Gun choices?
 

I'm gonna buy a gun for Groundhog hunting. I think it will be either .243 a 22-250 or possibly a .270. I only buy Remingtons also. Except the 22-250 is a Ruger M77.

What do you think? I'd like to be able to shoot at least 300 yards with as little drop as possible.

Get a match grade AR-15. I shoot 1000 yard matches with 90 grain bullets and get about 1/4 minute accuracy. Mind you they are long enough that you have to hand load them into the camber, but it's still helluva fun.

I have a remington 700 sendero special in .270 w/ a leaupold vari-x III (3.5-10 power) scope.

When I use hornady custom ammunition, my groups are consistently less than one inch at a hundred yards off the bench.

You can't go wong w/ a rem. 700. The sendero special has a free floated bull barrel w/ a nice, heavy synthetic stock. Perfect for varmints and long range plinking, but a little heavy to go running around in the woods with (i.e. great for groundhogs).

I got .270 so that it would be versatile enough for me to take just about any game in north america, and while it is more than adequate for varmint hunting, you might want to go w/ 22-250 for a dedicated varmint gun. Check out www.hornady.com they have nice, honest ballistics tables for thier ammunition. It's an easy way to compare.


Debaser: 1/4 moa @ 1000 yards w/ .223?????? I believe that would break many world records as you would only have 2.5 inch groups.

Was going to say something about the .223 but Greg700 did a great job..

I have a 22-250. Like it a lot but probably only shot it 7-8 times. Never tried the others. They might be overkill for groundhogs.

By the way, groundhog hunting is perhaps the most wasteful and lowest form of hunting. :/

The rifle will do it (mounted in a vice), I on the other hand...

Edit - Sorry, upon rereading the post I see what the issue was. The gun holds 1/4 minute for zero, not at 1000 yards (never tried benching it there). Still, group size, barring funky wind, is usually a foot to a foot and a half, and I am fairly certain that is me, not the rifle.

Your just a weiner non hunter Seretogis!

I think the .270 is overkill on Groundhogs but it'll do the job. Bullets drop too much for my longer range shots.

.223 is a good choice. I have no experience with it, I have shot a .222 Can anyone compare what they have found difference about them? Besides the ballistics on paper and stuff.

.240 would be if I wanted an all around gun I think, I could white tail with it if I wanted to in most states I think its the smallest u can use.

22-250 is probably what I'm going to go with, the one I'm looking at has a Flat arm stock for bench shooting, so its heavier and nicer to have when not moving alot, its a Ruger M77 with 8-32 cheapy scope, which I will replace with leaupold 4-16(not positive on that yet.

Greg you ever shot that .270 at farther than 100... How's the drop for you? What grain bullets you using also?

I haven't had any opportunity to shoot it past 200 yards (yet). It grouped very well with hornady custom 140 gr. (sst? v-max?) bullets. With a 100 yard zero, they hit about 2 inches low at 200.

Hopefully we will be going up to Knob Creek in a couple of weeks where I will be able to test my rifle at much longer distances.

I am going to take my newest batch of handloads to the range here in a couple of days, and I will let you know how those did. I accidentally used Hodgdon ballistics tables w/ IMR powder, and I ended up loading the absolute max safe charge for my powder.

I know you didn't mention it, but look at the .220 Swift. It is a small, flat shooting and very, very fast rifle. I was hunting stripey gophers (about the sive of a rat for any one who doesn't know) and he could push that rifle out to 500 yds accurately.

If you are looking at the .243, checkout the 6mm Remington. It is a flatter, faster cartridge and can be used on damn near any game up to elk. For groundhogs, the remington 700 should be able to push 500 yds easy. (just assuming because my model 7 can push 400 easy.)

No-one has mentioned .17 hmr ?

Until you are riding a fine $2000.00 horse 20 miles from any civilization and it steps into a ground hog hole breaking its leg and landing on top of you then kicks its way off of you, suffering and screaming in pain with it leg still stuck in the hole while you try to retrieve your rifle from under it to end its suffering, you will never understand why people shoot/trap/poison all animals that live in burrows.

Many people use the ground hog and prairie dog as targets to make themselves better shots when it comes to shooting game animals. The animals are small requiring better shot placement. They are at various distances, helping to train you as to how far you are from your target. Also you are in a lot of instances removing the animals from an area of rangeland that carries many types of livestock which can be injured by the burrows or by the diseases that the animals carry.

My preference has been toward the 220 swift or the 222 both are very fast flat shooting rounds that in the right rifle are very accurate. For closer shooting the 22 Magnum or even the 22 long rifle are good rounds.

groundhog hunting? rude comment edited

If you wish to stick around, you may want to phrase your posts in a more constructive fashion.

I just fell in love with a new one to me. A friend of ours let me try it out when we were out shooting. It's got an over under 22 rifle/shotgun.
I forget the shotgun caliber. It's a Savage. First time I shot it I got the bottle I was aiming for at 50 yards. So very accurate and easy to hold. Fits my hands just right. He's not interested in selling it but I'd love to find one like it. I love the idea of the option of rifle or shotgun in one.

Calm down, people.

If you don't like groundhog hunting, you don't have to be rude about it.