Author Topic: Poor Man's Varmint Rifle (Read 2956 times)

FireMarshal91 · « **on:** January 05, 2004, 11:34:30 AM »

Hi All,

Didn't know if this was the right forum to post this, but I will try anyway. Here goes my story, wife will not let me get another gun for a while (long story). The only gun I have for varmint hunting this year is a 30-06. I have no other rifle caliber between a 22 rimfire and the 30-06. Does anyone out there have varmint loads for the 30-06? I am looking at shooting rock chucks and prarie dogs past what the 22 rimfire can respectfully kill a small animal. The rifle is a remington 700 BDL. I am especially interested in any reduced cast bullet loads for varmints, but any loading suggestion would be greetly appreciated.

Thx,

JC :roll:

hillbilly · « **Reply #1 on:** January 05, 2004, 01:20:36 PM »

firemarshall91
the best varmint load i've found for the 30-06 is a 110 gr V-max with about 52gr of IMR 3031 for a velocity of about 3100 fps. or 52gr of IMR 3031 behind a 55gr .224 in a 30 cal sabot for a muzzle velocity for 4000+. both loads have proven accurate (1 MOA) in my old Win model 70
And neither loads produce what one would call substantal recoil, more than the 22Lr but considerably less that the '06 firing a 150gr bullet.
but to cover my own butt do not start at the above mentioned loads but work up to them cautiously being mindful of excessive pressure sign,

FireMarshal91 · « **Reply #2 on:** January 05, 2004, 04:14:05 PM »

hillbilly,

Thx for the information. I'll start at least 10% below your recommended load and work up.

Happy hunting!

JC

Glanceblamm · « **Reply #3 on:** January 06, 2004, 07:27:36 AM »

firemarshall

What ya got to do here is to go ahead and buy a new rifle. Give it to a close friend and have him bring it to your house one evening making sure that your wife is at home. Your friend will be returning the rifle that he borrowed from you. Go ahead and do this several times over a few years.
Your wife will not be suspicious, but may wonder why it takes 15min to dust your gun cabinet when it only used to take 5min. :-D

Seriously
The 06 can have a wide range of rifling as far as rate of twist goes. Some of them hate the accelorators (the 55gr in a Sabot) as well as 110gr bullets. If this is the case with yours, a 125gr might work.

FireMarshal91 · « **Reply #4 on:** January 07, 2004, 07:53:46 PM »

glanceblamm,

I like your suggestion about letting my friend borrow "my" rifle. It is a great idea. Only problem is the gun cabinet is at the foot of the bed and she can see every rifle/pistol/blow dart/knife/foot trap/spear/voodo doll I now own. I even tried the idea of telling her she needs a new rifle that correclty fits her for hunting other than the 30-06 and 45-70. I suggested a Remington 700 in .243 (Sweeeeet rifle) as a good combination. Only problem was, I started talking too much about the various varmints loads I could develop for it and she decided to pass on the idea.

Anyway, I'll play with the bullets people have suggested and see what happens. Should be fun.

JC

Glanceblamm · « **Reply #5 on:** January 08, 2004, 06:16:04 AM »

Plan "B" would be for you to borrow a .243 for your wife to try out. She may like it alot for the lesser recoil as compared to your 06 or 45-70.

This may backfire though. Some women can easily roll with the punch of even a .300 win mag simply because of less body weight and lesser upper body muscle.
I Stand 6'-3" and weigh 250lbs so a gun like the above belts me pretty hard as there is no give on this nut behind the butt.

ba_50 · « **Reply #6 on:** January 09, 2004, 06:05:21 AM »

I've shot the '06 a lot and settled on the Speer 125 TNT as is doesn't ricochet as bad as hollowpoints or softpoints. AA250, Dupont 3031 work good or what ever I happen to have. If you are calling coyotes you don't need a tack driver. I too would like to get a .243 but can't justify it.

Robert · « **Reply #7 on:** January 09, 2004, 01:16:48 PM »

They are very accurate in a 30-06. Of course you will have to take ANY of these lighter bullets and practice to adjust for the different elevation required.

tony212 · « **Reply #8 on:** January 22, 2004, 12:52:05 PM »

OK here is one more thing you can do. A friend told me this is how he got his wife's approval for a new rifle.
Go to your favorite gun store and buy the rifle you want. Then have them call your house when your wife is home and tell her you won a gun in a raffle they were having. Woman love to get good deals. She will be so happy you won a gun worth several houndred dollars for the price of a $1 raffle ticket. LOL
Hope this helps;
Tony212

redial · « **Reply #9 on:** January 22, 2004, 09:02:14 PM »

Before I got married, a crusty old collector friend of mine pulled me aside to let me in on his decades-long shenanigans.

"Before you get hitched," he said,"go out and round up about 50 old POS junkers for $10 apiece. They don't even have to work or nothin'."

"Whenever you buy a new rifle, take a junker out of the rack and throw it away. Put the new one in its place. See, she don't know WHICH guns you have but she sure as hell knows how many!"

Having let y'all in on this, I have to swear you to secrecy, lest we all die!

Redial

HoCoMDHunter · « **Reply #10 on:** January 23, 2004, 05:52:01 AM »

I also use the 125 gr TNTs in my '06. I have had good success with 55.0-56.0 grains Varget. That's the only powder I have tried so far. Going to the range today with some loads that are a little hotter. If I find anything good I'll post it.

FireMarshal91 · « **Reply #11 on:** January 23, 2004, 06:24:29 PM »

I appreciate everyone putting their two cent worth in. I'll see how some of your load suggestions work.

Thanks again,

JC

HoCoMDHunter · « **Reply #12 on:** January 24, 2004, 03:51:03 AM »

My groups opened up a bit when I went higher than 56 grains. I'll play around in the 55.5 to 56.0 grain area to find the tightest group. So far, 1" @ 100 yds with 56.0 gr Varget has been the best. (125 gr TNTs)

You could also try sabots. I've seen them on Midway already loaded. It sounds like they are a little tricky to reload, but not impossible. I haven't tried them yet. If my memory serves me - muzzle velocities were in 220 swift territory.

bgjohn · « **Reply #13 on:** January 24, 2004, 08:18:08 AM »

:grin: I guess I'm just lucky. My wife doesn't know how to count!
JM :lol:

WNY_Whitetailer · « **Reply #14 on:** February 11, 2004, 07:54:19 AM »

A relatively inexpensive option for a new gun would be a H&R Handi-Rifle or Ultra Varmint Rifle in 223Rem. I purchased my Ultra Rifle for $249 from Gander Mtn and dropped another $71 on a Tasco Varmint/Target Scope. The total package came to about $350 with the rings included. I now have a gun capable of shooting better than I can and I didn't break the bank putting it all together. The Handi-Rifle option would be even cheaper.

BTW, my wife never looks in my gun cabinet...Thankfully too...When we tied the knot I owned three guns and now my cabinet is holding eight. Maybe someday she will figure it. I just figure that it is easier to ask for forgiveness than to ask for permission.

Birdhunter · « **Reply #15 on:** February 11, 2004, 01:28:11 PM »

I am even luckier. My wife doesn't tell me what I can buy. I just buy it and then show it to her.

trappenjoe · « **Reply #16 on:** February 12, 2004, 01:01:09 PM »

Wy don't you trade that 06 for a 243

?? or just put the pants on and go get one ... ha ha ha :-) I lucked out with my wife she don't care how many gunssssss I have as long as I take care of bussness first ' food house . She's big on hunting and trapping , Hell she even runs her own trap line .. The only problem is I have to share everything , guns ,traps
lures, calls , Any ways good luck , try to be up front with your women
she won't be as mad when you bring home that new rifle,( and roses)
Trappenjoe aka Little Joe :wink:

bgjohn · « **Reply #17 on:** February 12, 2004, 02:03:29 PM »

Just what I like, men (& women) with "hair on thier butt" !
JM

oso45-70 · « **Reply #18 on:** February 12, 2004, 05:28:54 PM »

Alas, my friend you do have a problem, I avoided all that type problem before we got married, I made it very plain to the sweet young thing like this, we sat down and i said to her honey i love you very much and i also love to hunt and fish and i love my guns more than anything in the world,
and if that is going to be a problem maybe we should not tie the knot,
I don't keep her from the things she likes and she sure don't have any thing to say about how many guns i have and its a bunch, its too late now
so you must live with it, I hope the very best for you and i'm sure you will do ok. best wishes, and keep your powder dry. JOE

wpayne · « **Reply #19 on:** February 16, 2004, 07:08:48 AM »

How about a new barrel in 25-06?

FireMarshal91 · « **Reply #20 on:** February 24, 2004, 07:21:30 PM »

O.k. I have an update to my problem of having a poor man's a varmint rifle.

I showed my wife this forum post and man was she surprised at the response to my question of shooting the old 30-06 at varmints. She loved the various responses including the "great" ideas that were posted helping me with my problem.

I have now sitting on my kitchen table a new Savage 12fvss .223 bolt-action rifles. It is topped off with a Simmons 3x-9x44mm scope. This should bring fear to the local varmint population as some of their days are now numbered. The rifle has looks that kill.

I am thinking of starting a new thread post with the following topic "Poor Man's Alaska Moose Rifle." I might even consider writing a book on the topic matter, hoping others may follow in my foot steps in getting the firearms they so desperately need.

What ya all think? Maybe I should just stick to the foot traps and voodoo dolls?

Thanks for all your help folks!

Jason

bgjohn · « **Reply #21 on:** February 25, 2004, 02:47:59 AM »

VICTORY !!!!!!!!

You have a good wife.
JM

trappenjoe · « **Reply #22 on:** February 25, 2004, 06:47:20 AM »

I figured that ifn you was up front and included her she would come around. congradulations on the new gun . Them wemen arnt as mean
as the want you to think . did you get her some roses???
Little Joe
ps keep letn her read the post maybe you can get a hole arsinal,to pick from.

Catfish · « **Reply #23 on:** February 25, 2004, 10:09:00 AM »

The litest bullet that I was ever able to get to shoot good at 300 yrds. plus is the Speer 130 grn. HP. I have ran this bullet in acuople of different 06`s and the groups don`t open up past 100 yrds. like the liter bullets do. I have seen groundhogs nearly cut in half at 350 to 400 yrds. with this bullet.

Glanceblamm · « **Reply #24 on:** February 25, 2004, 05:53:30 PM »

Firemarshal

Congrad's on the new .223
You have a very good wife indeed

Sourdough · « **Reply #25 on:** March 23, 2004, 08:28:53 PM »

I'm having good results with the Speer 125gr TNT, in front of IMR-3031. Light recoil, yet good groups at 100, 200, and 300 yards.

oso45-70 · « **Reply #26 on:** March 24, 2004, 09:53:12 AM »

FireMarshal,
Well it worked , you got you a varmint gun now you have one more task.
You need to take the little lady out to the range or where ever you do your shooting and get her interested in the fine art of hitting a etee betee
little target with your brand new 223rem. and i'll bet if you do this, things will be better at home, just be carefull she don' out shoot you, In case she does out shoot you she just may take your little 223rem. away from you.
I was a little hard on you in the first post, but i had an idea that something
like what hapened would come about and for that i'm glad for you...
Enjoy your little tack driver you made a good choice,, Take care and
Keep your powder dry........Joe

SD Handgunner · « **Reply #27 on:** March 24, 2004, 07:08:20 PM »

FireMarshal91

Congrats on the new Varmint Rifle. I am sure it will do you proud.

Everytime you go out and kill some Prairie Dogs remind the wife of how much food you are saving for the cattle on the Prairies buy wackin those little diggers, and also that you are saving some defenseless cow the possibility of a broken leg by not having so many Prairie Dog holes for the cattle to step in. If she is like my wife she will thank you for doing your part in preserving the Eco System on the Prairie.

Good luck with the new Rifle, now go shoot some varmints.

Larry

handirifle · « **Reply #28 on:** March 26, 2004, 05:18:19 AM »

Firemarshal
Glad you got your rifle, and even gladder (SP?) you did it by being up front with her. You have much more enjoyment out of hunting by being up front and honest, she'll always trust you and be even more likely to hunt with you.
Good job!

Glanceblamm · « **Reply #29 on:** March 28, 2004, 05:14:18 AM »

I am half honest.
When my weed whacker accidently took out the wifes hyacins (flowers)
I told her that I had seen a rabbit out there the night before. Worked out pretty well and I even defended the said rabbitt.

This (was an accident) shot was a raking one at 14inches, 40degree downhill. The dual .080 strings did their job well. Didnt leave much to skin out though :lol: