Varmint rifle
Encyclopedia
Varmint rifle is an American English
term for a small-caliber firearm or high-powered air gun
primarily used for varmint hunting — killing non-native or non-game animals such as rat
s, house sparrow
s, starling
, crow
s, ground squirrel
s, gophers
, jackrabbits, marmot
s, groundhog
s, porcupine
, opossum, coyote
, skunk
s, weasel
s, or feral
cat
s, dog
s, goat
s, pig
s and other animals considered to be nuisance vermin
destructive to native or domestic plants and animals.
The varmint gun fills a design gap between the more powerful small-game rifles and the less powerful rimfire
firearms. .22 Long Rifle
(the most popular rimfire caliber) is somewhat underpowered for small predators, but is perfectly adequate to dealing with typical vermin; the term "varmint" covers larger animals which usually harass farms from the outside (as opposed to infestation by vermin), and the varmint gun assists in the control of them.
lever action and the Ruger
Mini-14
are common truck guns or ranch guns kept handy for this) the deliberate taking of varmints requires special characteristics more common to target rifles than "normal" hunting rifles.
techniques will be performed, either by the manufacturer or the owner. The stocks will generally have wider forends, designed for use on stable sandbag rests, and high combs for easy use with optics.
Since part of the definition of a "varmint" is that it is a nuisance, varmints are not stalked, but rather they are hunted from a fixed position. This makes weight of little consideration in a varmint rifle, so heavy barrels are common. Varmints are also not subject to the same bag limits as game animals are, so far more shots may be fired. The heavier barrel is, in general, more accurate than a light barrel, plus the extra mass helps reduce the felt recoil and absorb the heat from more shots before expanding and potentially reducing accuracy. Folding shooting benches and sandbag rests help provide a stable base for the shooter, allowing the maximum accuracy to be extracted from the rifle.
Since varmints are generally smaller animals, large, heavy bullets are not needed. A light, fast bullet gives a flat trajectory, making range estimation less vital for accurate shot placement. Velocities for modern varmint rounds are usually in excess of 3000 ft/s (914.4 m/s) and some such as the .220 Swift
and .204 Ruger
can exceed 4000 ft/s (1,219.2 m/s). This allows long range shots with a short time of flight, and little change in trajectory at different ranges (see external ballistics
). A bullet drop of only a couple of inches (about 5 cm) is enough to cause a miss on smaller varmint animals; so flat trajectories increase hit probability at long ranges. Fast, lightly constructed bullets have additional advantages of rapidly disintegrating upon initial contact. Disintegration minimizes the range of ricochet
particles; and energy release of disintegration kills small animals more quickly than a penetrating wound.
Rifles firing .22 caliber bullets became popular varmint guns after World War I
. Calibers up to .264 caliber (6.5 mm)
, including .243 Winchester
, 6mm Remington and .25-06 Remington
, became popular for ranges over 200 meters (220 yards) as the ballistic advantages of heavier bullets were recognized. Varmint shooting is one of the few areas where calibers smaller than .22 (5.56 mm) are found; the .17 Remington
and various other .17 caliber (4.5 mm) wildcats
have a vocal following, and the new .204 Ruger
is well suited to varminting, and may be the first in a new line of .20 caliber (5mm) rounds.
Popular shorter range calibers (for ranges less than about 100 yards (100 meters)) are .22 Magnum and .17 Hornady Magnum Rimfire, with the new .17 Mach 2 offering promising ballistics. The .22 Long Rifle
will also do, but the low muzzle velocities result in a supersonic
to subsonic
transition on the way to the target, which can negatively affect accuracy.
variants and single shot rifles making up the rest. Most bolt action rifles, if accurized, can be successfully used for varmint hunting. While nearly all varmint guns are rifles, there are a few pistols, generally single shot and bolt action pistols in rifle calibers such as those developed for metallic silhouette
shooting, that have sufficient accuracy, range, and trajectory to allow them to be used for varmint shooting. The Remington XP-100
bolt action pistol and its aptly named .221 Fireball cartridge, introduced in 1963, were developed for varmint hunting; the full name is the "Model XP-100 Varmint Special".
For varmint and pest control in urban areas, air gun
s make suitable choices. While the limited power of an air rifle (generally far less than a .22 Long Rifle) limits its usefulness to small rodents at very short range, the limited penetration and low noise allows them to be used in areas where use of firearms is illegal or impractical. The popular air gun sport of field target
is based on small game and varmint shooting, with targets often shaped like rabbit
s, squirrel
s, and other suitable small varmints. The low velocities of air gun pellets makes accurate range estimation paramount, so high magnification telescopic sights are used, with calibrated focus knobs that serve to estimate the range.
American English
American English is a set of dialects of the English language used mostly in the United States. Approximately two-thirds of the world's native speakers of English live in the United States....
term for a small-caliber firearm or high-powered air gun
Air gun
An air gun is a rifle , pistol , or shotgun that fires projectiles by means of compressed air or other gas, in contrast to a firearm, which burns a propellant. Most air guns use metallic projectiles as ammunition. Air guns that only use plastic projectiles are classified as airsoft...
primarily used for varmint hunting — killing non-native or non-game animals such as rat
Rat
Rats are various medium-sized, long-tailed rodents of the superfamily Muroidea. "True rats" are members of the genus Rattus, the most important of which to humans are the black rat, Rattus rattus, and the brown rat, Rattus norvegicus...
s, house sparrow
House Sparrow
The House Sparrow is a bird of the sparrow family Passeridae, found in most parts of the world. One of about 25 species in the genus Passer, the House Sparrow occurs naturally in most of Europe, the Mediterranean region, and much of Asia...
s, starling
Starling
Starlings are small to medium-sized passerine birds in the family Sturnidae. The name "Sturnidae" comes from the Latin word for starling, sturnus. Many Asian species, particularly the larger ones, are called mynas, and many African species are known as glossy starlings because of their iridescent...
, crow
Crow
Crows form the genus Corvus in the family Corvidae. Ranging in size from the relatively small pigeon-size jackdaws to the Common Raven of the Holarctic region and Thick-billed Raven of the highlands of Ethiopia, the 40 or so members of this genus occur on all temperate continents and several...
s, ground squirrel
Ground squirrel
The ground squirrels are members of the squirrel family of rodents which generally live on or in the ground, rather than trees. The term is most often used for the medium-sized ground squirrels, as the larger ones are more commonly known as marmots or prairie dogs, while the smaller and less...
s, gophers
Gopher (animal)
The term gopher as it is commonly used does not relate to any one species, but is a generic term used to describe any of several small burrowing rodents endemic to North America, including the pocket gopher , also called true gophers, and the ground squirrel , including Richardson's ground squirrel...
, jackrabbits, marmot
Marmot
The marmots are a genus, Marmota, of squirrels. There are 14 species in this genus.Marmots are generally large ground squirrels. Those most often referred to as marmots tend to live in mountainous areas such as the Alps, northern Apennines, Eurasian steppes, Carpathians, Tatras, and Pyrenees in...
s, groundhog
Groundhog
The groundhog , also known as a woodchuck, whistle-pig, or in some areas as a land-beaver, is a rodent of the family Sciuridae, belonging to the group of large ground squirrels known as marmots. Other marmots, such as the yellow-bellied and hoary marmots, live in rocky and mountainous areas, but...
s, porcupine
Porcupine
Porcupines are rodents with a coat of sharp spines, or quills, that defend or camouflage them from predators. They are indigenous to the Americas, southern Asia, and Africa. Porcupines are the third largest of the rodents, behind the capybara and the beaver. Most porcupines are about long, with...
, opossum, coyote
Coyote
The coyote , also known as the American jackal or the prairie wolf, is a species of canine found throughout North and Central America, ranging from Panama in the south, north through Mexico, the United States and Canada...
, skunk
Skunk
Skunks are mammals best known for their ability to secrete a liquid with a strong, foul odor. General appearance varies from species to species, from black-and-white to brown or cream colored. Skunks belong to the family Mephitidae and to the order Carnivora...
s, weasel
Weasel
Weasels are mammals forming the genus Mustela of the Mustelidae family. They are small, active predators, long and slender with short legs....
s, or feral
Feral
A feral organism is one that has changed from being domesticated to being wild or untamed. In the case of plants it is a movement from cultivated to uncultivated or controlled to volunteer. The introduction of feral animals or plants to their non-native regions, like any introduced species, may...
cat
Cat
The cat , also known as the domestic cat or housecat to distinguish it from other felids and felines, is a small, usually furry, domesticated, carnivorous mammal that is valued by humans for its companionship and for its ability to hunt vermin and household pests...
s, dog
Dog
The domestic dog is a domesticated form of the gray wolf, a member of the Canidae family of the order Carnivora. The term is used for both feral and pet varieties. The dog may have been the first animal to be domesticated, and has been the most widely kept working, hunting, and companion animal in...
s, goat
Goat
The domestic goat is a subspecies of goat domesticated from the wild goat of southwest Asia and Eastern Europe. The goat is a member of the Bovidae family and is closely related to the sheep as both are in the goat-antelope subfamily Caprinae. There are over three hundred distinct breeds of...
s, pig
Pig
A pig is any of the animals in the genus Sus, within the Suidae family of even-toed ungulates. Pigs include the domestic pig, its ancestor the wild boar, and several other wild relatives...
s and other animals considered to be nuisance vermin
Vermin
Vermin is a term applied to various animal species regarded by some as pests or nuisances and especially to those associated with the carrying of disease. Since the term is defined in relation to human activities, which species are included will vary from area to area and even person to person...
destructive to native or domestic plants and animals.
The varmint gun fills a design gap between the more powerful small-game rifles and the less powerful rimfire
Rimfire ammunition
A rimfire is a type of firearm cartridge. It is called a rimfire because instead of the firing pin of a gun striking the primer cap at the center of the base of the cartridge to ignite it , the pin strikes the base's rim....
firearms. .22 Long Rifle
.22 Long Rifle
The .22 Long Rifle rimfire cartridge is a long established variety of ammunition, and in terms of units sold is still by far the most common in the world today. The cartridge is often referred to simply as .22 LR and various rifles, pistols, revolvers, and even some smoothbore shotguns have...
(the most popular rimfire caliber) is somewhat underpowered for small predators, but is perfectly adequate to dealing with typical vermin; the term "varmint" covers larger animals which usually harass farms from the outside (as opposed to infestation by vermin), and the varmint gun assists in the control of them.
Common design elements
While any rifle of sufficient power can be used to dispatch targets of opportunity (the venerable .30-30 Winchester.30-30 Winchester
The .30-30 Winchester/.30 Winchester Center Fire/7.62×51mmR cartridge was first marketed in early 1895 for the Winchester Model 1894 lever-action rifle. The .30-30 , as it is most commonly known, was the USA's first small-bore, sporting rifle cartridge designed for smokeless powder. The .30-30 is...
lever action and the Ruger
Sturm, Ruger
Sturm, Ruger & Company, Incorporated is a Southport, Connecticut-based firearm manufacturing company, better known by the shortened name Ruger. Sturm, Ruger produces bolt-action, semi-automatic, full-automatic, and single-shot rifles, shotguns, semi-automatic pistols, and single- and double-action...
Mini-14
Mini-14
The Mini-14, Mini Thirty, and Mini-6.8 are small, lightweight semi-automatic carbines manufactured by the U.S. firearms company Sturm, Ruger. The Mini-14 non-target versions can fire both the .223 Remington cartridge and the similar military 5.56x45mm cartridge. The target model Mini-14 rifles are...
are common truck guns or ranch guns kept handy for this) the deliberate taking of varmints requires special characteristics more common to target rifles than "normal" hunting rifles.
General characteristics
Varmint rifles can typically be distinguished from other light-caliber hunting or plinking rifles in the use of heavier barrels and (often) omission of open sights. Use of magnifying optics allows for more accurate fire (often on very small, distant moving targets). Barrels will generally be free-floated, and other accurizingAccurizing
Accurizing is the process of improving the accuracy of a firearm or airgun.For firearms, accuracy is defined as the ability to hit exactly what one is aiming at...
techniques will be performed, either by the manufacturer or the owner. The stocks will generally have wider forends, designed for use on stable sandbag rests, and high combs for easy use with optics.
Since part of the definition of a "varmint" is that it is a nuisance, varmints are not stalked, but rather they are hunted from a fixed position. This makes weight of little consideration in a varmint rifle, so heavy barrels are common. Varmints are also not subject to the same bag limits as game animals are, so far more shots may be fired. The heavier barrel is, in general, more accurate than a light barrel, plus the extra mass helps reduce the felt recoil and absorb the heat from more shots before expanding and potentially reducing accuracy. Folding shooting benches and sandbag rests help provide a stable base for the shooter, allowing the maximum accuracy to be extracted from the rifle.
Calibers
.220 Swift
The .220 Swift is a semi-rimmed rifle cartridge developed by Winchester and introduced in 1935. It was the first factory loaded rifle cartridge with a muzzle velocity of over...
and .204 Ruger
.204 Ruger
The .204 Ruger is a centerfire rifle cartridge developed by Hornady and Ruger. At the time of its introduction in 2004, the .204 Ruger was the highest velocity commercially produced ammunition, and the only cartridge produced commercially for bullets of .204 inch/5 mm caliber.-Characteristics:The...
can exceed 4000 ft/s (1,219.2 m/s). This allows long range shots with a short time of flight, and little change in trajectory at different ranges (see external ballistics
External ballistics
External ballistics is the part of the science of ballistics that deals with the behaviour of a non-powered projectile in flight. External ballistics is frequently associated with firearms, and deals with the behaviour of the bullet after it exits the barrel and before it hits the target.-Forces...
). A bullet drop of only a couple of inches (about 5 cm) is enough to cause a miss on smaller varmint animals; so flat trajectories increase hit probability at long ranges. Fast, lightly constructed bullets have additional advantages of rapidly disintegrating upon initial contact. Disintegration minimizes the range of ricochet
Ricochet
A ricochet is a rebound, bounce or skip off a surface, particularly in the case of a projectile. The possibility of ricochet is one of the reasons for the common firearms safety rule "Never shoot at a flat, hard surface."-Variables:...
particles; and energy release of disintegration kills small animals more quickly than a penetrating wound.
Rifles firing .22 caliber bullets became popular varmint guns after World War I
World War I
World War I , which was predominantly called the World War or the Great War from its occurrence until 1939, and the First World War or World War I thereafter, was a major war centred in Europe that began on 28 July 1914 and lasted until 11 November 1918...
. Calibers up to .264 caliber (6.5 mm)
6 mm caliber
This article lists firearm cartridges which have a bullet caliber between and .*Length refers to the cartridge case length.*OAL refers to the overall length of the cartridge.All measurements are in mm .-Pistol cartridges:-.24in :...
, including .243 Winchester
.243 Winchester
The .243 Winchester is a popular sporting rifle cartridge. Initially designed as a varmint round, it is now more frequently used on medium to large game such as whitetail deer, mule deer, pronghorn, wild hogs, and even black bear and caribou...
, 6mm Remington and .25-06 Remington
.25-06 Remington
The .25-06 Remington had been a wildcat cartridge for half a century before being standardized by Remington in 1969. It is based on the .30-06 Springfield cartridge necked-down to .257 inch caliber with no other changes...
, became popular for ranges over 200 meters (220 yards) as the ballistic advantages of heavier bullets were recognized. Varmint shooting is one of the few areas where calibers smaller than .22 (5.56 mm) are found; the .17 Remington
.17 Remington
The .17 Remington was introduced in 1971 by Remington Arms Company for their model 700 rifles.It is based on the .223 Remington, necked down to .172in , with the shoulder moved back. It was designed exclusively as a varmint round, though it is suitable for smaller predators. There are those such as...
and various other .17 caliber (4.5 mm) wildcats
Wildcat cartridge
A wildcat cartridge, or wildcat, is a custom cartridge for which ammunition and firearms are not mass produced. These cartridges are often created in order to optimize a certain performance characteristic of an existing commercial cartridge.Developing and using wildcat cartridges does not...
have a vocal following, and the new .204 Ruger
.204 Ruger
The .204 Ruger is a centerfire rifle cartridge developed by Hornady and Ruger. At the time of its introduction in 2004, the .204 Ruger was the highest velocity commercially produced ammunition, and the only cartridge produced commercially for bullets of .204 inch/5 mm caliber.-Characteristics:The...
is well suited to varminting, and may be the first in a new line of .20 caliber (5mm) rounds.
Popular shorter range calibers (for ranges less than about 100 yards (100 meters)) are .22 Magnum and .17 Hornady Magnum Rimfire, with the new .17 Mach 2 offering promising ballistics. The .22 Long Rifle
.22 Long Rifle
The .22 Long Rifle rimfire cartridge is a long established variety of ammunition, and in terms of units sold is still by far the most common in the world today. The cartridge is often referred to simply as .22 LR and various rifles, pistols, revolvers, and even some smoothbore shotguns have...
will also do, but the low muzzle velocities result in a supersonic
Supersonic
Supersonic speed is a rate of travel of an object that exceeds the speed of sound . For objects traveling in dry air of a temperature of 20 °C this speed is approximately 343 m/s, 1,125 ft/s, 768 mph or 1,235 km/h. Speeds greater than five times the speed of sound are often...
to subsonic
Speed of sound
The speed of sound is the distance travelled during a unit of time by a sound wave propagating through an elastic medium. In dry air at , the speed of sound is . This is , or about one kilometer in three seconds or approximately one mile in five seconds....
transition on the way to the target, which can negatively affect accuracy.
.22 Caliber Varmint Cartridges
- 5.6x52mmR5.6x52mmRThe 5.6x52mmR cartridge was created by Charles Newton and produced by Savage Arms in 1912. It is also known as the .22 Savage High-Power and .22 "Imp", and is based upon the .25-35 Winchester cartridge necked down to accept a .227in/.228in diameter bullet.Its inherent accuracy, relatively high...
was introduced by Savage ArmsSavage ArmsThe Savage Arms Company is a firearms manufacturing company based in Westfield, Massachusetts, with a division located in Canada. The company makes a variety of rimfire and centerfire rifles, as well as marketing the Stevens single-shot rifles and shotguns...
in 1912 by necking down the .25-35 Winchester.25-35 WinchesterThe .25-35 Winchester, or WCF was introduced in 1895 by Winchester for the Winchester Model 1894 lever action rifle...
case to fire a 0.228 inches (5.8 mm) bullet. The .22 Marcianti Blue Streak was a wildcatWildcat cartridgeA wildcat cartridge, or wildcat, is a custom cartridge for which ammunition and firearms are not mass produced. These cartridges are often created in order to optimize a certain performance characteristic of an existing commercial cartridge.Developing and using wildcat cartridges does not...
modification; but the following cartridges fired more popular 0.224 inches (5.7 mm) bullets. - .22 Hornet.22 HornetThe .22 Hornet is a low-end vermin, small-game and predator centerfire rifle cartridge. It is considerably more powerful than the .22 WMR and the .17 HMR, achieving higher velocity with a bullet twice the weight. The Hornet also differs very significantly from these in that it is not a rimfire...
became the first commercially successful varmint cartridge in the Winchester Model 54Winchester Model 54The Winchester Model 54 is a bolt action rifle manufactured by the Winchester Repeating Arms Company. The 54 was the first successful production run centerfire bolt action for Winchester....
of 1930. It remains a popular cartridge because of the relatively low noise created by its small powder volume. - .22 Lindahl Chuckers were ballistically similar wildcats developed by Leslie Lindahl from the rimmed .219 Zipper and the rimless .25 Remington.25 RemingtonThe .25 Remington is an American rifle cartridge. A rimless, smokeless powder design, this cartridge was considered to be very accurate by period firearm experts and suitable for game up to deer and black bear....
. - .218 Bee.218 BeeThe .218 Bee is a .22 caliber centerfire rifle cartridge designed for varmint hunting by Winchester in 1938. The cartridge was originally chambered in lever-action rifles, which may have ultimately led to its lack of popularity...
is a necked-down .25-20 Winchester.25-20 Winchester-External links:* * *...
introduced in the Winchester Repeating Arms Model 65 of 1938. This lever action rifle was not well received by varmint hunters, and the cartridge has remained relatively unpopular. - .219 Zipper.219 ZipperThe .219 Zipper cartridge was created by Winchester Repeating Arms in 1937 to be used in their lever-action Model 64 rifle. It is a .25-35 Winchester cartridge necked down to a .22 caliber bullet...
is a necked-down .25-35 Winchester introduced in the Winchester Model 64 of 1937. This lever action rifle was not well received by varmint hunters, but the cartridge and wildcat modifications (like the .219 Donaldson Wasp.219 Donaldson WaspThe .219 Donaldson Wasp cartridge was created in 1937 by Harvey Donaldson. It is based on the .219 Zipper case, which is in turn based upon the .25-35 Winchester case. While popular amongst match shooters in the 1930s & 1940s it has fallen by the wayside in favor of cartridges such as the 22 PPC...
) became popular in other actions. - .220 Swift.220 SwiftThe .220 Swift is a semi-rimmed rifle cartridge developed by Winchester and introduced in 1935. It was the first factory loaded rifle cartridge with a muzzle velocity of over...
was introduced in the Winchester Model 54 in 1935 as the first commercial cartridge with bullet velocity exceeding 4000 feet (1220 meters) per second. The .220 Arrow is a wildcat modification of the .220 Swift. - .221 Remington Fireball.221 Remington FireballThe .221 Remington Fireball was created by Remington Arms Company in 1963 for use in their single-shot bolt-action pistol called the XP-100. This was a special round designed for an experimental pistol, and has the highest velocity of any commercial pistol cartridge.-History:In the early 1960s...
is a shortened version of the .222 Remington introduced in the Remington XP-100Remington XP-100The Remington XP-100 is a bolt action pistol produced by Remington Arms from 1963 to 1998. The XP-100 was one of the first handguns designed for long range shooting, and introduced the .221 Remington Fireball , which is still the fastest handgun cartridge ever produced by a major ammunition maker...
bolt action handgun (sometimes called a hand rifle) in 1962. The cartridge has attained some popularity in conventional rifles where low noise level is a consideration. - .222 Remington.222 RemingtonThe .222 Remington aka the Triple Deuce/Triple Two/Treble Two is a centerfire rifle cartridge introduced in 1950, and was the first commercial rimless .22 cartridge made in the United States...
was a new cartridge (resembling a 3/4 scale version of the .30-06 Springfield.30-06 SpringfieldThe .30-06 Springfield cartridge or 7.62×63mm in metric notation, was introduced to the United States Army in 1906 and standardized, and was in use until the 1960s and early 1970s. It replaced the .30-03, 6 mm Lee Navy, and .30 US Army...
) introduced commercially in 1950. It enjoyed great popularity until eclipsed by its military derivative, the .223 Remington. - .222 Remington Magnum.222 Remington MagnumThe .222 Remington Magnum was a short-lived commercially produced cartridge derived from the .222 Remington. Originally developed for a US prototype military rifle in 1958, the cartridge was not adopted by the military, but was introduced commercially in sporting rifles.-Development:The .222 Rem....
was a lengthened version of the .222 Remington introduced in 1958. It was never as popular as the .222 Remington, and has subsequently been replaced by the very similar .223 Remington. - .223 Remington.223 RemingtonThe .223 Remington is a sporting cartridge with almost the same external dimensions as the 5.56×45mm NATO military cartridge. The name is commonly pronounced either two-two-three or two-twenty-three. It is loaded with a diameter, jacketed bullet, with weights ranging from , though the most common...
became available in 1964 as the civilian version of the 5.56x45mm NATO5.56x45mm NATO5.56×45mm NATO is a rifle cartridge developed in the United States and originally chambered in the M16 rifle. Under STANAG 4172, it is a standard cartridge for NATO forces as well as many non-NATO countries. It is derived from, but not identical to, the .223 Remington cartridge...
. - .224 Weatherby Magnum.224 Weatherby MagnumThe .224 Weatherby Magnum is a sporting cartridge that was developed in 1963 by Roy Weatherby after about 10 years of development. It is a proprietary cartridge with no major firearms manufacturers chambering rifles for it other than Weatherby...
was introduced in 1963 as a replacement for Weatherby's .220 Swift wildcat .220 Weatherby Rocket. Only Weatherby rifles have been commercially chambered for this cartridge. - .225 Winchester.225 WinchesterThe .225 Winchester cartridge was created in 1964 by the Winchester Repeating Arms Company. Based upon the .219 Donaldson Wasp cartridge, it is a semi-rimmed cartridge, which was an oddity for a cartridge introduced at the time...
was a commercial modification of the .219 Zipper offered in the Winchester Model 70Winchester Model 70The Winchester Model 70 is a bolt action sporting rifle. It has an iconic place in American sporting culture and has been held in high regard by shooters since it was introduced in 1936, earning the moniker "The Rifleman's Rifle". The action has some design similarities to Mauser designs and it is...
from 1964 to 1971. The cartridge was unsuccessful in replacing the ballistically similar .220 Swift in the Winchester product line. - .22-250 was a wildcat developed in 1937 by J.E. Gebby from the .250-3000 Savage.250-3000 SavageThe .250-3000 Savage is a rifle cartridge created by Charles Newton in 1915 and is also known as the .250 Savage. The name comes from its original manufacturer, Savage Arms and the fact that the original load achieved a 3000 ft/s velocity with an 87 grain bullet.-Background:Charles Newton...
and commercially loaded by Remington ArmsRemington ArmsRemington Arms Company, Inc. was founded in 1816 by Eliphalet Remington in Ilion, New York, as E. Remington and Sons. It is the oldest company in the United States which still makes its original product, and is the oldest continuously operating manufacturer in North America. It is the only U.S....
in 1964. - .22/3000 Lovell was a wildcat developed by Hervey Lovell from the old .25-20 single shot case (different from .25-20 Winchester). Popularity of Lovell's cartridges declined when manufacture of .25-20 single-shot cartridges ceased.
- .22-4000 Schnerring-Sedgley was a wildcat developed by Frankford ArsenalFrankford ArsenalThe Frankford Arsenal was a United States Army ammunition plant located adjacent to the Bridesburg neighborhood of Northeast Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, north of the original course of Frankford Creek.-History:...
Proof House Foreman George Schnerring by necking down a 7mm Mauser. - .303/22.303/22The .303/22, sometimes known as the .22/303 is a wildcat centrefire rifle cartridge, based on the .303 British, necked down to fire a .224 projectile, originating in Australia in the 1930s as a cartridge for sporterised rifles, particularly on the Lee Enfield action, similar versions also appeared...
was a wildcat developed from the .303 British.303 British.303 British, or 7.7x56mmR, is a .311 inch calibre rifle and machine gun cartridge first developed in Britain as a blackpowder round put into service in December 1888 for the Lee-Metford rifle, later adapted to use smokeless powders...
in CanadaCanadaCanada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
and AustraliaAustraliaAustralia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
during the 1930s.
Action types
Bolt action rifles dominate the class, with a few specialized AR-15AR-15
The AR-15 is a lightweight, 5.56 mm, air-cooled, gas-operated, magazine-fed semi-automatic rifle, with a rotating-lock bolt, actuated by direct impingement gas operation. It is manufactured with the extensive use of aluminum alloys and synthetic materials....
variants and single shot rifles making up the rest. Most bolt action rifles, if accurized, can be successfully used for varmint hunting. While nearly all varmint guns are rifles, there are a few pistols, generally single shot and bolt action pistols in rifle calibers such as those developed for metallic silhouette
Metallic silhouette
Metallic silhouette shooting is a group of target shooting disciplines that involves shooting at metal cutouts representing game animals at varying distances. Metallic silhouette shooting can be done with airguns, black powder firearms, modern handguns, or modern rifles...
shooting, that have sufficient accuracy, range, and trajectory to allow them to be used for varmint shooting. The Remington XP-100
Remington XP-100
The Remington XP-100 is a bolt action pistol produced by Remington Arms from 1963 to 1998. The XP-100 was one of the first handguns designed for long range shooting, and introduced the .221 Remington Fireball , which is still the fastest handgun cartridge ever produced by a major ammunition maker...
bolt action pistol and its aptly named .221 Fireball cartridge, introduced in 1963, were developed for varmint hunting; the full name is the "Model XP-100 Varmint Special".
For varmint and pest control in urban areas, air gun
Air gun
An air gun is a rifle , pistol , or shotgun that fires projectiles by means of compressed air or other gas, in contrast to a firearm, which burns a propellant. Most air guns use metallic projectiles as ammunition. Air guns that only use plastic projectiles are classified as airsoft...
s make suitable choices. While the limited power of an air rifle (generally far less than a .22 Long Rifle) limits its usefulness to small rodents at very short range, the limited penetration and low noise allows them to be used in areas where use of firearms is illegal or impractical. The popular air gun sport of field target
Field Target
Field Target is an outdoor air gun discipline originating in the United Kingdom, in the early 1980s, but gaining popularity worldwide.-UK Rules:...
is based on small game and varmint shooting, with targets often shaped like rabbit
Rabbit
Rabbits are small mammals in the family Leporidae of the order Lagomorpha, found in several parts of the world...
s, squirrel
Squirrel
Squirrels belong to a large family of small or medium-sized rodents called the Sciuridae. The family includes tree squirrels, ground squirrels, chipmunks, marmots , flying squirrels, and prairie dogs. Squirrels are indigenous to the Americas, Eurasia, and Africa and have been introduced to Australia...
s, and other suitable small varmints. The low velocities of air gun pellets makes accurate range estimation paramount, so high magnification telescopic sights are used, with calibrated focus knobs that serve to estimate the range.