Groundhog rifle?

As long as it is your 50 yard or so back door to the garden distance I'd say go with a .22. Any of your nifty, rugged, quality .22s should be fine. They're also a fine addition to the homestead for a variety of other tasks. I can't imagine being without one. My backyard garden varmint whacker that I keep by the back door is a stainless steel Ruger 10/22 with a 3x9 scope. Inexpensive, accurate, low maintenance, versatile and reliable.

If I'm whacking them out farther than 50 yards I usually switch off to my .223. I can kill them out to any sane distance with that. Any sane distance that I can hit them. I use my AR clone for whacking them out in the soybean field behind the house.

As others have said they are dandy eating. Hard to clean though. I've always found them a bit of a chore. Tough tough hide. Bet they'd make incredible leather.

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Respect The Cactus!

I think a young ground hog taste verry good slow cooked in a crock pot with some BBQ sauce & fries or hush puppies.I also think a.22,222 works well for dispatching.

Well, I don't know why anyone would want to issue rifles to groundhogs..but whatever. It'll still depends on where you're planning to dispatch them to. If you're dispatching them too far away..make sure the rifles ain't too heavy. From what I've been told..most groundhog would chuck anything heavy when they get tired of walking.

Love my .243.At over 100 yards I have great practice for deer season.
Last year I got two out of three half grown chucks,One standing up at 140 yrds and one running for it's hole.I couldn't get the third one in the 9 power scope.My eyesight isn't what it used to be and I have trouble getting used to a scope.I shoulda picked up a wide field I guess
Chas