# Looking for entry level varmint rifle



## possumman

I'm looking for a cheap varmint rifle. Any suggestions without having to spend a grand? Also, anybody got any comments on CVA's Elite Stalker? It was in an Academy sale paper for $180. You can"t get much cheaper than that.


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## LilBill

look into the stevens 300.


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## youngdon

+1 on the Stevens they are made by Savage which is another good choice. What caliber(s) are you looking at?


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## youngdon

By the way possumman welcome to the forum!! I look forward to your opinions !!


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## possumman

My first choice is 22-250 and next would be a 204 Ruger or 223. What are the pros and cons of these? What are some others that I should look at?


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## hassell

possumman said:


> My first choice is 22-250 and next would be a 204 Ruger or 223. What are the pros and cons of these? What are some others that I should look at?


 Check out the General Firearm Discussion Forum, pretty well everything you want to know is in there!!!!


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## youngdon

As for other choices .243 Win., there are a pair of .17 calibers , I could be wrong but I think that the .17rem. has been made into a standard factory available caliber. The 220 swift is fairly popular still, the .257 Roberts, the 25-06 rem., .223wssm., the .222 rem. it also came in a mag. version the .222 rem mag. . Of these I would only look additionally into the .243 if I were you or maybe add the 25-06 even though it is a long action, and if I needed a gun to use on both deer and varmints I personally would choose only either one of them the .243Win or the 25-06 rem as they both have plenty of horsepower. The .17 is hard to find ammo for as are the .257, .223wssm, and the .220 and the .222's . but they are plenty capable as varmint guns. So now that we have it narrowed down to the short list of the .243win, the 25-06rem, 22-250, .223rem., and the .204Ruger. Of these any one is a capable caliber the .223rem ammo is available everywhere and is cheap especially Military surplus(full metal jacket) although check your local regs as it is not legal in all states. I have never owned a 25-06 although the ballistics are great, ammo may be pricey. The 22-250 is available in most places at a fairly reasonable cost and as far as ballistics go you can't really complain as it is a very fast very flat shooting round, the .243win gives it a pretty good run for it's money ballistically and may be more available, ammo wise, in your area, there are factory available varmint as well as deer loads on shelves here in abundance. Lastly the .204 ruger, ammo is available, it's not too pricey, it's downfall if you can count it as one is bullet weight although it starts out at a pretty good clip (4000fps) it runs out of steam fairly quickly past 300 yds. My personal varmint /coyote guns are a .243win and a .204 ruger. I really like them both but I do wish I had a 22-250 again, just because, and I am building (slowly) a .223rem on the AR platform. So has this narrowed the choices for you or further complicated your decision ? In a nuthell and espcially if I needed it for deer I would opt everytime for the .243win, I am sure that others have their opinions these are mine.


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## On a call

Well here is a thought...depending on where you live it might be leagal. Buy a Humby with a turett mounted 50 cal. Set up some lights and you are in bussiness.

I personally like smaller calipers for certain things and larger for others. It all really depends on the terrain you are hunting and your shooting abilities.


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## ebbs

+1 on youngdon and hassell too for the general firearms discussion. Lots of this already covered there. Can't vouch personally for the Stevens but know several fellas who have them and never heard one complaint.


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## wilded

you can not shoot a cheaper to shoot centerfire than .223. .204 ammo and bullets will break you for sure and 22-250 is not much cheaper if any. Savage, Stevens, Marlin and NEF all make decent accurate inexpensive rifles. Put a Mueller or Tasco Varmint on it and go to the house until you can afford better. You will probably keep the first one even if you can afford better later when you discover that they shoot as well as the high dollar stuff. JMHO:wink2:


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## mjllag

I bought an H&R single shot .223 with a 3x9 scope for $183.00. This gun shoots as acurately as my savage .223. You can't beat the price.


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## On a call

Yes...you are very correct, you cannot beat the price ! And the .223 has loads of ammo that is very cheap..but watch out for some of that cheap ammo too...I had purchased a case of .223 once...it was sooooo hot I could not keep it under control. buyer beware. That is wonderful beginners gun with a price to match !

Or...you can try a 300 ultra mag ?? Should be able to knock down a squirrel with that .


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## Bigdrowdy1

possumman it might be out of your price range but battman1 has a 22-250 with scope for sale in the for sale section forum


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## possumman

Thanks for all the advice. I just bought a .223, but haven't got to sight it in. Think I would have preferred a 22-, but they didn"t make it in the CVA I bought.


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## Bigdrowdy1

Congrats on your new gun let us know how you like it. The journey has begun.


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## BadKarma

I didn't know what kind of price range you were looking at, but just this last week I found a Weatherby Vanguard .243, used very lightly, at a local gunshop marked at $349! Deals are out there if you put in the footwork. I passed because I wanted a .223 and found it in a new Howa 1500 at a gunshow.

Be careful on the glass you put in it. To me, that's the breaking point of a reliable shooter.


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## poe

I got a savadge edge and I like it better than the stevens. Its cheeper and it has the detachebale magazine which I like. It was also cheeper than the stevens and still comes in .223 22-250 or .243


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