# Hunting > Varminting and Small Game Hunting >  just Varminting - how far was your longest shot on your last walk

## rossi.45

just Varminting - how far was your longest shot on your last walk

This is a thread for Varminters, those using dial/up or BDC style reticles who shoot out to longer ranges on Rabbit/Hare sized animals . . not for small game shooters who use a duplex reticle and guesstamate holdovers.



i have done some LongerRange shooting using .22 Subs but now i would like to see how far i push the Higher Velocity .22 Winchester PowerPoints


inside target squares are 3" they were shot before going for a walk  - first is 100yds, second is 150yrds

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## Flyblown

On last walk? Well, last mission out of the back garden more like. I don't have a photo so I guess it doesn't count.

Magpie, 137m, .22LR CCI Standard Velocity (subs). On my rifle, that's 4.4 mils hold over, or 60cm. Wind was nasty, gusting from about 4 o'clock quite hard. I guesstimated a wind hold of 1.5 mils in between gusts and let it fly. Very satisfying thwack and dead bird tumbling out of the pines.

The reticle image looks like this, I like it. Image from Strelok.



Its a 4.5-18x50 scope, but the reticle is calibrated at 10x. Its a good compromise for the normal range of shooting, for a 50m zero most bunnies and magpies are taken between 40-80m and I've gotten pretty good at remembering my holds. I have the drops table printed and laminated on a little carry card, copies of which are also stapled to posts and trees in several regular shooting spots around the block.

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## R93

In the last couple weeks I have shot a maggy, 2 hares and a deer with the K hornet.
Only dialed up the hares as the were at 240 and 260 yrds.
Tried longer shots but the 40 vmax moves around in little wind and I havent got to grips with it yet.
Really enjoying having the K hornet. No where near as loud as my suppressed 223 and just as effective out to 250ish so far.

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## mimms

> inside target squares are 3" they were shot before going for a walk  - first is 100yds, second is 150yrds


So really anything after about 120yds (when an LR will go trans-sonic) you're just taking pot-shots and hoping they connect.

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## mimms

And FYI a duplex reticle has 3-5 vertical points of aim and 2 windage references.

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## rossi.45

> So really anything after about 120yds (when an LR will go trans-sonic) you're just taking pot-shots and hoping they connect.


go somewhere else this thread isnt for you

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## bully

> So really anything after about 120yds (when an LR will go trans-sonic) you're just taking pot-shots and hoping they connect.


He's got a point. The subs might work better.... High velocity slowing down can get unstable. Ask a 308 shooter at 1000 yards.
My last walk was so long ago, iv forgotten the ranges. Typically 300, but always look for longer if I can find it.

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## Trout

Just yesterday  I was out at our local range practicing with my 308 at 200 and 400 yds targets.It was getting on in the afternoon and the rabbits started to appear on the hill side behind the target area.I ranged a couple of rabbits from our 110yd bench.Around 200 yds they were enjoying the sun slightly up the hill.Scope was already on 100yd zero,so just placed the cross hairs on the top of the rabbits back and squeezed of the trigger quietly,woow the rabbit exploded,hmm this is fun.So thru the binos I found another,same again about 240yds,nailed him.Shot about 4 more rabbits out to 250yds.Using my strelok app on my phone and range finder all was working well.
Gave the tika barrel a cooling down for 20 minuts while watching more rabbits.Found one at 320yds so dialled up4.5moa,all over the hill was bits of rabbits.So the hawks will get a good feed on their evening patrol.
Belmont 150gr ssts worked well on the dialing up stats on strelok app.Must have seen 200 more rabbits as the sun was setting on the mountain top as I was driving the 1.5ks out the paddocks to the road.Rabbits tame as kittens till you fire the 1st shot but they don't run far.Well theres a wee story I do about once a fortnight.308 v rabbits.They got no chance.

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## Dundee

Rossi I push my .22 out to 200 yard but I don't attempt any shots further,I don't have dial up or fancy apps just a 4x32 scope.Shooting the same .22 lr rifle for years has its benefit.

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## R93

We have a 22 comp at the club every now and then.
Bullseye for 25, 50, 100 and then silhouettes or flasher plates at 200.
I never seem to have trouble on the 200yrd targets, even the small silhouettes with subs. As soon as I try to shoot paper at that range for groups etc, it is a wonder how I managed to hit anything consistently.
The smallest puff of wind plays havoc and 9 times out of 10 I have an obvious horizontal group at 200.
Some new browning and hornady 22 ammo turned up here and a mate that sells it wants to see how it goes over the radar.
I am looking forward to doing some testing and see how it goes.

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## rossi.45

> Rossi I push my .22 out to 200 yard but I don't attempt any shots further,I don't have dial up or fancy apps just a 4x32 scope.Shooting the same .22 lr rifle for years has its benefit.


we all know your skills @Dundee and your gear ( Legend ) in the thread you started  . . . i have posted plenty on it but i do feel true Varminting does need its own thread.

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## rossi.45

> On last walk? Well, last mission out of the back garden more like. I don't have a photo so I guess it doesn't count.
> 
> Magpie, 137m, .22LR CCI Standard Velocity (subs). On my rifle, that's 4.4 mils hold over, or 60cm. Wind was nasty, gusting from about 4 o'clock quite hard. I guesstimated a wind hold of 1.5 mils in between gusts and let it fly. Very satisfying thwack and dead bird tumbling out of the pines.
> 
> The reticle image looks like this, I like it. Image from Strelok.
> 
> Its a 4.5-18x50 scope, but the reticle is calibrated at 10x. Its a good compromise for the normal range of shooting, for a 50m zero most bunnies and magpies are taken between 40-80m and I've gotten pretty good at remembering my holds. I have the drops table printed and laminated on a little carry card, copies of which are also stapled to posts and trees in several regular shooting spots around the block.


good to see your still playing with LR subs  @Flyblown . . . screen shots work for me, good lookn reticle

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## mimms

> go somewhere else this thread isnt for you


None of your 150 shots is a guaranteed humane kill on rabbit size game. Could be a clean miss, could be gut shot, could just break their back leg.

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## Flyblown

So @rossi.45, for this thread is there a preference for rimfire varminting or can we include the full range of centrefires too?

I've always regarded varminting as a .224 max calibre kind of pursuit, just a personal generalisation. But I'm looking more and more into longer range 6mm and even 6.5mm varminting loads, using bullets in the 90-100gr range. But gut feel is we should be looking at the .17s and traditional .22s, whatdaya reckon?

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## Flyblown

Hi @mimms. PM sent. I hope you can respect the desire not to spoil this thread with this kind of argument, for the reasons stated.

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## rossi.45

> He's got a point. The subs might work better.... High velocity slowing down can get unstable. Ask a 308 shooter at 1000 yards.
> My last walk was so long ago, iv forgotten the ranges. Typically 300, but always look for longer if I can find it.


if anyone has tried how unstable the bullets are with PowerPoints at LR i am all ears  . . . just a blanket it won't work passed 120 doesnt do it for me.
i have used subs out to  +300 yards on paper/steel and Rabbits but there are problems, the Supers longer Point Blank Range is easier to use when your in a hurry in the field. 
i have 2 X .22lr rifles, one for subs out to 400 yards the other for supers out to 200 yards  . . . i was looking at some Rabbits passed 300 the other day with my Super setup and thinking the reticle ( mildot 3.5-10 ) is plenty fine enough with enough magnification and enough elevation to get out to 350 yards, thats enough to get me started on this path for awhile.

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## rossi.45

> So @rossi.45, for this thread is there a preference for rimfire varminting or can we include the full range of centrefires too?
> 
> I've always regarded varminting as a .224 max calibre kind of pursuit, just a personal generalisation. But I'm looking more and more into longer range 6mm and even 6.5mm varminting loads, using bullets in the 90-100gr range. But gut feel is we should be looking at the .17s and traditional .22s, whatdaya reckon?


i am hoping its anyone, any caliber . . . just dial-up or BDC scopes out to LR  . . we already have a thread for traditional style small game shooting

there are some guys on this forum with some very sharp gear that don't post the results sadly  . . i would hope to encourage them to post and get Varminting out there.

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## gundoc

I use my .223 (69 gr hpbt) on rabbits to 300 metres and .22 subs to 100.

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## Mathias

Good thread title, always admired the skills of Rossi.45 and others. I've just got my 17HMR with BDC reticle going, so hope to contribute when I have some factual evidence of long range success.

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## Moa Hunter

> None of your 150 shots is a guaranteed humane kill on rabbit size game. Could be a clean miss, could be gut shot, could just break their back leg.


The groups are a bit better than they look here, draw a 3" square on a piece of paper and look again. What seems odd is that there is such a dramatic change in groups from 100 to 150. I would like to know at what distance point the change takes place. Between you and me, Rossi needs to spend more time practicing and less time reading 'Stalingrad'

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## gonetropo

best so far.
 983m according to the laser range finder. hare with a 7mm RM
probably will never be as lucky ever again though

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## mimms

> Hi @mimms. PM sent. I hope you can respect the desire not to spoil this thread with this kind of argument, for the reasons stated.


I don't mind my opinion being public, so my reply to you was:

 " It wasn't intended to start an argument. Personally I wouldn't take
a shot that I didn't feel was going to kill the thing quickly. I would
guarantee a humane kill.
Whatever your standards are, you gotta live with them not me."

Feel free to post your "justification" here for taking such shots.
Not intended as a derail. Just a matter/degree of ethics.
And having said my piece I will "go somewhere else"

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## mimms

> The groups are a bit better than they look here, draw a 3" square on a piece of paper and look again. What seems odd is that there is such a dramatic change in groups from 100 to 150. I would like to know at what distance point the change takes place. Between you and me, Rossi needs to spend more time practicing and less time reading 'Stalingrad'


I know what 3" is. The KZ on a bunny is 2" at most, even a large hare, 1" for a headshot.

Anyone can fluke 3 shots, I'd like to see his 100 with 10 shots on, I'd pick he's holding 2 MOA or wider.
From my experience the opening up of groups occurs as the bullet goes transsonic. Which as said is about 120m for most brands/barrels. The heeled 22s aren't very aerodynamic in the first place. and once that shockwave overtakes them they can go to fuck pretty quick.

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## Moa Hunter

> I know what 3" is. The KZ on a bunny is 2" at most, even a large hare, 1" for a headshot.
> 
> Anyone can fluke 3 shots, I'd like to see his 100 with 10 shots on, I'd pick he's holding 2 MOA or wider.
> From my experience the opening up of groups occurs as the bullet goes transsonic. Which as said is about 120m for most brands/barrels. The heeled 22s aren't very aerodynamic in the first place. and once that shockwave overtakes them they can go to fuck pretty quick.


If you had been on here longer Pimms you would have seen some of Rossis earlier postings. He has got some very specialised long-range centrefire gear and we can be sure that any wounded rabbits are dispatched immediately. The effective kill zone is bigger than you think, depending on position. If a bunny is sitting up face on or facing away a hold at the top of the head gives a vertical kill zone of 180 mm. I am thinking wind may have had a hand ruining the 150 metre group

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## GWH

Good thread,  I was just thinking a few days ago that varminting doesn't get much coverage here in NZ.

I enjoy dialling my 22lr, 17 Hornet  and 223 rems to shoot small game out beyond the max point blank ranges.

As you will likely have seen from recent posts, I'm having a ball with my new favourite rifle/cartridge. CZ 527 in 17 Hornet.

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## LRP

gonetropo's remark could be the most candid one yet re the element of LUCK ? 
Surely the hits/shots fired ratio gets lower and lower the further u go out ? Exponentially perhaps ? 
At what point do ya just not bother throwing lead out there, or is there no limit ?
Do u spot your shots and walk them in ?
I'm absolutely not on about ethics here lads, just curious.

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## Marty Henry

> best so far.
>  983m according to the laser range finder. hare with a 7mm RM
> probably will never be as lucky ever again though


You must have a mt palomar telescope fitted to it.

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## bully

> if anyone has tried how unstable the bullets are with PowerPoints at LR i am all ears  . . . just a blanket it won't work passed 120 doesnt do it for me.
> i have used subs out to  +300 yards on paper/steel and Rabbits but there are problems, the Supers longer Point Blank Range is easier to use when your in a hurry in the field. 
> i have 2 X .22lr rifles, one for subs out to 400 yards the other for supers out to 200 yards  . . . i was looking at some Rabbits passed 300 the other day with my Super setup and thinking the reticle ( mildot 3.5-10 ) is plenty fine enough with enough magnification and enough elevation to get out to 350 yards, thats enough to get me started on this path for awhile.





> I know what 3" is. The KZ on a bunny is 2" at most, even a large hare, 1" for a headshot.
> 
> Anyone can fluke 3 shots, I'd like to see his 100 with 10 shots on, I'd pick he's holding 2 MOA or wider.
> From my experience the opening up of groups occurs as the bullet goes transsonic. Which as said is about 120m for most brands/barrels. The heeled 22s aren't very aerodynamic in the first place. and once that shockwave overtakes them they can go to fuck pretty quick.


It is rather blanket. This guy explains it fairly well, or with better words than my self... The supersonic slows down, the point from super to sub Sonic is supposed to make projectiles unstable. (Transsonic) He seems to think around 120 mtrs. Which it might be, depending on the cartridge it was fired from.
So it seems backwards that the faster projectile leaving the barrel is worse for long range, but only because of the transsonic point. .22 might be 120 like he says. 
Some 308 loads are a bit before 1000. That's why I say your long range .22 rimfire efforts may be better with subs, more predictable, or stable.
I haven't personally had this problem but I've heard of it a lot. But by all means put a target up and try, let us know.

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## suthy

I haven't quite worked my way out to your sort of distances but my longest in the last wee while was 120m flat with fiocchi subs out of the 452 with no wind using the half mil reticle holdover(which isn't 100% accurate as the reticle is apparently calibrated for 10x on a 9x scope wtf) but still seemed to hit the right spot and go all the way through him even at that distance!!

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## Moa Hunter

Why are you collecting the blood in an ash bucket suthy? Will you be burning it to make some sort of 'spell' with the ashes ?

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## mimms

> Why are you collecting the blood in an ash bucket suthy? Will you be burning it to make some sort of 'spell' with the ashes ?


Catching maggots to feed chickens?

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## gonetropo

> You must have a mt palomar telescope fitted to it.


5-25X56 minox
huge scope, heavy rifle and lots of luck

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## Mathias

> Sorry to butt in here but I have no idea how to put up an Auction for a scope I want to sell. Can somebody direct me to the instructions on here re how to do that ?
> 
> The scope I want to sell is the one in this link  :  Untitled Document.
> 
> Mine is actually branded as a "Nikko Stirling Diamond Supreme 16x42" but is exactly the same as the Lynx one in the link and it's had very little use since I bought it new ..... $300


Follow this;

https://www.nzhuntingandshooting.co....ms-guide-8087/

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## NewbieZAR

690 yards
Shot a goat with my 243 and 87 Vmax

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## NewbieZAR

Also 320 yards shot a rabbit with 300 win mag 208 eldm and 500 yards goat with 6.5CM 140 eldm

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## Flyblown

Serious question... does a goat really qualify as a varmint? 

The wife sitting next to me says not really eh, I mean some of our goats are bigger than roe deer! So she says.

(She was pretty unimpressed with the roe deer she came across in England and Scotland recently. We're in the woods and its Pah! They're like duikers! What's all the fuss about?! This didn't particularly impress my rabid mad roe deer stalking mate.)

It's an American word of course, varmint, and to the best of my knowledge the largest official varmint is a coyote. Not sure where the line is drawn between varminting and predator hunting, I guess its wolves and mountain lions and the like. 

Any Americans care to clarify?

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## R93

Put some 22 ammo over the radar today.
Most consistent was CCI standard Velocity.

I used my marlin 60 deluxe and a pooger precision 22 a mate wanted me to shoot for him.
I shot a heap of groups at 50 and 100
Just wasn't with it today for some reason. I felt like I was in a rush but there was no reason to be.
Best group at 50 was .3 for 5 rnds of cci standard vel out of my marlin and same ammo went nearly 2" at 100.
Ruger shot the the cci standard best as well at .5 @ 50m and 1.5 at 100
Next best was surprisingly the cci stinger for accuracy in both rifles.

Cci standard velocity. Not sure if a temp thing or barrel is just a bit dirty but had this ammo before in same rifle with an ES of 20fps and thru my pistol an ES of 30fps.

New to me Hornady 40 grn made by cci?

Cci stinger

Browning 40grn

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## rossi.45

> Serious question... does a goat really qualify as a varmint? 
> 
> The wife sitting next to me says not really eh, I mean some of our goats are bigger than roe deer! So she says.
> 
> (She was pretty unimpressed with the roe deer she came across in England and Scotland recently. We're in the woods and its Pah! They're like duikers! What's all the fuss about?! This didn't particularly impress my rabid mad roe deer stalking mate.)
> 
> It's an American word of course, varmint, and to the best of my knowledge the largest official varmint is a coyote. Not sure where the line is drawn between varminting and predator hunting, I guess its wolves and mountain lions and the like. 
> 
> Any Americans care to clarify?



Rabbits & Hares are small enough to be a real challenge at LR  . . . Goats not so much.

while a Goat at 500 takes skills etc ( well done @NewbieZAR )  its not going to get a Varminter excited, a 500 yard hit on a Rabbit will get your attention

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## rossi.45

Serious question... does a goat really qualify as a varmint ? 
great question !

next question naturally follows on   @Flyblown  . .  what is a serious Varmint shooter ?

this guy i think is a good example . . . i like the fact he shows not only his LR successes but also his stupid easy 200M shots that miss  . . . which happens when your A game slips

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=taLm8Ij322k

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## Russian 22.

> Serious question... does a goat really qualify as a varmint ? 
> great question !
> 
> next question naturally follows on   @Flyblown  . .  what is a serious Varmint shooter ?
> 
> this guy i think is a good example . . . i like the fact he shows not only his LR successes but also his stupid easy 200M shots that miss  . . . which happens when your A game slips
> 
> https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=taLm8Ij322k


Interesting how he uses game kings.

I would have thought that since a rabbit is well... A light skinned rabbit then the cheap as chips fmj you can buy would be the best option. Cheap shooting.

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## rossi.45

> Interesting how he uses game kings.
> 
> I would have thought that since a rabbit is well... A light skinned rabbit then the cheap as chips fmj you can buy would be the best option. Cheap shooting.


he does seem to play around with different bullet types  . . maybe they shoot really well in that Tikka of his

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## GWH

> Interesting how he uses game kings.
> 
> I would have thought that since a rabbit is well... A light skinned rabbit then the cheap as chips fmj you can buy would be the best option. Cheap shooting.


I use those same 55gr SGK's in my model 7 223, it freakin loves them.  They work just fine on Rabbits at 200+ yards, and the beauty of those bullets that if you come across anything larger they work fine too, as you can see in my video here:

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## Russian 22.

> he does seem to play around with different bullet types  . . maybe they shoot really well in that Tikka of his


I just figured that cheaper the better cos if the high volume shooting. 




> I use those same 55gr SGK's in my model 7 223, it freakin loves them.  They work just fine on Rabbits at 200+ yards, and the beauty of those bullets that if you come across anything larger they work fine too, as you can see in my video here:


I just figured they cost more than those bulk fmj

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## Flyblown

Yup nothing wrong with the GameKings, bloody good, used the 55grainers for years back in the day in my first .223. Been trying to get Wingman to try them in his 6mm Dasher barrel but his gun is too posh for them eh mate.

 :Wink: 

This guy has a good channel. Lots of gear reviews and tutorials and some shit hot rabbit shooting in the Dales. 

https://www.youtube.com/user/SharpshootingUK

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## bully

Can't seem to upload video

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## GWH

> Yup nothing wrong with the GameKings, bloody good, used the 55grainers for years back in the day in my first .223. Been trying to get Wingman to try them in his 6mm Dasher barrel but his gun is too posh for them eh mate.
> 
> 
> 
> This guy has a good channel. Lots of gear reviews and tutorials and some shit hot rabbit shooting in the Dales. 
> 
> https://www.youtube.com/user/SharpshootingUK


Yeah ive been following Richards YT channel and FB page for a while now, have also communicated with him directly before i purchased my Athlon Ares scope, as thats where i first saw them, he thinks the Ares is a lot of scope for the $.

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## Flyblown

Righto here's a list from my reloading notes of the varminting bullets I've used over the last several years. To be fair, I've not really found a bullet that my rifles didn't like. I've only ever handloaded for them, and a bit of fine tuning of the loads has given reliable half to three quarter MOA accuracy for the most part, i.e. little cloverleafs. 

My varmint rifles since the early-noughties have been Tikkas with varmint contour barrels, both 1:8" and 1:12" .223s. I briefly had a .204 Tikka Varmint in Aus but sold that as a package deal for quite a lot more than I bought it for! Prior to that there was a couple of long gaps as I moved around when I didn't have one. The was a deadly accurate Savage 1:8" .223 in the 90s for a while, basically copying my cousin's specs from the US (they are fully into their semi custom Savage varmint rifles). The first proper varminter I ever had was an old 1:14" twist Remington .22-250 way back in the 80s that was originally my grandfather's. The current rifle is a .223 1:12" T3 Super Varmint.

Back in the day, I can't remember what bullet was used in the .22-250. In the Savage .223 it was the 55gr GameKing. That's pretty much all I remember being available. Great wee bullet.

In the later 1:8" twist Tikka .223, with 60-75gr bullets, I only used the Sierra GameKing 65gr, on rabbits, hares, goats. I took it to Aus after I got my WA licence and added foxes, wild dogs, a lot of grey kangaroos and the odd cat. Great bullet, easy to load for, unfussy, accurate, deadly. In 2009 I switched to the 75gr A-Max which was a _magic_ bullet, extending the effective range by a full 100m or more and violently exploding pests. I think I've already told the story of how we vapourised a feral cat in mid-air with that bullet. 

In 2011, due to WA's annoying "genuine need" laws I had to remix the rifles, to accommodate a .243, so I switched to a 1:12" twist .223 and mostly 55gr bullets. At first I only used the Sierra BlitzKing 55gr, but ended up using a few different makes and designs because I was being given random boxes by a mate who worked at the local outfitters, in exchange for me driving us both out on long trips into the Wheatbelt or Outback. I got whatever he had. We did a shit load of shooting back then, it was nothing to blow through 200+ reloads in a weekend, especially when the bunnies were thick. I miss my mate and that shooting, and the wife was bloody good at it too.

In rough order of numbers shot, they were all effective bullets.

Sierra BlitzKing 55gr
Nosler Varmageddon 55gr, both the tipped and HP variants
Sierra GameKing 55gr, both the SP and HP variants
Berger Varmint 55gr HP Varmint
Hornady V-Max 55gr
Sierra MatchKing HPBT 52gr

I didn't drive them particularly fast and I found I could use the same 2206H load for all the 55gr bullets with negligible change to POI, which was very handy. I also used Benchmark 2.

If I had to pick one from the list it would be the Sierra BlitzKing 55gr. We killed a lot of pest grey kangaroos, heaps of foxes, a few wild dogs and the usual plague of rabbits, with that bullet. Huge Wheatbelt property, rolling country, setting up under the gumtrees with a wide field of view out to as far as we could see. Whilst not a varminting application, on pest roos it was deadly effective. If for whatever reason a headshot wasn't on, an upper chest shot would drop them on the spot, and it would almost always violently exit. They are quite a tough animal, roos, so for a varmint bullet that was quite surprising at first. (You're not technically allowed to do that, but sometimes you had to, especially on skittish roos in daylight.)

When we moved to the Outback proper, it was all about goats, wild dogs and foxes, and they certainly didn't like the BlitzKing. In that period I used lots of different bullets and they all did the job. The Nosler Varmageddon was a favourite and lethal on rabbits, foxes, cats, etc.

When Hornady released the Zombie Max I wanted 55gr, as I already had the load sorted. But I could only get a 500 box of 50gr. I had a bottle of Benchmark 1 and gave it a punt despite not having any decent load data for it. Its a faster powder and I got it up to 3400fps before pressure signs, slightly flat primers but no ejector stamps, and it was the most accurate one-holer I'd ever used. On my first magpie shoot it was 2 clicks and an explosion of feathers at 300m. What a cool little bullet. Since then I've used nothing else, primarily because I've got a couple of thousand of them on the shelf. 

One exception last year, an odd ball bullet, the 64gr Nosler "Bonded Performance Protected Point". I got some for a very specific application, head shooting large-ish pigs baited with rotten horse. Its a self-defense / law enforcement bullet designed to stay on course after being shot through windows and the like. Because its short and dense, it stabilises fine in the 1:12" .223. At 3100fps MV it has no difficulty penetrating a heavy pig. Wait for it to lift its head with a gob full of rotten meat... In through the skull just above the eyes and down the neck, through the spine into the vitals. Bang flop. These bullets are so tough, they'd either deflect and exit half way down, or blow up the rumen and into the guts. Shoot a good pig side on with the high shoulder shot at 100m, and it will go right through both scapula and the spine and exit out the other side nae bother. Staunch. I still have a stash of these for "special ops". They are useless for normal chest shooting goats or small deer, far too hard and just goes straight through with minimal damage, you have to get proper resistance to make them work.

Anyway there's some history of varminting and other stuff with various bullets. I look the sport and as @rossi.45 says the challenge of a long range varmint is fully satisfying and I get just as much out of that kind of shooting as I do chasing after deer. 

I do think a heavyish, stable rifle and decent hi power variable optics makes for a better varmint rifle for the longer stuff, I much prefer them that way, and the Tikka Varmint / Super Varmint with 5-20x50 or 6-24x50 has been very good for me.

I'll pull out some photos from Aus later if I can find them.

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## Link

Hare at 1157m with 7mm rem mag. 1st shot high but he was nice enough to not move and give me a 2nd shot  Pretty tinny but hilarious

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## Wingman

> Yup nothing wrong with the GameKings, bloody good, used the 55grainers for years back in the day in my first .223. Been trying to get Wingman to try them in his 6mm Dasher barrel but his gun is too posh for them eh mate.


Nah mate.. ya can keep your munted lead tipped tea and crumpet bullets.. 
My posh rig only eats caviar while sipping champagne.. 

 :Yaeh Am Not Durnk:

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## Sideshow

Thank god it doesn’t smoke cigars as well @Wingman or you would be straight down to the next police buy back to get some cash back :Thumbsup:  :XD:

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## Moa Hunter

> Hare at 1157m with 7mm rem mag. 1st shot high but he was nice enough to not move and give me a 2nd shot  Pretty tinny but hilarious


Extra good shot considering he's only a half grown smaller version of something bigger

----------


## Link

Cheers mate, yea was pretty happy. I'd just been checking dope on a gong a few meters from where he popped out. No wind and a good catchment area unfortunately for him!

----------


## rossi.45

i liked your post @Wingman with your history  . . i'll have to see if i can track down pictures of my original varmint setup, maybe a story on each rifle. 
The ' why ' people get drawn to commit so much time/energy and money to Varminting i find interesting  . . its so different to ' old school ' that never the 2 shall meet it seems or rarely, i wonder how many people do both styles.

----------


## rossi.45

my first Varmint rifle when i started getting serious about it . . . Sako .222 with a 6.5-20 leupold

----------


## Cliff

Good thread.

Not my latest walk but a decent pic. 22LR with subs, 8 and 9m respectively (shot them from hut porch).

----------


## Moa Hunter

> Attachment 118175
> 
> Good thread.
> 
> Not my latest walk but a decent pic. 22LR with subs, 8 and 9m respectively (shot them from hut porch).


So I am guessing the magpies are hung up to frighten Hawks getting after the two back-steaks ??

----------


## Cliff

Well spotted Moa

----------


## rossi.45

2nd CF Varmint rifle was a big step up from the .222 - same class of cartridge but a WildCat, the .22 VarTarg Turbo, an Improved .222Rem, 30 degree shoulder with a shorter neck ( neck turned )   
a heavy Shilen fluted barrel in a heavy thumbhole stock ( Fajen ), blueprinted action, M16 extractor, worked trigger - the whole package just works for me.
some would not like the weight of the rifle as a walkabout but that has never bothered me.
with the Sako i had hits out to just over 300yrds, with the VarTarg i went out to 400yrds with the same 50grn. VMax, both rifles have 6.5-20 Leupolds

----------


## Gibo

Don't do any varminting myself but snotted a magpie at 460 yards with a few of the boys while gong shooting, silly bugger landed on the post next to the gong  :Grin:   @nickbop @Hunt4life

----------


## rossi.45

.

longest hit today 390yrds 



.243 Tikka Varmint - 87grn.VMax 
8-32 NXS Nightforce

----------


## Dundee

> .
> 
> longest hit today 390yrds 
> 
> Attachment 118401
> 
> .243 Tikka Varmint - 87grn.VMax 
> 8-32 NXS Nightforce


Have you got a labrador to retrieve or did you have to walk all that way to pick the bunnies up?

----------


## LRP

> Don't do any varminting myself but snotted a magpie at 460 yards with a few of the boys while gong shooting, silly bugger landed on the post next to the gong   @nickbop @Hunt4life


I went to last of the "Sniper Shoots" Harry Hoover used to hold on that station near Matamata and shot a magpie at 700 yards sitting on the rail holding the gongs. That was on the Practice day on the Saturday when there was buggerall wind though !!! The rifle was a big heavy barrel-blocked 300WSM I built and still have.

----------


## LRP

That one, except its in 7mm now. Fark knows how to turn it up the other way sorry.

----------


## nickbop

@Gibo that was the first time Id seen anyone shoot over 250m and hit what they were aiming at!

----------


## Gibo

> @Gibo that was the first time I’d seen anyone shoot over 250m and hit what they were aiming at!


Now look at ya  :Thumbsup:

----------


## Dundee

> Attachment 118428
> 
> That one, except its in 7mm now. Fark knows how to turn it up the other way sorry.


That was easier than turning the pc over :Thumbsup:  Thats a nice rifle.

----------


## rossi.45

> Attachment 118428
> 
> That one, except its in 7mm now. Fark knows how to turn it up the other way sorry.


that is one lethal lookin weapon . . reminds me of the Boys antitank rifle 

with the clamp on the barrel i am guessing its a free floating barrel and action ?

----------


## LRP

> that is one lethal lookin weapon . . reminds me of the Boys antitank rifle 
> 
> with the clamp on the barrel i am guessing its a free floating barrel and action ?


Yeah mate it's a "barrel block" setup. Barrel block rifles used to be more common back before all the many custom actions appeared in the market.
That gun is bloody accurate, has all top components and being 7kg in weight will always be easier to shoot well than a lightweight rig.
Took it goat shooting a month or so back, after finally finding a farmer who would let us shoot a few way up high in these narly hills where he couldn't muster them. We drove right up to the top of this guys block and were up high looking across this big gully with the morning fog just below us, so I could clearly see there was no wind, and there at 450 yards was a nanny sitting in the sun side-on just minding her own business. My mate said "head shoot it", so I did. I had the perfect ground position to shoot from. Dialled it up first with a Sig Sauer 2400ABS. We only shot 2 each, but dropped off beers to the farmer and made a good contact for another trip sometime.

----------


## rossi.45

shot these 3 over 5 minutes between 380-400yrds.

sadly no Lab to go and get them     @Dundee
took a walk over to check the VMax performance . . explosive

longest misses 700-740yrds but soooo ferkn close, damm that twitchy wind

----------


## rossi.45

before i went for a walk i put a few shot on paper at 100yrds. & 1 at 400yrds on steel to check everything is working as it should with a crosswind of 3-5mph
still shooting under .5MOA at a counted 700 rounds thru the barrel . . a recrown was done at 650 rounds


1 x 1.5 inch square at 400yrds . . . happy as 


this Aussie guy is still putting out good vids
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z6ETKkoWUFc

----------


## Friwi

Got a hare at 280m and a magpie at 170m on Sunday morning with my 20br.

----------


## rossi.45

> Got a hare at 280m and a magpie at 170m on Sunday morning with my 20br.


some more info on the 20BR would be cool @Friwi

----------


## Tim Dicko

> before i went for a walk i put a few shot on paper at 100yrds. & 1 at 400yrds on steel to check everything is working as it should with a crosswind of 3-5mph
> still shooting under .5MOA at a counted 700 rounds thru the barrel . . a recrown was done at 650 rounds
> Attachment 119134
> 
> 1 x 1.5 inch square at 400yrds . . . happy as 
> Attachment 119141
> 
> this Aussie guy is still putting out good vids
> https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z6ETKkoWUFc


Hey Rossi just a question, obviously you are getting excellent accuracy ect with vmaxs without question. just wondering why you dont use higher b.c projectiles for wind cutting ability ect.

----------


## Friwi

> some more info on the 20BR would be cool @Friwi


Hi Rossi,
So I built that rifle because a friend had the reamer and i had seen spectacular results with it. ( his first two live game after load development and drop chart were two magpies at 350 and 400m with rounds number 1 and 2).
The reamer is a neck turn (229) . Barrel is true flite remington varmint profile, 24" long, built on a Rem 788 that I blueprinted. Timney trigger ken henderson carbon tactical hunter stock.( I am not sure he will ever re do an inlet for that action as it is so tricky with that stock pattern).
I am shooting a 39gr sierra blitz king at 3950 fps. I am using vita n133 powder.
I choose the Remington 788 so I can mag feed easily. The rifle is shooting well, but not exceptionally well yet , I still have the odd flyer and that could come from the fact that my first 50 lapua cases were from a second hand batch of 6 mm br.
I will try with a new batch to see if consistency improves. I also need to work up a bit my seating depth and change scope as I damaged my old leupold 6.5-20-40.
The gun was originally designed for Shooting magpies.
If I had to do it again  I would go with a no turn neck reamer, a single shot action ( Barnard s or Remington7 or its clone).0 Moa rail ( I have a 20 Moa that does not serve any purpose for that flat Shooting cartridge) use a full length sizing die instead of just a type s neck die.
I built a 204 ruger on Howa mini action in a plastic stock with a standard tikka contour barrel last June and it does shoot as well with factory ammo than the 20 br with all the hard work. So if you are into Shooting more than reloading go with the 204.

----------


## Tussock

I started with a Savage Long Range Varminter in 22-250 but I started doing LR and realised the BC of .25 made my enormous 12lb rifle ridiculous. I sold it and got a 6.5x284 Savage F-class and I regret selling it to buy a PM2. It shot freakish groups. It was used for 100m blowfly shooting. Would have made a great varmint rifle but the Zeiss Conquest I had on it broke on the drive over to the only varmint shoot I took it on (thus the PM2). 

I built a Sako 75 6.5x47L as a varmint rifle first and foremost and and awkward heavy hunting rifle second. It was a very reliable rifle even in a bit of breeze out to 400m. Best shots with that rifle were 410m rabbits but I shot a lot at around 400m. At 350-400m rabbits did not react to the suppressed shots but I could shot consistently, so I would set up this distance from faces. I never shot for records, but I shot a lot of rabbits on properties where they are normally hard to get. An expensive but very productive way to cull rabbits. I had to sell this rifle a while back.

I currently have another Sako 75 waiting to turn into either another 6.5x47L or a fast twist 22-250

----------


## 7.62

> I started with a Savage Long Range Varminter in 22-250 but I started doing LR and realised the BC of .25 made my enormous 12lb rifle ridiculous. I sold it and got a 6.5x284 Savage F-class and I regret selling it to buy a PM2. It shot freakish groups. It was used for 100m blowfly shooting. Would have made a great varmint rifle but the Zeiss Conquest I had on it broke on the drive over to the only varmint shoot I took it on (thus the PM2). 
> 
> I built a Sako 75 6.5x47L as a varmint rifle first and foremost and and awkward heavy hunting rifle second. It was a very reliable rifle even in a bit of breeze out to 400m. Best shots with that rifle were 410m rabbits but I shot a lot at around 400m. At 350-400m rabbits did not react to the suppressed shots but I could shot consistently, so I would set up this distance from faces. I never shot for records, but I shot a lot of rabbits on properties where they are normally hard to get. An expensive but very productive way to cull rabbits. I had to sell this rifle a while back.
> 
> I currently have another Sako 75 waiting to turn into either another 6.5x47L or a fast twist 22-250


Shame you had to sell that Sako 6.5 Lapua, I bet it was a fantastic all-rounder. If you were allowed only 1 rifle in the safe it would be hard to go past something like that

----------


## Tussock

It is why I built it and why I will build another. Especially since I still have 700 Lapua cases for it. 

The .223 will do for now. Longest recent shot was with my Anschutz .22LR 170m pigeon after two days of reticle hold practice.

----------


## rossi.45

> Hey Rossi just a question, obviously you are getting excellent accuracy ect with vmaxs without question. just wondering why you dont use higher b.c projectiles for wind cutting ability ect.


good question  @Tim Dicko

the hard and fast answer is i am very happy with the 87grn. VMax . . . but if someone has suggestions for a higher BC bullet for 1-10 twist 243W i would be interested to hear their thoughts

R.

----------


## rossi.45

> Longest recent shot was with my Anschutz .22LR 170m pigeon after two days of reticle hold practice.


like your style Tussock  . . . put the practice in and getting the results

what ammo & scope/reticle ?

----------


## SlimySquirrel

> good question  @Tim Dicko
> 
> the hard and fast answer is i am very happy with the 87grn. VMax . . . but if someone has suggestions for a higher BC bullet for 1-10 twist 243W i would be interested to hear their thoughts
> 
> R.


Enjoyed the Targex 95 but was slower obviously. 

Hit Goats really hard though and was super accurate in my Tikka.

----------


## rossi.45

> Hi Rossi,
> So I built that rifle because a friend had the reamer and i had seen spectacular results with it. ( his first two live game after load development and drop chart were two magpies at 350 and 400m with rounds number 1 and 2).
> The reamer is a neck turn (229) . Barrel is true flite remington varmint profile, 24" long, built on a Rem 788 that I blueprinted. Timney trigger ken henderson carbon tactical hunter stock.( I am not sure he will ever re do an inlet for that action as it is so tricky with that stock pattern).
> I am shooting a 39gr sierra blitz king at 3950 fps. I am using vita n133 powder.
> I choose the Remington 788 so I can mag feed easily. The rifle is shooting well, but not exceptionally well yet , I still have the odd flyer and that could come from the fact that my first 50 lapua cases were from a second hand batch of 6 mm br.
> I will try with a new batch to see if consistency improves. I also need to work up a bit my seating depth and change scope as I damaged my old leupold 6.5-20-40.
> The gun was originally designed for Shooting magpies.
> If I had to do it again  I would go with a no turn neck reamer, a single shot action ( Barnard s or Remington7 or its clone).0 Moa rail ( I have a 20 Moa that does not serve any purpose for that flat Shooting cartridge) use a full length sizing die instead of just a type s neck die.
> I built a 204 ruger on Howa mini action in a plastic stock with a standard tikka contour barrel last June and it does shoot as well with factory ammo than the 20 br with all the hard work. So if you are into Shooting more than reloading go with the 204.


some pics of the 20BR would be cool @Friwi 

bit of a chuckle to myself about the Howa 204 vrs BR comment,  i could have saved myself a whole lot of trouble if i had just got a .223R Tikka Varmint instead of fcking around with a custom setup/cartridge with my .22VarTarg, love the rifle but work vrs performance it doesnt really stack up when your in the field . . on the flip side being sensible & conservative is as dull as dishwater, what are ya going to do.

----------


## rossi.45

> Enjoyed the Targex 95 but was slower obviously. 
> 
> Hit Goats really hard though and was super accurate in my Tikka.


what was the actual BC & your speed for the 95s  @SlimySquirrel

----------


## Tim Dicko

> good question  @Tim Dicko
> 
> the hard and fast answer is i am very happy with the 87grn. VMax . . . but if someone has suggestions for a higher BC bullet for 1-10 twist 243W i would be interested to hear their thoughts
> 
> R.


The one in ten twist is not optimal for the over 100 grain it seems. the one in 8 looks like i takes over there. Try crunching the numbers on the 103 eldx on a twist calculator. i use 143 eldx in my 260rem varmint rifle and it has been very good at range.

----------


## Tussock

> like your style Tussock  . . . put the practice in and getting the results
> 
> what ammo & scope/reticle ?


Good old fashioned Powerpoint, but the newer 42gr stuff. Scope was a very ordinary Nikon Pro-staff which broke the next day. I'm practicing image retention of fall of shot against a plain reticle. It works well. I don't have any of my LR gear set up, so I have been playing with absolutely bog standard gear and reticle hold. It works a lot better than you might imagine and makes for very fast shooting. 

I'm just carrying my Leica 1200 in my top pocket and that is it. Good old school fun.

----------


## SlimySquirrel

That’s a great question mate!

Can’t remember but @Thar used them a lot too I think.

2950 from memory so I’ll have to go trawling through my notes....

----------


## Micky Duck

> Interesting how he uses game kings.
> 
> I would have thought that since a rabbit is well... A light skinned rabbit then the cheap as chips fmj you can buy would be the best option. Cheap shooting.


in one of my Nosler reloading manuals they address this very well...they were shooting something similar to rabbits ,one fella was using a target projectile for its extra accuracy the other a slightly less accurate but expanding projectile.....the less accurate projectile is more humaine as body hits produce instant results...the less expanding (as your fmj would be) will let alot of animals crawl away.

----------


## Russian 22.

> in one of my Nosler reloading manuals they address this very well...they were shooting something similar to rabbits ,one fella was using a target projectile for its extra accuracy the other a slightly less accurate but expanding projectile.....the less accurate projectile is more humaine as body hits produce instant results...the less expanding (as your fmj would be) will let alot of animals crawl away.


I thought an fmj would still make a rabbit explode. From the velocity etc.

----------


## L461

669m on a Rabbit 6x47L 75 Vmax at 3850 fps
555M on a Rabbit 20 PPC 40 Vmax at 4100 FPS
375m on a Fox   20 Vartag 32 Vmax at 3850 FPS

----------


## madjon_

https://youtu.be/WjU5xkn_IbA
Worth a watch on a wet day,this guy has lots of uploads,no inane music or talking.

----------


## Micky Duck

> I thought an fmj would still make a rabbit explode. From the velocity etc.


not really.....pencil through as next to no resistance,the energy doesnt transpher so next to no shock...I recal a rabbit shot through both eyes SIDE ON with .222remington at close range using a target load...it simply didnt meet enough resistance to do anything...also a rabbit with through n through high shoulder wounds from .30/30 again no resistance,shot that 2nd bunny about 2 weeks later,it was in process of healing up.if either of those shots were even 1/4" across the outcome would be different. norinco yellow box .223 is funny stuff as it takes stuff all to make it tumble on impact...that is one fmj load that works...sure does on hares anyway.

----------


## Mathias

Sako 223 got an airing today, been awhile. Got to do a bit of work on the dialing to get familiar. Son shot these two at 171 yards. We also cleaned up a few with the 17HMR out to 150+

----------


## rossi.45

> 669m on a Rabbit 6x47L 75 Vmax at 3850 fps
> 555M on a Rabbit 20 PPC 40 Vmax at 4100 FPS
> 375m on a Fox   20 Vartag 32 Vmax at 3850 FPS


so who is     @L461   . . . 3 posts and lives in Yass, 60, a driver and thats about all thats known

a real shooter with talent or lives with his mum   :Have A Nice Day: 
come on mate . . . tell us about yourself and your shooting etc

----------


## mimms

> I thought an fmj would still make a rabbit explode. From the velocity etc.


A drillbit in the nose turns them into HPs. A few razor slits up the ogive to the nose also works.

----------


## Tussock

> so who is     @L461   . . . 3 posts and lives in Yass, 60, a driver and thats about all thats known
> 
> a real shooter with talent or lives with his mum  
> come on mate . . . tell us about yourself and your shooting etc


Option 1 
Three intercepts from 1000 rounds

Option 2 
A day so still it only happens once a decade

----------


## rossi.45

set out this morning to beat L461s 669 meters or 731.6 yards with a 6mm using VMaxs, my personal best had been 640 yards
took extra care to reload the most consistant ammo i could this morning


wind was blowing from between 12 o'clock to 1 o'clock at about 5mph,  thanks to the farmer having a burnoff i could see the wind. 


took 8 shots to get a good handle on the wind to dial off before i connected


776 yards  . . . or 709 meters

having a few beers now  . . . R

----------


## The Claw

I've had several rifles that were built with LR varminting in mind. 6.5x47L, 6x47L, 243AI and 6XC. Currently have a 6mm Creedmoor as a competition rifle and a 20 Tactical barrel for it. Actually considering doing a 224 Valkyrie to shoot 75-80gr projectiles for a heap of barrel life, high BC projectiles and low recoil.

Best ever shot to date is 830m on a rabbit with my 6.5x47L Barnard Model 07 (long since sold). Shot a lot of rabbits with it in the 500m - 650m range with very good consistency. Best with my previous 20 Tactical was 460m but I plan to improve on this with my current setup. 

Sent from my SM-N975F using Tapatalk

----------


## rossi.45

whats your 6mm bullet or bullets of choice  @The Claw for pure varminting

----------


## The Claw

> whats your 6mm bullet or bullets of choice @The Claw


I'm currently running the Sierra 110gr SMK in my 6mm Creedmoor, but it wouldn't be what I'd use for varminting. It's a match projectile and I'm running it as it's ballistically the best 6mm projectile that's readily available.

I used to run the 105gr amax in my 243AI and 6x47L and the 123gr amax in my 6.5x47L. I used the Seirra 95gr TMK in my 6XC and still have 2 1/2 boxes so I'd be tempted to try them again if I go with another 6mm varminter, or the 108gr ELD-M. I think if you are setting up to run the lighter 6mm projectiles then I'd be considering dropping down to a 22 cal and running the 75gr Eld-M or 77gr TMK. Both are ballistically superior to anything lighter than 95gr in the 6mm.

This is where I'm at currently, do I run the heavy 6mm's in a 6mmBR or set up a 22BR for 88gr projectiles (and give up some barrel life compared to the 6mm) or a smaller case like 223(AI) or 224 Valkyrie running the 75 or 77gr projectiles (giving up BC on the 88gr but gaining barrel life...)

----------


## L461

> Option 1 
> Three intercepts from 1000 rounds
> 
> Option 2 
> A day so still it only happens once a decade


Nicely done that is great shooting

----------


## bing

70m with the Toz 17 .22 on a feral cat (#19) Certainly not far but I like to be as sure as I can and do it with with one shot.

----------


## rossi.45

latest brick of PowerPoints is dissappointing for accuracy so limiting shots to a max of 200



178 yards - headshot with .22 Winchester PowerPoints

your up to 4 posts now    @L461   well done  :Have A Nice Day: 
are we going to see those exotic firearms one day ?

----------


## rossi.45

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3O8Uu61SGlI

This guy makes some interesting Varminting vids  . . . LR .22 this time . . longest hit 186 yards

----------


## charliehorse

That he does, also has a good array of rifles

----------


## rossi.45

> That he does, also has a good array of rifles


the Tikka .243 shooting he does was how i came across him . . . if anyone comes across any good utube Varminting vids be good to share them on this thread

R.

----------


## rossi.45

> 70m with the Toz 17 .22 on a feral cat (#19) Certainly not far but I like to be as sure as I can and do it with with one shot.


 @bing
i see you started a thread a while back on reloading for the .243 with maybe some varminting in mind  . . howz that coming along ?

----------


## Flyblown

> https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3O8Uu61SGlI
> 
> This guy makes some interesting Varminting vids  . . . LR .22 this time . . longest hit 186 yards


In this video at the beginning, when he's walking down the fenceline shooting off sticks, that's exactly what it was like when I was a teenager, before the mixxie came through in 1986. Except the grass was eaten flat about 10m into the paddock! There were that many rabbits... then suddenly, in the space of a fortnight or so, they were all gone. We'd walk around with a cricket bat and whack 'em on the head to put them out of their misery, they were that sick. Horrible!

----------


## bing

> @bing
> i see you started a thread a while back on reloading for the .243 with maybe some varminting in mind  . . howz that coming along ?


I've loaded up 25 rounds of .243 with V-max 65gr and about the same number with 87gr SP's both with varying amounts of AR2208 but have yet to get a chance to set up a bench and do the careful testing thing. Think I'll get a break on or about the 6th to test the .243 and will post the results.

----------


## rossi.45

> I've loaded up 25 rounds of .243 with V-max 65gr and about the same number with 87gr SP's both with varying amounts of AR2208 but have yet to get a chance to set up a bench and do the careful testing thing. Think I'll get a break on or about the 6th to test the .243 and will post the results.


look forward to seeing how you get on

----------


## charliehorse

Nich head shot in here at 400+ amongst others

https://youtu.be/uNrbuWngVwI

----------


## rossi.45

thought i would share my 2 cheap upgrades of the T3 i own for varminting


 

single shot adapter

----------


## Russian 22.

is that adaptor for very long cartridge over all lengths? to assist with feeding?

----------


## rossi.45

> is that adaptor for very long cartridge over all lengths? to assist with feeding?


for varminting i like an adapter, the loading is so light and easy compared to stripping a round from a magazine . . and making a rifle a singleshot is a good thing . . to me 

not something you would use for a hunting rifle of course  . . but for a varminter, perfect !

----------


## Trist323

Hare at 314yds with my 17hmr. My furtherest shot to date with the CZ455, was pretty chuffed with that to be honest.

----------


## rossi.45

> Hare at 314yds with my 17hmr. My furtherest shot to date with the CZ455, was pretty chuffed with that to be honest.


well done  @Trist323 i take my hat off to you mate  . . that is a seriously looongway with an HMR

----------


## Trist323

> well done  @Trist323 i take my hat off to you mate  . . that is a seriously looongway with an HMR


 @rossi.45 Cheers mate. i'd usually pull out 223 for a shot like that but it was back in the truck and was too far to walk back and get it. Had mixed results with cz/17gr cci. Doesn't group that awesome at 100 but my longest shots 314y and 246y were with that combo. Weird ballistics shit i obviously don't understand ha ha

----------


## Walker

Longest shot last walk was 395m with the trebly 40grn sierra blitz 23.5grn 2207.  rough ground so had to shoot sitting

----------


## rossi.45

> Longest shot last walk was 395m with the trebly 40grn sierra blitz 23.5grn 2207.  rough ground so had to shoot sitting


just so i can picture the shot ( 432 yards for the oldies )  @Walker did you have any support like a gate, fencepost etc or was it elbows on knees ?

whats the rifle / scope  . . pic would be good 

R.

----------


## Walker

Sitting elbows on knees, rifle is a older ruger m77 paddle stock with dpt can, older tasco TR 4-16 which has a mechnical range finding function.

----------


## Tim Dicko

Rossi 45 has inspired me to chuck up some photos. They are not amazing photos with panoramic views. Shot a few rabbits with my 260rem tikka t3 with the 143 eld x. Started at 365 yards shot a few, moved to 385 and finished at 485 for the last one hit it a little central. The wind was at around 6.5 mph for the close shots.

----------


## rossi.45

whats the scope /reticle there  @Tim Dicko  . . . how do you find the 260 for varminting, not to much recoil to catch the hits or see misses consistently to adjust fire ?

R.

----------


## rossi.45

some might have heard a Rebel yell and a few Yahoos coming from the Crown Range this morning  . . . it was me

----------


## Tim Dicko

I think the 260 would have another 8 to 15percent more recoil then a 243win. Its the same case so its just a bigger projectile right.... It is a wind cutting machine. Im running the old nxs 5.5-22x56 with the npr2 reticle. it got glass thats good enough for me. The reticle is not the best when calling corrections with the 5moa wind hashs. :Oh Noes:  But you get there in the end. i find i can only spot shots from 400yards when i muscle the rifle a little. I free recoil so im not the best at spotting my shots. The newer nxs with the moar-t ret would be the go. 833 yards mate. im sure the neighbours were worried.

----------


## Friwi

Do you guys use a kestrel to estimate the wind speed and how much to compensate by? Or you walk your shots to the prey?

----------


## Tim Dicko

I have a kestrel 3500 i think. But the more you use it the better at estimating you get. Its good having the built in pressure ect. Its obviously then put the information into your app. i estimate the direction. Gully networks can be interesting cross winds.

----------


## rossi.45

> Do you guys use a kestrel to estimate the wind speed and how much to compensate by? Or you walk your shots to the prey?



i have a Kestrel 2500 which mostly stays in the truck but as Tim D said they are a great tool for learning true wind speeds ( but only where you are ) . .  . they are of limited use where i am shooting for LR work.

as an example yesterday where i was shooting from Strelok predicted 20 inches of drift to the right with my imputs  . . but somewhere on the bullets journey from one hillside to the other the wind was moving in another direction and i needed 30 inches of correction the other way to the left..
shooting across gullies around here you may have an up or down wind, as well as an all over the place wind, all at the same time . .  if the animal will co-operate and stay put, fire and adjust
part of the fun ( to me ) is working out how am i going to get around the problem  . . get that bullet to connect with that fur ball way out there 

shooting LR with a .22lr is very helpful to learn wind skills

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## rossi.45

i have been doing a little research   @Tim Dicko on the 6.5mm 143grn. ELD X bullet at 260Rem velocities, playing with the numbers on Strelok and comparing them with my 87grn. VMax bullet / load i use.
Certainly makes for an interesting comparison but maybe a little depressing for me if i let it . . best not to think of the soooo close shots that would have been good hits if i had a bullet with 50% better BC / half the wind drift of the VMax.

sometime in the near future i will have to rebarrel the tikka, the 6.5s will be on the maybe list.

can i ask why you chose the .260Rem in a sporter profile as your varmint rifle ?
what other calibers / rifles have you tried ?

R.

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## Tim Dicko

Rossi 45 if you look at my rifle i am left handed and dont have alot of choice as to what rifle i buy. as to the barrel contour i do alot of walking. but when i shoot out that barrel id put a 4 contour on to keep it light for my long walks. The 6mm would be more competitive with a higher b.c round to give you more wind cutting. It has a big advantage on spped obviously. I like the 260 ive had it for 2.5years and its done some kms

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## rossi.45

> Rossi 45 if you look at my rifle i am left handed and dont have alot of choice as to what rifle i buy. as to the barrel contour i do alot of walking. but when i shoot out that barrel id put a 4 contour on to keep it light for my long walks. The 6mm would be more competitive with a higher b.c round to give you more wind cutting. It has a big advantage on spped obviously. I like the 260 ive had it for 2.5years and its done some kms


so your a leftie @Tim Dicko  . . or the term i like to use ' one of the Devils children ' that does kinda limit your choices.
the Ruger No.1 would be worth a look if you want something different, i have one in .204R and rate them. 

we all have our own ideas on the best weight of a walkabout varminter, mine is definitely on the heavier side . . . when i put the miles in over the hills for a days shooting i never feel a heavy rifle is a problem, i welcome it when its time to pull the trigger.   Today i added another 3-4 pounds of lead inside the stock for better balance and hoping to get a little better recoil management, have to see how that goes.

i may just rebarrel with another 243, i have loads of cases etc, maybe a faster twist  . . . watching a couple PRS shooters today and one of them said something like we only shoot out to 1000yrds for 20% of the shots so we dont put all of our energy / focus on it . . which i kinda have to watch myself doing, concentrating on the very LR when most is inside 500 yards and i dont need the razzle dazzle bullets etc

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## Tim Dicko

I am a lefty, better looking and more intelligent i say....... It does and im not such a ruger fan. They are solid and accurate shooters but not my cup of tea. For a truck gun heavy is sweet as. for long distance walking keeping it under 5kg overall is important. When you are pulling the trigger weight is your mate. 

Yeah go 243 or 6mm xc 260 and get a reamer to suit projectiles you are running. any thing with work a. I watch some of the prs shooting and follow the gears they are using. If you focus futher out it is good practice at all ranges. The higher the b.c the less effort you need to put into wind calls. Direction is the most important factor with the wind. not strength obviously. Bryan Litz has some interesting videos.

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## rossi.45

> for long distance walking keeping it under 5kg overall is important


harden up man   :Have A Nice Day:

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## MB

> some might have heard a Rebel yell and a few Yahoos coming from the Crown Range this morning  . . . it was me


Are you saying that you shot a rabbit at that distance? If so, that is bloody amazing!

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## rossi.45

> Are you saying that you shot a rabbit at that distance? If so, that is bloody amazing!


here's some numbers for ya @MB  . . . the bullet started at over 3000ft per second, arrived at the Rabbit 1.25 seconds later doing just 1350ft per second, plenty of time to wait for the hit & watch it get knocked head over bum a few times rolling down the hill, ya just gotta love those VMaxs

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## stickle7

Hi all, maybe the wrong thread but I have a 22-204 with loading gear and data that I dont need anymore, PM me if you want any details.

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## rossi.45

> Hi all, maybe the wrong thread but I have a 22-204 with loading gear and data that I dont need anymore, PM me if you want any details.


i'm keen to see pics etc @stickle7  . . put it up and lets see what you have

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## stickle7

Terminator 22-204 supplied by Terminator Products.

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## rossi.45

that is one very cool lookn rifle setup  . . . R

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## GWH

I've just got back from a 4 day private land deer and varminting trip with another forum member.

Absolutely epic trip with good numbers of deer,  goats,  rabbits and magpies taken care of.

I drilled a magpie at 256 yards with my 223,  which I was very happy with.

I witnessed a hare taken at 470 yards with a 6.5C/143 eldx which impressed me.

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## FatLabrador

My new pb of 215 meters with my 223 using 55 grain Speer tnt handloads.

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## rossi.45

well done  @FatLabrador  . . look forward to seeing more PersonalBests in the future

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## rossi.45

good one @GWH . . . a good property and with someone who is showing you some Longer shots

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## rossi.45

it rained, it blew  . . . but ya gotta go for a walk on your day off, 131yrds longest shot with .22lr PowerPoints

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## wsm junkie

@rossi.45 looking at giving this extended .22 shooting a go and currently in the process of getting geared up.
What size gong would you recommend for practice? 8 inch? I"m hoping ultimately to get out to 300 if my scope has enough adjustment.
Cheers

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## Marty Henry

Yesterday off the balcony  into the Orchard probably no more than 20 meters.

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## rossi.45

> @rossi.45 looking at giving this extended .22 shooting a go and currently in the process of getting geared up.
> What size gong would you recommend for practice? 8 inch? I"m hoping ultimately to get out to 300 if my scope has enough adjustment.
> Cheers


good on ya         @wsm junkie  . . . look forward to seeing your progress.
what sort of setup have you got at the moment ?

i like a BIG steel target to catch all of the shots with a small aiming square in the middle . . . spray paint it after every group so you can see the hits as they happen.
engineers off cut bin is where i got mine from . . weld some hooks on it and your good to go.

this is my smaller target . . . but gives you an idea of impacts when the wind is'nt the best at 300 and what size you will need to catch the bullets.
this is from back in the day when i would shoot 5, 10, 20, 30 round groups  . . R

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## wsm junkie

> good on ya     @wsm junkie  . . . look forward to seeing your progress
> 
> i like a BIG steel target to catch all of the shots with a small aiming square in the middle . . . spray paint it after every group so you can see the hits as they happen.
> engineers off cut bin is where i got mine from . . weld some hooks on it and your good to go.
> 
> this is my smaller target . . . but gives you an idea of impacts when the wind is'nt the best at 300 and what size you will need to catch the bullets
> this is from back in the day when i would shoot 10, 20, 30 round groups  . . R
> Attachment 122618


Cheers mate

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## Flyblown

> I witnessed a hare taken at 470 yards with a 6.5C/143 eldx which impressed me.


It was actually 501yd / 458m @GWH...  :Cool:

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## Flyblown

The last two hare sessions have yielded some good results with the 50gr Z-Max in the .223 Super Varmint. Hares at 280m, 275m and two at 332m. Works well as long as I remember to use the correct range units...

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## rossi.45

longest hit 217yrds. with .22 subs

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## wsm junkie

Got out for a quick walk with the new rig.
Longest shot on this hare 154m

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## rossi.45

191 yards longest hit today with subs . . . not my best day for making wind calls but still a good walk

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## 6x47

Got treated to some decent bunny territory on Sunday afternoon. Took my 700 VS .223 and my mate his .204 T3 varminter. Started shooting about 4.45 and we gave up before 7.30, more than 90 bunnies later. Closest over 120yds, most 180+ and at least ten over 300yds. Clipped one first shot at 400 and scared other crapless at similar range. Was very pleased with two successive solid hits at 275yds holding 10-12" into the breeze  :Pacman: 

So anyone who claims RCD has been useful needs to have a big re-think.

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## Flyblown

My first video. Its shit. But its an "effort" nonetheless. I mean, I tried. The light was rubbish, that's the reason, nothing to do with equipment or operator's errors...

Longest bunny: 275m
Longest hare: 266m 
Longest fuckin' lucky hare: 360m (technical term: missed)

I did however manage to confirm that the Super Varmint .223 50gr V-Max is high once it goes past 300m, using the old "shoot a post" method. Which means either its even faster than I thought or the BC is higher, so tomorrow if we have bugger all wind I'll drop test it again properly. 

We couldn't get the camera to work for the last three hares, too dark. One lucky mongrel got a face on head shot at 180m, and looked like he'd encountered a guillotine. Great fun out shooting with the wife, she's damn good and unfortunate that she didn't get her two long hares recorded due to the darkness.

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## rossi.45

good one @Flyblown  . . . thanks for that mate 

R.

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## GWH

A nice stroll around the raspberry orchard on a nice warm balmy evening last night with the CZ 452 22lr. Longest shot only 103 yards with subs.

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## wsm junkie

@GWH are they in a brine or just water?

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## GWH

> @GWH are they in a brine or just water?


Brine,  just salty water

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## wsm junkie

> Brine,  just salty water
> 
> Sent from my SM-G930P using Tapatalk


Is there a reason or just personal preference?

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## GWH

> Is there a reason or just personal preference?


Brining it sucks all the blood back into the bones somehow. I think it can also help add moisture.  

I normally always cook it long and slow in a stock anyway,  braising basically.  Brown each piece in hot pan first then a few hours low and slow in the oven in a stock I make with lots of tasty stuff in it.

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## wsm junkie

> Brining it sucks all the blood back into the bones somehow. I think it can also help add moisture.  
> 
> I normally always cook it long and slow in a stock anyway,  braising basically.  Brown each piece in hot pan first then a few hours low and slow in the oven in a stock I make with lots of tasty stuff in it.
> 
> Sent from my SM-G930P using Tapatalk


Cool. Cheers, never tried that....normally just wrap in streaky bacon and whack em in the slow cooker :36 1 8:

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## GWH

> Cool. Cheers, never tried that....normally just wrap in streaky bacon and whack em in the slow cooker


Ha nice,  my dish has streaky bacon in it too. It's a bit of work but tastes amaising.

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## wsm junkie

Got out for another stroll
Longest was this hare @197m

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## charliehorse

> Ha nice,  my dish has streaky bacon in it too. It's a bit of work but tastes amaising.
> 
> Sent from my SM-G930P using Tapatalk


How bout you share this amazing recipe then @GWH  I'm always keen to cook up something new

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## GWH

> How bout you share this amazing recipe then @GWH  I'm always keen to cook up something new


Sure thing mate,  away in the morning for a day or two,  will share on my return 

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## wsm junkie

Last nights back wheels....oooh, cant wait...nom nom nom

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## GWH

> Last nights back wheels....oooh, cant wait...nom nom nom
> Attachment 123601


Do you cook them dry,  no liquid in there at all eh?

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## wsm junkie

> Do you cook them dry,  no liquid in there at all eh?
> 
> Sent from my SM-G930P using Tapatalk



Yep. I find the fat from the bacon keeps them moist

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## GWH

> Yep. I find the fat from the bacon keeps them moist


How long in the slow cooker mate

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## wsm junkie

> How long in the slow cooker mate
> 
> Sent from my SM-G930P using Tapatalk


3.5 - 4 hrs....i pretty much treat them like lamb shanks :Have A Nice Day:

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## 257weatherby

> None of your 150 shots is a guaranteed humane kill on rabbit size game. Could be a clean miss, could be gut shot, could just break their back leg.


Hard to argue with that.

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## Flyblown

> Hard to argue with that.


I'd disagree. Rabbits are vermin like many other creatures, ones that we trap, poison and shoot, with varying degrees of success. I spent a good few weeks in '86 smacking myxomatosis rabbits with a cricket bat, that wasn't a very nice way for us to get rid of them either, eh? Every winter I trap rats that aren't cleanly killed, when they run over the traps the wrong way. Shit happens. I don't differentiate between a rabbit, a rat or a ferret polecat hybrid. They must die.

In the cattle yards where I was shooting rabbits a couple of nights ago, the buggers were popping up out of holes in the middle of the holding paddock and smack bang in the centre of the yards. Wanna argue with the cockie about a rabbit versus a $2000 Angus cattle beast's leg? Nope, neither do I. That's reserved for the snowflake greenie bunny huggers.

I totally get your desire to see a clean kill, we all strive for that, sometimes however the circumstances are what they are. On a warren that isn't shot often, if at all, I think you can achieve good numbers with a CCI Stinger or a small centrefire like a .17 Hornet, for a while, but once they're wise to the bang, you have no choice but to go into stealth mode. Just the way it is. 

Not looking for a great big barney over this, but in my (40yrs-ish) experience of shooting bunnies with rimfire, the numbers that suffer much beyond a couple of minutes are very low. I'd rather shoot them with a small percentage of slower deaths than poison all of them and the horrors that entails. Or deliberately infect them with a guaranteed horrible death virus.

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## rossi.45

right on the money @Flyblown

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## Wingman

> The last two hare sessions have yielded some good results with the 50gr Z-Max in the .223 Super Varmint. Hares at 280m, 275m and two at 332m. Works well as long as I remember to use the correct range units...


Remind me again.. which units were you using?  :Psmiley:

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## rossi.45

have gone back to the the subs in this rifle, so much better for where i shoot  . . . what i loose in point and shoot range i gain in getting more animals by making less noise.

longest hit 153 yards

ATTACH]123960[/ATTACH]

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