-
- Species
- Whitetails
- Rut Reporters
- Deer Camp
- Big Game
- Small Game
- Birds
- Special Methods
- Bow Hunting
- Conservation
- Heroes of Conservation
- Hero for a Day
- Outdoor Skills
- Total Outdoorsman Challenge
- Land for Sale
-
- Species
- Bass
- Trout
- More Freshwater
- Saltwater
- Catchbook
- Special Methods
- Fly Fishing
- Hook Shots
- Conservation
- Heroes of Conservation
- Hero for a Day
- Outdoor Skills
- Total Outdoorsman Challenge
- Land for Sale
-
- Health & Fitness
- F&S Adventurer
- Outdoor Skills
- Total Outdoorsman Challenge
-
- Rifles
- Shotguns
- 2nd Amendment
- SHOT Show
- Outdoor Skills
- Total Outdoorsman Challenge
AnswersASK YOUR QUESTION
Print
Email
Share
Answers
Browse By
Top Users
Q:
Looking for a good bolt action rifle, mostly for varmint hunting. Have looked at .204 ,.223, .243. Any suggestions?
Question by farmboy4240. Uploaded on November 09, 2009
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
Today on Field & Stream
Loading...
Visit Our Sister Sites at Bonnier Corporation
| Enthusiast | Kiteboarding | QUAD | SKI | Skiing | Scuba Diving | Sport Diver | TransWorld Ride BMX | TransWorld Business | TransWorld Motocross | TransWorld SKATEboarding, | TransWorld SNOWboarding | TransWorld SURF | WakeBoarding | WaterSki | Warren Miller Entertainment | WindSurfing |
|---|---|
| Travel | Caribbean Travel & Life | Destination Weddings & Honeymoon | Islands | Meeting Traveler | Resorts & Great Hotels |
| Lifestyle & Shelter | Florida Travel & Life | Garden Design | Home Ft. Lauderdale | Home Miami |
| Luxury | SNOW | Spa |
| Marine | Boating Life | Cruising World | Fly Fishing in Salt Waters | Power Cruising | Marlin | Motor Boating | Sailing World | Salt Water Sportsman | Sport Fishing | Yachting | NewBoats.com | UsedBoats.com | YachtBroker.com |
| Outdoor | Field & Stream | Outdoor Life | SHOT Business |
| Parenting | Babytalk | Parenting |
| Science | Popular Science | Science Illustrated |
| Saveur | Saveur |
| Working Mother Media | Working Mother |
| Entertainment / Events | World Entertainment Services | World Sports & Marketing |
Fieldandstream.com is part of the Field & Stream Network, a division of Bonnier Corporation.
Copyright © 2012 Bonnier Corp. All Rights Reserved. Reproduction in whole or in part without permission is prohibited.
Answers (15)
i would look more at the 204 or the 223. a 223 is a 600yd round and a 204 is a 800yd round i have shot both, i like 223 just because i can get ammo cheaper, last i looked 204 ammo was $18 a box 223 is $11
I would go with a .223. Its not terribly expensive to shoot, it can really reach out, and there is a wide variety of ammunition available.
Each of these cartriges has its advantages and disadvantages so it depends on your preferences and conditions:
.204 - gaining ground as one of the most fun to shoot carrying a 32g bullet over 4000 fps. Great for little varmints but it tails off after 200 yard for humane coyote hunting after that range. The bullets is just too small for anything that big and tough.
.223 - One of the least expensive to shoot due to component availability. Very low recoil and deadly accurate with 50g bullet velocity around 3450 fps. Deadly on small varmints and can flex up to coyotes and even deer. I would recommend however, that if you can do so, consider the .22-250 for about the same reloading cost. That will get you speeds of up to 4000 fps and a noticably flatter shooting rifle. Definitely capable of deer and one of the top coyote rifles in use.
.243 - A nice all around entry level varmint/deer rifle. Moves a 75g bullet up to 3500 fps and smacks deer very well with 90-100g bullets. With bullets like the Barnes TSX, the deer punch is moved up to a new level giving the .243 even more value as a deer rifle. This is my least favorite because it is more limited in speed and for me speed is everything in FUN varmint shooting.
25-06 - I'm adding this one for consideration. It shoots the 75g bullet at 3750 fps for very low recoil prairie dogs out to 400 yards. The heavier bullet is more accurate at longer ranges than the .22s and it can shoot 87g bullets at 3600 fps for deadly coyote shooting out to 400 yards and beyond. With 100-120g bullets, it flattens deer equal to or better than a .270 or 30-06. It is marginal for elk but the largest elk harvested by a woman in S. Dak. this year fell to her 25-06. I have shot over 40,000 rounds of 25-06 so far and it has served me very well.
The choice is up to you... quite a nice set of choices... you can't go wrong with any of these... just try to pick the one that best fills your expectations... I would also say that for varmint hunting you should consider reloading your own ammo for lower cost and higher accuracy (except in the .204).
Good Luck!
Fine choices have been considered and suggested, no question about that. If your focus is varminting at extended range, you may want to substitute the .243's versatility for another flat-shooting .22 centerfire, the .22-250.
I lean toward the .223 and .22-250 primarily because ammunition is readily available (even at the General Store in the boondocks), they're fun to handload, they're very accurate at the distances at which I take my shots (and, yes, I've been accused of shooting by Braille by my sharp-eyed son), and the brass is affordable and available without special order.
I've not owned a .204, so I can't speak to that from experience. A friend purchased a Ruger Model 77 in .204 and he's delighted with it (but he still covets my .223). Tough choice...but it's great to have choices!
Let us know what you choose and how well it performs for you.
Ed
I would get a 25-06 its a great varmit gun plus you can also use it for deer hunting i have a single shot handy rifle in this caliber i use it for all varmits and deer hunting it does great for long distance and it does not have any recoil so you can sqeeze the trigger without worring about flinching i mean all the small calibers mentioned are great guns you just have to narrow it down to what you will be comfortable with,try out as many as you can if i were you or go to the store pick each one up to see how it feels to you, everybody has thier favorite heck mine use to be a ruger bolt action 243 but when i saw and shot my handy rife it was like love at first shot good luck on your decision.
Get a slight breeze and the 204 goes to snit! I like the 22-250 best and doubles as a fantastic Mule Deer cartridge with Hornady 55 grain soft points or Nosler 55 solid Base which I have had many pass Through!!
25-06 best all around!
I'd say the .223 would do what you want it to do.
Buddy has one for "varmints" in Colo. and loves the cheap available ammo.
223 I htink is hte most popular rifle for varmit hunting.
The .204 flight path does get bent a bit from the wind but it is a blast to shoot. My Remington 700 was a 0.5" gun. .223 is cheaper and just gets the job done. I like them both.
Get a 243. Then you can use it for deer if want to
Get a 243. Then you can use it for deer if want to
Get a 243. Then you can use it for deer if want to
i have all three rounds but if i had to pick one it would be a 243. it is a great deer round as well .
i to love my 243 but for all around use on varmit huntting and deer hunting i would go with the 25-06 myself
Post an Answer
I would go with a .223. Its not terribly expensive to shoot, it can really reach out, and there is a wide variety of ammunition available.
Each of these cartriges has its advantages and disadvantages so it depends on your preferences and conditions:
.204 - gaining ground as one of the most fun to shoot carrying a 32g bullet over 4000 fps. Great for little varmints but it tails off after 200 yard for humane coyote hunting after that range. The bullets is just too small for anything that big and tough.
.223 - One of the least expensive to shoot due to component availability. Very low recoil and deadly accurate with 50g bullet velocity around 3450 fps. Deadly on small varmints and can flex up to coyotes and even deer. I would recommend however, that if you can do so, consider the .22-250 for about the same reloading cost. That will get you speeds of up to 4000 fps and a noticably flatter shooting rifle. Definitely capable of deer and one of the top coyote rifles in use.
.243 - A nice all around entry level varmint/deer rifle. Moves a 75g bullet up to 3500 fps and smacks deer very well with 90-100g bullets. With bullets like the Barnes TSX, the deer punch is moved up to a new level giving the .243 even more value as a deer rifle. This is my least favorite because it is more limited in speed and for me speed is everything in FUN varmint shooting.
25-06 - I'm adding this one for consideration. It shoots the 75g bullet at 3750 fps for very low recoil prairie dogs out to 400 yards. The heavier bullet is more accurate at longer ranges than the .22s and it can shoot 87g bullets at 3600 fps for deadly coyote shooting out to 400 yards and beyond. With 100-120g bullets, it flattens deer equal to or better than a .270 or 30-06. It is marginal for elk but the largest elk harvested by a woman in S. Dak. this year fell to her 25-06. I have shot over 40,000 rounds of 25-06 so far and it has served me very well.
The choice is up to you... quite a nice set of choices... you can't go wrong with any of these... just try to pick the one that best fills your expectations... I would also say that for varmint hunting you should consider reloading your own ammo for lower cost and higher accuracy (except in the .204).
Good Luck!
25-06 best all around!
i would look more at the 204 or the 223. a 223 is a 600yd round and a 204 is a 800yd round i have shot both, i like 223 just because i can get ammo cheaper, last i looked 204 ammo was $18 a box 223 is $11
Fine choices have been considered and suggested, no question about that. If your focus is varminting at extended range, you may want to substitute the .243's versatility for another flat-shooting .22 centerfire, the .22-250.
I lean toward the .223 and .22-250 primarily because ammunition is readily available (even at the General Store in the boondocks), they're fun to handload, they're very accurate at the distances at which I take my shots (and, yes, I've been accused of shooting by Braille by my sharp-eyed son), and the brass is affordable and available without special order.
I've not owned a .204, so I can't speak to that from experience. A friend purchased a Ruger Model 77 in .204 and he's delighted with it (but he still covets my .223). Tough choice...but it's great to have choices!
Let us know what you choose and how well it performs for you.
Ed
I would get a 25-06 its a great varmit gun plus you can also use it for deer hunting i have a single shot handy rifle in this caliber i use it for all varmits and deer hunting it does great for long distance and it does not have any recoil so you can sqeeze the trigger without worring about flinching i mean all the small calibers mentioned are great guns you just have to narrow it down to what you will be comfortable with,try out as many as you can if i were you or go to the store pick each one up to see how it feels to you, everybody has thier favorite heck mine use to be a ruger bolt action 243 but when i saw and shot my handy rife it was like love at first shot good luck on your decision.
Get a slight breeze and the 204 goes to snit! I like the 22-250 best and doubles as a fantastic Mule Deer cartridge with Hornady 55 grain soft points or Nosler 55 solid Base which I have had many pass Through!!
I'd say the .223 would do what you want it to do.
Buddy has one for "varmints" in Colo. and loves the cheap available ammo.
i have all three rounds but if i had to pick one it would be a 243. it is a great deer round as well .
223 I htink is hte most popular rifle for varmit hunting.
The .204 flight path does get bent a bit from the wind but it is a blast to shoot. My Remington 700 was a 0.5" gun. .223 is cheaper and just gets the job done. I like them both.
Get a 243. Then you can use it for deer if want to
Get a 243. Then you can use it for deer if want to
Get a 243. Then you can use it for deer if want to
i to love my 243 but for all around use on varmit huntting and deer hunting i would go with the 25-06 myself
Post an Answer