What is your favorite factory varmint rifle and caliber? I am partial to my Browning A-Bolt stainless stalker w/boss in 22.250 with 4.5x14 Leupold. It shot .480" @100 yds. with Winchester factory 45 gr JHP ammo right out of the box. But I realize that our gun is always the best because we own it.

Well my favorite is my Weatherby super predator master in .223 with a Swarovski 4X12X50 scope. The piece of crap will shoot 2 1/2" to 1 1/2" inch groups all day long with all kinds of ammo. LUCKY ME!!!!I could have and should have bought three Savages instead.

Mine would be a Savage 12BVSS in 22-250 with accu trigger and 4X16 Bushnell 4200.After load development it shot under 1/4"(average of 8 groups) with a best so far of .151 using V-Maxes and IMR 4064.All factory with a glass bed job as the only modification.Total spent $587.50 plus tax.

woods

[ 09-29-2003, 02:25: Message edited by: woodseye ]

My favorite "factory" varmint rifle is a 22-250 Remington in a special edition 700VS that Remington made some time back for a guy named Bill Hicks back east.

These were basically 700VS rifles, with chrome moly barrels, but they were fluted. A local gun store close to here sold the hell out of them.

I liked my first one so well, I wound up buying a second one some time later.

The original one was finally shot out and rebarreled. The second one is still going strong.
Both of these rifles are honest 1/2 inch guns for five shots at 100 yards. Sometimes better, if I do my part.

Both of these rifles wear Leupold 6.5 X 20 scopes in Leupold dual dovetail rings and bases. They both have had Jewell triggers installed and set at about 5 ounces pull weight.

Great varmint guns, for everything from ground squirrels to prairie dogs to marmots to coyotes.
My favorite hands down!!

R F

I have a Ruger #1 in 22PPC. Equipped with a 25x Lyman it will shoot all day sub 1/2 MOA. It came from the factory with a 23in barrel which combined with the Ruger action makes it a very short overall "compact varminter"

Probably my favorite "factory"(they have a habit of not staying that way) varmint rifle was an old model 700Varmint Special in 22-250! My next favorite was an old(and the stock off of this one is listed in classifieds) was an old fluer-de-lis checkeing pattern 700 Varmint Special in .243! 3o plus years old and still shooting in .3's as of May when I opened it up to 243AI! Put it in an H-S precision stock and have been doing .2's and .3's consistently with 58Vmax's, 65 V-maxs and 70 BT's since! But I guess it isn't factory anymore is it? GHD

Jbok: This is a tough one! I own many, many Varmint Rifles!
But for all time favorite factory Varminter I will have to go with my Remington 700 PSS (Police Sniper Secial) in caliber 223 Remington!
This Rifle came out of the box shooting like a house on fire! After barrel break in with the first (and only!) test load I tried in it the Rifle fired these consecutive 5 shot 100 yard groups: .362", .293" and .219"! This Rifle is phenomenally accurate and remains so to this day! These groups were fired with Sierra Varmint bullets (50 grain Sierra Blitz #1340) and a Varmint style scope (Leupold VariX-III 6.5X20)!
This Rifle has been used to successfully take every manner of Western Varmint I have Hunted. It performs flawlessly in the field. The innovative addition of a second sling swivel stud on the fore end was just another smart addition in its design. The stock fits me perfectly in any type field position and also performs just fine while shooting from either of my field Varminting benches!
After many years of hard use it still looks new (rugged finish on both the metal and the fiberglass stock)!
I wish I had several more just like this one!
Original cost $495.00! I consider that to be the best $495.00 I have ever spent on a Rifle!
Long may Remington reign!
Hold into the wind
VarmintGuy

I like the Savage and own a couple. They shoot great but are far from fun to tote around all day in the fields. My Sako in .222Rem. shoots well also and is several pounds lighter. That may not make much difference to some of you, but I'm not a youngster anymore so I'm painfully aware of the extra poundage. I had a Savage 110 in .243Win. that weighed about 6 1/2lbs. that was an excellent compromise until I burned the barrel out. That's something the manufacturers should work on. Varmint rifles 7lbs. and less. I'd sure as hell buy one. Best wishes.

Cal - Montreal

Mine is quite a simple gun. Remington ADL in 223. I purchased it new back when I just finished high school. If I remember, it was under $200 at the time. I've had the barrel floated, action bedded, and the trigger worked to 2.5 lbs. It's accurate as hell and light to carry around. I find myself reaching for this before I grab the 223 VS or the 22-250 788. Older model 700's are so underated for what they offer for the price.

Hollywood

I really like shooting my 223VS, did have it bedded since the Remington repair shop took it upon themselves to shave some of the aluminum off the right side of the ABB,(Reciever not perfect) so they blame it on the Stock, seems not to have as many fliers now, and has shot some nice 4 shot groups, one being .093" and a .194" with 52AMAXs and 55VMAXs respectively, shoots Rem. 50PLs really well, as well as anything else, it sports a Burris 6-24x Sig. which really allows me to find that 1/4" bullseye at 100yds. and also a 9oz. Jewell trigger, Jay

My favorite varmint rifle is a Sako AI Varminter chambered in .222 Rem and mounted with a Leupold M8 12X scope. The weight is not prohibitive for making off-hand shots or carrying between fields. Best loads average around 0.5 MOA. This combination is perfect for my style of groundhog hunting, stalking to within 150 to 250 yards and making one clean shot. This rifle not only perfoms well, it looks good too.

I really like my Wichita Classic Varminter in 222 Magnum.

Paladin45 I am surprised you have not got in contact with Weatherby if you are unhappy with your rifle.
try www.weatherby.com
They will sort it out.
It is a ten times better rifle than any savage built.

Good luck,
Charlie Murray

[ 09-30-2003, 08:15: Message edited by: Charlie M ]

Cooper in 22ppc or 6mmppc; either caliber. Shoot one and it's over. Pick your scope based on steady rest or walking or use a 6 to 20 variable and get it all.

Sako 75 22-250.

Nikon 6.5 -20 Monarch.

Would have to be my fullstocked Sako Vixen (L461) in .233. Have not done a thing to it other than put a Leupold 3.5-10 on it. Shoots 1/2 @ 100 yards with factory ammo.

[ 10-03-2003, 06:38: Message edited by: Chief4 ]

Browning 78 6mm with a 12x Leupold. It's the most accurate(and I have many)factory rifle I have ever owned.I won't say how accurate because you wouldn't believe me, but they're tiny. Lots of Varmints know.

Accurized AR15s....

Talk about the most wonderful recoil friendly varmint rifle. 223Rem is enough to play the game out to 400-500 yards if the rifle is accurate enough. Combine that with high powered optics and not only can you spot your own misses/hits but you get an excellent view of the action when you do hit.

My current squirrel rifle is an accurized AR15 that averages around 3/4 inch for 10 shots at 100 yards, my handloads are pretty basic too. H322 and AA2015 both do wonders with 40grn Vmaxes or 40grn Sierra BlitzKings, no tweaks to brass or much care to bullet seating depth other than to load for magazine length.

Love being able to load up 2-3 20 or 30 round mags and be good for an entire day of shooting as opposed to having to carry loose ammo and reload after every 5th shot for a bolt action. Not to mention I'm lazy and don't like manipulating a bolt.

Here's a link to pics of my AR15 I use for dispatching Ca. ground squirrels. They are VERY numerous out here in the central valley, having a 30rd magazine is actually beneficial to your cause if your purpose is to dispatch as many of the things as possible.
http://home.bak.rr.com/varmintcong/jpar/jpar.html

And it absolutely warms my heart that this is what I consider to be a perfect tool for the job, and those "assault weapon" banning Kalifornistan idiots are trying to tell me there is no good use for these things? The rifle ain't much on looks but it is long on performance, not to mention it's somewhat of a rarity so it makes all the Ca. bolt gunners green with envy

I'd love to get a 6.5mm PPC upper for the same lower assembly but I'll probably wait to build up my AR10 with an accurized 260Rem upper. The 223Rem just gets blown around too much for squirrel sized targets at 500+ yards, had loads of near hits at 500+ yards but no actual hits yet. A decent 260Rem upper with 123grn Scenars might make for a wicked long range varmint rifle modeled in the style of my AR15.

[ 10-05-2003, 07:19: Message edited by: uglygun ]

My best factory rifle for varmints is a Winchester M-70 featherweight in .223...it just piles up prairie dogs all day long....and at a good distance I might add.

Now, if we change the discussion to custom varmint guns, let me tell you about a .243 superrockchucker.

I like my Remington 700 classic in .35 Whelen for those big Pa. groundhogs!!!!...shoots 3 shot cloverleafs all day long @ 100 yds. with 225 gr. Sierras!!!.....but the bullet is prone to "over penetration"

Seriously though, I love my Savages. A single shot 112 in .223 for carrying around, and an F110 Tactical in 25/06 with a Burris 6-24 Signature and bi-pod for those days I just wanna sit and look. mmmmm mmmmm good!!!!

Cooper

REMINGTON 22.250 VSSF with a Leupold VARI-III 6.5 by 20 scope. Heavy, put a hell of a tack-driver. The only thing done to it was a trigger tune-up. Last week while test new hand loads she busted a lizard eating on lovebugs off the target at 200 yards.

Mine is a remington vs chambered in 220 swift. it wears a 4.5 to 14 leupold and will shoot 50 grain bts into 1/2" at 4100 fps. I would never let her go!

Mine would have to by my DPMS Panther super heavy bull 24" barrel with thumbhole laminated stock and nightforce 5.5-22x56 Illuminated NP2 reticle. It will shoot most any load from 40-73gr well and is great performer with black hills remanufactured 68gr MHP ammo.

A favorite rifle, now thats a tuff one. Cartridge, optics, type of action, and weight are all important to application. But it all boils down to what make "you" happy. As many others, I have more than one varmint rifle (and many that have passed through my hands).
The one that seems to go out with me more than any other is not completely factory. It's an old Rem. 700 .222 that started life as an ADL. The action, barrel, and trigger are factory. I built a stock for it in the early '70s and swapped out the magazine follower and spring with one from a .222mag to allow bullets to be seated out farther, I also glassed the stock. It wears an old Redfield 6-18(too much glass),and will still keep 10 shot 100yd group in 7/8in.
It works, what more could you ask for.

[ 10-08-2003, 20:46: Message edited by: Ma Bell ]

Sako 22-250 or 223

Charlie M and Zircon, I am taking your advice . I am going to send my super predator master in and have them take a look at it since it has to go in anyway for a saftey concern, it seems that the rifle left the factory without a caliber stamping anywhere on it.

A Weatherby Super Varmint Master in .243 with a Burris Black Diamond 8-32x50 in Burris Signature rings on Leupold bases. Very heavy setup. This is death from afar. Next mod for it is to drill it out to 240 Weatherby for a little extra whup!

That said my old Ruger M77V in 22-250 with a Leupold 6.5x20 on it shoots .3's with Remington factory ammo and much better with some simple H-380 loads with Hornady 50 grain SPSX bullets. Tired of shooting it as it is no challenge. I could do surgery with that thing. Come to think of it I have.

Is this what you guys are looking for in a light varminter? Sure looks like a good package to me. Now if I just had some money!

Rem 700 LV SF

Ruger NO 1V .223 cal with a 3x9x56 Bushnell Banner scope.

Sako Vixen 222 Rem with B&L 6-24x40.

The best? Don't know. You guys fight it out.
The most accurate? Savage.
I can prove it. Any more questions?
Mad`

My vote sides with uglygun and Thebear,I love and respect my ar's.I have 3 of them.Pop in a 20 rnd mag. and start shooting!Uglygun,for 500+yds,treat it as a single shot gun and try some 75-80 grn.bullets pushed by imr 4895,or aa2460.Clay.

Right now I guess it would have to be my Savage model 11 in 22-250

Uglygun-

Olympic arms is supposed to be bringing out a .243 WSSM upper for the ar15. That might be the ticket for your long range, 500+, squirrel shooting with 95-107gr bullets.
Olympic arms .243 wssm

700VLS .223 is mine. I can shoot 10 for 10 golfballs at 300yds. It is a real tack driver. It likes any ammo under 65grs. It has a VXII 4-12. I have shoot a gatoraid bottle at 600yrds with it. (it only took 2 shoots to hit it)

Ray

My favorite and most accurate varmint rifle is my CZ550 Laminate Varminter in .22-250 w/h a Nikon Monarch 6.5-20X44 AO scope. Shoots 1/4 MOA with my reloads. From the last 36 replys, I must have the only one. Oh well, I was never much for running with the masses.

Howa Varmenteer stainless bull barrel in .223
Nikon Supreme scope. I have had it for only two months and am still breaking it in. I have been shooting my personal best with it though. 20 ounce soda jugs filled with water at 300 yards one or two shots per. I think I am going to like this one a lot as I get to use it more.

My JP Enterprises upper is a 1:9 twist, no go for anything over 75 grains. Gonna try playing with some heavier bullets but I'll probably settle with trying to find one good 68grn load.

The thing is plenty accurate at long range, it's just terribly sensitive to wind.

The AR10 will be the critter I play with next, would rather to 260Rem on the AR10 than do 243WSSM on the AR15. I'm thinking George Gardner for the upper on the AR10.