Thread: beginner varmint hunter

Thanks Guys for all the information its alot to absorb and process.

realistically I dont think I will shoot more than 100 rounds a year from this gun but I would like to think I will.
I do own a rem 700 in .243 already which I have had the barrel floated properly,action bedded and trigger lightened. it has a sporter barrel on it and no suppressor. I use this rifle for deer and would rather have a separate rifle for varmint shooting.

Im happy to use a longer heavy barrel on a varmint rig as I plan on setting up in a likely spot and glassing for targets.
theres not alot of crown land around here that would be suitable for shooting over 50m as its quite dense bush. most of my shooting will be done on private land and open forestry areas.

so to recap. with a .223 ill have more versatility with a range of projectiles but if only using as a varmint rig better off with a 1-12 twist over a 1-8 ?
and if only using as a varmint rig it maybe a better option to go for the .204 and learn to reload?

I do plan on learning to reload in time. I have been looking at the savage model 12 fcv as well as the model 12 low profile and also wondered if the model 10 predator would make a good option due to its 24 inch barrel medium contour barrel making it slightly lighter but really its only half a pound.
ive never really been a big fan of tikka but ive never owned one, they just dont come up well on me.

when a suppressor is fitted to a varmint rig how many inchs would i expect to be taken off? giving a final length of...?