I have:
1) 177 pellet gun for squirrells and crows around the house...works well

2) 17HMR for ground squirrels, works well but I don't like it.

3) 22 rimfire semi auto for ground squirrells, works great out to 75 yards. I like it.

4) .222 range queen, use .223 instead.

5) .223 favorite caliber, ground squirrels and rock chucks.

6) 22-250 range queen, use .223 instead

7) .243 great for prairie dogs.

8) 250 Savage range queen, use .223 instead

9) 257RAI, range queen, use .223 instead


In the future, I am going to get:
1) 204 Ruger
2) 6mmBR

17 HMR- left handed savage 93 used on Rimfire hunts only.
22 LR- Left handed CZ 452 American, just bought it.
22 LR - 10/22 tricked out bull barrel for rimfire hunts.
223- XP100 Used to show off and outshoot my friend's 223s
223- AR style semi-auto for colony varmints
22-250- LH savage 110 out to 500 or so.
243- LH savage 110 out to 600 or so.
6.5x284- Full Custom MRC for long range.

.17 HMR - A NEF single-shot. Laser accurate and used for anything within 150yds. Especially nice for hunts in AZ counties that are rimfire-only.
.22LR - Customized 10/22. Used for everything from showing off at the range to rimfire hunts.
.22LR - A 50-year-old H&R bolt action. Still very accurate, but the scope is almost as old as the rifle and I need help getting a new one fitted.
.22LR - Ruger MK III Hunter. Fairly new; very accurate pistol. Planning on fitting it with a scope and using it for rimfire hunts and plinking.
.223 - A NEF single-shot. Very accurate; used at the range and for jackrabbit & coyote hunts from a stand.
.22-250 - Rem 700 VLSSTH - New acquisition. I anticipate using it for varmint hunts, range fun, and eventually antelope & deer.
.30-06 - Rem 700. An old rifle with maybe 300 rounds through it. Still accurate, and I use it on any varmint that presents itself if I'm in the mood and have it in my hand.

22Lr 10-22 what my son shoots when we go out.

.17 HMR...Not a big Fan sits in the safe.

.204 Ruger Rem 700 VLSTH Huge Fan Want another.

.223 Rem 788 My truck gun and carry around gun.

.22-250 Cz 550 Used on pd's to Coyotes very accuratate Gun. Neck and neck with my .204

.270 Rem 700 Deer to elk it gets the job done a 3/4 MOA gun.

.40 S&W Glock 23C "protection" I also took a mountain lion with it last year.

Next????

I always wish I hadn't got rid of My 300 Wby and plan to get another. I need to buy a .243 for next year when my son is old enough to hunt deer. Always been a big .243 fan. And If I ever fall ass backwards into enough money I'd like a Cooper In .204.

Ricky

quote:

Originally posted by ricky_arthur:


.40 S&W Glock 23C "protection" I also took a mountain lion with it last year.



Ricky

Dammit!
I fry a hornet in the microwave.
Ricky shoots a mountain lion.
Life is passing me by

I'm glad to read that I'm not any sicker with this affliction than many of you! I actually have way to many mid-bore rifles. And I have a couple more I'd like to try. Nate

My Varmint list is actually about all of them as I kill vermin with whatever strikes me. Here are my regulars.
.22 RF several
.22 WMR- 10/22 w/ Burris 2-7x
.223R Mini-14 with 4x?( may be a Simmons) coyote killer
.22-250R Ruger M77, Bell & Carlson synthetic stock, Leupold 4-12
.257 Roberts Ruger M77 RL, 3-9 Weaver ( shoot mostly 75gr. Hornady hp for yotes)
.25-06 Win M70, Leupold 4.5-14, Hornady 117gr SST, another fun yote getter!

I traded away a .22-250 I wish I'd kept, Rem 788. Shouldn't have passed up my chance for a little Rem 700 in .223, I actually need another one or two now that my boys are getting older.

The most spectacular kill was a yote at 17 paces with my 7mm RM using 140gr Sierra GameKings. It caused it to be flung nearly 10 ft!

My most used truck gun now is probably my Rem 600 in .308W, w/ a 2.5x Weaver. It's accurate enough for most shooting but is short enough to be very handy.

My next? I've been wanting to do an AR in .223 or .204 but things keep getting in the way. I need a couple more in .223 so I have common ammo when the boys are along. The .204 may be hard for them to keep separate from the .223 just on recognition.

I'd still like to do a .257 DGR or .257 Durham Jet, a .257 or 6.5 WSM, and I still don't have a .300 WM or a .375 H&H.

I'm covered pretty well but I could always use more! Nate

1) 22LR Ruger 10/22
2) 17HMR Marlin 917
3) 22-250 Rem 700VS
4) 243W Win Mod 70
5) 6mm Rem Rem 700VS
6) 7mm08 Rem 700VLS
7) 308W Rem 700P LRT
8) 338-06 Rem 700 BDL for those really pesky varmints
Next: Maybe a 204 Ruger or a 223 in either a bolt gun or an AR platfrom.

1) 177 R-7 Air Rifle

2) 22 LR, many

3) 22 Mag, Ruger 77

4) 222 Rem, CZ 527

5) 223 Rem, CZ 527

6) 22 BR, Custom

7) 22-250, Custom

8) 250 Sav, Custom

9) 257 Roberts, Custom

10) 284 Win, Beanfield Chuck Rifle, HEAVY Custom

quote:

Originally posted by tnekkcc:



In the future, I am going to get:
1) 204 Ruger
2) 6mmBR

Why? You'll only use the .223 instead roger

17 HMR
204 Ruger
22 LR
22 K Hornet
222 Rem
25-20
257 Rob
375 H&H
At one time I had a 223 and a 22-250. The above do just fine. My favorites happen to be the K Hornet and the 222.
The 25-20 is tons of fun. I'm gonna try the 375 soon, some 235 gr Speers @ 2900 fps ought to work pretty well.

Anyone using a .25-06? That's next. I have a Savage BVSS .25-06 HB coming within the next few days and was wondering if anyone has some 'pet' loads. Presently have a Ruger #1 in .22-250.

Check this thread.

I'm at work and don't have my stuff fresh in my head but my .25-06 is nearly out of the box! I did clean up the trigger just a bit but it could really benefit from one of higher quality. Nate

Generally it depends upon the range and the quarry.

To be prepared I have several 10/22's in varying configurations & the magnum version. A little Belgin Browning takedown .22LR for close in the garden variety varmints. A lovely old Kimber Custom Match for the bird feeder squirrels. Next up is the BRNO ZKW Hornet, .223 AR Colt Elite, .22 PPC, 6 PPC, 243 AI, 6 Rem, 6/284, 6.5/284 and undoubtedly some I am forgetting...

Next in line will be another Cooper in .223

Lets see...

416 Remington Mag

460 Weatherby

505 Gibbs...

these varmints are getting pretty darn big around here...

Already picking up a donor Remington Model 710 for the 416 Rem Mag project...

quote:

Originally posted by Johnn:
Anyone using a .25-06? That's next. I have a Savage BVSS .25-06 HB coming within the next few days and was wondering if anyone has some 'pet' loads. Presently have a Ruger #1 in .22-250.

Johnn I have a few year old 112BVSS. It was before the accutrigger so I had installed a Canjar single set that breaks at 3oz when set. I bedded it and did a carefull "fire-lapping" job on it. I mounted a 6X20 Leupold on it and with it's favorite load it is a solidly sub-half inch rifle. I mostly use formed IMI .30-06 brass necked to .25. It's military spec brass with a bit stouter primer pockets, slightly less capacity due to thicker walls which in turn tightens up the neck a bit on the factory chamber (if you chose to use military brass necked to .25-06 be sure to mic loads before and after firing to make sure there's at least .002 or more room for expansion, if not the necks need turned). I'm shooting two loads. One is a 100 Grain Sierra Boatail that I molied with a NECO moly setup over 55.5 grains of IMR4831. I use a Remington 91/2M primer and it chronos 3,370ish. It will agg 5 shot groups in the high .3's to low to mid .4's depending on how I'm shooting that day. I also shoot a molied 95 grain Berger MEF in Winchester cases with 57 grains of IMR4831 with again a 9 1/2M Remington primer. This load clocks 3,465ish and at lesser ranges 300 too 400 with that massive hollowpoint it is a rat spreader big-time the 95 Berger with it's huge hollowpoint bleeds velocity fast but is real explosive at intended ranges. Keep in mind my loads are molied and without moly would probably be too hot for my rifle. (Even with moly they might well be too hot for yours, work up slow). Lighter bullets would be faster but with the wind we get out here I opted for the ninetyfives and hundreds.
I don't shoot it a lot as I'm a small caliber junkie but it is hell on chucks at long range and on windy days. My farthest to date with it was a fairly smallish chuck at a Leica'd 679 yards and even at that distance it flipped him a triple and spread him out in a 5 foot circle.
Great heavy varminter for the money, you'll like it.

montdoug, thanks for all the info. The gun should be here early next week. Can hardly wait. Thanks again.

What's next? Probably one of the three Stevens 200s I picked up yesterday.

.223

.243

.270

The .223 will be baptised Wed. Don't have rings enough for the other two ( in the mail). Eventually the .270 barrel will be changed out to my new 6.5x55 barrel. First I will play a little with the .270.

The .243 will eventually ware the new long throated 250-3000 barrel. roger

Old age is a high price to pay for maturity!!! Some never pay and some pay and never reap the reward. Wisdom comes with age! Sometimes age comes alone..

My choice depends upon what/where I am hunting/shooting. And who has been out to play and who stayed in the safe last. The choices are...
17 Mach 2
17 HMR
17 Mach IV
204 Ruger
20 BR
223
22-250
243 WSSM
6 mm BR
257 Roberts AI
6.5 mm X 55

muck

quote:

Originally posted by muck:
My choice depends upon what/where I am hunting/shooting. And who has been out to play and who stayed in the safe last. The choices are...
17 Mach 2
17 HMR
17 Mach IV
204 Ruger
20 BR
223
22-250
243 WSSM
6 mm BR
257 Roberts AI
6.5 mm X 55

muck

We have similar taste in firearms Muck. I currently shoot all but the .20BR, .243WSSM, and the .257AI off your list. The next pick on my personal list is a .20BR, in fact the decision right now is whether to build it on a Sako 75 .22-250 or a 40X 6BR I have collecting dust in the safe. As I said above I'm a small caliber junkie, hook line and sinker.

Well I'm more of a med. to big bore fan but my varmint likes are these.

1. 22 LR Rem. 552
2. 17 HMR Rem. 597
3. 22 Cheetah Custom Rem. 600
4. 243 Rem. 700 VLS
5. 220 Swift Rem. 700 VS

Yes I'm a die hard remington fan they have never let me down in the field.

Hoeram

1).177 air pistol (Daisy 717) for mice and large insects indoors
2).177 air rifle, Spring-piston RWS-45M for squirrels etc close to the house
3)10-22 for Varmints within 50-75yds
4)Rem700VSSF 223Rem anything out to 300yds
including the occasional unalerted doe....
5)Rem 700 Sendero 25-06rem w/87gr bullets for woodchucks 250-500yds and whitetails within similar ranges w/100gr bullets.


I once believed that a 6mm was a better choice for bullets heavier than 55gr in the 223rem, rather than using a fast twist 223 and heavier bullets... but I have since decided that if you have both a 223Rem and a 250Sav, 257Rob or 25-06 you don't need a 6mm at all.

If there is a "varmint" you can't kill with an 87gr launched at 3600fps isn't really a "varmint" anyway...

AllanD

when walking CZ sporter weight with a 4x16 bushnell in 204 ruger 32 gr v-max.
The cooper varminter in 204 is also nice to carry but better for sitting with mueller variable to 25x
for out there I have the 22-250 etronx varmint.
and for way out there custom 264 mag.

Matching Rem 700's in Rem 700 Laminated Mt Rifle stocks ---- .204 Ruger and .223AI.

I am a huge fan of the .204 Ruger as well. What could be wrong with a 32 grain VMAX traveling over 3900fps.

The use of a sniper weight barrel reduces heating to a manageable level, a problem that I had with my M700 VSSF in that caliber. Nice little rifle, but barrel gets warm fast after 10 or so rounds.

Here is 700 Custom:

I really like the smaller calibers so I have a few. Really only a few get taken out each season, but it's fun to fill non-exsistent gaps.

.20 caliber Beeman RX2
22rf
17 ackley bee (martini cadet and TC Cont. for foxes)
17 remington (lightweight AR-15 for calling coyotes)
222 Rem
222 Rem mag
223 Rem (M70 lightweight and an AR)
22-250 (heavy bolt and a light sporter)
6mm-284 (long range rig for chucks and deer)

That's the small side of the spectrum, and for the most part I usually just pick the plain old 223 M70 lightweight or the 17 Rem AR-15 when going calling for coyotes.

.221 FB
.204 Ruger (2)
.222
.223
22-250
22-250 AI
6mm 30-30 AI

Yep I got it bad. Next up a 'full up custom barrel for my Contender in .20 Vartarg. Just because...........and a another home built Savage in 6mm BR fast twist bench gun.

Just dinging around with this in my head lately...now getting into being able to do switch barrels...

I am going to look into doing a 19/223 Calhoon....

He has a great selection of bullets are a real decent price....

Now just have to figure if it is going to be on a Ruger action, Savage, Winchester or Remington action... have all of them available in 223 bolt faces already...


that and also looking at a 20BR on my switch barreled Mauser with the bull barrel and BR stock.. finish rifle in 6mmRem right now weighs in at about 20 lbs...

cheers
seafire

Regarding the .17HMR.



While for longer ranges 100 to 350, my .204 fills the bill nicely, I find the .17HMR goes really good in a few circumstances.

1. Where ranges are under 125 to 150 yards.

2. Permission is granted by farmer to use rim-fire only.

3. Where target is mainly small game animals (eg.. sage rats, ground squirrels.)

4. 500 rounds for under $80 doesn't seem like a heavy burden, and provides for me at least several days of aggressive shooting with bolt gun.



South Western Montana Squirrel Country (Hamilton)