O.T. Ping Nathan... Rat hunting in Montana

Bill:

Fill the Can with water. that is a sight through a scope. the first time will suprize you the next is just funny.

But you need losts of beer cans, with water in them you can only hit them once,

Approximately 10/16/03 13:57, Evan uttered for posterity:

Is common trick, with something like a .264 or 7mm magnum about a 100 grain bullet and 4000 plus fps velocity. Hit a 5 gallon can filled with water and put a lid on it, just unpeels the thing and water all over.

Slower stuff like a .308 or 30-06 should stick to watermelons.

Beer cans aren't as cool as shaving cream cans, particularly with a 12 guage.

_FULL_ beer cans all over? Where?!?!

Approximately 10/16/03 16:07, L.W.(ßill) Hughes III uttered for posterity:

Agreed. I've never questioned the validity of controlling the pests. I've seen rabbits just as damaging to cows and horses with their own burrows.

I've only stated the folks in the video and referenced web sites were more in it for the carnage than worrying about the ranchers concerns. Again, whether it be a larger ground hog or a prairie dog, an inexpensive .22 long shot in the head is only going to drop the animal where it stands with little to no carnage and allow more local kills. And if these folks can't do it with out heavy loads, jacketed rounds, hollowed points and larger caliber guns, then there not in it for the population control.

Who brings high speed cameras out to a rodent shoot any ways? Not like we all need to see their skilled marksmanship? The rodents a no more than still targets in that open space anyway.

Cheers!

Perry

GMP News wrote:

I agree that a .22 caliber is all you need. But a rimfire .22LR just doesn't cut it for anything past 50-75 yards. It loses too much velocity and knock-down power, especially on the bigger varmints past that range. A centerfire .22 caliber such as a .22-250, .222, .223, .22PPC, or .220 Swift is the ticket.

Terry.

Approximately 10/18/03 09:09, Terry Jeffrey uttered for posterity:

As long as there is no wind, which isn't that often the case out in the west. Stuff like the .25-06 and .22-250 also tends to fall off in accuracy even in light wind as you get out past 200-250 yards compared to a longer more aerodynamic round. One factor too often neglected in the caliber wars is that the light ones have a really really bad habit of leaving wounded animals behind. Without getting into the ethics of shooting them in the first place, if you *are* gonna do it, at least have the decency to ensure that they go out as quickly and reliably as possible rather than attempting to prove just how good your skills are with an inappropriate weapon.

Of course if you have a 24X Leupold and good shooting style, you can always go for a .50 sniper rifle and take them out at half a mile or so in a hurricane.

Yep, of course you have more wind drift with the lighter bullets. I don't varmint shoot when the wind is more than 10mph, and I usually keep my shots within 300yds. The .22-250 is my preference. It is one of the best small caliber flat shooters you can buy. Using 55grainers it only drops on average 3-4 inches at 300 yards, and is still packin approx 700 ft-lbs of knockdown energy. Plenty to spank any varmint. But try to avoid the wind -- you get approx 8 inches of drift in a 10mph crosswind.

Terry.

Approximately 10/18/03 14:11, Terry Jeffrey uttered for posterity:

Yup, this is why the .264 and 7mm maggies exist, say with a 87 grain boattail, fully bedded long barrel and handloaded with a slow burn powder.

I've never known anybody that owned a rifle in the .264 Winchester Magnum. I just checked it out in my reloading manuals and it looks impressive. It's a good flat shooter and would make an excellent pronghorn and deer rifle too. About 75 gr of Hodgdon 870 is the number for the heavier bullets. I don't think I'd want to take it varmint shooting all day though, where you can go through 3-4 boxes of cartridges. It probably has recoil in the range of my .270. Maybe I'm just a wuss these days, but about 20 shots is all my shoulder wants of it! :-). I'll still opt for my .22-250 for varmint shooting.

Terry.

Approximately 10/18/03 20:41, Terry Jeffrey uttered for posterity:

Allow me to introduce myself.

The recoil on the .264 mag is higher than that on a 30-06, but of a somewhat different character, more of a quick snap than a longer push. If it bothers you, you aren't holding the rifle properly or the stock is very poorly fit. With a 110 grain Nosler if you sight it at 230 yards, it stays within +/- 3 inches all the way out to 430, presuming you have a long enough barrel [which few commercial rifles do for the belted magnums].

The 7mm remington magnum is just about as flat with a bit more smack out at long range. The 7mm Weatherby magnum is even nicer, being good for anything found in north america.