Varmint hunting, Buying a first rifle!!

[matt_3479]

Im 16 years old and im working this summer and im saving up to buy a new varmint rifle. I use to hunt with my buddys and my dads friends cause my dad never owned one and now that im old enough im going to get my own. I dont mean old enough to buy one cause i know you have to be 18 but i mean im old enough to carry one and im old enough to work for it. So im working and going to give the money to my dad so i can get a varmint rifle. I want to know what you guys use? I dont want a 223. rem, I know its a great gun im just not interested in it. I am debating between a 204. ruger, 22-250. rem and a 243. win. There is about 2000 acres of land that im allowed to hunt. Lots and lots of corn field, surronded by a chicken and turkey farm and they yotes are eating them. What do you suggest between the three calibers i mentioned? I was thinking of the Tikka T3 Laminated Stainless, what do you think?

[Bowhunters]

Hi Matt and welcome to the DHC forum.

In order to legally hunt and get a hunting liscense you need to pass a hunters safety course, you may have already done your hunters safety but I didn't see where you mentioned it so I thought it best that I did to try to help keep you out of trouble.

As far as the calibers you mention, any one of those three will get the job done, what I would look at is what ammunition of the three is easily available at your local hunting store or even the local Walmart if thats where you buy your hunting gear, having a caliber that you have to order ammo over the internet because your store doesn't carry it isn't that much fun when you want to hunt but you are out and the local store doesn't carry your caliber.

Another thing to look at is buying a 'multipurpose' rifle, I know right now you are only interested in varmints but getting somthing in .243 or slightly larger will save you from having to buy another rifle later if you decide to move up and start deer hunting a couple years from now.

There are some calibers .243 and slightly larger that are great for varminting and are also a large enough bullet to be legally used for deer hunting, lots of states have a .243 or larger rule for deer hunting.

I'm not trying to tell you to guy a particular caliber, but just to weight your options and think about it.