Groundhog rifle?

[daycab]

What's the best rifle to dispatch a groundhog or two, or three...

[Gideon]

I have a 220 Swift with a bull barrel-but it is too heavy. My 223 Savage works fairly well on closer shots.

[agmantoo]

22-250 near and far

[big rockpile]

.22 so you don't mess any meat up.

big rockpile

[hunter63]

.225 Win, .55 ga hollow points.
There is no meat.

[boonieman]

The best rifle is one you can hit what you're aiming at, no matter the caliber. For me, my thinking lays along the same lines as Big Rockpile's. .22

[MELOC]

my critter-gitter is a .22 . dispatched one just today. 2 confirmed for the year and 1 unconfirmed. about a dozen to go.

[tyusclan]

I agree with the .22 if you're within 50 yards, AND you can hit what you shoot at consistently with it. Beyond that you need one of the centerfire .22's, such as .223, 22-250, 220 swift, .22 Hornet, etc.

[Kenneth in NC]

My vote 22LR or out there 22-hornet

Kenneth

[WisJim]

I would swear that a woodchuck can move quicker than I can squeeze the trigger, if he is looking at me as I take my shot. I use a 22, because we are in town.

[wilderness1989]

If you can get between them and their hole a 12 gauge works great. I've also trapped them by burying a steel jaw trap in front of their den and finished them with a .22 after they were caught. A .22-250 with a scope works great at longer distances. When I farmed I always carried a pistol for the ones you just stumble on.

[johnghagen]

A 22 works great and they do taste great.Take and skin and cut up into 6 pieces soak in salt water over night.Under the front legs like in there arm pits is a scent gland and behind there hind leg knee area is one remove those to.Roll in flour and and a little salt and pepper plus a pinch of garlic powder,brown in a heavy cast iron pan till brown put lid on and put in to oven at 350 for about a hour or less till fork tender.Remove to plater and put pan back on top of stove add some flour to remaining oil and brown pieces and then add some milk and make gravey.

[RedneckWoman]

I usually use a 12 gauge but if I am not in the mood to pick the buckshot out of it I use a .22. If you plan on eating it though just have a sharp knife around because they do have tough hides and you might boil the larger ones before frying otherwise they are kinda tough.

[big rockpile]

Originally Posted by johnghagen

A 22 works great and they do taste great.Take and skin and cut up into 6 pieces soak in salt water over night.Under the front legs like in there arm pits is a scent gland and behind there hind leg knee area is one remove those to.Roll in flour and and a little salt and pepper plus a pinch of garlic powder,brown in a heavy cast iron pan till brown put lid on and put in to oven at 350 for about a hour or less till fork tender.Remove to plater and put pan back on top of stove add some flour to remaining oil and brown pieces and then add some milk and make gravey.

I thought everyone knew that!!

big rockpile

[brosil]

I'd sooner eat carp than woodchuck and I hate carp. A .22 is the most practical firearm but everthing up to an 81mm mortar has been used by folks I know. (practice rounds) Anything you can kill them with is good.

[ninny]

A .22 Win. Mag. is a handy little gun. A little more punch than a standard .22 and not as much as some of the other high powered rounds like the .22-250 and .223's. It is a copper jacketed round and can be had in hollow point also. I've got one and it's one of my favorite guns. Doesn't cost all that much to shot either.

[Cabin Fever]

IMHO, I wouldn't suggest buying any rifle for just killing a couple of groundhogs. Your "cost" of killing those two groundhogs is gonna be in the vicinity of $100 a piece or more!

So, my question to you is "What other uses might you have for a rifle besides killing groundhogs?" Protection? Other varmits? Rabbit? waterfowl? Upland game? Target practice? Your answer to this question would weigh heavily on my answer to your question.....savvy?

[WindowOrMirror]

... as it always does. If you've got to kill "a couple"... trap 'em and beat 'em on the head.

If you want a good "varmint" rifle... long range, fast bullet, flat shooting... the .223 is great.

R

[turtlehead]

There is meat and it tastes good barbecued on a spit over coals.

[Clifford]

Best long range varmit rifle in my book is .22-250. It reaches out and touches everything from gophers up to coyotes with a 55 grain bullet. We've even killed the occasional deer, but the largest 70 grain bullet is still a little small.