I was delighted to note the apparent nonchalance with which the Super Varminter digested almost anything I fed it and spit out great groups. Note on the accompanying chart that two of the best-shooting loads fired projectiles on opposite ends of the weight-spectrum: Black Hill's 40-grain V-Max shot right with Federal's Gold Medal Match 69-grain load, proving once again that fast-twist barrels can excel with light bullets.

Function proved entirely reliable except in the case of very light (40-grain) bullets. The action and bolt carrier assembly was fairly dirty by the time I tested those loads, and seemingly the light projectiles simply didn't provide enough gas pressure to cycle the action fully every time.

For the most part it ran fine, but about one in five shots would eject but not quite pick up the next cartridge. I'm sure that with a clean, lubed action the light stuff would function without problem.

At nine-plus pounds without scope the M6 is a solid handful, yet it balances very well. The Hogue grip and textured Stag handguard provide comfortable, nonslip handling, and the plain A2 stock has always been one of my favorites for simple comfort, which is what one wants when spending hours or perhaps even days at a prairie dog town or shooting at the local range.

After running an assortment of loads through the Super Varminter for accuracy, I mounted a bipod on it and lay prone for an assault on the 200- to 600-yard steel gongs that grace Angeles Ranges.

Just to make things interesting, I stoked a 10-round magazine, dialed the scope to 14X and set out to hit a gong at each range with what I had in that mag. Amazingly, I was able to make first-round hits to 400 yards, missed one shot and connected with the second at 500, and nailed the 600-yard torso target on the first try. It's amazing how well a mil dot reticle works when actually put to use. My buddy and I used up the last of the ammo I'd brought, merrily ringing steel targets at 500 and 600 yards.

When the smoke had cleared, I had developed a high regard for the Stag M6 Super Varminter. With stellar performance in both accuracy and reliability, it does what it is meant to do with sangfroid. Whether I was taking on the local gun club in a friendly match, tackling a horde of prairie dogs or trying to plaster a coyote streaking across a distant sage flat, I would feel well-equipped with a Stag M6 Super Varminter.