What to choose what to choose....

[portervillescott]

I am considering getting a second rifle primarily for varminting (squirrels and coyotes around this part of California)

A friend has a Tikka 223 for sale (22") barrel... I read that they are excellent rifles.  It appears MOST rifles used for varmint hunting have 24-26" barrels.  Should this be somethign to consider?
i WAS considering buying it piece by piece and building one as time goes by...is it worth the effort and money?
I am a newby to the hunting game and would appreciate ANY help...

[longwalker]

A .223 will be pretty hard on the squirrels, but will kill them deader than dead. The big benifit to the .223 is inexpensive ammunition.  As far as the barrel length I wouldn't get to worked up about it. I have a .223 with a 22 inch barrel and have never felt it was to short. It could be just a touch louder than a 24 inch barrel but it doesn't matter, as you need hearing protection when shooting a 223 anyway.

One word of caution, varmint hunting sometimes requires long hours looking through you rifle scope. Buying a good scope up front will go a long way to more enjoyable day of shooting.

longwalker

[Coyote Hunter]

My .22-250 has a 26" heavy-barrel Ruger while my .257 Roberts is a 22" sporter.  The one I grab most often is the .257 Roberts as it is MUCH more comfortable to carry around.  But they both have their uses.  If I'm sitting on a prairie dog village for any length of time I prefer the .22-250.  The .257 Roberts is my main coyote rifle.

[portervillescott]

Ammo seems to be much cheaper and more readily available in th 223... that is why i have leaned a lil more towards that rather than the 22-250.  I can only afford to buy one..sadly... but i do appreciate the feedback i have gotten so far

does teh 2-4" inches lost in barrel length affect accuarcy as much as a novice such as myself would think it does?

[bladerunner]

in a Tikka,nothing will be lost accuracy wise...Period

they are GREAT rifles,and I think you'd be hard pressed to build one that out-performs it....just my  :money:

[lilabner]

The .223 is a great choice. Ammo is cheap and cheaper still if you reload. If you are going to be walking around a lot a light rifle makes sense. If you are going to set up in stands, you might consider a varmint rifle. I would like a Savage 12FV in .223. It has a 26 inch barrel and weighs 8 3/4 pounds. It has a reputation for accuracy. However, it isn't something you'd want to pack if you'll be taking long walks in the mountains.

[Coyote Hunter]

Ammo seems to be much cheaper and more readily available in th 223... that is why i have leaned a lil more towards that rather than the 22-250.  I can only afford to buy one..sadly... but i do appreciate the feedback i have gotten so far

does teh 2-4" inches lost in barrel length affect accuarcy as much as a novice such as myself would think it does?

Ammo for the .223 IS cheaper than for the .22-250 - consideraby so.

The shorter barrel will cause some velocity loss but theortically could increase accuracy.  I practice I doubt you will notice a difference.  A heavy-barrel rifle would generally give the best accuracy.

[Zachary]

I am considering getting a second rifle primarily for varminting (squirrels and coyotes around this part of California)

A friend has a Tikka 223 for sale (22") barrel... I read that they are excellent rifles.  It appears MOST rifles used for varmint hunting have 24-26" barrels.  Should this be somethign to consider?
i WAS considering buying it piece by piece and building one as time goes by...is it worth the effort and money?
I am a newby to the hunting game and would appreciate ANY help...

I generally like 24" barrels on standard cartridges and 26" on magnums, but I wouldn't worry about a 22" barrel for the .223.  Know, if it was a .22-250, the I would get at least 24".

I recommend that you try out your friend's Tikka in .223.  I'm sure that you will love it (but the coyotes won't   )

Zachary