I had friends in from Washington State for six days. They just left yesterday morning and both declared being "sated" from shooting so many Varmints!
These two guys brought along and used some noteworthy equipment including a new set of Leica 8x42 binoculars that incorporated a built in laser rangefinder! This binocular/ranger was not heavy nor bulky and the 8x optics were just splendid! I had occassion to range with it, Moose, Mule Deer, Antelope, Fox, Whitetailed Deer, Buffalo, Rock Chuck, feral cats, Ground Squirrels, Ravens, Eagles (one while flying overhead at 105 yards!) and a host of other animals and birds! This was one of THE finest optical devices I have ever used - and I have used a lot of them! Unfortunately my ecstatic impression of this binocular/ranger was tempered by its $1,695.00 price tag!!!
The other Varminter buddy had an older pair of Zeiss 10 or 12x56 binocs and these were also wonderful optics but were large and no laser device built in of course!
For firearms we all had 17 HMR's and they were TUNED IN - to say the least! One friend had a CZ 17 HMR Varmint model with 6.5x20 scope and the other friend had the CZ standard weight Rifle with Leupold 4.5x14 scope. My good old Ruger 77/17 V was dealing out the death ray like little bullets in fine fashion! One of my friends sent 900 17 HMR bullets down range during our Safari and NEVER CLEANED the Rifle!!!
He noticed no diminshment of accuracy in the field during the course of firing this many rounds!!!
I clean my 17 HMR Rifle every 100 rounds (whether it needs it or not?). My Ruger 17 HMR has a Weaver KT 15 (15 power) scope with du-plex crosshairs in it and has a Volqhuartsen sear added for real smooth trigger pulling!
I am guessing I shot 500 rounds of 17 HMR during the venture but I also cleaned it every night. Also along on the mixed bag Varmint Venture were CZ Varmint model Rifles in 223 Remington (2 of these) and a Savage 22-250 with the laminated stock and accutrigger! I had my 204 Rugers along but did not mash up many Ground Squirrels with it. I am just allergic to using centerfires on Gophers to the point of upset stomachs, rashes and night sweats!!!
My S&W Model 647 in 17 HMR got quite a bit of use also - on the close ones - 10 to 40 yard ranges. I did burn my palm real badly with one shot over the window bags as gas travelled the 2 inches to make contact with my rosie palm! Ouch that really burns but no welt or blister just prominent powder stain!
I also had my old standby Gopher getter along each day - its my Deluxe Model Ruger 10/22 with heavy long Lilja barrel and a 4x12 scope. One of my friends who had not seen that rig in action before asked me - after seeing me triple tap several Ground Squirrels - "is that a full auto 10/22"? He was serious! I laughed and said no - the ability to speed off two, three or four really rapid shots with this rig just comes naturally after way more than 10,000 shots with it (I recently did 4,000 rounds in one year alone with this rig!).
The shots of the Safari had to be the taking of two Weasels one by each Varminter! Weasels are a fast and flickering target in the field! They are long but slender and like I said do not hold still for more than just a moment at a time!
My friend Ron took one with his CZ Varminter in 223 Remington at a lasered 296 yards!!! It did take him about 4 shots but twice the Weasel moved just at each shot! The wind was quartering at about 6 MPH to further enhance the "incredible shot" factor of this harvest!
The other Weasel shot was done at a guestimated 170 yards with a 17 HMR. I was on a bench and shooting in another direction when my other friend got this one.
Weasels are VERY difficult Varmints to take and I made sure my friends were properly complimented upon completion of these feats!
My friend Jim took a VERY Large Rock Chuck with one shot from his CZ 17 HMR Varminter. He uses the hollowpoint ammo in his 17 HMR while Rons and my 17 HMRs prefer the ballistic tip type ammo.
The 204's again shined during the windy times and the extended range usages!
We had only one encounter with a Badger during the shoot and unfortunately the "up" shooter at the time of the sighting could not discern the rapidly waddling (retreating) Badger in the old dead tall grass!
A shame this, as it was a very large Badger.
Both my friends were dumbfounded at the Ground Squirrel shooting though! The pups were just coming out and we hit many areas that had as yet this year been shot at all.
Each day I would quit shooting early and aid my friends with finding and sighting in on the quick moving grass gathering little rodents!
Neither of my friends got out their 22 Long Rifle Varminters, even once, during the Hunt! They both were just amazed at the ranges the 17 HMR's could harvest the Ground Squirrels and the spectacular kills that were the norm with this cartridge! They each made many kills beyond 200 yards (lasered) with their 17 HMR's. One was out at 244 yards and the others long shot was at 232 yards. I wish I had brought my thumb click counter along on this outing (forgot it at home!) so I could have totals for them but that was declared secondary to the amazing quality and abundance of "targets" they had to pick from by my friends!
Upon arriving at one set-up I had all 8 of my 10/22 clips full (80 rounds!). I unoaded them all AND reloaded them all AND unloaded them all AGAIN at Gophers! From the one spot! 160 rounds from one spot! AND I had two shooters - one on each side of me - blazing away with 223's, 204's and 17 HMR's! Varmint Valhalla!
I was helping my friend Jim switch Rifles one time and made the mistake of grabbing his 223 by the barrel to take it to the VarmintMobile and switch guns for him. That barrel was HOT! Then when I brought back his 17 HMR and later switched it for him. That 17 HMR's barrel was more than warm! I think that was the warmest 17 HMR barrel I had ever felt!
A beautiful spring rain and thunder and lightning squall chased us off of that set-up and back into the safety of the VarmintMobile! I secretly thanked the squall for giving my friends barrels time to properly cool!
My Leica 800 Laser Rangefinder really got a workout when I was "assisting" my shooting buddies. I know I made at least 2,000 rangings with it during the Hunt and the battery is still going strong after 3 years use now!
Each evening over the dinner meal stories were recalled and retold til utter exhaustion mandated bedtime!
No Rattlesnakes were seen and none were expected to be seen (by me) this early in the season. My friends were on the lookout though as we trundled across the Colony Varmint fields. Typical Washingtonians - he he.
Both my friends used their cameras in between set-ups and hopefully they will have memories and stories to tell and back up with photos for a long time to come.
My local sportshop just got in a Remington XR-100 in caliber 204 Ruger this morning - but its priced at $733.00!!! My lowest "in stock now" price found so far on one of these is right at $661.00 but its mail order and costs will rise with the FFL charges and shipping. I may have to go wave some hundred dollar bills under the nose of the shop owner and see what the REAL price is on it?
Aaahhh the afterglow of a good Varmint Safari is also one of lifes great pleasures. It does not compare though with a good long outing with old friends and lots of "warm barrels"!!!
Long live the 10/22, the 17 HMR, the 223 and the 204 Ruger!
Hold into the wind
VarmintGuy

sounds like an outstanding trip. you make me jealous cause I gotta work yet. You really need a xr-10 in 204, believe me I did, now I just have to get out and blow up some PD's

Butchbloc: I did not mean to make you jealous I just wanted you to get a fresh taste of Ground Squirrel Hunting - just enough to make you want to go on your own Safari!
I do have some mad money available for the XR-100 and am dealing on one now!
By the way one of the spots we shot had a vast area in the back ground that had just been "turned over" by the rancher. It was literally dusty dirt for most of a mile behind our quarry. On several occassions some of the 223 bullets (Winchester white boxes of 40 cartridges - I forget the grainage) were seen to re-strike (ricochet) and kick up dirt in the background there. None of the 204 bullets made the re-striking of the ground! It wasn't obvious anyway - if they did!
We are in our third day of hail, sleet, rain and wind here in SW Montana. We desperately need the moisture but dang it we had all winter for snow to fall and virtually none did! Now when the Gophers are out in legions it has to rain! We have had 1.90" in the last four days. Miles City got 4" of rain Monday alone! So for those planning Varmint Safaris in the Rockies soon - we are on a storm track and the weather and roads have turned bad, very bad!
Long live the 204!
Hold into the wind
VarmintGuy

VG, Interesting read!!! Miles City only averages 9-10 inches of rain annually!!! With that kind of moisture, they may actually do more than the "Custer County average of 22/bushels/acre of wheat!!! Down here, we'll broadcast the wheat, spread a little cows... on it and if we wanted to combine it we'd get 50 bu/acre!!!
Now yesterday, I had to travel to VA TECH and plant a research plot at their Kentland Research Farm. So I tucked the SAVAGE .204 into the company vehicle!!! We finished the plot work, had lunch and then I told the farm manager that "since I was here, I was going to check out the "den sites" on the farm and may shoot a varmint or two!! (I am as far as I know, the only "public person" to have rights to this place......3000 acres....(3000 acres to you guys is 1.25 squares!!! It ain't that flat here!!!!)only supposed to be there on SATURDAYS, to shoot!!!) as the rest of the time there may be "research" going on!!! IT IS VIOLATING a GHD rule to shoot groundhogs prior to Memorial Day weekend unless they are in places where normal shooting will not happen after "green-up"(Kudzu banks, briar patches, overgrown gullys)or the landowner "wants them killed!!!!!regardless of reseeding time period!!!) So I did my AR/VHA best!!!! Took a trip around the place to check out dens that are "being used" prior to the official "first visit, no holds barred, KILLING operation of 2005 which should occur about June 4, 2005!!!!
Most known dens are being used!!! While traversing one of the roads, I noticed a powerpole with a stange knot on it!! Not really strange to me but for most folks it would have been. Picked up the trusty PENTAX 12x42's and CONFIRMED it was groundhog!! .204 get's laid on the bags!! The first 32 grain SIERRA fired from this rifle at a varmint instead of paper, tends to "erase the face" of that one!!! Wait a few moments and see movement on the other side of the pole....."Hark!!!....another varmint!!!" Same result!!! 32 grain Sierra BK's tend to be hard for varmints to swallow when bisecting front teeth!!! Had removed the ear protection, replaced lens covers and placed rifle back in truck......then noticed movement in the vicinity of aforementioned kills!!! It was the old sow!!! The young ones were "big enough" to have made it on their own!!! (a little odd for May 10 in VA!!!!) and I didn't want the old one to grieve much over the demise of the offspring!!! A 32 grain Sierra dispatched that one with a well placed "left shoulder" exiting out the chest floor shot" .....even got a little launch with that one!!! and watched it thru the 20X Monarch!!! (Watched the others also!!....they were pretty good!!!) Then I said to myself, "Self!!! That is enough for MAY 10!!!! Give them a couple more weeks!!! Hope y'all enjoyed the play by play!! GHD

WOW 4" of rain in miles city - those guys have to be dancing in the streets. Been a long dry period there. We shoot dogs near hysham, & last year they were talking of sell off livestock because of the dry. GOOD NEWS!!!!!! anyway, you really need a 204. That thing has been more damn fun. I built one last year on a ruger #1 with a pacnor barrel and went dog shooting with it. You can actually see your hits through the scope. It's kind of like shooting a swift, but without the concussion. Shooting at 400 it seemed like the 204 bullet got there in about half the time of the 223's. I've had 220 swift tatooted on my rear for years, but now there's a 204 just above it.

Pardon my slow reply guys as I was called out of town on a 2 1/2 week long robbery suppression detail (thwarting Human Varmints so to speak!).

Butchbloc: I now have in my possession my third 204 Ruger calibered Varminter.
I just mounted the scope on it this morning and will hopefully shoot it tomorrow! Yes indeed "Long Live The 204"!!!
My friend Jack has a factory stock Ruger #1V-SS in 204 that just shoots like a house on fire! He is a Varmint Killing Machine when he brings out that rig!
We have had 2.44" inches of rain here in May so far and that is twice as much as normal but our winter and the last 7 or 8 years have been so dry that we are still in "Exceptional Drought" classification (the worst class!) here in SW Montana! Watch out for fire season!

GHD: Yes I very much enjoyed the play by play action there! I have written elsewhere how amazing the 32 gr. Sierras performed on various Varmints for my friends here in Montana this spring! I have three friends that have bought new 204's this past winter and they all worked up loads with the Sierra 32 gr. 204 bullets! They (the Sierras) just "mistify" even small Ground Squirrels and Weasels and such!
I hope my new 204 will shoot the Sierras well as Prairie Dog season is about to open here for me and I would like to see some action on PD's with them!

Long live the 204!

Hold into the wind
VarmintGuy

Varmintguy--You,ll like the 204 R round even more after you shoot a few prairie dogs (PDs). I have a Ruger KM77 VT 204 R. w/ a Leupold 6-18 X w/ AO on it. My rifle likes 28.3 Gr. Varget powder, Hornady 32 Gr. V-MAX bullets ,with CCI BR-4 primers in Hornady brass. 3/10 to 7/10 inch groups at 100 Yds.3,907 MV 8 ft. from muzzle. No season here on PDs .Any time the sun is out and no wind I try to get after the PDs. This year the CZ Varmint 17 HM2, Cooper LVT 17HMR ,Rem. 700 LS 221 Rem. and Ruger VT 204 R. rifles will be used on them. -- Give your 17 HMR a try on PDs ,then tell us at what range you were getting good kills.

Tuck 2: Thank you very much for the load data on the 204! I have copied it and printed it out for my loading log. I did get in some Prairie Dog Shooting late last fall with my other 204 Rifles and you are right it is an impressive cartridge and spectacular kills were the norm!
I have used the 17 HMR on Prairie Dogs for the last two years and I have killed them (not spectacular kills for sure) at lasered 200 yard ranges. I think the furthest I have killed one is 204 yards and I lasered my friend Jack killing one at 240 yards (head shot - tip over).
I am sure I have killed over 100 Prairie Dogs with the 17 HMR so far.
I agree that the 204 would be much more enjoyable to use (and observe in use!) out at 200 yards ranges on Prairie Dogs though.
The Jack Rabbits were really thick in Montana last year and I shot many of them with the 17 HMR and with my other 204's! Again no comparison in obvious killing power there!
That is a cool Varmint arsenal you have there! The Cooper 17 HMR and the Remington 700 in 221 Fireball are both secret wants of mine! Aaahhh it only takes money!
I am dealing right now on a Rifle from an estate of an old Varminting and Gun trading friend of mine! He passed away last winter. Anyway the Rifle is a factory original VERY limited quantity made Remington 40XB-KS in caliber 221 Remington Fireball caliber! I have every intention of owning this Rifle as I know how good a Varmint cartridge (and how accurate!) it is! I have a Kimber Ultra-Varmint Rifle in 221 Fireball and a Remington 700 Classic in Fireball also.
I have not had anything to do with the 17 HM2 in the field as yet - what are your impressions of it - accuracy and lethality wise?
Thanks again for the load info.
Hold into the wind
VarmintGuy