Varmint/target caliber opinions, new vs classic

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A cartridge that doesn't get much mention these days is the .17 Javalina. I first read about this sweet little wildcat when I was in grammar school and how it was made in a gunshop in Arizona. That's when my idea of Arizona was a distant place covered with sand and cactus and populated with cowboys, savage Apaches and Mexican Banditos dressed in crisscrossed cartridge belts. Otherwise mainly a place where tourists came to look at a deep crack in the earth called the Grand Canyon. But regardless of where it was made the .17 Javalina sounded about perfect for the crows and groundhogs around my Appalachian home. So I sent a letter asking for more information and got back a price list which, if I looked long enough, I could probably find if I searched my old files. Meanwhile, as my growing-up years came and went by, my former interest in the Javalina faded with the advent of Remington's .17 and other .17's. But then one day not long ago out of the blue a gun dealer called to ask if I had ever heard of the .17 Javalina! He had one that had been made and used by one of the owners of the Arizona shop where they were originally made. Would I be interested? There is a lot more to this story, but here's the happy ending. (The Javalina, which is made from .222 brass, is shown between l ,17 Fireball and .17 Remington.) DSC_0171 (2).JPG DSC_0177 (2).JPG DSC_0186 (2).JPG 21A_3411 (2).JPG
 
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A cartridge that doesn't get much mention these days is the .17 Javalina. I first read about this sweet little wildcat when I was in grammar school and how it was made in a gunshop in Arizona. That's when my idea of Arizona was a distant place covered with sand and cactus and populated with cowboys, savage Apaches and Mexican Banditos dressed in crisscrossed cartridge belts. Otherwise only a place where tourists came to look at a deep crack in the earth called the Grand Canyon. But regardless of where it was made the .17 Javalina sounded about perfect for the crows and groundhogs around my Appalachian home. So I wrote them a letter asking for more information and got back a price list which, if I looked long enough, I could probably find if I searched my old files. Meanwhile, as my growing-up years came and went by, my former interest in the Javalina faded with the advent of Remington's .17 and other .17's. But then one day not long ago out of the blue a gun dealer called to ask if I had ever heard of the .17 Javalina! He had one that had been made and used by one of the owners of the Arizona shop where they were originally made. Would I be interested? There is a lot more to this story, but here's the happy ending. (The Javalina, which is made from .222 brass, is shown between l ,17 Fireball and .17 Remington.)View attachment 988473 View attachment 988474 View attachment 988475 View attachment 988476
That is one sweet rig you have . I had a Sako .222 w/ Mannlicher stock , you bring back some fond memories, and also how much I regret I ever sold it .
 
That is one sweet rig you have . I had a Sako .222 w/ Mannlicher stock , you bring back some fond memories, and also how much I regret I ever sold it .
I understand your pain of regret because I once suffered the same agony over loss of the same rifle. I had worked long and hard to buy a Sako .222 and a 10X Lyman Wolverine scope, (Which was considered a topline scope in those days.) .It was my pride and joy through my highschool years, having shot a bargeload of groundhogs and crows with it, plus the pride of owning such a spectacular rifle. But then came the expenses of college so I sold it to a local gunsmith with the understanding I could buy it back after I graduated. But he died in the meantime and his widow sold the Sako to someone I could never track down. Heartbroken, I promised myself to have another just like it, scope and all, but by then both the rifle and the scope were longtime out of production, meaning I had to locate an identical rifle, scope and mounts wherever they could be found. It all eventually came together but the Wolverine scope was not as great as I once thought. I still I keep it mounted for sentimental memories, but when I want to do some real shooting I slip on the later day Leupold also shown here. With either scope, its one of my three all-time favorites. 21A_3415 (2).JPG 21A_3419 (2).JPG 21A_3429 (2).JPG
 
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I understand your pain of regret because I once suffered the same agony over loss of the same rifle. I had worked long and hard to buy a Sako .222 and a 10X Lyman Wolverine scope, (Which was considered a topline scope in those days.) .It was my pride and joy through my highschool years, having shot a bargeload of groundhogs and crows with it, plus the pride of owning such a spectacular rifle. But then came the expenses of college so I sold it to a local gunsmith with the understanding I could buy it back after I graduated. But he died in the meantime and his widow sold the Sako to someone I could never track down. Heartbroken, I promised myself to have another just like it, scope and all, but by then both the rifle and the scope were longtime out of production, meaning I had to locate an identical rifle, scope and mounts wherever they could be found. It all eventually came together but the Wolverine scope was not as great as I once thought. I still I keep it mounted for sentimental memories, but when I want to do some real shooting I slip on the later day Leupold also shown here. With either scope, its one of my three all-time favorites.View attachment 989260 View attachment 989261 View attachment 989262


Another gorgeous gun!
 
I love my .220 Swift, but I handload, and prarie dogs at fairly extreme ranges are a whole different ballgame from predators.

I use a .17 Rem on pasture poodles because it makes a pin prick entrance hole and doesn't exit, preserves the hide well. But again, handloader's cartridge.

Since you don't handload, .223 makes the most sense. .22-250 would also be an option, pretty good factory ammo selection there.

My oldest brother's Rem 700 in .17. The most accurate rifle I ever shot. He has passed but it's still in the family with another brother. I can get a drive bye accuracy fix if I need it. :) I had a Rem 700 22-250 that rivalled, almost, the .17. Great guns, actions and barrels from the seventies. (not sure of the age of the .17 but the 22-250 was a 1977.
 
OP asks for opinions on "classic" varmint calibers, so in my opinion the Gold Standard of varmint calibers is the .220 Swift. And it's even classier when combined with a Dakota varmint style rifle like this one. I'm a right handed shooter but prefer left hand bolt operation for my varmint rifles, so I ordered this Dakota with left bolt combined with solid bottom receiver. I've never seen another Dakota like it so it may be one of a kind. DSC_0110 (3).JPG DSC_0120 (2).JPG 21A_4860 (2).JPG
 
OP asks for opinions on "classic" varmint calibers, so in my opinion the Gold Standard of varmint calibers is the .220 Swift. And it's even classier when combined with a Dakota varmint style rifle like this one. I'm a right handed shooter but prefer left hand bolt operation for my varmint rifles, so I ordered this Dakota with left bolt combined with solid bottom receiver. I've never seen another Dakota like it so it may be one of a kind.View attachment 1057784 View attachment 1057785 View attachment 1057787
Another fine example of a tastefully crafted rifle...I mean, if that's all you can swing :)

Fully agree that the Swift is the standard by which all others are judged (or well should be), with the .22-250 only a beat or two behind. Until they come out with a 5.56Creedmoor anyway. Unless they already have....
 
I like to keep things simple, it's 223 for me. There are many other options where you can make a case that they are better. But only by a miniscule amount. I have a few AR's and it just makes sense to have my bolt gun in 223 as well.
That was a big factor with me bringing home the Ruger No. 1-B a little while ago. With a batch of AR-15’s already, I wasn’t too fired up about having to source another varmint-caliber cartridge during todays ammo crunch. :(

Stay safe.
 
I have both 22-250 and 6.5 Creedmoor, and I would choose the 22-250 for coyote, the 6.5 Creedmoor is also a good choice. But with the 22-250 I would be trying to preserve the pelt more.
 
The OP mentioned "Classic" in his descriptions and there is nothing more classic for hunting varmints than a single shot rifle. Here is a modest assortment of singles in some long-time favorite varmint calibers including ..218 Bee. .222 Rem, .22/250 Rem, .223 Rem. .220 Swift and .6mm Rem. I once had a Ruger No.1 in .204 Ruger caliber that was the most accurate No.1 I've ever owned but gave it away in a regrettable fit of generosity. And I'm still looking for a No.1 in .225 Win if I can find one with pretty wood like these old time No.1's.View attachment 987380 View attachment 987381 View attachment 987382 View attachment 987386
I second Mr @Offfhand recommendation of a single shot varminter.
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I like my .204. Its a super flat shooter. The 32 grain pill trotting along at 4k fps doesn't go anywhere after it makes contact.
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Note the similarities between my rifle and mr @Offfhand. ;)
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All joking aside, the .204 is a hot little varminter for smaller varmints and pests.
 
I've owned a Remington .222 M-700 ADL that did well on woodchucks out to ~300 yds in the dairy farm meadows of my youth in western New York. I shot Sierra 50 gr Spitzers ($3.00/100) back in those 1960-64 years and earned $.50 for each chuck tail I presented to the local farmers. The gun with a Weaver K-6 mounted went to a cousin when I shipped out to Vietnam in 1969. It was easy to shoot MOA groups with those 50 gr pills and a modest charge of 4198, the only powder locally available powder.

But I'd always wanted one of those sleek Sako Mannlichers in .222 for walks along our fence lines here in KY. A decade ago I found this one in .222 Magnum and bought it. Currently it's mounted with a Leupold 2-7, but works equally well with a Leupold 4x Alaskan (7/8" tube)...this diminutive scope looks right on the rifle and minimizes the walk around weight. But you'll pull your hair out trying to find brass for a .222 Magnum. I have several hundred original cases for mine...use them only for long range work, and form .204 Ruger brass to .222 Magnum for my cast bullet loads. It's quite easy, really, and as of two years ago, .204 brass was readily available. While forming the case, BTW, I shoot cast bullet loads and the groups are identical to my finished brass loads.

For shots on woodchucks and coyotes here out to 300 yds, the gun perks with either Sierra or Hornady Match `53 gr BTHP's and BL-C(2). It's a sub-MOA ~3000 fps combination. For close in work around the house: starlings, chucks in the barn area, etc., I have a cast bullet load with Lyman's excellent 225415 GC, with SR4759. Sized .225", the gun will keep 5 shots ~ 1" at 100 yds. It's ~ 1600 fps proposition.

Here's the gun....Sako L 461 Mannlicher in .222 Magnum.....Best Regards, Rod

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I hunt prairie dogs every year with the same group and here are the calibers we shoot:

.22-250
.204 Ruger
.223 Remington
.220 Swift

I personally shoot a .22-250 and a .223 for prairie dogs. Several of the guys really swear by the .204 Ruger. Lots of choices for a good varmint caliber. We are all handloaders for all calibers.
 
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I’d like to learn more about this, how’s a modernized one differ than the original, is it all in the twist rate?
Twist is the major difference. Thanks to the enablers here on THR I built a Remage in 22-250 Ackley; it's an 8-twist. It is definitely a tinkerer's project both in assembly and in cartridge selection, and I'm still tinkering with loads. The advantage of going the Remage route is that when the barrel is shot out I can replace it myself, either in the same or a different cartridge. The 22-250 Ackley is a very cool cartridge.
 
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Another fine example of a tastefully crafted rifle...I mean, if that's all you can swing :)

Fully agree that the Swift is the standard by which all others are judged (or well should be), with the .22-250 only a beat or two behind. Until they come out with a 5.56Creedmoor anyway. Unless they already have....
Sort of. There is a .22 Creedmoor on the books (https://www.primalrights.com/library/cartridge-guides/22-creedmoor), but my preference is for 6mm calibers for varmint rifles. I had a Savage M12 BVSS in .243 Win. that would shoot a five round group I could cover with a dime at 100 yards. It was so consistent and easy to shoot it was boring. I sold it some years ago and have regretted doing so ever since.
Today, my varminter is a 6mm Creedmoor built on a Remington 788 action that is almost as easy to shoot as that old Savage M12 but will shoot the heavy 105gr and 115gr Berger bullets and is not so hard on brass.

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