VarmintGuy: Thanks for the explanantion. As you may know, when it comes to ownership of a firearm us Brits do not have the freedoms you have in the US. We have to go through a fair amount of red tape and vetting before we can actually own one. In around 7 months I hope to have completed the process and therefore, my varminting experience is very limited as I only use my friends Heavy Barrel 17HMR Marlin 77/17 and 17Rem Sako when out in the field. Both rounds impress me immensly. Last month I experienced the Red Mist for the first time when I vaporised a cheeky sea gull from about 50 yards with the 17HMR. Caught it straight in the chest and turned it from white to red in an instant - jaw dropping stuff. Gotta love that Marlin too. My friend has made no tweaks at all and 'out of box' performance is 'out of this world' and build quality is impressive.

As regards other calibers, talking to other shooters I know, I would say that the 22-250 is certainly popular as a mid/long range varmint buster but prices for factory ammo are a bit on the high side if you are not a re-loader and this is why the .223 has the edge in the popularity stakes.

When I eventually get my Firearms Certificate, I will definately go for a 17HMR. Other calibers will be 22LR (of course)and probably a .223 for target/varmint work. When funds allow and when I have a bit more experience under my belt, I'll be pestering you for info on what other cartidges there are out there to 'play' with. Maybe this new Ruger .204 will prove popular?
regards
British

Hello Varmint guy,

I have to agree with your choices, save one. The .223 simply doesn't do anything for me. My .22-250Rem and my .222Rem. Mag. both have SS Hart heavy barrels and shoot in the high .2's, yet neither will outshoot my Rem. 40XBR in .222Rem. That's my sweetheart, outshoots everything else I own. I've never felt the .223 could hold a candle to it, but that's just one man's opinion. Yours may well differ. Best wishes.

Cal - Montreal

Cal: I agree with you on the 222 Remington being sensationally accurate!

I also have a Remington 40XB-BR in 222! It is simply completely, reliably, amazingly accurate! And I am talking with Varmint bullets here! Yeah I love that Rifle! It deserves to have this tale told on how I came by it!

I used to work off duty in Seattle at a large Sporting Goods and clothing store (Warshals). The store would hire us to work on Fridays and Saturdays because the "urban youths" would come in and steal the latest trendy athletic shoes from them! This was a pain as the store folks would always end up in a wrasslin match with these "urban youth" when they tried to grab and dash with their size tennie runners! And, a lawsuit usually ensued! So anyway we were hired to keep the peace and keep an eye on "things". We were paid pretty well and if we took our pay out in merchandise we got a 20% discount also on the items! See where I am going. Anyway this store had a large firearms department and gunsmith shop. Now and then they would get in some stuff I liked. Anyway I became aware of a Remington 40X that someone had ordered and not picked up. The 40X was "in the back" so to speak.

I looked it over and observed the test target that came with it (back then the test targets were not kept in sealed envelopes like they later resorted to - to prevent highgrading etc). I asked the head of the Gun Department what its status was and he said well we should sell it! I mused, what does a Rifle like this go for? He said the retail was almost $700.00 but he wanted to move it and would let it go for $600.00! I went to the store manager and mentioned I would like to work off that Rifles cost and asked if I could get my "employee discount" on it. Sure he says and he liked me so much he allowed me to front the cost and work it off so I could take it home that day! So for $480.00 I got my third Remington 40X! It took me about 4 days of standing around eyeballing teenagers to work off (earn) my favorite 40X and it has served me well since then! According to my loading log I brought that Rifle online in late 1984 - twenty years ago! I have shot several groups with that Rifle over the years in the mid and high .1's! That being accomplished with a 24X scope and Varmint bullets! The last several pre-Safari sight in groups give a better picture of its normal excellent shooting - the 5 shot 100 yard groups under varying conditions were (all in different years now) - .361", .360", .292". .370" and .294"! Sweet little Rifle to say the least!

Mine is the very heavy barreled 20" model with 2 ounce trigger.

Yeah you gotta love the Deuce! I have 5 Varminters now in this caliber. The main reason I did not include it in my top three all around Varmint calibers is the bit of added range that the 223 and 222 Remington Magnum have over the Deuce. Every 222 I have owned (it is worth repeating!) has been at least very accurate in my opinion.

And since I have owned quite a number of 223's in the past and own 6 Varmint guns in 223 presently let me express this WAG (wild assed guess) regarding their comparative accuracies. All things being equal including bullets, dies used, barrels used, quality of smithing or factory comparison, the 222 is likely to edge the 223 by less than .100" in average grouping size! And of course now and then a comparably set up 223 will edge a comparable 222! But my money would ride on the 222 being more accurate in head to head competition.

Yeah long live the Deuce!

Hold into the wind

Varmintguy

British: I hope you can add the 17 HMR to your arsenal of Varmint Rifles as soon as possible! I really enjoy my Ruger 77/17V 17 HMR Rifle. I have shot Crows and Magpies with mine and it poofs them up pretty well but not like when I hit them with one of my 17 Remingtons! Yikes!
Seagulls are protected here in the U.S. but I was on a Varmint Safari to central Idaho about 15 years ago with some "acquaintances". We were Hunting Rock Chucks from prone position on the edge of a field. The field had short green sprouts coming up (I assume some kind of wheat) and the Chucks would come into the field and feed on the succulent plants. Well as we lay there a Sea Gull came and landed about 125 yards from us. It began eating the grass! Well it was not long til one of my friends speaks up and says "hey theres one by that Sea Gull - spot for me". I could not "find" the Chuck but had my binos and was searching when I heard my friends 220 Swift go off! I saw that Sea Gull literally turn into a cloud of white feathers. Against the green background of the field it was an amazing sight! I chastised my impestuous friend and reminded him that Sea Gulls were protected birds and we had better mosey on down the line! About ten minutes later were were at the truck loading our gear and feathers were still blowing by us on the wind!
Yes British so many of my friends have bought the heavy barrelled Marlin 17 HMR and all have been very pleased with the accuracy.
Hold into the wind
VarmintGuy

Hello I have been thinking about rechambering an xp-100
to 22BR .
What brass are you using to make them ?
6mmBR ? How are you making them into 22BR's
Thanks Lightning93

Lightning93: If this question is for me I must apologize for the slow reply. I have been away on business and Gunshows on the coast!
I use Lapua 6mm BR brass in one of my 22 BR Rifles and Remington 6mm BR brass in the other. Both have served me well and I get excellent accuracy from both Rifles. I use the two different brands mainly for dedication to that Rifle and the ability to keep them seperate.
I simply lube the inside necks well in the 6mm BR brass and size them. One step process that needs to be done anyway! No brass failures as yet.
What caliber is your XP-100 action now? Maybe you do not have one as yet!
I am looking for another XP-100 action also!
Good luck if you decide to try one!
Hold into the wind
VarmintGuy

VarmintGuy
I have three 7mmBR's ,one 35Rem,two 221FB
I had two 35Rem I made one in to a benchrest pistol
in 6PPC heavy barrel from a benchrest gun
One of the 7's is a Remington custom shop
and the 35 Rem. is also. They have walnut stocks.
I was thinking that I would like to turn one of the 7's into
a 22BR and the only brass I could find was 6BR and not
sure what was used to make 22BR
as I have a lot of 7 brass .
Also what dies are you using for the 22BR?
Thanks Lightning93

Lightning93: I did not know this - but I looked it up in the newest Sierra loading manual - that you can also make 22 BR ammo out of 7mm BR cases. There is a nice article and LOTS of loading data for the 22 BR in this manual also!

I have a set of Redding dies for one of my 22 BR's and a set of Wilson inline dies for the other.

More later

Hold into the wind

VarmintGuy

Thanks VarmintGuy
I will look into the Sierra manual
I have used Redding dies and have heard that one can use them to neck down cases by changing the bushing sizes and neck down caes .
Lightning93