How To Choose the Right Varmint Load

It’s hard to understand the draw to prairie dog shooting until you’ve spent time clearing a town of these animals from a rancher’s field. My first such shoot was in Utah, and a prairie dog town (or perhaps a booming prairie dog city based on the number of visible burrows) had appeared. Horses were used on the property, and some were especially valuable ones used in cutting, reining and working cow horse competitions, so the rancher didn’t want those horses breaking legs as they galloped across the pasture.

With the horses out of the way we spent a day shooting prairie dogs, and though we certainly didn’t vacate the town, we did reduce the population. I also happened to learn a lot in the process, both about bullet and cartridge selection.

Choosing A Cartridge

Before we discuss the fine points of varmint bullets, we must briefly discuss varmint rifles, and that’s because even the best bullets can’t perform effectively if you can’t hit the target. For years, the go-to rifles for everything from ground squirrels to coyotes were fast 22s. I have no doubt the 223 Rem. and 22-250 Rem. were the two most popular options in the mid- to late twentieth century, and both remain popular today. When groundhogs were plentiful in the east, a few varmint hunters carried 220 Swifts, but others lamented that cartridge’s proclivity to burn barrels. The 220 Swift is indeed a scorcher, clocking in at around 4,250 feet per second. Sighting in just a half-inch high at 100 yards puts that bullet dead-on at 200 yards, and it’s about 4 inches low at 300 yards.

In 2017, Federal introduced the 224 Valkyrie, which was based on the 6.8 SPC cartridge. That round sends a 60-grain bullet out of the muzzle at a more reasonable 3,300 feet per second, and while the Valkyrie doesn’t shoot as flat as the 220 Swift at moderate ranges, it is better for really long shots thanks to higher BC bullets that buck the wind more efficiently. It also doesn’t burn barrels like the Swift, and it’s more versatile as an all-purpose hunting round. Loaded with heavy bullets it even works for long-range shooting at 1,000 yards or more.

What About Rimfires?

Do rimfires have a place for varmint hunting? Absolutely. For hunting game up to the size of groundhogs at modest ranges, the 17 HMR and 22 WMR are excellent options, and they’re also quite affordable. If I were hunting the wide-open prairies of the West I’d stick with a centerfire, but if you’re hunting east of the Mississippi or don’t plan on stretching shots out past a few hundred yards, mild-recoiling rimfires are a great option.

What About Bullets?

Once you’ve settled on a cartridge and platform, paired it with a quality optic and zeroed your varmint rifle, it’s time to start considering which bullet you’ll use. Varmint rifles differ from dedicated predator rifles in that you probably aren’t concerned about pelt damage but instead want to dispatch the animal as efficiently as possible. For that reason, a rapid-expanding bullet with a thin jacket makes the most sense. Expansion will initiate on small targets, and there’s less chance that the bullet will ricochet.

Most varmint bullets feature polymer tips, and the reason is twofold. First, the tip makes these bullets more aerodynamic and helps combat stiff crosswinds. Second, the polymer tip initiates rapid expansion. Most 22 centerfire varmint bullets weigh in between 40 and 55 grains, but here again the 224 Valkyrie, with its heavier bullets, offers an advantage. At extreme distances added bullet weight helps mitigate wind deflection, which can mean the difference in a hit or a miss on a small target.

Rimfire Ammo

The same principles that apply to centerfire bullet selection for varmints also apply to rimfires. For small varmints at moderate ranges the 17 HMR is a superb choice, and a load like Federal’s V-Max is a great option. The polymer tip and thin jacket allow this bullet to expand rapidly and improve aerodynamics, reducing the drift that can affect these light bullets.

Putting It All Together

Whether you choose a centerfire or rimfire varmint rifle, you’ll need to spend enough time at the range that you can accurately hit small targets. Proper bullet selection is also important because quality ammunition performs more consistently, allowing you to make difficult shots. A quality bullet with a thin jacket will dispatch the animal quickly when the bullet strikes, too. There are plenty of opportunities to shoot varmints across the country, and this is a great off-season pastime to keep your rifle skills sharp. Just be sure you’re using the right ammo.