Hi All - I've been narrowing my search down to either the .204 or .22-250 caliber, for varmint and bench target shooting. Still haven't totally made up my mind yet. Interesting though, as the 204 Rifles seem to about $100 less than the 22-250 ???

Anyway, between the following VARMINT grade rifles, which one w/you choose and why ???

- Remington Model 7 Synthetic 204 (or the 700 series if 22-250)
- CZ 527 / 550 Model
- Savage w/Acu Trigger

Thanks so much all for your much appreciated comments !!!

Vote is still ut on the .204, "match" grade bullets may not be easy to find....no doubt the little round can shoot well, but the .224"bore has the advantage of a real wide range of bullets eaisly available. Perhaps taking the benchrest comment too seriously, but neither one has the reputation for long-long barrel life; nothing burns up bushel baskets of ammo like getting hooked on shooting small groups. Wouldn't worry about barrel life so much during varminting (once you get the barrel good and hot, stop, get a coke, and let the barrel cool)

Sam's got an Encore in 204 and like ribbonstone says the jury is still out on my part. My question is how long can a barrel with that small of a hole be subjected to the punishment of 4000 fps loads before it goes FUBAR. it does shoot pretty small groups but for how long.

I would also go for the .223. My old 788 in .223 has seen over 8000 rounds and still shoots 1/2 moa groups.

Have you thought about the CZ Varmint rifle in .221 Fireball? Recoil should be light enough to see your hits. The cartridge can be exceptionally accurate, and has plenty of power for gophers to about 275 yards.

I picked up one of the limited run of Rem 700's in .222 and fell in love with the cartridge all over again. Mine will consistently shoot 1/2 moa 5 shot groups off the sandbags. You only give up about 100 fps to a 223 and the woodchuks don't seem to notice the difference. Reasonably quiet and real easy on barrels.

A lot of your choice depends upon what kind of varmit shooting your going to do. Squirrel hunters out west that work the big praire dog towns need a different rifle than folks whom call and shoot coyotes. Target (benchrest) shooting also can require a different type of rifle though the dedicated dogtown rifle can work for both.

I've got friends whom shoot the 204 and it's proven an excellent ground squirrel rifle, but seems a bit light for yotes beyond 300/350 yards. Yotes go down, get up and run away at far distances. I would prefer the 22-250 for that.

If you plan on yotes and harvesting hides the 22-250 is way to destructive where the 204, 17 Rem and 222 Rem work much better, just limit your shots to around 200 yards.

I guess what I'm saying is your question is a little vague. You might want to help us help you by defining what kind of varmit hunting your considering. There is a lot of experience on this forum and the guys out there doing it every day have pretty well wrung out the right equipment for a specific job.

I hunt squirrels in the spring and yotes in the winter. I use a Ruger #1B with a 3-9 Weaver classic for yotes and put a 8 x 32 tasco with a target dot for spring squirrels. My son has a Remington VLS heavy barrel in 243 with a 6-24 mil dot he uses for both. I think it's a bit heavy for yote hunting, but he's a big boy and does not mind the weight. His gun is more accurate than mine, but I seem to kill more coyotes than he does. It makes him grumpy.

Welcome to the forum and good luck in your search for that ideal varmit rifle.

Another vote for the .223 Rem.

Yeah - old and blase, common as dirt, no fancy cases or barrel burning velocities. Just a good old cartridge with a wide range of applications and bullet weights. Not real fussy about the powder selection, either.

Never owned a .204 - didn't see the need with the Ruger M77MkII V/T ss and laminated in the .223 Rem.

Owned a 22-250 AI once - fellow worker made me an offer I couldn't refuse, so he now uses it for varmits and antelope.

Remington has a new single shot that seems to be a viable option...

I'd vote for the 22-250...

It would be a toss-up between the CZ and the Savage in my book.

But you didn't mention range...and if you handload.

If you keep it within 150 yards and you roll your own, then I plunk my vote down for the little 22 Hornet. I own a Winchester 43a and I am sold on this little rifle...the mild loads I kick out for it won't heat the barrel up until I am on the 5th or 6th round, and its scary-accurate with the 45 gr Hornet bullets from Hornady...haven't checked to see what its capable of with p-dogs or chucks...but I am sure that it will do the job.

If your going to stick to a "normal" caliber, then go with a 223 with a 1-9 twist barrel...that way you can go with the heavy match bullets and still get good performance out of varmint bullets without shucking the jacket.

D

[QUOTE=Interesting though, as the 204 Rifles seem to about $100 less than the 22-250 ???

Anyway, between the following VARMINT grade rifles, which one w/you choose and why ???

- Remington Model 7 Synthetic 204 (or the 700 series if 22-250)
- CZ 527 / 550 Model
- Savage w/Acu TriggerQUOTE]

Using the choices you've given, I'd vote for the 22-250. I've never owned the 204 and it may be an excellent round, but I have owned several 22-250's. The 22-250 IS an excellent round. LOT's of bullet choices for the reloader to give you options depending on the job at hand.
I used to have one of the older Savage varmint rifles that worked beautifully. I currently shoot a Remington VSSF. It took awhile to find 'the' load, but now it shoots 1 hole groups off the bench at 100 yards. Either the Reminton or the Savage should work fine. Just top it with a Leupold varmint scope and have a ball.

I don't think you will really go wrong with any of the afore mentioned choices - Remington, Savage, or CZ ... But I do have to put my vote in for a .223 1:9" twist heavy bbl Remington varmint rifle ... You will be getting a rifle that will shoot wonderfully, hold it's resale value pretty darn well, and any gunsmith worth a penny or more should have no problems working on it if something should go wrong with the rifle ... Besides that, if/when you decide to customize the rifle in any way, Remington's by far have the most "after-market" options of any rifle out there ... and they have the most choices for scope bases and rings, ... Just some of the little things to think about before you make the purchase ...

I'm with faucettb...whatchya up to anyway?

I own both .223 and .22-250 and keep the .22-250 throttled back to 3500 fps. Just don't need more. But I only prairie dog. (And I like the 1/12" twist for lighter bullets). The .22-250 gives you more flexibility by being able to push out whatever size bullets you want (within the limits of twist rate) and at whatever speed you want. But if like me, you'll throttle it back a bit and not use it all, what's the point? The .223 is far more efficient. I get the same speed with near 10 grains less of powder!, less recoil, etc.

Get the heaviest barrel you can. I'd pick the CZ or the Savage easy. That .204 sounds great, lower recoil even than the .223, which makes watching your shot better yet. BUT if you're going to pop those out at 4000 fps, might as well buy two of 'em now....so after you burn your barrel you'll have a backup. Or seriously, switching rifles after 10-15 shots....keep 'em cool and they'll last forever.

I vote for the 22-250... I can only say good things about this cal. If you reloading your brass/bullets so can you find everything for hunting birds to mosse...
And it is good cal. for target shooting at long range.
/MrHunter

Pick up and older remington, have it rechambered to 22-250 leaving the bbl as is 1 1/4" unturned. Tune the trigger down to 2lbs. Glass bed into a after market stock, camo paint. Buy a new Leupold target-varmit scope. Then enjoy, your new tack driver all for less than a new rifle alone.

Yeah, I like the older Rem 700, too, but would still slap a Timney trigger in there.

One more note against the .22-250...they grow in length for some reason, more than most, so trimming is common. Yech.

You should trim anyways... whats the point...