Short Barrel Varmint rig

[Deuce16]

I am wanting to build, rechamber, or whatever I need to do to get a short barrel varmint gun.
Short barrel 18”, anything from 204 to 6MM caliber, it will be suppressed and a bolt gun.
I know I can google and find a lot of info on this, and have, but can’t trust google.
So reaching out to the pros, the guys that know.
I’d like to shoot factory ammo, but can reload. Shots out to 200 occasionally, but 75-150 range mostly. I have a .204 with 20”, but feels like it’s forever long and a bit heavy with can on it.
I’d love to hear some real life experiences and knowledge if possible.

[twosixteens]

243 would be high on my list

[Deuce16]

243 is what I’ve shot for a long time, 55gr Nosler handloads. But that rifle is getting too dang heavy to tote, it’s a heavy stock heavy 26” barrel. I think if I went with same bullets but short barrel, I wouldn’t get the same performance.

Maybe go to a heavier bullet that with fast burn powder?

[twosixteens]

Only way to get better performance/efficiency (loss in velocity)is to go up in bullet diameter (short barreled 243 won’t be as efficient as a short barreled 308)

[MetalMan2004]

Only input I have is regarding your length comment. I agree that once you put a can on just about anything its going to feel long. Is shaving 2” off going to make that much difference? Not trying to talk you out of a build. Just food for thought.

[Slick8]

I'd go with a 22 or 6 creed. I've read about some guys on other sites getting great performance from these in an 18 inch.

I have a 22-250AI which is nearly identical to the creed and it does really well with a 22 inch barrel. I've not yet pushed it real hard and have ran a very accurate load at 3100 with the 75-80 grain Hornady's. I'm getting ready to try out some 62 grain TTSX's with RL26. Should be fun.

[Rem40x]

243 with 14 or 12 twist . 18 inches . I personally like the 69 gr Berger high bc varmit bullet . 3540 fps

[Deuce16]

That’s smokin hot! What powder?

[okrattler]

.223 that's capable of shooting heavy bullets for hogs. .224 Valkyrie or 6.5 Grendel would be my next choices. I've killed a bunch of critters with a 16 1/2" barreled .223. Most other varmint cartridges are meant to have a longer barrel on them. Out to 200 and even 300 a .223 will thump coyotes or whatever else you need to kill. And there's a lot of different bullets to choose from straight from the factory. Or at least there was up until recently. It's all sold out but when it's available there's a lot to choose from.

[MUZZYSLINGR]

I have a 18” 5.56 barrel on my AR that works pretty good . Popped everything from coons to hogs with it .


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[Deuce16]

My AR has 1:7 barrel, and hate that it doesn’t shoot 55gr Vmaxs very well,’or not like I’d like.
I’ve ordered some 75gr bullets to see how it shoots with them. Ultimately I’d use my AR cause it’s friendly to carry.

[JakeGraves]

I’m loving my .223 shooting Berger 80.5 full bores. I wouldn’t hesitate to take a coyote at 500 yards with it.

[TX03RUBI]

200 yds and in? 223 without a doubt for me. No way I’m giving up that much barrel life for a hot rod that’s only going to shoot in close. Besides the hot rod varmint calibers lose a ton of velocity at 18”. I love my 6 Creed and I’m finishing up a 22 Creed right now. I’d throw my 223 in the truck every time if I wasn’t planning to shoot further.

[westtexducks]

Only input I have is regarding your length comment. I agree that once you put a can on just about anything its going to feel long. Is shaving 2” off going to make that much difference? Not trying to talk you out of a build. Just food for thought.

This was my thoughts as well. My every day varmint rig has a 24" barrel on it and no way I would cut it down especially running a .204. You already have the .204 why not just get it cut down and rethreaded for a couple hundred bucks at your local smith? Already have ammo for it and everything would just shorten it up. Might look at just going down to 16" at that point though and be done with it. Or get you and sbr ar-15 in .223.

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[gfulton]

I'd suggest a .223 in a bolt gun.