Looking for a dedicated target/varmint rifle

[Gridikal]

Basically I'm just trying to round out my safe I got for Christmas. I now have a .40 cal Glock (Thanks ECKSJAY), over & under 12 gauge I got from my grandfather (skeet and trap only) and working on getting the Savage. (just begining so I think these 3 round it out nicely)
I suck with the Glock, I can only keep 'em in the black up to about 15 yds- but it's fun to shoot- friend has a .45 glock and It's just to loud to shoot all day for me.
I'm really getting into skeet and trap, seems I have a nack for it.

BTW what about scopes? Never bought one but I know what recticles I would like. either target dot or cpc... it'd be really nice to find a decent priced mildot but I haven't come accross any.

 

[Gridikal]

A 22-250 is an OK cartrage and the Savages have a lot going for them,but here in Va,it is really too much.
I find most shots are less than 100 yds now,and spend more time getting in a safe position for a shot that shooting.
Wayne

The range that I go to has 150, 200 and 400yd stretches (Stonewall Jackson rifle and pistol range) and that'l be ok I guess. I also know a lot of the people around where I live (all farms) and I would suppose I could get out to about 600 or so- or so I've heard. I have a few friend dragging me into this and they go frequently.

So do you think the 22-250 would still be to much for the 400yds or would it be a good balance between there and farm use? (600+yds)

 

[Lincoln]

So do you think the 22-250 would still be to much for the 400yds or would it be a good balance between there and farm use? (600+yds)

I would cosider 22-250 300 yards max. Add a little wind and you get bullet that will float all over the place. If your just getting started and haven't done a lot of longer range shoot I would keep the 300 the max anyway. Go out and measure off 600 yards.

I didn't think about the eastern part either. The .17's mentioned do very well in close quarters and because of the soft tip get really rapid expansion. You wouldn't have to worry as much about a ricochet bullet. Also they aren't an overly large investment and ammo is pretty cheep when compared to the 22-250. If it isn't your thing you still have good gun thats fun to shoot occasionally.

 

[DrMoab]

The range that I go to has 150, 200 and 400yd stretches (Stonewall Jackson rifle and pistol range) and that'l be ok I guess. I also know a lot of the people around where I live (all farms) and I would suppose I could get out to about 600 or so- or so I've heard. I have a few friend dragging me into this and they go frequently.

So do you think the 22-250 would still be to much for the 400yds or would it be a good balance between there and farm use? (600+yds)

IF you are shooting between 250 and 600+ yards the 22-250 will work great.

Also you didn't say what kind of varmints you are going after. Out here all I really shoot is jackrabbits and Prairie dogs. For this a 22-250 is the only way to go. If you are shooting bigger animals then maybe look at something with a little heavyer bullet.

 

[5-90]

I've taught up quite a few women on .44Spl/.44Mag, and they've been happy. The larger pistol obviously has more steel in the frame, and that helps reduce felt recoil.

You can always load down on her initial .44Spl loads, and work up to a full load, since you don't have the cycling problems you can get with down-loaded auto rounds. Revolvers are nice like that.

The .44Spl can be had with the Ruger Redhawk and Super Redhawk frame, the Smith K- L- and N-frames - getting the Magnum options rules out the K- and most L-frames. Also, this isn't worth trying to find a "lightweight" frame - here, frame weight is your friend (I never understood wanting to make the scandium and/or titanium frames in .357Mag...)

Granted, I'm a pretty big guy and I think the .44Spl settles nicely in the paw, and the .44Mag handles well - but I've also shot the Linebaughs, the .480 Ruger, and even one of the Freedom Arms .45-70 wheelguns! Still, most women, with a little training, can quickly learn to handle the Magnums well. Once you let them know what's coming and how to handle the thing, it gets easy... Honestly, I've long preferred training women over men - women are easier to teach!

5-90

 

[Gridikal]

Also you didn't say what kind of varmints you are going after.

ground hogs, farmers hate 'em... and my dad has since said get rid of em any way you want ever since he snaped of a wheel on the mowin deck he pulls behind the tractor. Ive got 40 acres here where I live to shoot if I want- filled with buzzards, rabbits, groundhogs and the accasional stray cat

 

[Lincoln]

Honestly, I've long preferred training women over men - women are easier to teach!
5-90

B.S. I learn like a rock.

 

[DrMoab]

ground hogs, farmers hate 'em... and my dad has since said get rid of em any way you want ever since he snaped of a wheel on the mowin deck he pulls behind the tractor. Ive got 40 acres here where I live to shoot if I want- filled with buzzards, rabbits, groundhogs and the accasional stray cat

22-250.

 

[woody]

BTW what about scopes? Never bought one but I know what recticles I would like. either target dot or cpc... it'd be really nice to find a decent priced mildot but I haven't come accross any.

Back when I built my 10-22, I carried over a cheep Bushnell 3x9 40mm, it worked well enough when the rifle had the factory barrel & stock (survived a house fire and held it's zero!) Once I got all the aftermarket goodies, I got a 6x24 40mm Tasco World Class (has the fingertip adjustable W&E turrets, plus the parallax adjuster on the objective) I have been impressed with it, it is truly accurate, and returns to it's original zero after monkeying with the knobs. $100 from Sportsmans Guide 5 or so years ago.

Like was mentioned by someone above, if you have the coin, spend equally (or more) on the optics...you won't be dissapointed. I lust over the Leopold tactical models, but haven't had the spare coin for one (damn Jeep habit)

 

[8Mud]

Honestly, I've long preferred training women over men - women are easier to teach!

5-90

The wife went through a home defense pistol course. The instructor asked me if I could supply a few shotguns, just so the gals could shot them for familiarization.
Wife steps up to the line first and shots the shotgun at a armed intruder target at 15 feet and blows out a circle, just about where the crotch would be. 15 gals cheered spontaniously at the same time. Me and the instructor kind of exchanged, worried looking glances.
Got to admit the home defense pistol course, was one of my better ideas, a husband teaching a wife, most ways doesn´t work out well.

 

[8Mud]

[QUOTE I lust over the Leopold tactical models, but haven't had the spare coin for one (damn Jeep habit)[/QUOTE]

I had a Tasco 4-12 variable with a 56 MM objective and a glow in the dark reticle. Really wasn´t a bad scope.
But I´ve been ruined by German and European optics. Zeis (big bucks) Kahles or Doktor (also not cheap). But if you do any low light shooting, they are really impressive. I´ve got a Kahles scope (3-12 X 56) and Optolyth (9 X 63) binoculars (next best thing to a star light scope). The scope has done more to improve my shooting, than just about anything, other than practice and a set trigger. The next biggest improvement is the right stock length and eye relief on the scope. I have about a pound and a half of trigger pull, when the trigger is set. The reticle in my scope is super fine (aim small, miss small), but sits in the middle of larger cross bars (for low light), the distance from the center of the fine cross and the start of the large cross is 1 mil. Even with the variable scope, paralax is minimal.
The binos actually see better in the dark than the scope does.
Europeans also do triggers well, even on American firearms.

 

[Wayne Sihler]

The range that I go to has 150, 200 and 400yd stretches (Stonewall Jackson rifle and pistol range) and that'l be ok I guess. I also know a lot of the people around where I live (all farms) and I would suppose I could get out to about 600 or so- or so I've heard. I have a few friend dragging me into this and they go frequently.

So do you think the 22-250 would still be to much for the 400yds or would it be a good balance between there and farm use? (600+yds)

I have friends that drive Chevys,I have a JEEP .Lots of people like a 22-250,I like a Swift.
Really both are as fast as needed,accurate,and available in the same gun types.
At a range the cgun is not carried much and weight is a good thing.In the field it is unecessary.
edit--In the east where,10 shots in a day would be a lot.

Wayne

 

[8Mud]

I don´t concider mayself a bad shot, by all acounts, I do better than average. But at four hundred yards, a fox, is maybe 2-3 mils wide and one mil tall (at the body). In other words, it looks pretty darned small, even with a 12 power scope (I´d be pretty happy, with plus or minus, say 3 inches, field shooting, at 400 meters, not on a bench). With my 12 power I can watch my pulse in the reticle. A 1 inch miss at 400 meters, is a way bad miss at 600.
I don´t shot at much of anything, unless I figure I can kill it with one shot.
You may occasionally hit something, at 600 yards, but it certainly isn´t an everyday occurance. My last long shot, was about 350 yards and I missed three inches low (three inches lower than the button, I was imagining over his heart), I was shooting a little up hill and through three temperature layers. I hit the Fox, but low on the rib crown.
Doesn´t take much of a breeze to move your bullet some. You are often shooting through layered air (temperature layers) and powder loads, even with home loads, are slightly different. Not to mention figuring in the ambient temps. Contrary to popular belief, cold ambient air, will often shoot higher, than hot air, becuase the powder burns a little slower in lower temps. and it takes a fraction longer, for the bullet to exit the barrel, the rifle is in recoil, which has a tendancy to throw the bullet a little higher. Conversly, when shooting on a hot day, the round may strike some lower.
I still have a pile of notebooks, with every round I´ve ever fired, the outside temp. the wind, the load, visible air layers and any other variable I could think of, like a cup of morning coffee.
If you just cant the rifle slightly and shot at something at 400 yards, your gonna be off significantly. The difference in eye relief (paralax) makes a significant differnce at 4 hundred yards. Eye relief changes from upright shooting to prone shooting.
There is a lot going on, for accurate shooting and the rifle and/or round, is often the smaller factor. Most of it is the human factor, much of it is the air.

 

[TRL WGN 1]

I am mighty fond of a quick second shot, for moving varmits, such as yotes. Hard to beat one of these.
Only thing mine lacks is a good trigger, but otherwise I am very happy with this one.
I even got to put it together myself from a kit, which was quite enjoyable. Price is just slightly over what you posted up, but I added a few things that are not needed, such as the cammo stocks and stainless fluted barrel