Best woodchuck caliber- need advice

[Vintage-bears]

Hello,
Ive been using a marlin 22 magnum bolt rifle for woodchucks with some great success but
im wanting to get a Savage.

I don't wanna get too much of a caliber as I basically shoot them on my lawn which is only a couple acres and don't want too much bullet travel.
Should I stick with a 22mag and what savage rifle do you guys recommend?

Thanks in advance.....Philip

[LoneWolf]

I don't do a lot of woodchuck shooting as I don't have a yard of my own yet, but my neighbor when I was growing up used to shoot them with a regular 22LR at almost 100yards from his balcony all the time, so I would assume something like a 17HMR would be a great round if shooting them at short distances. Cheap ammo and fun to shoot. If you like rolling your own ammo though, I'd probably get a 22 Hornet. As that would also be cheap fun and allow you to customize/tune your charge/bullet combination. and get a little more consistency at range.

[yobuck]

For what youve described id stick with the 22 mag, and since youve had great success id also stick with the Marlin.
Dosent sound to me as though it needs fixin.

[scooterf79]

22 mag will do all you need at the distances it sounds youll be shooting at. The 17hmr is great too, but the 22 mag does a great job nonetheless.
Scooter

[limige]

Stick to the 22 mag and use the vmax bullets. They are outstanding.
Try to pickup a bull barrel model

[Vintage-bears]

Ok Savage friends. I'll take your advice.
Ill stick with the Marlin.

Love this site! You guys know your stuff.

Philip

[savagetoter]

The .22 Magnum is a great round. I had one a few years back, but sold it after going about seven to eight months without being able to find any ammo for it. I have seen some .22 Magnum (CCI MaxiMags) here and there lately, but still it disappears fast.

I agree with the above posts about sticking to your present rimfire in .22 Mag. It does not sound like you have a lot of area where you are shooting, to go to a centerfire caliber...personally, I wouldn't. Too much liability. JMHO.

[Charleslv]

416 Taylor with a muzzle break and scope with quality glass so you can make great head shots on the woodchucks. Make sure to use solids so they do not expand when they impact the woodchucks. I use it on gophers on occasions and it has redefined the term red-mist.

All kidding aside I have had some good luck with my 17 HMR on the little guys in the past.

FYI the 416 Taylor is not to much caliber compared to the 458 Win Mag or the 458 Lott.

[sixonetonoffun]

I figure boots has set a new precedence with the.444 Marlin/Stalker/Styker. Sorta.figure it's only a matter of days before someone rolls out a 500/375.

[sav250]

The .22 Magnum was my first varmint rifle in 1972 for coyotes in Washoe Valley, Nevada, on our ranch. It was the famous 9422M and boy did this rimfire do the job out to 100 yards with aplomb.
I would add a rifle for more experience if I was in your place and it'd be a .22 Hornet or .17 Hornet or at least a .17 HMR.

[GaCop]

I love the 22 magnum but around here, 17 HMR ammo is much easier to find than 22 Magnum which must be made from "unobtainium".

[sav250]

416 Taylor with a muzzle break and scope with quality glass so you can make great head shots on the woodchucks. Make sure to use solids so they do not expand when they impact the woodchucks. I use it on gophers on occasions and it has redefined the term red-mist.

All kidding aside I have had some good luck with my 17 HMR on the little guys in the past.

FYI the 416 Taylor is not to much caliber compared to the 458 Win Mag or the 458 Lott.

I read an article back in the 1980s where the author (anon.) reloaded for a .404 Jeffrey and he used it on woodchucks with great success.

[JCalhoun]

Yep, the Savage 17HMR's are fine small varmint guns and ammo around has been all during the rimfire crisis.

[D.ID]

I like the 17hmr inside 300yrds, the 308win from 3-600 and the 338 edge beyond that. For the front yard...... probably a light loaded shotgun.