Author Topic: Best rifle for ground hogs (Read 1582 times)

jro45 · « **on:** June 08, 2005, 04:00:41 AM »

I have the 22-250 witch will reach out there and get them. Where I hunt the hogs is a 100 acre farm with roads all around this farm and it pretty flat land. Also a couple houses. I would like to know witch rifle would be best on this farm for ground hogs.

beemanbeme · « **Reply #1 on:** June 08, 2005, 05:43:23 AM »

To paraphrase the comments about a 30-06, you never go wrong choosing a 22-250.

Savage .250 · « **Reply #2 on:** June 08, 2005, 06:14:14 AM »

Back in the "old" days and way before the modern...reach out and touch a chuck gun was on the sene the good old .22 killed more chucks then you can count. A big plus was the "no noise" factor. Plus the low price of a box of shells.
.22`s and chucks were the stepping stone for alot guys on their way to
bigger and better things. Life is good.

"The best part of the hunt is not the harvest but in the experience".

poncaguy · « **Reply #3 on:** June 08, 2005, 01:40:04 PM »

17HMR

TNrifleman · « **Reply #4 on:** June 08, 2005, 02:11:44 PM »

Gee, my Remington 700 in .223 Rem. works well. I never had a complaint from a ground hog yet! :grin:

Catfish · « **Reply #5 on:** June 08, 2005, 04:52:43 PM »

Do you mean rifle or round?

If you ahve a good shooting .22-250 it will do about anything any other rifle or round will do. My varmint rifles range from the .17 AH to a .257 AI, and they all kill groundhogs. The .17 AH is on a Contender frame and is the best for carry because it so lite and shoots flat to 290 yrds. I have a .22-250 that weights in at 14 lbs. and has a Canger single set trigger that is great for setting in one place and reaching out and touching them. The .204 on an Encore frame is my newest and shootest the flattest and is what is in my pick-up now, but they all work very well.

Redhawk1 · « **Reply #6 on:** June 09, 2005, 12:27:28 AM »

Quote from: jro45

I have the 22-250 witch will reach out there and get them. Where I hunt the hogs is a 100 acre farm with roads all around this farm and it pretty flat land. Also a couple houses. I would like to know witch rifle would be best on this farm for ground hogs.

The 22-250 would do a great job. Like you, my concern is all the roads around the place. I think I would go with a 22 MAG or 17 HMR given the roads and houses. JMHO

jro45 · « **Reply #7 on:** June 09, 2005, 12:30:28 PM »

Well I took my 22-250 and just had to watch where my rounds would go. I mean this rifle shoots pretty flat out to 300 yds.
I found some ground hogs eating there hearts out. It wan't any long shot but I got one and my bullet went into the ground. Thanks guys. I will return. They are all over the place out there. I thought about using my 22 rim fire or my 257 WBY.

beemanbeme · « **Reply #8 on:** June 10, 2005, 06:38:44 AM »

Considering that a .22LR can carry a mile or more, what is beyond your target should be of concern regardless of what cartridge you're using.

Ah yes, the good old days. A .22 and a pocket full of ammo. Jim Bridger creeping up on a buffalo that was desperately needed to feed the settlers. Those were the days my friends. :grin:

warf73 · « **Reply #9 on:** June 11, 2005, 02:28:49 AM »

Go with the 22-250 with a plastic tipped bullet.

Just watch for cars, on the Okie pdog shoot almost every town butted against roads we just watched for cars.

Most important and you already know this, know whats behind your target.

I never would have believed it but my 204 with 40gr. V-Max's ricochet 2X, my cousins 22-250 with 55gr. Nosler Varmint bullets bounced 4 out there.

But I really believe that if those bullets had been just jacketed bullets more would have bounced.

Just a side note we had 6 rounds bounce out of over 600 rounds fired so odds of you bouncing plastic tipped bullets are pretty slim I think.

Warf

Coyote Hunter · « **Reply #10 on:** June 11, 2005, 06:16:37 AM »

Quote from: jro45

Well I took my 22-250 and just had to watch where my rounds would go. I mean this rifle shoots pretty flat out to 300 yds.
I found some ground hogs eating there hearts out. It wan't any long shot but I got one and my bullet went into the ground. Thanks guys. I will return. They are all over the place out there. I thought about using my 22 rim fire or my 257 WBY.

I hunt coyotes, prairie dogs, antelope and deer on several square miles just north of the house. The area is surrounded by acreages with homes so I still have to watch for ricochets. I've found the best rilfe is my .22-250 with 40g Nosler Ballistiv Tips and 50g Hornady V-MAX. I've had a couple ricochets (into a hill, thank God) with the .257 Roberts and 75g V-MAX. I don't like using my .22LR because ricochets are even more common - the bullets simply don't have the velocity needed to destroy themselves on impact. If I were you I'd stick with the .22-250.

jro45 · « **Reply #11 on:** June 21, 2005, 04:30:50 AM »

Well I'm being careful as to where my shots go but I have gotten 2 so far. Haven a ball shooten ground hogs

cal sibley · « **Reply #12 on:** June 27, 2005, 05:08:51 AM »

About 90% of my woodchuck fall to my .222Rem. or .222Rem.Mag. I have a .22-250 but usually find it more gun than I actually need for these guys. However, it will reach out there a long ways. Just one mans opinion. Best wishes.

Cal - Montreal