The best Small game varmint hunting round? I am hunting  squirel, rabbit, muskrat, groundhog. I was seriously thinking  the 17s because they are the most accurate. So which is better .17HM2 or the .17HMR? I have also read that the .22 WMR does a too much damage to the meat and it’s more of a coyote round.

D.Tucker

I own a Simmons Prairie master 8-32X44 and it is a great scope but no longer available. Any hunters or shooters here use own the Truglo 8-32X44 scope for varmint hunting? I placed a call to Natchez and they said these two makes are not the same scope. The price is about $76 out the door for the Truglo and is about the same for the Prairie master scope I own.

Anyone want to fill me in.

Andy in Texas

I noticed on gunbroker an $1100 .243 DPMS Panther with all the extra goodness for target/varmint shooter. Has a flat top, floated barrel, sniper grip, bipod, etc  and I am close to buying it to use for 100 target  shooting, varmint hunting, and also deer hunting.

I was thinking about putting  good optics and trigger on this gun, do you think it would be a reasonable compromise to  to hunt both varmint and deer with the same gun? It makes a lot of sense to me, instead of a .223 that I could not use for deer, or a .30-06 or .308 that would be too expensive for much plinking, and inappropriate for varmint hunting.

I see that a person can get the rounds for about $ .75 each from good brands, but you can get Ballistic Silver Tips (with the wicked chrome shells) for about $1.10 when you’re stalking some trophy bucks. I figure that so long as my optics let me take the shot precisely, shot placement will compensate for caliber.

Your thoughts?
Larry, and thanks for the invite..

I’ll have to admit, I am feeling a bit of remorse for killing my first hunted coyote? I am an older guy in my (late 20’s) and new to hunting, but always wanted to try hunting and get into a new hobby that takes me away from the house and chaos.  My brother-in-law has a ranch and asked me to come over and shoot some coyotes that are becoming a problem. Anyway,  he also has a lot of deer on his property and thought it would be a good all around deal type thing for future deer seasons.

They say hunting coyotes is a hard thing, but it was simple my first time and extremely lucky because it was 7:00 or so in the evening and when I came around the barn to setup there was a coyote digging under a duck cage. I took aim and dropped him on the spot. He was a young coyote and my brother-in-law gutted him and pinned him to a fence post.

I understand Coyotes are varmints and populations are lopsided, but I feel it was a waste of an animal? You can’t eat them and to disgrace them?  I have no problem taking edible game but for some odd reason my first coyotes just did not sit right with me and have an odd feeling of remorse.

Anyone else ever feel this way?

Matt

Maybe I am a little late and on the rush for a 17 HMR but I do have a question? I’ve heard read a lot of  mixed reviews on this caliber. I just wanted to get the Pro’s -Con’s on why you do or do NOT like them? I am in the market for a rimfire rifle and thought I’d ask here from the email invitation. Also, if I buy one are they good for squirrels and groundhogs?

Finally, what manufacturer/gun maker would you suggest?

Thanks!

Jon in WV.

Thanks for the email and I also have a question. I am seriously  looking at a remington 700 for varmint hunting and use as my deer hunting rifle. The question is what caliber would be effective for whitetail in fairly heavy brush as well as open fields? Im not looking to shoot over 150 yards but something that will push 300 might be useful for varmints.  I am not to worried about the kick (if 308) but would like to be able to use my arm after a bit of practice? Do any of you hunt deer & varmints with a heavy barrel Remington 700?

Thanks Danny in San Jose

If  a varmint hunter wants to use FMJ in my state they may do so including JSP, JHP, hard cast lead, basically anything. My question is would you ever/want consider using full metal jacket ammunition for varmint, pest and nuisance animal hunting? List reasons why, or why not if you don’t mind. I already have a mindset on this topic, and I’m curious what others thoughts are on this topic?