stratosteve

iTrader: (1)

You have a cabelas near you? Savage all the way. Coming from someone who has a 10/22 and about to get a savage from cabelas.

Leafy

iTrader: (1)

For 300 bucks for varmit killing you're getting close to the cost of just building a budget AR. One of those $300 PSA everything but the lower kit + a $30 lower and now you shot a heavier bullet much faster. Probably excessive for something that can kill your chickens without waking you up though.

shooterschmidty

Get a 10/22 if you want a semi auto, savage if you want a bolt action. No modifications required. You definitely don't want or need an AR for backyard varmint harvesting.

Splitime

iTrader: (24)

I have found my Marlin 595 with some tech sights to be a really nice/cheap semi-auto to shoot fwiw.

edit: Marlin 795

AlwaysBroken

Except a 300 dollar bolt action is going to be way better than a 300 dollar AR in terms of barrel and trigger quality. In my experience, you can't build a good AR for close to 300 bucks. A good trigger is going to add like 200 bucks to the cost of a parts kit. Better to spend the money up front and not end up with a drawer full of mediocre lowers 5 years later.

I kind of feel the minimum for a good AR build is:
-DD CHF barrel or equivalent
-geissele trigger or equivalent
-properly manufactured, tested and staked bolt carrier
-lower just has to have standard sized holes and attachment points with decent tolerances- ie, no weird sized colt lowers or cheap lowers with shitty QA where the magwell doesn't line up properly or some brands of magazine get stuck
-upper should be standard sized (ie, proper feed ramps, etc) with good tolerances as well but you don't have to spend a billion dollars to get this either

At the end of the day, I'd be surprised if you could get it done for under 800 bucks without compromising. And that's assuming a build with boring magpul furniture, iron sights, no fancy rails or anything. But it would be reliable and accurate with a great trigger.

Leafy

iTrader: (1)

A lot of that isnt necessary at all.

A $50 wylde barrel is still going to shoot 2inch groups or less at 100ft if you're capable, its just going to have a mega oversized gas port.
The milspec trigger is great (if a bit heavy) if you mill your 80% lower to just the right depth
Check the staking yourself, fix it with a punch if you have to
EP armory lowers are a piece of cake to properly mill with just the sticker a drill press and dremel
There's nothing wrong with getting an upper without a forward assist or dust cover for a plinker/varmint gun

I dont include amining devices in the cost of just the gun because even if you bought a gun you're going to replace the stuff that comes on it anyways

sixshooter

iTrader: (12)

A .410 with some #1 or numerically smaller shot will be just fine, if you still have it.

usd2bfst

I love my Savages, have a bunch, and the trigger is good enough for my needs unless I'm building a bench gun. If you want a paper puncher 22 I'd definitely get the Savage bolt. That said, as someone who is going eat a beer braised rabbit for dinner tonight, that I shot last night, if you want to shoot a varmint with legs get the 10/22. Your success rate will be much higher.

Monk

iTrader: (3)

Just to muddy the waters a bit more...
Savage is saying, "**** off 10/22."
Savage Arms > Launch > A17
17 hmr, redesigned rotary magazine, savage barrel, accutrigger.
MSRP is about 450 at the moment, it you can likely find it cheaper if you shop around.
Just to sweeten the deal on a good 22, they are also offering rebates.
Savage Arms

Schuyler

iTrader: (1)

Got a lot of packages this week.

Monk

iTrader: (3)

Awesome.
Very similar to my rig.

Schuyler

iTrader: (1)

I'm definitely going to have to play with dress and positioning to keep this thing from printing. Especially when sitting down.

Monk

iTrader: (3)

The bobtail helps a bunch in that regard.
I used to carry a 1911 with a regular frame, and I had the same issue.
You can buy the jig to modify yours from Brownells, although it won't be as rounded as the sig's profile.

stratosteve

iTrader: (1)

ADD is kicking in and now i am thinking of getting another ar upper instead of the savage. I like the hammer forged barreled upper from palmetto for 310 shipped.

Monk

iTrader: (3)

Nothing wrong with that, although 223 is a bit much for bunnies and such.
I believe you can find uppers in 204 nowadays. Come to think of it, DPMS makes an upper in 17HMR.
That would be a very nice all-around varmint rifle.

stratosteve

iTrader: (1)

Efini is looking for a varmint rifle, not me. I have always wanted a tacticool bolt gun with a suppressor. I just know a bench gun wont get much use. That is why i am going back and forth. Cool looking and not much use or another upper that i can tweak to my liking. Idk

Monk

iTrader: (3)

Woops. Too much back and forth for my addled brain to keep track of.
My tacticool 22s see the most use by far.
Along with the 12 guage pump, they are the only guns actually used outside of the range.
The other rifles and pistols are reserved for scenarios I hope never actually happen.

samnavy

iTrader: (7)

I'll answer your question.

First... .22lr was eclipsed a long time ago as a working caliber. They are accurate enough to 50yds and can be accurate enough to 100yds to kill whatever small creatures you desire, but not with the reliability you would accept when it comes to the business of running a farm or looking after stuff that costs you money when it disappears. There are better choices. IMHO, the only reason to have a .22lr is for training, fun, and for kids because guns that shoot them tend to be cheap and the ammo is dirt cheap (again, finally).

But for a farm gun... a working gun... a gun that means food... a gun that MUST function... a caliber that MUST hit what it's aimed at... the current best setup is a bolt-action .17HMR. They shoot unbelievable flat out to 150yds and carry enough energy for up to coyotes to around 200yds. There are other calibers of course... .22WMR (magnum) is still an excellent choice but doesn't shoot as flat or as fast... it's probably better for energy out at the 200yd mark because the bullets are twice as heavy, but it can't hold a candle to the flat-shooting .17HMR inside 150yds. I got 2 raccoons and a porcupine last week with this caliber. The porcupine needed 2 shots because I didn't know how flat they were... it was at 150yds and I near the top of the quills like I would with a .22mag... just blew some quills off. Then I let fly on the top of it's shoulder and it didn't take another step. The 2 coons were DRT from head-shots at about 100yds. It was magical.

If you are consistently working distances outside of 200yds, then I would go with .223. But I'd step up the discussion to "Ranch Rifle" rather than "Farm Gun". There's a difference. I would still stay with a bolt-gun. Farm/Ranch guns are going to get abused. They are tools that need to function under all conditions with minimal maintenance. They need to be simple, light, and need very little maintenance... a yearly spritz or RemOil might be all they get.

There is room for talk about lever-action in the country... just ask John Wayne. A modern .357 lever-action is a beast. 2000fps with 130gr's gives 1000ftlbs+ at the muzzle. There is a great discussion to be had regarding the relative advantage a .357 lever has over (for example) a .223 AR15 at shorter distances (farm distances). True, you're going to have more drop compensation to worry about at extended ranges with any pistol caliber, but inside 200yds, it won't be enough to matter on up to deer-size game. And nobody will argue that at close range, a .357 lever is a better choice against a hog or bear than a .223 (if we were choosing between just those 2). But if there's nothing bigger than yotes, one of these just ruins meat and pelts.

If we're only talking about a few dozen acres or less, then a Savage 93R17 in whatever flavor you like the look of is a no-brainer. Buds has the 93R17F (standard barrel with ring bases) on sale for $225, and then you get $25 factory rebate. For optics... I just spent a week with my Vortex Crossfire 3-12x56 and ******* loved it. I'm sold on Vortex due to the warranty and that scope was exactly what my 300yd 6.8spc needed. For a .17HMR... the 2-7x32 is right in the ballpark at $130 from Amazon (maybe less if you shop around). Some $20 Weaver rings will be plenty.

Gun, scope, and rings including shipping and FFL for about $375 to take anything coyote or smaller out to 200yds with very little fuss. Ammo is about .25-.30 cents a round (yup, ****-ton more expensive than .22lr, but the same as .22mag).

You could spend less... but this setup will be good for decades. The only other thing you might consider is a bit better glass for just a pinch less money. The Leupold Rifleman 3-9x40 is a benchmark $200 scope. It will be something your grandkids will shoot.

sixshooter

iTrader: (12)

If we are talking lever action rifles for the farm I have great trouble not mentioning the 30-30 Marlin.

Monk

iTrader: (3)

I guess that's the question we should have been asking all along.
What is your place like, and what sort of critters do you anticipate needing to shoot?