Guy Miner
Master Loader
- Apr 6, 2006
- 17,673
- 5,487
How about experiences using your deer rifle on varmints?
Back in the 1970's, Dad and I used 130 grain hollowpoints from our .30-06 rifles and surely busted up the rockchucks!
Grandpa smoked us all, and a whole lot of varmints, using one of the early .257 Weatherby rifles, with handloaded 100 grain hollowpoints. His was a real early .257 made up on a Mauser 98 action in Roy's old shop in the 1950's. The rifle was heavily used on both varmints & deer.
Dad treated me to a Rem 700 in 6mm Remington for a high-school graduation present. Topped with a 3-9x Leupold, it was dynamite on varmints. Although I've loaded it with 55 - 105 grain bullets, it hit varmint nirvana with bullets of 70 - 75 grains. My youngest son still uses that rifle, although we've upgraded to a 3.5-10x scope. Excellent walk-around varmint rifle that's also a dandy deer rifle out to 300 yards.
I find myself without a dedicated varmint rifle these days, and am making do (poor me) with a .25-06 Rem 700 CDL, as well as my two custom .308's, one Remington, one Winchester. I tend to load and shoot only 100 grain bullets from the .25-06, at 3340 fps. Zaps the varmints. That skinny sporter barrel wouldn't last long at a prarie dog town though.
The .308's are very interesting, as they were built for accuracy - but with 155 & 168 grain match bullets. With 125 grain Nosler Ballistic Tips, loaded to 3100 - 3200 fps, they're pretty mean on small furry critters too. At 500 yards, the little bullet is still doing nearly 2000 fps, and produces great accuracy! These two rifles have become favorite varminters, which I didn't really expect.
I won't go into the times I've blasted crows, ground squirrels, rockchucks & coyotes with a 7mm Rem mag or a .300 Win mag... Believe me, they work... :roll:
How about you guys? Varmints with your deer rifle?
Back in the 1970's, Dad and I used 130 grain hollowpoints from our .30-06 rifles and surely busted up the rockchucks!
Grandpa smoked us all, and a whole lot of varmints, using one of the early .257 Weatherby rifles, with handloaded 100 grain hollowpoints. His was a real early .257 made up on a Mauser 98 action in Roy's old shop in the 1950's. The rifle was heavily used on both varmints & deer.
Dad treated me to a Rem 700 in 6mm Remington for a high-school graduation present. Topped with a 3-9x Leupold, it was dynamite on varmints. Although I've loaded it with 55 - 105 grain bullets, it hit varmint nirvana with bullets of 70 - 75 grains. My youngest son still uses that rifle, although we've upgraded to a 3.5-10x scope. Excellent walk-around varmint rifle that's also a dandy deer rifle out to 300 yards.
I find myself without a dedicated varmint rifle these days, and am making do (poor me) with a .25-06 Rem 700 CDL, as well as my two custom .308's, one Remington, one Winchester. I tend to load and shoot only 100 grain bullets from the .25-06, at 3340 fps. Zaps the varmints. That skinny sporter barrel wouldn't last long at a prarie dog town though.
The .308's are very interesting, as they were built for accuracy - but with 155 & 168 grain match bullets. With 125 grain Nosler Ballistic Tips, loaded to 3100 - 3200 fps, they're pretty mean on small furry critters too. At 500 yards, the little bullet is still doing nearly 2000 fps, and produces great accuracy! These two rifles have become favorite varminters, which I didn't really expect.
I won't go into the times I've blasted crows, ground squirrels, rockchucks & coyotes with a 7mm Rem mag or a .300 Win mag... Believe me, they work... :roll:
How about you guys? Varmints with your deer rifle?
