Varmint rifle facts for kids
A varmint rifle is a special type of rifle or powerful airgun mainly used in America. It's designed to hunt and control animals that can cause problems. These animals are often called "varmints" or "pests." They might spread diseases, damage crops, or harm livestock (farm animals).
Some common varmints include:
- Small to medium-sized animals like crows, ground squirrels, jackrabbits, nutria, marmots, groundhogs, porcupines, opossums, skunks, and weasels.
- Animals that aren't native to an area and cause harm, such as starlings, cats, dogs, goats, pigs, and donkeys.
- Animals that damage buildings, plants, or farm animals, like rats, house sparrows, gophers, and small predators such as coyotes and jackals.
Varmint rifles are different from other hunting rifles. They are more powerful than small rimfire guns (like a .22 LR), which are good for tiny animals up close. But they are not as heavy as "big game" rifles, which are used for very large animals like elk or buffalo. Varmint rifles are perfect for shooting many times from one spot, especially at medium to long distances. This makes them great for hunting smaller, fast-moving pests that might be far away.
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What Makes a Varmint Rifle Special?
While many rifles can be used to shoot pests, varmint rifles have special features. These features make them very accurate, much like rifles used for target shooting.
Key Features of Varmint Rifles
Varmint rifles usually have heavier barrels. They often don't have regular "open sights" (like the ones you look through directly). Instead, they use magnifying scopes. These scopes help hunters see small, distant, or moving targets much better.
The barrels are often "free-floated," meaning they don't touch the rifle's stock. This helps improve accuracy. The rifle stocks often have wider front ends. This design is good for resting the rifle on sandbags or other stable supports. This helps the shooter hold the rifle very still for accurate shots.
Since varmints are pests, hunters usually don't sneak up on them. Instead, they shoot from a fixed position. This means the rifle's weight isn't a big problem, so heavy barrels are common. Also, hunters might shoot many times, unlike hunting larger game where only a few shots are taken. A heavier barrel is generally more accurate. It also helps reduce the kick (recoil) you feel and absorbs heat from many shots. This stops the barrel from expanding and losing accuracy. Portable shooting benches and sandbags help create a steady base for the shooter. This allows them to get the best accuracy from their rifle.
Bullet Sizes for Varmint Rifles
Because varmints are usually smaller animals, hunters don't need large, heavy bullets. Instead, a light, fast bullet is preferred. This kind of bullet flies in a very flat path, which means it's easier to hit targets at different distances without guessing too much. Modern varmint bullets often travel faster than 3,000 feet per second (about 914 meters per second). Some, like the .220 Swift, can even go over 4,000 feet per second (about 1,219 meters per second)!
This high speed means the bullet reaches the target very quickly. It also means the bullet's path doesn't change much over different distances. If a bullet drops just a couple of inches (about 5 cm), it can miss a small varmint. So, flat paths increase the chance of hitting targets far away. Fast, light bullets also break apart quickly when they hit something. This helps prevent pieces of the bullet from bouncing off and causing harm. It also releases energy quickly, which helps to humanely kill small animals.
Popular Varmint Cartridges
After World War I, rifles that fired .22 caliber bullets became very popular for varmint hunting. Later, bullets up to .264 caliber (6.5 mm), like the .243 Winchester and .25-06 Remington, became popular for distances over 200 meters (about 219 yards). This was because people realized heavier bullets had advantages for longer shots.
Varmint hunting is one of the few areas where bullets smaller than .22 caliber (5.56 mm) are used. For example, the .17 Remington and other .17 caliber (4.5 mm) "wildcats" (custom-made cartridges) have many fans. The newer .204 Ruger is also great for varmint hunting and might lead to more .20 caliber (5mm) bullets being made.
For shorter distances (less than about 100 yards or 91 meters), rimfire cartridges like the .22 Magnum, .17 Hornady Magnum Rimfire, and .17 Mach 2 are popular. The .22 Long Rifle can also work, but its slower speed can sometimes affect accuracy as the bullet changes from supersonic to subsonic flight.
Here are a few well-known varmint cartridges:
- .22 Hornet: This was one of the first successful varmint cartridges, becoming popular in 1930. It's still liked today because it makes less noise.
- .220 Swift: Introduced in 1935, this was the first commercial cartridge to have a bullet speed over 4,000 feet per second.
- .221 Remington Fireball: This smaller version of the .222 Remington was first used in a special handgun in 1962. It's popular in rifles where low noise is important.
- .222 Remington: A new cartridge that came out in 1950. It was very popular until the .223 Remington came along.
- .223 Remington: This cartridge became available in 1964 and is now one of the most popular cartridges used. It's used in many types of rifles and even some handguns. Its popularity greatly reduced the use of the similar .222 Remington cartridges.
- .22-250: This was a custom-made cartridge that became commercially available in 1964. It offers flatter paths and less wind drift than the .223 Remington at distances over 300 yards (274 meters).
Types of Varmint Rifles
Most varmint rifles are bolt-action rifles. These are known for their accuracy. There are also some special AR-15 variants (sometimes called "modern sporting rifles") and single-shot rifles used for varmint hunting. Many bolt-action rifles can be used for varmint hunting if they are made more accurate.
While most varmint guns are rifles, some pistols are also used. These are usually single-shot or bolt-action pistols that fire rifle bullets. They are accurate enough for varmint shooting. For example, the Remington XP-100 bolt-action pistol and its .221 Fireball cartridge were made for varmint hunting in 1963.
For controlling pests in cities or towns, air guns are a good choice. Air rifles are not as powerful as regular firearms, so they are best for small rodents at very close range. However, they don't shoot as far and make less noise. This means they can be used in places where regular firearms might not be practical. There's even a popular air gun sport called Field Target that is based on small game and varmint shooting. Targets are often shaped like rabbits or squirrels. Because air gun pellets are slow, it's very important to guess the distance correctly. So, air gunners use high-magnification scopes with special focus knobs to help estimate the range.
