caliyotehntr
New member
I need everybodys vote on the best 300+ yd ground squirrel poppin caliber.
ground squirrel caliber
- Thread starter caliyotehntr
- Start date
caliyotehntr
New member
thats a good one /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif
broknaero
New member
300yards.
See I wish we had as many varmints to shoot at over here on this side of the country. If you want a factory caliber try the .17Rem or the .17 Fireball( when it comes out) even better temp. wise., Wildcat load I'd say .17 Mach IV or 20 VT, semi cusome I'd look at http://www.jamescalhoon.com/. Get a semi custome rifle in a wildcat and can buy loaded ammo from him, or brass, bullets, and dies if you reload.
I live on the east coast, so what do I know.. 50-100 rounds a year at groundhogs. Not nearly the numbers people fire out West at PD's and ground squirrels.
See I wish we had as many varmints to shoot at over here on this side of the country. If you want a factory caliber try the .17Rem or the .17 Fireball( when it comes out) even better temp. wise., Wildcat load I'd say .17 Mach IV or 20 VT, semi cusome I'd look at http://www.jamescalhoon.com/. Get a semi custome rifle in a wildcat and can buy loaded ammo from him, or brass, bullets, and dies if you reload.
I live on the east coast, so what do I know.. 50-100 rounds a year at groundhogs. Not nearly the numbers people fire out West at PD's and ground squirrels.
caliyotehntr
New member
Sorry I didn't mention it before but i dont reload so I gotta stick to factory rounds. I did like the article in predator extreme about the .17 rem fireball though.
White Eagle
New member
19-223,19 badger or if you limit youself to 250 yds 19 calhoon
IDBob
New member
If you plan on shooting in the big ground squirrel fields the 223 is going to be the most inexpensive to shoot. It'll do 300 yards in an accurate heavy bbl gun with a good scope. Ground squirrels are not hard to kill, just hard to hit at long ranges with out the proper equipment.
Years ago I started with a 22-250 and that is an excellent rig. I did the benchrest competition thing with a 222 and that also made a great ground squirrel rig out to that 300 plus mark.
The last few years I switched over to the 243 and in a Remington heavy bbl 700 VLS it made a dandy ground squirrel rig loaded with 55 grain Noslers at just under 4000 fps.
Several months ago I bought a CZ Varmit in 204 ruger. This was after I shot with several friends whom shoot the 204 for both coyotes and squirrels. This little medium weight barrel gun is rapidly getting to be my fovorite. It shoots as flat as the 22-250 with no recoil. You can watch your hits thru the scope, something that neither my heavy 243 or any 22-250 I owned would do.
Anyway bottom line is there are lots of good rifles out there. If your just going to shoot squirrels the heavy bbls will allow you to shoot longer between barrel cooling sessions. Most folks that shoot the big squirrel fields bring two guns and a portable bench rest.
My suggestion is to get into reloading if you plan on shooting more than a few hundred rounds a year. As for the gun, get one that you like the feel of. Caliber for a varmit gun isn't as important as most folks make out. Just remember .223 ammo is good and inexpensive compared to most other factory rounds. Try to get something under .243 caliber that goes above 3100 fps at the muzzle for a 300 yard plus gun. 17's, 20's, .224's and .243's all make good varmit rifles. Right now I'm really impressed with the 204 Ruger caliber.
My squirrel and coyote medicine
Rem 700 VLS, 26 inch heavy bbl in 243, 6 by 24 illumnated reticle mil dot scope.
Ruger #1B, 26 inch medium weight bbl, 243, 8 by 32 Tasco Target Dot scope.
CZ 537 Varmit, 25.5 inch medium bbl, 204 Ruger, another 8 by 32 Tasco Target Dot scope.
Just keep in mind that this varmit shooting is highly addictive and the one basic rule you must remember is you can never own enough guns.
Years ago I started with a 22-250 and that is an excellent rig. I did the benchrest competition thing with a 222 and that also made a great ground squirrel rig out to that 300 plus mark.
The last few years I switched over to the 243 and in a Remington heavy bbl 700 VLS it made a dandy ground squirrel rig loaded with 55 grain Noslers at just under 4000 fps.
Several months ago I bought a CZ Varmit in 204 ruger. This was after I shot with several friends whom shoot the 204 for both coyotes and squirrels. This little medium weight barrel gun is rapidly getting to be my fovorite. It shoots as flat as the 22-250 with no recoil. You can watch your hits thru the scope, something that neither my heavy 243 or any 22-250 I owned would do.
Anyway bottom line is there are lots of good rifles out there. If your just going to shoot squirrels the heavy bbls will allow you to shoot longer between barrel cooling sessions. Most folks that shoot the big squirrel fields bring two guns and a portable bench rest.
My suggestion is to get into reloading if you plan on shooting more than a few hundred rounds a year. As for the gun, get one that you like the feel of. Caliber for a varmit gun isn't as important as most folks make out. Just remember .223 ammo is good and inexpensive compared to most other factory rounds. Try to get something under .243 caliber that goes above 3100 fps at the muzzle for a 300 yard plus gun. 17's, 20's, .224's and .243's all make good varmit rifles. Right now I'm really impressed with the 204 Ruger caliber.
My squirrel and coyote medicine
Rem 700 VLS, 26 inch heavy bbl in 243, 6 by 24 illumnated reticle mil dot scope.
Ruger #1B, 26 inch medium weight bbl, 243, 8 by 32 Tasco Target Dot scope.
CZ 537 Varmit, 25.5 inch medium bbl, 204 Ruger, another 8 by 32 Tasco Target Dot scope.
Just keep in mind that this varmit shooting is highly addictive and the one basic rule you must remember is you can never own enough guns.
caliyotehntr
New member
IDBob
I just looked over at the cz site. I really love that varminter in .204. About how much did that cost you with scope?
I just looked over at the cz site. I really love that varminter in .204. About how much did that cost you with scope?
This is where a .204 might shine in my book. It will be hard pressed to find factory loads that will be good enough to hold squirrel accuracy at 300 yds unless you get a 22-250. Factory .204's seem to be pretty accurate. .17 Fireball is made for this as is the .17 Rem. However, you will have to reload to get preformance from a .17 Rem. Fireball seemed to shoot well at 200 yds when I fired it with Rem factory ammo.
caliyotehntr
New member
would smaller grain bullets shoot well in a savage with 1:12 twist?
Jack Roberts
Moderator - Deceased
I shoot a boat load of ground squirrels and high percentage hits at 300 will only happen under ideal conditions no matter what caliber. The YOY are only 1.5" wide and that is a small target at 300 yards.
I like to maintain a 95% first shot hit percentage and only shoot to 300 under perfect conditions.
Wind and mirage doping and also setting up in the right direction are all much more important than caliber.
Jack
I like to maintain a 95% first shot hit percentage and only shoot to 300 under perfect conditions.
Wind and mirage doping and also setting up in the right direction are all much more important than caliber.
Jack
Longcruise
New member
SKS, what you lack in accuracy you make up for in firepower. Just kidding ya know!
TTLS
New member
Quote:
I shoot a boat load of ground squirrels and high percentage hits at 300 will only happen under ideal conditions no matter what caliber. The YOY are only 1.5" wide and that is a small target at 300 yards.
I like to maintain a 95% first shot hit percentage and only shoot to 300 under perfect conditions.
Wind and mirage doping and also setting up in the right direction are all much more important than caliber.
Jack
Yep. I'll wager most of your squirrel shots will be within' 150 yards. Unless you have a rock solid bench and the above mentioned ideal conditions, you will waste a ton of ammo shooting at 300 for such a small critter. If this is the case and what you want to do (I know it really fun to air 'em out there /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif), get a .223. They will be cheap to shoot and still do the job. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grinning-smiley-003.gif
I shoot a boat load of ground squirrels and high percentage hits at 300 will only happen under ideal conditions no matter what caliber. The YOY are only 1.5" wide and that is a small target at 300 yards.
I like to maintain a 95% first shot hit percentage and only shoot to 300 under perfect conditions.
Wind and mirage doping and also setting up in the right direction are all much more important than caliber.
Jack
Yep. I'll wager most of your squirrel shots will be within' 150 yards. Unless you have a rock solid bench and the above mentioned ideal conditions, you will waste a ton of ammo shooting at 300 for such a small critter. If this is the case and what you want to do (I know it really fun to air 'em out there /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif), get a .223. They will be cheap to shoot and still do the job. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grinning-smiley-003.gif