting the .22-250. Additionally, I can highly recommend a Savage Model 12 Varminter Low Profile. I purchased one earlier this year and am constantly amazed by it. Out of the box, it was beautiful with a well-done laminated stock and stainless barrelled action with 6 longitudinal flutes. The feel is excellent, with the total weight at about 10 pounds (minus scope + mounts). Then I shot it...

I have yet to shoot a load that shoots WORSE than 1" in this gun! The worst load I tried, including handloads, was Winchester Supreme 50-grn BT's, and they shot generally around 3/4", with one group opening up to a little larger. My handloads consistently shoot 1/2" when I do my part--with a bone-stock rifle! I can't say enough about this rifle, especially since they can be had for around $650... Put some Nikon glass on top and you're a hog's worst nightmare!

Savage Model 12 bvss 22-250.

12 BVSS .243 Win

For out to 500 yards I think you would be better served by a .243 or the like.

22-250 and never look back!!! The 223 is a "wanna-be 222MAG!!!(couldn't help but poke a little jab fellas!!)
The 223 is not in the same catagory as the 22-250 or the 220 Swift!!
22-250's are available in just about any configuration and brand you'd want one in!!! Remington VLS, VS, LVSS(short 22" barrel) Savage VLP, BVSS, Any of the custom rifle builders or the top f the line manufacturers, Whatever you want!! THE UNDISPUTED KING OF THE UP TO FIVE HUNDRED YARD VARMINTERS WOULD HAVE TO BE THE 22-250!!! Easy to find factory loadings for, easy to reload for and accurracy second to none of the higher capacity .224 choices!! Does have a distict report though!!! You had your choices limited to the .223 and 22-250 so no need of discussin of the various 6's!!! GHD

Out to 500 yds the 220 swift and the 22-250 are the kings.
But the .204 if loaded carefully can be as flat shooting as the swift, even with factory ammo .
I witness this, not with my rifle as I have not tryd shooting to 500yds yet.
A freind who has a swift and another freind who has a .204 tested this theary, with foxes. both took out foxes past 500yds ,I was amazed.
Have a look at this site: http://www.204ruger.com
You may have seen the web site or you may have not, but dont under estamate this caliber, from personell experience, its DEADLY

Recoil of a .223, performance of a swift, more barrell life than the swift and 22-250, nuch less throat wear, less powder, less muzzle report (blast), the swift and the .22-250 are like cannons going off .
http://www.204ruger.com
The way of the futre.

.22-250

I shoot a .223 and it works great for what I do. That said, its no 400-500 yard rifle. You'll be bummed if you go with a .223 for what you're talking about.

crghanson

Hello, and where are you located. I am beside Edmonton.

I have a couple different 22-250 that you could try out and see if you like them.

It might make the decision easier if you try out a couple rifles first.

Are you talking about ground hogs or gophers? I didn't know that there were a lot of ground hogs out this way.

Let me know and we will see if we can work something out.

Graylake

22-250 53GR hornady MG HP

quote:

Last weekend we had lots of family out there and we killed at least 150 and didn't even make a big dent,

I have hunted a lot of woodchucks but I never saw 150 of them in one place.

For high volume shooting the 223's barrel will last longer and the factory ammo will cost less. I wanted a "22-250" when my buddies got them. Otherwise you can hunt them up with a 223.

Either one is a right answer. Don't get something odd like a .204. The .224" bore is proven and easy.

I would get the F-110 Tactical Savage in 25-06. (as a matter of fact, I did!!!) The rifle shoots better than I do, and will work out to 5oo yds with the proper load and scope. The 25-06 with 100 gr. Nosler BT's is unbeatable. Wind won't blow it around as much as a .22 cal, either.


You can't see all the "notches" on the stock, but it surely accounts for numerous groundhog deaths per year!!!

Savage 99,
Have you actually hunted with a .204?
Odd, the only odd thing about it is, it can hit and bring all varmints down everytime if held right .
It has more energy than a .223, less barrel ware then a .22-250, less recoil then both, very flat shooting, easy to clean, copper fouling is minimal, ect, ect.
They are selling very fast .
http://www.204ruger.com

I have a Savage 110GV 22-250 that is 10yrs. old and just shot a 4.045" five shot group at 300 yds. in high wind left to right across the range using a 53 GR hornady MGHP. There were 5 other guys at the match and 2 of them put their .204s back in their cars and 1 guy shot his NEF Ultra in .223 and the other guy shot his Remington 700 in 22-250 shot. You won't see the .204 doing that!

quote:

Savage 99,
Have you actually hunted with a .204?

Mik,

No I have not. In fact I have never even seen one except maybe a picture. It must really be the thing to get huh?

Check out this site Savage 99,
http://www.204ruger.com
The .223s and .22-250s ect have been around for a while and are proven calibers, this I agree with, but the.204 is the new kid on the block and is doing just fine .

.22-250 or the .220 Swift
up to 350-400 tards they are all you will
ever need.
Beyond that a .243/244 or a .25-06 will
take up the slack.

quote:

the.204 is the new kid on the block and is doing just fine .

The picture above is of my old High Wall. It's chambered for an old kid the 219 Improved Zipper. This gun is very accurate and reliable.

It shoots a 50 gr .224" bullet at 3600 fps and a 40 gr bullet at 4000 fps. I suppose the 204 whatever is somehow better of course and that I should get rid of this gun.

Show me your gun.

Definitely get the 22-250. I got a Remington 700 VLS 22-250, beautiful laminated stock and heavy barrel. I tried my handloads and the best it got so far was .328" 5 shot group with 50 gr v-max and the worst was 1" with 55 grainers. This is a bone stock out of the box rifle. The 22-250 will shoot flatter and give more punch at longer ranges than the 223. Heck, if you want more punch at even longer ranges then the 25-06 will fit the bill.

If I had to shoot coyotes I would rather use a good .243 especially if I handloaded or was going to .I shot woodchucks with that and 22/250 which was much more critical when it came to bullet selection.
Savage99- how does it shoot??Ever read any of Charles S. Landis books?I saved that picture for a friend who had a 45/70 built on a High Wall action.It was barreled by Ron Smithand custom stocked by an old German gentleman.

WHATEVER .

quote:

how does it shoot??Ever read any of Charles S. Landis books?

I have "Woodchucks and Woodchuck Rifles" and "Twenty-Two Caliber Varmint Rifles" by Landis. I had "Hunting With the 22" but lent it out years ago and you know how that goes. Landis is a entertaining writer. He mentions chucking up into Canada as well. He made it a summer safari.

A book by Estes "Chuck Hunter" is interesting as it shows him and Col. Whelan shooting rifles like my High Wall. It was built by the late Floyd Butler and it's a very good shooter. The scope is a Lyman 10X Supertargetspot and the barrel is a Buhmiller.

There is not much new. Landis wrote of the .17 Landis Woodsman etc.

This is from someone who has both a 22-250 and a 204. I can say that the 22-250 has no flys on it and will do everything that you ask in your post. The 204 however has less muzzle blast and here in the east where I hunt it is a big plus when hunting groundhogs. The less noise you produce the more likely you are to get asked back by a farmer. If you have you own land then this is less of a factor. Unless you step up to coyote size varmints you will see no advantage balistically in either.