| A varmint rifle has more in common with a target rifle or sniper rifle than with a typical hunting rifle. Long range accuracy is paramount as the targets are small and distant. Varmint rifles are usually bolt action or single shot rifles like the Ruger No. 1. They typically have thick barrels for greater accuracy and heat dissipation. The animals being hunted when using a varmint rifle are mostly rodents like prairie dogs. These rodents multiply in great numbers and if left uncontrolled can cause a lot of damage. Since the animals are small, the power of the rifle does not have to be very high. However, it must be able to shoot a small bullet fast enough to allow for a reasonable trajectory downrange. Calibers above .25 are rarely used for this purpose. In addition, unlike big game hunting high magnification scopes are necessary to get consistent hits at long range. Unlike big game hunting, the varmint shooter has the luxury of picking among multiple targets and usually shoots from the prone position with the rifle fully supported. This minimizes scope shake at high magnification. On a typical day of shooting a varmint hunter can easily expend dozens or even hundreds of rounds of ammunition. With the price of ammunition being what it is most cannot afford factory loaded ammo. The bullets used for this type of hunting are designed to fragment upon contact with the target. This results in instant kills of the rodents and ensures that bullets don't continue going after impact. Non expanding and controlled expansion bullets are not used for this type of hunting. On the low end of the scale, limited to relatively short range of about 150 yards, are the .17 HMR and .22 WMR. The .223 Remington so popular in AR-15 and similar type weapons also can be a useful varmint cartridge out to about 200 yards. Ammo for the .223 is plentiful off the shelf and the selection of .223 bullets form major manufacturers is as good as it gets. In addition, unlike some of the larger cartridges mentioned below, the relatively small powder capacity of the .223 does not overly heat and erode the bore of the rifle. This ensures a long life for the rifle. Serious varmint rifles for shooting to 300 yards and beyond include classics like the .220 Swift, the .22-250 and the .243 Winchester. Newer cartridges include the .17 Remington, and the Winchester WSSM cartridges in .223 and .243. Topping the list is the venerable .25-06 which probably is more than the average shooter is willing to shoot multiple times in one day. The larger cartridges with their heavier bullets not only increase the range but also do not deflect as much on cross winds as the smaller and lighter projectiles.  All of the major rifle manufactures listed on the 'introduction to rifles' page make varmint rifles. As indicated earlier, most of these are bolt action offerings. The one example of a single shot that is up to the task is the Ruger No 1.
 Appropriate scopes for these rifles start around the 9x range as in a quality 3-9x for out to 150 yards. In the 200 yard range we recommend something like 12x like a good 4-12x scope. For long and ultra long ranges with the more powerful cartridges 18x is the starting point and 24x is probably a better choice. A high quality 6-24x scope works well in this application.
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