Your Most Accurate Varmint Rifle

[Nebraska Kelly]

I want to buy a varmint rifle this winter. I have no experience with any of them. I want a 223. I like the looks of a laminated stock but will consider other types. There are so many choices. I prefer to keep cost as low as possible. But I will spend what I need to spend to get the best shooting rifle. What are you all using?  I do like the look of the Savage with a fluted stainless barrel in a laminated stock. I would consider 243 win as a choice of calibure to. What is working for you? What would you buy if you had the cash?

Nebraska Kelly

[The Sodbuster]

I have a pre-accutrigger Savage Model 12 in .22-250.  It's very accurate.  My only complaint is the plastic stock, but now they offer the same rifle in a laminate stock for lefties.  I also have a Remington 700 VSF in .308 Win.  It's not a varmint rifle, but I believe is offered in .22-250 and maybe .223 Rem as well.  Both rifles shoot very well for me and I wouldn't hesitate to recommend them.  I've shot both out to 400 yards and the Remington 700 VSF seems to group a little tighter at extended range.  Maybe it's because of the aluminum bedding block; I don't know for sure.  They're both about the same at 100 yards.

[jro45]

I have the Rem model 700 in 22-250 I use it for groundhogs. Great gun! It is accurate to 300 yds can go to 400 yds with a little hold over and no wind.

[Don Fischer]

Most brands of rifles today are very accurate but some have a reputation for it. The two with the best Remington/Savage Savage/Remington. I don't think you could go wrong with either. My next rifle is going to be a 223 in a Savage of some sort. A couple brands on the low cost end that are seeming to do well are the Mossberg  and the Stevens I haven't seen the Stevens but have the Mossberg and don't think I could carry it anywhere without wearing a mask. One rifle that I really like but has never had fine accuracy is the Ruger 77. I've owned two and while both were really nice game rifles, neither produced really good accuracy. There are some people that have had good luck with them but most reports I've read are a bit better than so-so for accuracy.

My three most accurate varmit rifles were two Rem 788's, a 222 and a 223, and a Sako L461 in 223, The 788's were inexpensive by any standard but people that have them now tend to keep them. Presently I'm using a 243 in a Rem 700 ADL with synthic stock. I had an awful time getting this thing to shoot well. Had to completely re-bed it. Did that a couple times thinking I'd messed it up and then found a bolt lug was just rubbing on the front guard screw. I've had two such Remington's in the recent past, this one and a Model 7 in 223. I never got the Model 7 to shoot well but have heard others have had good luck. Another rifle you might give though to is the Howa and I think they make the Weatherby el-cheapo which also is getting a good reputation for accuracy. Ah, the Weatherby Vanguard, that's it.

As for cartridge, it depends on what your going to use it for. Are you talking a lot of shooting like over a sage rat field ar praire dog town? That would be a 223 due two it's not so violent to sit downand blast off a hundred rounds a day. Then if it's rock chucks or coyote's I'd get a 243 for it's better range and wind bucking ability's. Of course if this is doing double duty as a deer rifle, then 243 also.

[skb2706]

unless a rifle is very accurate.........its not really a varmint rifle to me.

Most accurate
Savage 110 that I rebarreled to 22-250AI
Leupold 4x12 VXIIc AO varmint reticle

The rest are all carbine Contender barrels that are equally as accurate out to the max range of their respective chamberings.

[acloco]

Savage, model 12, pre-accutrigger, bull barrel, synthetic stock.

Longest p-dog kill - 585 yards.

[kyote]

most varmint rifles are pretty accurate to begin with.the scope that you put on the rifle might cost as much as the rifle  are more unless you are going to have a custom rifle built for you.And the scope will help make it accurate.the caliber you selected,.223 is a pretty good choice.ammo is available just about any place that sells ammo.and is pretty cheap.But if you are serious about it.I would opt for the 22-250,I do not beleive you would be sorry with that choice.
A lot depends on what varmints you are going to shoot,and the distances involved.as the .223 when you wanted to, you could have it rechambered to the .223 ackley improved.that is a sweet round.
and as for your question "your most accurate varmint rifle".Gaaaads..They are all very accurate..and I have many.but am very partial to my little remington 600, is a 4 digit serial number in .222 remington,have done nothing to it,except load quality ammo for it.and all I seem to load is 40 grain bullets.it has the short barrel on it.and is my truck gun, normally when I am off to hunt ,shoot what ever it's next to me by the front seat.it has dumped a lot of freebie coyotes,and  mucho P-dogs driving thru towns for the next set up.and I find it a plesure to shoot.no recoil,can see the hits in the scope normally.

[alleyyooper]

Remington 700 BDL in 243 win.
Ruger 77 220 Swift.
Those are mine.

  Al

[beemanbeme]

If you go with the .223 --and that's a good choice-- buy the best you can afford as the .223 is no barrel burner if you show a little disclipine in your rate of fire so you'll have it for a lot of years.  Scrimp if you have to on the scope and you can replace it later. Lotsa Pdogs have been killed with $75 BSA scopes.

[Heavy C]

In the interest of time and money I am using a G2 Contender in 223 with a 21" bull barrel.  So far on paper it has shot clover leafs with Winchester 45 grain HP's all day long.  I'm looking to take it out into the field after deer season to help a buddy out with a varmint problem at his ranch.  I'm going to see how it handles 50 and 55 grain bullets.  I think it would be awesome to own a Remington 700 in 223, but in the meantime my Contender is doing great.

[The Sodbuster]

My next rifle is going to be a 223 in a Savage of some sort.

Don,
I picked up a lefty, Savage 16 in .224 Rem.  It's not as precise as my model 12, but it can put 5 shots in less than an inch at 100 yards.  At 200 yards I got 2.5-2.9" groups.  It's cheap to reload for and a joy to shoot.  When I go to the range to shoot I generally take 2 rifles, and the .223 nearly always makes the cut.  I've put a lot of ammo through it.  It's a great practice gun: low recoil, cheap to shoot, and identical to some of my larger caliber rifles.

If you get one, I've had good luck with 26.5 grains of BL-C(2) and a 50 gr V-Max.  25.0 grains of Benchmark and a 52 gr A-Max also works well.  Haven't tried any H335.

[acloco]

Nebraska Kelly - do you live in NE by chance?  If so, come on by and try some different rifles and calibers out.

I am in North Platte.

Give me a shout if you want - acloco@yahoo.com

[Redhawk1]

Mine is a T/C Encore with a 22-250 barrel and a 3.5X10 IOR Voldada scope. Awesome set up.

[ccoker]

I had a Tikka T3 223 varmit with a Nikon Monarch that was an absolute tack driver
http://www.hammerheadbikes.com/misc/tikkavarmit.jpg

it shot clover cleaf groups with Winchester white box 45JHP

the only complaint was the cheap rings, first outing and it broke
replaced with heavy duty warnes


I sold it though because I had no real use for it
I have '59 Sako L57 Forester in 243 with a Nikon Monarch 3-9x40 that does clover leaf groups as well
I haven't tried any really light varmit loads with it though as it's mainly used for Texas deer



I sold it though because I had no real use for it
I have '59 Sako L57 Forester in 243 with a Nikon Monarch 3-9x40 that does clover leaf groups as well
I haven't tried any really light varmit loads with it though as it's mainly used for Texas deer

[kyote]

1)custom 10/22,shilien barrel,brown precision stock,leupold 6.5x20 EFR,titanium firing pin,hammer sear ect.
2)Voltquartsen 10/22magnum McMillan stock and muzzel brake,leuplod 4.5x14.
3)Remington Semi auto.17HMR reworked by Voltquartsen,leupold fixed 4power
4)custom remington 600 .17 Remington, 4.5x14 leupold.
TBC

heres some..not in any order.but they are all one holers @100 yards

[kyote]

5)rem m-600, .222 rem,burris 3x9
6)custom rem m-700, .222rem mag,leupold 6.5x20
7)rem custom 700 .223AI redfield varmint scope
8)mauser 98 custom 22-250 Lyman scope
9)rem 40x axel barrel 22-250 leupold efr 6.5x20
10)rem custom 700 .243AI,leupold 4.5x14
11)H&K 630 .223,leuplod 3.5x10
12)custom rem 600 .308 leupold 3.5x10
13)custom 600rem .243 leupold 3.5x10
14)custom rem 700 axel barrel .308, bushnell
15)custom howa .220swiftAI,burris black diamond

the .223AI and the 40X shoot groups that would make bench rest shooters proud.the rest are just one holers @ 100 yards.

[tuck2]

My brother ,son in law and I each have a Ruger 77 Mark II Gray Target Varmint rifle in the .204 Ruger round. All three rifles have shot 1/2 -3/4 inch groups at 100 Yds. I have shot a few groups under 1/2 inch  at 100 Yds  with reloads. I also have an older Browning Varmint rifle with a laminated stock and Boss in the 223 Rem that shoots 1/2 inch groups. I have other varmint rifles that needed to have the barrel free floted,action glass bedded, trigger adjusted,and the bolt locking lapped to get them to group bullets under one inch at 100 Yds.

[kudzu]

Ruger 77-17 - Will shoot a box full into a nickle at 75yrds
Ruger 77 6mm - Shoots quarter size groups at 200yrds - loaded with 95gr BT
TC Pro Hunter 22-250 - Clover leafs groups at 100 with fac Rem 50gr Accu Tips


Just added a Savage 12 VLP SS-S in 223 yesterday. Sure HOPE it makes this list