Good All-Round Varmint Calibre?

[The_Shootist]

Was thinking of getting back into hunting, down here in Texas. Last few years of punching holes in targets with a handgun are fun (and useful from a CCW standpoint), but I want to try something else.

When I was up north I enjoyed varmint (ie fox/groundhog) hunting quite a bit and am thinking of getting back into it in Texas.

I'm not sure what varmints Texas has to offer - except that I have a vague understanding they are a little tougher (meaner?) than north of the Mason-Dixon line.

I'm guessing a good all-round varmint caliber would be .243 Winchester - something big enough to take a feral hog or javalina and could have a light enough bullet for smaller varminsts. Somehow I think .22LR is somewhat smaller than I might want

 

[dakotasin]

for a prairie dog rig, i like the 22-250 and 308.

for an all-around, very versatile rige, look into a heavy barrel 25-06.

 

[smokemaker]

I like the .243. Pretty versatile, easy on the gun and the shooter, and easy to handload for accuracy.

 

[HSMITH]

The 243 makes an OUTSTANDING varmint rig, and with the current crop of bullets out there it is quite versatile as well. While it works like a charm on whitetailed deer I consider that the biggest game I would shoot with it. I don't think I would want to tie into a hog with a 243 unless using premium bullets along the lines of a partition, A-frame, X bullet, etc. I would want to make DANG sure that bullet stayed together long enough to get into the vitals of the hog, and I would want a little distance between us before I started shooting.

The 25-06 is a good choice too, but with the penalty of slightly more recoil and blast. Bullet choices are also more limited.

The 223 is a good varmint round, with virtually no recoil and the mildest blast of the better varmint calibers. It is too light for deer and hogs IMO.

22-250 is a good choice too, but again is too light for deer and hogs IMO. It also has quite a bit of muzzle blast.

For the less recoil sensitive a 308 makes a good heavy varmint gun but most people can't shoot one more than a little without getting beat up.

The most efficient killers of coyote and smaller animals that I have ever seen are the 22-250 and the 220 Swift. They just flat hammer an animal like you can't believe until you see it in person. You don't have to go looking for an animal shot with them if the shot placement was halfway decent. They kill far better than they should for sure.

For your criteria though I think the 243 would be a great choice, and if not the 243 then get something bigger.

 

[Art Eatman]

From Galveston, you can try to find landowners to the west, for coyotes, jackrabbits and feral hogs. North and east is probably more feral hogs, although there'd be some coyotes.

I've found the .243 to be perfect for feral cats and coyotes. With careful shot placement, it's great for deer. I'd guess that a quality 100-grain bullet would make it okay for hogs; again, shot placement...

, Art

 

[twoblink]

A 308 will do you well... For pretty much anything in North America...

Then again, you can hunt with a .50BMG too

.243 or 308.

 

[OH25shooter]

Another vote for the 243.

 

[Newt]

I'll throw mine in for .243 too. I'd second HSMITH & Art all the way on this one. I'm not so sure about the 25-06. You're gonna get quite a bit more recoil compared to the .243 and if you're shooting varmints, dead is dead. You're gonna get a dead critter either way, so I'd just assume get a dead critter with less recoil. I'm not sure about ammo, guess they're about the same price as far as a varmint round goes. Someone correct me if I'm wrong on that.

 

[Smoke]

.243 is great, .25-06 is better (my opinion) but....

My preferences lean more to higher velocities.

.22-250 is my pet round. I like a .223 also for shorter ranges and larger critters. (.22-250 is for long range prairie doggin', very accurate; 223 is for coyotes up close and in the brush, not as accurate but cheap ammo)

Then there is always the .17 Remington. Quite possibly the best varmint round out there.


Smoke

 

[NRA4LIFE]

Nah, the heck with the .243. Get one of these:

http://www.rodenator.com/

 

[Mike Irwin]

I've taken quite a few ground hogs with my .243.

However, it's not by any means the only excellent round out there.

As for varmints being meaner than in the North, a moment of perspective. It's doubtful that anything you encounter in Texas as a varmint will either eat you or fail to die when well hit with a bullet from a centerfire rifle.

That said, here are the cartridges, besides .243 that I would look at:

.222
.223
.22-250 (probably my top choice in the small calibers)
.220 Swift (number 2 choice)
.225 Winchester


In the medium calibers:

.250 Savage (my top choice far and away)
6mm Remington
.257 Roberts (can be vastly improved by handloading)
6.5x55 (an exceptional cartridge)
6.5-08 (a wildcat based on the .308)
6.5-06 (a wildcat based on the .30-06)
.25-06 (another exceptional cartridge)

 

[theCZ]

I say go .270 WIN if you are a handloader. Use 90,100,110,120 or 130 grainers for the varmints. If you are considering a 308, I'd look at ye olde 270 first, but that's just my biased opinion.

 

[Kingcreek]

If you are thinking PRIMARY use groundhog to coyote size varmints and OCCAISIONAL use for hog or Texas size deer, you could do alot worse than .243 which IMO, was made just for these situations.
Reliable sources tell me God shoots a .243

 

[twoblink]

God uses a .243 only when his .308 is at the gun smith for a trigger job

You can't go wrong with a .243 .270 and .308. Any of those will do you well. 308 has the advantage of taking down bigger game if you need to later, and also, cheap milsurp is available if you want to plink..

 

[varminator]

smoke said it

I agree with smoke. I have a 22-250. It is great. Very acurate. I use it out to 350yards and hit well. I have a .223 because it is so cheap to shoot. Dirt cheap! These calibers don't kick much either. A little muzzle blast but easy on the shoulder. A 22-250 or .223 can be used on deer with a larger bullet.

My 22-250 is a Remmington 700, bull, fluted, stainless, 6-24 power, bi-pod. The .223 is a H&R single with a 3x9 scope, bull barrel, bi-pod.

.243 will work just as well too but thumbs down on the 17 cal. It isn't so good for larger varmints such as coyetes.

I keep thinking of the cost of the ammo for the .223 being so cheap and its great out to 200 yards.

Either gun is more accurate than I can shoot so cost is a big factor!

 

[Bigjake]

It might be overkill, but i love the 30-06. cheap, plentiful ammo in a wide variety of flavors, easy on the shooter, lots of range with a nice, big fat bullet. i've heard its good to go on pretty much any critter you would meet on this continent (shot placement though...)

OTOH, if you were planning on using the hide or any part of the varmit, a big .30 cal hole in it may not be the way to go.