I'm a mountain boy from N. Idaho. I have hunted big game my whole life, and I have had limited access to prairie puppy's in the past.

I havebeen shooting my entire life and I now want a new challenge! I want to get a long range rifle that I can really reach out and touch something. I want to practice so I can maybe reach out4 or 500 meters effectively, and maybe farther if I can ever get good enough!

I know these questions have been answered in these forums, but it's hard to form a lot of the answers around my specific tastes and needs.So please offer me the wisdom you all have from experience!.

I am going to start travelling into Montana and am looking at a Savage .223 heavy barrel to sit next to me on the drive over. I can't spend more than 6 or 700 on the rifle unless you all want a newlysingle woman with half of Cameron's(me) stuff back on the "meat"market.

I have also looked at the Howa with the laminate stock with the thumbhole.

I like the .223 because it is inexpensive to buy ammunition for. What are my best options for the prairie puppies and also for yotel dogs in Idaho at closer ranges? What are the best inexpensive rifles that I can look for?

I have a savage .17 hmr heavy barrel...I love it and am more than willing to share pics of my setup for anyone. Is the .223 in this brand going to make me happy???

Thanks! Cameron

P.S. As I know as much as anyone....a good rifle is a fair, if not, a great trade off for a wife...or a lack there of a wife. However, my current "boss" is a little to hot and dipped way below her standards to marry me....so I think I need to milk this marriage as long as possible while I'm still able to wake up next to something super pretty. Otherwise this future rifle will cost me a loss of a wife and a lifetime of fugly, albeit, chubby womenly friends.....SO, I hope you all understand and forgive me for not giving up my wife for a sweeeeeeet varmint set-up!!!!