Author Topic: BEST VARMIT HANDI CALIBER? (Read 1712 times)

colt1960 · « **on:** March 29, 2013, 05:07:26 PM »

Thinking of getting a varmit caliber handi barrel and was wondering which one has a reputation for being the most accurate on average in the handi-rifle calibers. Im planning on sending a receiver into the h&r to get a new .357 barrel and thought I might get a varmit cal. also. Rick!

Spanky · « **Reply #1 on:** March 29, 2013, 05:10:24 PM »

What kind of varmints you talking about?

Spanky

tacklebury · « **Reply #2 on:** March 29, 2013, 05:13:29 PM »

I'd say that .223 Rem is a great one unless you need more than 400 yards of range, then jump up to the .22-250. If you want to hunt at night in many states it must be rimfire, so you might consider .22 mag also.

colt1960 · « **Reply #3 on:** March 29, 2013, 05:18:16 PM »

fox and Coyote.

Ranger99 · « **Reply #4 on:** March 29, 2013, 05:32:05 PM »

had good luck with my .223,
but i don't have any shot opportunities
over 200-250, does ok for that.
at this point in the game, you most likely
want to consider the state of affairs we're
in right now, and get whatever you know
for a fact you can get ammo or brass and
bullets for. you might even want to have
ammo or components in hand before your
barrel purchase ( i know! it's sounds silly
to me too here writing it, but it's a new world)

YRUpunting? · « **Reply #5 on:** March 29, 2013, 05:34:46 PM »

My opinion is your not going to find acceptable accuracy trying to switch barrels between 100 yard and 300 yards.

bigvarmnt · « **Reply #6 on:** March 29, 2013, 05:37:47 PM »

223 seems pretty accurate in my Superlite barrel. Still not sure about the 22-250 in the Handi. Just set up my dies to load some 22-250s again.
I wouldn't shoot a fox with a 250 and would download the 223 if only going for fox. Unless you don't care about the fur.
I think 22 mag will require a rimfire receiver.

mcwoodduck · « **Reply #7 on:** March 29, 2013, 06:07:07 PM »

Hard to beat my 22 mag. At least I still see 22 mag ammo on some of the shelves.

Sourdough · « **Reply #8 on:** March 29, 2013, 07:12:15 PM »

Foxes, 22LR or .22 Mag. .223 will blow them in half. Coyotes, if up close the .223 would do fine. If any distance 22-250.

But for most shots a .22 Hornet should do just fine on both.

theratdog · « **Reply #9 on:** March 29, 2013, 08:05:41 PM »

i like the 223 \22-250 204 ruger for long shots my handy's all shoot real good 223 the cheapest to shoot.

Couger · « **Reply #10 on:** March 29, 2013, 11:03:30 PM »

Quote from: colt1960

fox and Coyote.

In a Handi if one was available ...... a .22-250 (that shoots sub-MOA) with your favorite 55 grain varmint pill!

I'd go with a 24inch heavy barrel preferably, but does H&R still offer 24in .22-250's? $:-\$

H&R certainly offers the .223 in several configurations, to me thats only a 300rd round. For what you're asking I'd want at least a 400 yard set-up.

Deerhunter#1 · « **Reply #11 on:** March 30, 2013, 01:01:28 AM »

22 mag for shots on both to 100 yards. 100-200 yards 22 hornet or .204. Further than 200 I want to say 22-250 or 243 but i havent had luck getting either to shoot well so I would go with a 223 which all have shot well for me.

LaOtto222 · « **Reply #12 on:** March 30, 2013, 02:11:36 AM »

Normally I would say 223 because of cost, performance and accuracy. Unless you have a supply of ammo or reloading supplies, they are impossible to get around my area and are difficult or impossible to get on line. Every thing is hard to get right now. There are no rimfires of any kind on the shelves here and the most mail order places are not even taking back orders, they are so far behind. I recently bought a 223, but I had a good supply of reloading componets already laid in. The last shortage in 2008 was bad, but I think this is even worse, this time. If you can get the reloading supplies or ammo for a 204, 22-250, 22 Hornet or even a 22 Magnum, that is what I would get. I just bought some 222 Rem and 243 brass, but they are not as popular as the 223. A site sponsor has once fired 223 brass for sale, but it costs more than new brass does, when you can find it. Since I have a good supply, I will wait out the "scare". People have absolutely went crazy with the gun band scare. They are hoarding supplies.

Good Luck and Good Shooting

cwlongshot · « **Reply #13 on:** March 30, 2013, 03:39:00 AM »

My personal choice would limit my range, But I like the added challange and choose the 22Magnum.

BUT most will not, I would say the 22 Hornet and the 223 Rem are going to be top and make the biggest sense choices.

CW

tturner53 · « **Reply #14 on:** March 30, 2013, 08:47:05 AM »

Easy question. .223 Remington. One way or another that's where you'll end up anyway. The ammo/components shortage will pass. Handload the .223 from .22LR equivalent to top end. You can even cast your own bullets from scrap lead for plinkers.

mcwoodduck · « **Reply #15 on:** March 30, 2013, 10:20:32 AM »

Quote from: tturner53 on March 30, 2013, 08:47:05 AM

Easy question. .223 Remington. One way or another that's where you'll end up anyway. The ammo/components shortage will pass. Handload the .223 from .22LR equivalent to top end. You can even cast your own bullets from scrap lead for plinkers.

Not to mention the ctg inserts that will allow you to fire 22LR or 22Mag from your 223.

ousooners1baby · « **Reply #16 on:** March 30, 2013, 10:37:19 AM »

mcwoodduck, go on about these inserts. What are they and where do you get this contraption? And, are the bullets not the same diameter in .223 and 22/250? Allowing you to reload for the same price? (Not talking about retail pricing) Then you could also load down to whatever you could do to your .223 and then max out to 22/250 loads. Am I not right?

petemi · « **Reply #17 on:** March 30, 2013, 11:14:34 AM »

Most of the critters I kill are varmints. I don't keep the hides, so I kill them with all my Handis....whatever is in my hand or nearby. If he's out a ways, I'll try to grab something with range. If I can't or don't have time, I grab the closest and fudge the elevation if I have to. If I'm actually hunting fox, coyotes, woodchucks etc. and expect long shots, I'll take the .223, .22-250, .243, 7mm-08 or one of the .308s. As I said, I don't sweat the hole in the critter. The bigger the better. The .243 is the dedicated wolf rifle and should be back at work within a month or so when lambing season arrives. Wolves and coyotes think that's a picnic. The .32-20, the Maxis, .30-30, .38-55 and the .45-70 have taken as many varmints as the "Varmint Rifles".

I believe the choice of bullet is more important than the caliber if you want to keep the hides. I killed a coyote one time with a SKS and a FMJ Ruski round. Poked a pencil hole through him. If a varmint bullet exits, you're going to have a mess on the off side.

Pete

quickdtoo · « **Reply #18 on:** March 30, 2013, 11:28:23 AM »

I'm with Pete, I've killed lots of coyotes while hunting deer and elk, almost got one while turkey huntin once, but he was too quick for me!! I leave em lay, tried skinning one once, couldn't get past the smell. $:-\$ Shot one once with a 180gr Corelokt from my 308 BLR, he was loping across a ravine about 150yds from me, I had a good rest but didn't lead him enough and hit him in the back too far back, liked to cut him in half, he went down ripping his own guts out, he didn't last long after the second round put him out of his misery. I've got several by returning to a gut pile in the days following the kill, that works about as good as any other method I've used.

Then there's the one that cost me an elk, but that's another story!

Tim

bigvarmnt · « **Reply #19 on:** March 30, 2013, 11:34:58 AM »

Tim, you're gonna have to be a little "Quick er" if your letting a coyote get an elk away from you

quickdtoo · « **Reply #20 on:** March 30, 2013, 12:51:03 PM »

Saw the coyote first, the spike elk was up wind hidden behind a patch of 20' firs 40yds ahead of me, shot at the coyote as he skidaddled away from me, then the elk took off, got a glimpse of him as he crossed a small opening, but not long enough for a shot, if I hadn't seen the yote first, I woulda snuck right up on the elk, never got a shot at the elk and missed the yote!

Tim

bigvarmnt · « **Reply #21 on:** March 30, 2013, 01:05:31 PM »

I understand you wanting to blast them. I shot the one in my avatar and she had a nice coat. Glad I didn't destroy her. Shot another that wasn't as nice. I want a nice red fox someday and a grey would be nice

If going after those three I don't want to destroy them, but I understand those that just want them dead.
Hornet would probably work for Rick to get for close calling. Anything would work if just wanting them dead. I don't think range was mentioned, so hard to advise.
I think he wants to get another barrel when he sends his receiver in for a 357 barrel.

Hoping it's a SB2

LONGTOM · « **Reply #22 on:** March 30, 2013, 01:05:52 PM »

My choices in order:

204 32 gr V-max for smaller varmints and 45 gr SPs for the larger stuff
223 52 gr BTHP (1 in 12" or 14 " twist)
22-250 again 52 gr BTHP
243 75 to 85 gr SPs
12 GA 3" # 4 Buck out to about 50 yds.

LONGTOM

mcwoodduck · « **Reply #23 on:** March 30, 2013, 01:13:02 PM »

Quote from: ousooners1baby on March 30, 2013, 10:37:19 AM

mcwoodduck, go on about these inserts. What are they and where do you get this contraption? And, are the bullets not the same diameter in .223 and 22/250? Allowing you to reload for the same price? (Not talking about retail pricing) Then you could also load down to whatever you could do to your .223 and then max out to 22/250 loads. Am I not right?

An insert is a ctg that unscrews to allow you to insert a different caliber into the case of the larger Ctg. A 22 mag can be shot out of a 223 modified case, but since a 22-250 can not be inserted into a 223 case.
A company made a bunch of them to shoot different pistol calibers out of rifle Ctgs.

quickdtoo · « **Reply #24 on:** March 30, 2013, 01:50:41 PM »

MCA lists inserts for shooting 22lr and 22mag in other rifles as well as some same bore adapters, but reports on their customer service are less than encouraging. They also list shotgun inserts as well as adapters.

Tim

http://www.mcace.com/rifleinserts.html

http://www.mcace.com/shotguninserts.htm

http://www.mcace.com/adapters.htm

cwlongshot · « **Reply #25 on:** March 30, 2013, 01:53:20 PM »

I have a 22H in 223 insert... I think I need a 22M in 223 as well... Wonder if they make a 12 or 20ga rifled insert for the 22M?

CW

quickdtoo · « **Reply #26 on:** March 30, 2013, 02:04:41 PM »

MCA has them listed in their shotgun inserts, the adapter discussion in the Shotgun forum has a link to some other than MCA I think, one of em is Short Lane, but they're short adapters, not inserts.

Tim

http://www.gboreloaded.com/forums/index.php/topic,247817.0.html

http://www.gunadapters.com/categories/Shotgun-Adapters/

colt1960 · « **Reply #27 on:** March 30, 2013, 04:13:45 PM »

Ive got a AR-15 so .223 isnt a problem for me. I bought up a lot of brass when clinton was in office during the last government scare. I stocked up on most things I needed for reloading. I just wasnt sure how accurate the 223 was in the handi rifle.

tacklebury · « **Reply #28 on:** March 30, 2013, 04:49:39 PM »

My heavy barrel .223 with a 4-16x40 BSA Mildot on it does this pretty consistently at 100 yards:

My superlite is shot mainly off hand but shoots inside 1" offhanded at 25 yards. I mainly use my low power loads with the Superlite, but it does equally well with my ballistic tip loads.

MTNRGR · « **Reply #29 on:** April 01, 2013, 12:36:41 AM »

Nobody mentioned the .25-06, is that to much gun for totes?

Hey tacklebury, how do you have that 40mm mounted on your heavy barrel? I have a 30mm on mine with medium rings and think its still too high, and low rings wont work with the heavy barrel?