Just got back from my first pdog shoot and looking to go back. I want to get more splat factor next year.

The 22-250 with the 50gr vmax really got some air time and good splats out to 300 yards. Not real spectactular at 400 yds.

The 223 I used was not that great for splat factor. I was shooting the 55 gr midsout varmint nightmare bullets b/c they are cheap and shoot real well in my rifle. Does the 50gr vmax do better out of the 223 for air time?

The 6mmbr with 75gr vmax did about like the 22-250. Thinking about stepping down to the 58 gr vamx for next year. Anybody got any suggestions on other bullets?

Lastly, the 204 is on my shopping list but I want some air time as well. I think I'll try the 32gr vmax for the 204.

Anybody else have any good calibers for air time?

Your plastic tipped varmint bullets from the big three...Nosler..Hornady & Sierra are your best bets for splat and air times..
Try some 70s in the 6BR...I use 70 NBTs in my 6BR at 3300 and they do what you want...
The 204...I upgraded from the 204 to 20 Vartarg (20 Fireball) & 20 Practical (20-223) using the 204 barrels I had then simply rechambering. I tested the 32 V's...sure they start out fast but will lose energy lots faster than the mighty 40 V max..Thats my 20 caliber choice in both my 20s..3550 in the VT and 4026 in the PT...the PT simply turns p/dogs inside out clear out to 500 yds...

i hunt groundhogs, and they generally weight too much to lift off the ground. instead, there is "chunking factor". with a 223, the give up the ghost. with a 25-06 and a 75 grain vmax, you count pieces. i have gone all the way up, from 223, 22-250, 243, 6.5x55 to 308 to 338 lapua and think that the best chunk factor comes from the 25-06.

quote:

Originally posted by jb177:
Just got back from my first pdog shoot and looking to go back. I want to get more splat factor next year.

The 22-250 with the 50gr vmax really got some air time and good splats out to 300 yards. Not real spectactular at 400 yds.

The 223 I used was not that great for splat factor. I was shooting the 55 gr midsout varmint nightmare bullets b/c they are cheap and shoot real well in my rifle. Does the 50gr vmax do better out of the 223 for air time?

The 6mmbr with 75gr vmax did about like the 22-250. Thinking about stepping down to the 58 gr vamx for next year. Anybody got any suggestions on other bullets?

Lastly, the 204 is on my shopping list but I want some air time as well. I think I'll try the 32gr vmax for the 204.

Anybody else have any good calibers for air time?

First of all, go to the 55 gr. Sierra BK in your 22-250. Very accurate and has been my first or second choice for many years. The very close second is the Sierra 1330 or 1360. I can't really tell the difference, except in price. The 1360 has always been THE most accurate in all of the 22-250 I have been around.

In my 223, I run the 40 gr. Sierra HP as fast as I can make it go. Very effective.

As far as your 6mm, I would try the Speer 70 gr. HP TNT. My father shoots these in his 243 and if you hit them just a little low you will get some excellent air time.

I am not a fan of the 32s in the 204. I like the 39 BK, and the 40 gr. Berger. For "splat factor" go with the 39 BK, for accuracy past 300 yards go with the 40 Berger.

I still like my 300 Win Mag shooting the 110 gr. V-max, or for a little longer shooting I use the 125 gr. Sierra BK. I built it with a slow twist barrel and can get both of them "up and running". The results are incredible.

Jim

I always got great splat factor with 50g Balastic Tips. I think the solid base helps push more splat out of them. Oh what sick fun!

Splat factory... wanna turn them inside out...

50 grain TNT ( in 223) and 55 grain TNT in the 22.250.. or 52 grain Speer HP...

In 6mm, a fast moving Speer 70 grain TnT...

my opinion on 204s... big deal...

I thought about the tnt, but my 223 is 1/9 twist and my 6mm br is 1/8 (built for the vld type bullets). I was afraid that they might come apart due to the fast twist.

I do have a 7mm stw that should vaporize them with the 125 btip, but I want to save that barrel for deer. 2-3 shots out of that bugger and the barrel gets too hot. Too much trouble to carry that rifle 1k miles each way for 25 shots a day.

I've always wanted a 25/06, guess I should get me one...

On Friday, two of us tried our 243's on groundhogs, my buddy with 70g Ballistic tips, me with 58g Vmax. At 100-1t50 yards, both were very destructive. One small one was almost blown in two(58 Vmax.) The shot of the day was one that went flying to the left after being hit by he 70 grain ballistic tip.
I have no idea if either one would hold up to the twist in your rifle.

Yes, you need a 25-06. The 75 Vmax is good. I don't think it runs any cooler than your stw.

I used to shoot a heavy 25-06 on pds and used the 75 V-max exclusively. It will do everything you want.

I never treated it harshly, but shortly after putting on the third barrel in 7 years, I sold it.

My WinMag took its place, but I would not hesitate to recommend it for what you are looking for, just keep in mind you gotta pay to play at that game.

If you do a 25, start with a long barrel with the idea of cutting off some and rechambering as the throat progresses.

Jim

Calhoon Bullets also makes some very explosive prairie dog bullets out of Havre Montana...semi reasonably priced...

Instead of a 25/06, the 257 Roberts AI makes a more throat friendly varmint chambering...and does well on the splat factor...

the 250 Savage is also a great varmint cartridge that is more throat friendly, with the 75 grain V Max...

jb177, the 52 grain speer hollow points will handle a faster twist than the 50 grain tnt's, those should work for you, you loose a little BC but its not a huge sacrifice. Natchezss has them on sale right now for a reasonable price. Check it out! Also if you are going to order much quantity, powdervalley will match Natchez's price but beat them on shipping, so you can save even more moola!

Does that 52gr speer provide adequate expansion on pdogs at 223 velocities?

I havent used it personally, I think seafire has, it has a larger HP opening and slightly thicker jacket. Supposed to be good for higher velocity rounds or faster twists. I just ordered 3000 of the 50 grain TNT for a couple 223s. I have been using 40vmax and they are adequate but lack the splat factor that is so fun, occasionally I will flip one a couple times.

Can anybody tell me if the 50 gr tnt will withstand a 1/9 twist in a 223?

At 223 velocities in a fast twist, like the one in 9, it should still work fine... it does out of my Savage with the one in 9, regardless of velocity...

a couple alternatives..

1. with a lot of 14 grain of Blue Dot and the 50 grain TNT, the one in 9 won't phase it and you'll still have a flat shooting load, that will really zap them...

2. Speer also makes a 55 grain TNT also, traditionally made for the faster velocity and barrel RPMs out of 220 Swifts and 22.250s...
this one will handle anything a 223 can put it thru out of a one in 9 twist..

3. Look at the Speer 52 grain HP, not to be confused with their 52 gr HP/BT match bullet...
this has a tougher jacket, yet has a larger HP opening and will definitely provide a splat factor when intersecting with a prairie dog..

ALL three bullets are accurate as hell in ANY of my 22 caliber centerfires...

my personal favorite Blue Dot load for the 223, is the 14 grain of Blue Dot and the 50 grain TNT..low barrel heat, makes the barrel last quite a bit longer, yet it is easily a 300 yd performer on ground squirrels.. and a pound of powder actually lasts for 500 rounds!!!!

that is why it is my 'GoTo' load for the 223...

thanks. I'm saving these posts for future references for next year.

yeah JB,

bang flop is fine for deer hunting , but it sucks where prairie dog shooting..

if it wasn't for the redmist factor, many of us wouldn't be an enthusiastic about it as we are...

I can also give you a hint.. wait until they are down on all fours, looking at you and aim for the nose...that really makes em come apart..

the other spot is if they are standing... aim right between their haunches.. as close as possible where their butts are touching the ground and then about an inch high from that point.. sage rats, that will blow them 8 feet into the air..a big prairie dog, that will still come 2 to 4 feet off the ground...

either one of the above will have it raining varmint parts...where one once stood...

I was out the other day with a buddy, he was shooting his 220 swift with 55gr nbt and I was shooting my savage with 40gr vmax and 14 gr blue dot. He definately had the upper hand when it came to the splat factor, but that is one noisy sob and he had to stop for cool down breaks and I didnt, so that was a definite bonus. I ended up shooting 150 rounds to his 100 rounds and his barrel stayed consistently hotter than mine. I was jealous about some of the air time he got though. We came over a hill and a yearling was sitting broadside on a hill, not 30 yards away, he sent that pup flying about 30 yards through the air, we looked later but never did find the damn thing. I tried shooting his ruger, that trigger is HORRIBLE and with the increased recoil, I couldnt keep the picture in the scope, definately didnt miss my savage with the accutrigger.

I had no problem with the 50 grain TNT from a 1 in 9 twist Savage at near max loads.

I used the Win white box 45 grain hps on my first pd shoot in .223 @ 3,320fps. It definatly out did the splat factor of my cousins 40 grain NBT from his .22-250 @ 4,030. I'm now using the 40 grain NBT @ a little over 3,700 with Reloader 10X because it is extremely accurate in my Savage. I know I'm giving up some red mist. I plan on rebarreling to 20 Practical and using 39 grain Sierra BKs. I've seen what they do out of a .204. Almost as impressive as the factory Win HPs.

When I lived in Montana I used to shoot rock chucks with my .25-06 and 75 grain Hornaday HPs at unreal velocities. Biggest splat factor I've ever seen with anything. (And I have a .300 RUM, a 7mm Rem Mag and a .270 Weatherby.)You hit one on the end of the nose at 150 yards with that .25 and you'd be lucky to find a tooth or a piece of his tail. VAPORIZATION!

You guys got me all excited...now I can't wait until the trip again next year.

In the next few weeks im going to see what the 90gr Sierra HP will do out of my .270WSM. Hopefully there is a decent splat factor

Im going again this afternoon, hoping to get some splats on video today. Luckily I have pdogs 30 miles from town! Going to try the 243 with 58gr vmax, that should up the splat factor a bit!