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Varmint hunting with 22-250 Remington

Thoughts on hunting varmint

22.-250 Rem- Norma V-Max 3.2 g/50grain

Hunting varmint is not only very enjoyable, it is also very demanding. There are a lot of factors at play in order to successfully hunt small predators.

My name is Frédéric-Kurt Norheimer and I'd like to share some of my experiences with the Norma V-Max in 22.-250 Remington in this report.

As a passionate varmint hunter I am not just interested in taking down a lone predator here and there, I am focused on trying to outwit even the smartest game out there, such as the resident elder foxes for example. To do that, I can't solely rely on my experience and knowledge as a hunter of 10 years, I also need the proper equipement with the right training at the gun range to combat the different situations and challenges I might encounter.

As a relatively experienced hunter, why practice? Well, only through practice can you translate all that knoweldge and equipment into hunting success. Hunting varmint, especially at night, will put your skills as a hunter to the test and in order to be 100% sure of a positive outcome when I pull the trigger, I have developed quite a dilligent routine at the range.

The first questions you should ask when deciding on a hunting cartridge are:

What is my terrain looking like? Wide open acres with little cover or more compacted grounds with natural obstacles?

What forms of hunting are generally successful here? Stalking, baiting or driven hunts?

How important is it to me to able to process the game I have taken?

Could the cartridge handle all of these requirements?

For that purpose i created some data on my requirements:

My hunting grounds

For an average year of hunting varmint, the forms of hunting that prove successful are these:

Hunting in a stand or simply sitting secluded accounts for about 60% of all my varmint kills in a season. Beyond that, I take a good 35% of them while stalking the grounds. Finally, roughly 5% of varmint fall during driven hunts.

Distances:

Distance	Frequency
25 - 50 m	0%
51 - 100 m	45%
101 - 200 m	40%
201 - 250 m	5%

Equipment:

Blaser R93, Kaliber 22.-250 Rem
Cartridge: Norma V-Max, 3.2 Gramm, 50 Grain
Hausken Silencer
Zeiss Diavari 2.5-10x50 with red dot

From these data points, I arrived at the equipment that would suit me. Notice, 5 % of taken varmint game was felled at 201-250 m, which is quite a distance for the 22-250 Remington. At the time for each of these shots, every imaginable condition was perfect and thus it is a defensible shot to take if the experience is there. This is why I practice routinely and am able to enjoy a higher yield on my hunting. 40 % of game are taken at 101-200 meters. I feel this is where the 22.-250 Remington truly shines, hitting the game with 1552 joules and 985 m/s at 100 m which turns a 50 grain projectile into a surgical sleeping pill.

About the 22.-250 Remington:

Case volume: 44.6 gn Water
Bullet diameter: .224

Cartridge Norma V-Max:

V0= 1135 m/s ; E0= 2062 Joule

I have zeroed my rifle to hit 2cm high on 100m so that it is serviceable out to 200m without adapting.

Advantages of the cartridge:

With the Norma cartridge I have chosen maximum accuracy which allows me to print groupings the size of a fingernail, irrespective of the distance at which I am hunting. Through my silencer, I am shooting reliably and accurate as well. In 9 out 10 cases when I hit the varmint on a clean broadside into the shoulder it will instanly lay in its tracks. The other 10 % have been easily found within 50-70 meters with plenty of tracking signs to go on, should the night-time darkness have prevented me from seeing them. I tend to find that it is usually around mating season that varmints are able to take a couple of steps before going down.

In my opinion, the 22.-250 Remington paired with a cartridge like the Norma V-Max is the ideal caliber for any type of varmint. To me personally, I care a lot about processing the game I shoot and so I take care to select a cartridge that won't eviscerate the animal. With the large ammount of energy that is transfered, I feel the 3.2 gram / 50 grain projectile has more than adequate stopping power while allowing me to visit the taxidermist after. On all shots, the bullet has penetrated fully and gone through the other side with an acceptable exit wound. This is extra important to me as I use the furs to train dogs and also sell them.

The 22-250 with the Norma cartridge is also a favourite of mine on small deers. With the nice ballistic characteristics, the flat bullet trajectory and the instant stopping power I can hunt the deers as the current situation requires for a clean kill.