best varmint rifle?

I can attest to the Tikka. The one I have is a .223 in 1in 8 twist. with cheap factory ammo its easy to hit Jacks, at 200 yds. But its really your decision on what you want. I rarely hear of Bolt actions jamming up, but I guess it can happen, I hear alot more of AR's jamming up. Its really just a decision that you have to make. I think our main goal is to make the first shot count. Good luck with your decisions..and I hope your happy with whatever you get ! /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grinning-smiley-003.gif
 
Quote:
well the current gun i carry is a 24 in bull bbl h+r with a bipod and 4-16 scope gun weighs in a 13,lbs and 2 oz so the tikkas i looked at are way less even after i factor in the scope and bipods



yep the Tikka T3 (non varmint model ) weighs just a hair over 6 pounds. Most scopes will get you in under 7.5 pounds.
 
for a calling rifle its pretty hard to beat the cz 527 or the tikka t3 lite, both light wieght and short...and very accurate.
 
The OP asked for "best varmint rifle" for 800 bones.

Myself, I dont lump varmint rifles with calling rifles, one is heavy and sits on a bench.....the other has a sling on it and goes over your shoulder while you walk. They are completly two different things IMHO.

Over the years I have purchased several rifles.......bolt guns, AR's..... more than I care to type about but....

I have a Savage BVSS (varmint rifle!) in 223 that will on any day of the week out shoot anything in my safe, with the exception of my 6BR bench gun and maybe my Cooper (on a good day), it cost me 600 dollars out the door, and it didnt take alot to make it shoot. If you dont have an AR I would say pick one up just because.......but for a true varmint rifle there is other choices out there.
 
For the money your talking about I'd throw in a vote for the CZ 527 or the Savage.

One thing your not quite clear on is the use for this rifle. Varmints are usually PD's, rock chucks, ground hogs or ground squirrels. If this is to be a preditor calling rifle then you really have to consider a different rifle/scope combination.

I'm not an AR type of guy, not that their not great rifles, but I just simply don't know much about them. So the best I can say is there are some very accurate AR platforms out there, but I think you may need more money especially if your going to use part of that 800 for a scope to get into a really accurate AR platform.

Back to the intended rifle use. I like a heavy or medium heavy rifle with a higher power variable for ground squirrels and rock chucks and a lighter rifle with a 2 by 7 or 3 by 9 scope for a coyote/bobcat calling rifle. Though you can overlap and many folks pack a heavy rifle for predators I've found that packing 12 pounds of rifle to a dozen sets a day is pretty tiring.

My compromise is a CZ 527 Varmint in 204 Ruger. It weighs 7.2 pounds naked and with a 3 by 9 wide field scope, sling and loaded 8.5 pounds. With a medium heavy barrel, it's not a chore to pack and the single set trigger set on 6 ounces on the set side and 3 pounds on the unset side works wonderfully. I've taken coyotes out to 385 yards and ground squirrels past that range with it.

It is also heavy and accurate enough to take coke bottle sized ground squirrels out to 400 yards. I usually put a higher power variable, in my case an 8 by 32 on in the spring for ground squirrels and rock chucks.

I wouldn't be afraid to get an AR, but I'd probably want to budget a little more money than your talking about if you want really great accuracy. Bottom line is your probably going to get more accuracy for your money from a simpler bolt gun than an AR.
 

The AR is a nice gun, but seems like the lower end ones start at around $800. Im a huge fan of Browning. Never seen one that would'nt shoot MOA or better out of the box with factory ammo.

If you are going to do an AR, Id get a minimum of a 20" barrel for varmint hunting. Bare in mind, you give up approximatly 50 feet per second in velocity per inch of barrel on a .22 caliber barrel. Thats why I dont like 16" for a coyote rifle.

I much prefer a bolt gun personally. Although the ARs are cool, you have to make sure you keep them cleaned and well lubricated because reliability can be an issue especially if you neglect it. For me, If I were to get an AR, Id probably go with a Bushmaster, but Im a far cry from an expert on ARs.

For hunting in the midwest, I like a .223, but out west, Id probably prefer a 22-250 with a 24" or 26" barrel. Thats some go,go.

The new Predator camo rifle from Savage is an awesome tack driver for the money. But in 22-250 its only a 22" barrel. Thats a bit of waist cause with that short barrel you are burning alot of powder out side the barrel once the bullet has left the barrel. In a 22-250, you need a 26" barrel to burn all that powder. Id do a .223 in the Savage Predator. Good chance is will shot well below MOA with a good Factory ammo.
 
1-8 twist.....

all you need is a 1-12 to stabalize the 60g Hornady V max.

this may make life a lot easier on your choices.

Shooting a Varmint rifle usually means lots of shooting.

The Remington VSSF in 223 is nothing to sneeze at with the laminated stock. The ones that I have worked up loads for have shot much less than 1/2" with 50 & 55g Bullets and loads in the 3/8" range are not unreasonable with good glass using H322, AA2015, N-133, & N-135. N-133 with the 50's sling the bullets at 3600 fps into tiny groups with Lapua brass. With N-135 and the 55's, groups are just as tiny in the 3500 fps range...these two powders put the 223 in another league.

One great thing about Remington is that a brand new take off stainless fluted barrel usually runs about $200, and they just screw right on. Replacement costs for another brand of gun will run twice that amount.
 
Last edited:
i shoot 60 gr partitons out of my 1/12 and it only shoots 1-2 in gps @ 100
the 55 balistic tips shoot 3/4 @ 100 plus i wanted to go up in size like to a 68 or so
 
I have owned a T3 Varmint along with a Handi rifle like yours though not heavy barrel it did have a laminate stock.

I think you will find that T3 Varmint is every bit as heavy as your current Handi Varmint. If anything it will feel heavier between the hands (Handis are compact) and it will feel barrel heavy even before the bi-pod.

I just point this out to help. It seems like your looking for a calling rifle by what you wrote.

Maybe a good "tweener" would be one of the bolt action "Predators" by Remington or Savage. Those I have shouldered had a pretty good balance and the over sized bolt would be handi for those cold mountain winters you get up there with gloves on. They are certainly not pencil barrel sporters but sort of "tweeners"......I kind of like them. Another that ballances pretty well is the Remmy VTR. Personally I don't care if the triangular barrel does "this,that,etc. or not". What I can say is the gun felt good between the hands.......very good in fact. And seemed like a very good "tweener" to me. I think all three will shoot plenty well for what you want also.

Best of luck
 
looked at the stevens mod 200 are they an accurate rifle 223 and a 25-06 the 25-06 for deer mainly and also for some longer range chuck hunting than a 223 will get any one have a stevens and if so how accurate?
 
The Stevens are great budget shooters. For a few bucks more get the Savage with the accu-trigger. One of the best out-of box shooters out there.

You can build your own AR in your price range and have a great shooter too. Lots of great parts to choose from and you have the abuility to better it down the road with a miriad of options. Couple hundred for the complete lower and like new uppers are sold here in the classified forum all the time.
 
Quote:
AR's are every bit as accurate as a bolt gun.

AR's CAN be made to shoot as accurately as bolt rifles, but it usually costs a lot more money to get it super accurate compared to a bolt rifle.

For a real "varmint" rifle on your budget, it would be in your interest to look at a heavy barreled Savage. You can get a nice laminate stock from the factory like the model 12 BVSS package in your price range. Or you can get the less expensive 12FV with a plastic stock for $500 and then buy a nice aftermarket stock like I did. Either way, a Savage rifle will probably shoot better than you can with good ammo.

For a "hunting rifle" or "calling rifle", try a medium contour barreled Savage model 11 Predator. Or a standard barrel Savage.
 
Got three AR's myself! My left hand, going into the safe! It just steers itself to the old 700 BDL .243.

Why is THAT!! /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smirk.gif /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/laugh.gif /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/laugh.gif
 
I just love my old Rem.700 ADL.It is in 22-250 but it will shoot hole for hole with the best of them.:p /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/tongue.gif
It's shooting at about 3650fps on the graph.Accuracy kills not velicity. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/ooo.gif
Sorry about the spelling. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/confused1.gif
 
Crowpopper,

Go with the Tikka T3 Lite. in Chrome Moly (blue) for 479 dollars at sportsmans warehouse. Throw on the best 300 dollar scope (maybe a 2x7) vx1 or 2 Leupold and never look back. You cant do any better at a lot more money.

Just my 2 cents worth

Dave
 
You might look at the CZ 527 varmint kevlar, they have a 1 in 9 twist, controled round feed, single set trigger, and are not extremly heavy. With mine head shots on praire dogs are not out of the ordinary at 200 yds. I think you should find one in the 700 dollar range in fact I think there was one in the classified section for 600 or 650.
 
thumbup.gif
 
Last edited:
Back
Top