Thread: Varmint options, Your best picks

I'm shooting a 17 Hornet. Comfortably taking rabbits, hare and magpies out to 350yds with the odd good hit out to 400.
My next build will be a 6x47L on a crossover setup for long range varmint and competition. I'd expect that to cover 6-800yds with a reasonable success rate.
What I'm looking for is a tweener, something that'll bold stuff over from 350 to 600yds. The obvious is the 223, a fast twist would give it more versatility. 204 Ruger will be to hot I think.
@GWH has planted the seed for a 20 Vartarg. 18-20gr of powder is pretty attractive I must admit. Would it stretch out to 600yds ???
The 22-250 uses the same load as a 6x47L so that's to much.
Any ideas to make my brain hurt?

If you're trying to hit rabbits for example at 600yds, the .223 is not the answer even with heavies in a fast twist. Wind is the enemy. The 6x47L shooting say 90+ grainers would be in the ballpark. 800 is about 3X as hard as 600 on varmints, certainly in any wind.

I'd say a .204 up to 350yds, max 400, then drag out the 6x47L for more challenging stuff. Where we shoot, 350yds would cover 95% of bunnies I'd guess.

Your advice then would be to put the “tweener” out of my thoughts and go balls deep on the 6x47

Let me know if you need to move the Hornet on to fund the new build
Lol

Originally Posted by Boxton

Let me know if you need to move the Hornet on to fund the new build
Lol

Sorry mate, that’ll never happen lol
I love my Anschutz like I love oxygen.

Yup, 6mm

Something like a 6mm Grendel (ARC) would be good, or look at 6BR / 6 Dasher

@Wingman has a 6 Dasher and will be able to give some details. From memory hes pushing a 90gr at 3200 fps with not a huge amount of powder.

87gr Vmax would go well i reckon.

6BR, 6 Dasher, 6x47L, 6 Creedmoor!

243s are great too if you are into varmint projectiles
Boring but with targex projectiles can do extreamly well

Originally Posted by 6x47

If you're trying to hit rabbits for example at 600yds, the .223 is not the answer even with heavies in a fast twist. Wind is the enemy. The 6x47L shooting say 90+ grainers would be in the ballpark. 800 is about 3X as hard as 600 on varmints, certainly in any wind.

I'd say a .204 up to 350yds, max 400, then drag out the 6x47L for more challenging stuff. Where we shoot, 350yds would cover 95% of bunnies I'd guess.

We did a rabbit shoot this arvo shooting the Hornet, found that in a target rich environment 300yds was our max. Shot 120 of them. Most were shot between 150 and 250yds With that experience I think the gap I was looking to fill isn’t necessary. Being that I love rifles I’ll probably do one anyway lol. The 6x47 will be first in line but then it’ll be all over one of these wildcat chambers. Maybe the 20 Vartarg just because why not.

One option in a .20 cal is the 20 Practical- just run a .223 case through the die and you're good to go. A small margin under .204 power but that round would fill any hole between the Hornet and the 6x47L. And .223 brass is everywhere unlike cases for the Vartarg.

Originally Posted by 6x47

One option in a .20 cal is the 20 Practical- just run a .223 case through the die and you're good to go. A small margin under .204 power but that round would fill any hole between the Hornet and the 6x47L. And .223 brass is everywhere unlike cases for the Vartarg.

Yep when i was looking into the 20 VT a little while ago, i also decided that the 20 Prac made a lot of sense. It is of course nowhere near as 'cool' as the short fat 20 Vartarg, but it is....well....ummmm....practical ;-)