Varmint cartridge and rifle

[4Patriot]

Anyone care to share some thoughts? What is the most versatile/best cartridge/rifle combination for varmint hunting? Assume that you only get one choice -- what do you bring to that proverbial desert isle?

[pacrat]

22-250 rem

[davidb]

my take on it is no need for the oddball or exotic calibers

.22lr and .223 cover all the varmint needs

[capitol]

.204 Ruger

[postal]

Depends on distance and target size.

22lr close
223 2-3 hundred yards if you're good- more if you're exceptional....
22-250,243,260,6 or 6.5mm for 400+

Everything has a trade off too. Cost/availability of ammo, and barrel life are relative as you step up.

[damon1272]

For all around I would say the .223. I love my 22-250 but I have to run a brake to stop the scope black out and you just cannot shoot as much as the .223 due to the barrel heating faster. I also love the .17 HMR but not good on anything above a rabbit. I would not feel right going after a coyote with a .17 HMR.

[Bangzoom]

my take on it is no need for the oddball or exotic calibers

.22lr and .223 cover all the varmint needs

agreed...but i could also use my 5.45x39

[Tank 57]

Love my .22-250. Think .223 is more versatile.

[SB1964]

Depends on what I'm shooting. 17HMR, .22LR, 22-250. Bucket list "to do" drive until I find a legal area to blast prarie dogs & squirrels. Like that "dog b gone" video.

[Virus55]

.223 OR 22-250

[NorCalFocus]

.223 in a AR. The whole reason I'm building an AR.

[krwada]

varmints

.22-250

followed by

.223

Believe it or not ... I have bagged quite a few small critters using a 12 ga loaded with #4 shot. You did say desert isle did you not?

If I were on a small to medium sized Pacific Island ... then my go to would be 12 gauge loaded with #4 shot. I know I would probably eat pretty well with a combo like that ... for awhile anyhow.

[4Patriot]

Great, thanks for the input. I see some consensus. Would your answers differ if the question were applied to varmints and small game?

[09rubicon]

I have a .223 AR platform set up with a 22" full float match barrel and some nicer redfield optics. I can take out ground squirels all day long at 100-400 meters.

[curtru]

If was my choices I'd use a 223 now days because 22.lr is harder to find and you can take larger vermin with 223. Btw I use a savage bolt action with a bull barrel and an ar in 223 for my vermin guns and so far my farthest confirmed with my bolt gun I think 750 yards but it wasn't easy.

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