Remington's Model 722 and .222 Cartridge

It's easy enough to define what a varmint is, those pesky critters that tear up pastures, flower beds and all kinds of expensive crops people need for various reasons - most importantly, to make a living and/or something with which to feed themselves.

- Lee J. Hoots

While newer rifles pop up every year, classic bolt guns are getting harder to come by every day. Lee's Remington Model 722 chambered in .222 Remington was a lucky find.

On the other hand, defining what exactly constitutes a varmint rifle is not always so cut-and-dried. It could be anything from a BB gun used against a troublesome gopher to using a handy .270 Winchester when coyotes start stealing newly-born calves in the far pasture. Nonetheless, most riflemen still generally think of small caliber, high-velocity cartridges when discussing vermin rifles, even if they have a BB gun stashed near the back door.

The classic bolt-action rifle and its cartridge discussed here is one of the first mass-produced rodent rifles that truly made varmint shooters, who in the past, had to purchase expensive custom rifles, turn their heads in wonderment as to how a less costly rifle could shoot with such amazing accuracy. After World War II, when riflemen began returning to varmint shooting and formal bench-rest competition, Remington engineer Mike Walker began drawing up a new line of bolt rifles that would change the way the firm would operate until the well-known Model 700 rifle appeared in 1962.

Hornady Superformance 50-grain Varmint V-MAX loads provided this little cluster at 100 yards.