Here is a picture of my varmint rifles that I will be taking to Colorado with me in 2 weeks.

From Back to front are:

Ruger #1V in 220 swift topped with a Bushnell Elite 4200 6x24x40 target dot scope

Savage FVSS in 22-250 with custom sharp shooter thumbhole stock topped with a Bushnell Elite 42000 6x24x40 target dot scope

Custom Contender fitted with SSK Industry 6mm JDJ 22" Bullbarrell topped with Weaver V16 fine cross hair scope



Any tips or advice on my first prairie dog hunt would be greatly appreciated.

Very nice looking rifles.

The Savage has recently become available in the UK and has had favourable write-ups in the shooting press. What's the verdict on this rifle stateside?

Good hunting by the way.

SalG, It looks like you have some really great varmint shooting equipment there and I'm sure you'll have a great time. I've only been Prairie Dog shooting for the last 8 years, so someone else can probably give you better advice. However, I would suggest that with the calibers you are using, be very careful not to burn the barrels out. Pace yourself and keep checking the tempt. of your barrels with your hand and when one gets hot, put it down and use the other one. I leave this Friday for S. Dokota...Good luck and remember; Happiness is a HOT BARREL...Cris284w

The assortment of weapons is very appealing!! Now when you pack up to leave for this hunt, you need to have a portable loading bench, a cleaning station, an ample supply of your chosen projectiles, primers and powders!!! Follow the advice from 284 and don't burn the barrels out on your first day to the killing fields!!! Just my little bit of advice!! GHD

If this is your 1st trip out west to pop some dogs, you're going to have some FUN! This ain't chuckin', although there's something nostalgic about an alfalfa field spotted with chuck mounds, that i will forever miss. It's gettin' pretty hot out here midday, and those hot steppers'll be burnin' before yout get your 1st shot off. Shoot early and late and refresh at the local grill midday. Have fluid with you while shooting-- it's dry out here. Get high if possible to minimize mirage. If you're going to be shooting in a valley where a laser rangefinder might work know your p.o.i. beyond point blank range (I think i see target turrets on top). Nuthin' quite like snipin' 'em way out there. GO get'em. Oh yeah, almost forgot, if you see a dog close to another one you're about to shoot, wait as long as your excitement will allow, to see if they'll line up for a double. If you're really lucky, maybe the dog will have a brother and sister that want to cuddle for the occasional triple.

[ 05-28-2003, 12:00: Message edited by: sscoyote ]

Things to have....shooting table/chairs......front/rear rests...lots of ammo....spotting scope/glasses....bug spray...range finder.....22 rf snake dispatch....tarp/umbrella for shade....water, lots of fresh cold water. Its hot here already, 95 today already...plan to shoot early as possible, daybreak. Wind is always a problem later in the day, along with mirage.

Ditto to all the good advice above..........plus take LOTS of ammo!

Good Hunting,

Bob

Hello British,

You asked for an opinion on the Savage. We have to be careful here. Savage owners tend toward the fanatical side, sort of like Leupold owners. I personally think of Savage as the poor man's Remington. That in itself is enough to get me some thorough tongue lashings. I personally like Savage's accuracy. They've made some positive strides in recent years, but they are still plug ugly. It's all a crapshhot nowadays anyway. Chances are no matter what you buy, you'll have to bed it, float the barrel, rid yourself of the lawyer driven trigger to get a decent shooting rifle. Others will disagree I'm sure, but I think quality control is in the tank.
Best wishes.

Cal - Montreal

To Our English Friend "British"
Re: Savage Rifles

As a kid I have the priviledge of living in your country for 3 yrs in Huntingdonshire, as my dad was stationed there in the USAF. Hence you may actually know what a 'Seafire' is, that I use for my handle.

In the USA, many knowledgable people will never criticize a person who carries a Savage for hunting. They may not be pretty and their triggers make old military rifle triggers look like fine pieces of high tech machining. However dollar for dollar, or ( pound for pound)
nothing can beat them for accuracy and consistency.

They are akin to an old Enfield or so in "quality" of construction. However, many of their upscale versions are actually some real class pieces of work. Got to play with a couple of 223's with the new accutrigger. The one with the synthetic stock, had the workmanship associated with Savage in my mind. However, a laminated stock version with a stainless barrel on the same rifle, was a real very nice piece to hold and shoot. It cost about 20% more in price over here but, was well worth the extra 20% in price based on estetics (sp?) and visual appeal.
The accutrigger end the need on purchasing another aftermarket trigger for it.
If I had to replace one of my 223s, that is the one I would buy without question.
Currently I own in 223: 2 factory Ruger VTs, a Remington VLS, a Winchester Featherweight and a rebarreled Ruger 77 Mk 2 that has a 24 inch stainless steele heavy sporter barrel with a 1 in 8 twist for shooting the heavier 75 and 80 grain match bullets. The Savage also comes with a 1 in 9 twist for bullets up to 75 grains in stability, where the other factory rifles all still use the 1 in 12 twist. Another big plus for the Savage 12.

At least in our country they are affordable.
But I hear England and Australia are as bad as Canada for firearm owners anymore.!

Too many bureaucrats and not enough trust in public common sense.

Cal,

You need to get out to the gun shops more often if they still have them up there in Canada.

Check out Savage's New Accutrigger which is adjustable by the user down to a pound and half or so.

Also many of Savages sales are the basic rifles in the Walmart & Kmart type of buyers. However, check out some of their upscale rifles with a laminate stock and stainless steel barrel. Savage has finally graduated from 3rd world country quality to a real good looking, high quality varmint rifle.

As an added attraction, the 223 comes with a 1 in 9 twist instead of a one in 12 like everyone else. This means that right out of the box one can load and shoot 69, 75, 77 And 80 grain loads.

If you look at one of the new 12 series savage varmint rifles with the stainless steele barrel and laminate stock, and still think it is a poor man's Remington, then I just think you are a diehard Remington fan. ( nothing wrong with that either) Just giving savage their fair due, and I am personally not a savage fan, but they have done a first class job on the newer upscale stuff. And the upscale stuff runs about an extra 20% in price, unless you get the ones with the factory installed Burris 6 x 18 on it.

thats the view from Oregon USA, eh??

Jeeeeeez, from the list of "you gotta haves", you're going to need a tractor trailer to haul all the crap. Shooting benches, cleaning stations, wow! I've been sniping pds for 15yrs and I've never even owned a lot of the junque you're being told you must have. You've already got your bi-pods so you need a ground cloth to lay on a/prickly pears and sand spurs. (an old piece of carpet does fine.) And a big sack of bullets. Two sacks actually as you need one to put your empties in. Too bad your rifles aren't all the same calibre as that would greatly reduce your reloading chores. (you full length resize them so they'll fit either gun) You should be driving to or near to your shooting sites so I guess the tailgate could be called a cleaning station and the hood could be called a portable shooting bench. As a rule, once in a while during the days shooting, I would run a dry brush followed by a few dry patches thru my rifles. The cleaning was done at night in camp using a bore guide, a multi-jointed cleaning rod and Hoppe's. That kept all rifles well within a "minute of Prairie Dog".
I have never used a lazer sight. I sight in 2" high at 100yds and start shooting (we don't shoot any "gimmes") with a center chest hold. When I start missing low, I go to a head hold. Then, when I start to miss low, it gets fun 'cause I have to really use Kentucky Windage for hold over. No, I don't add elevation as the shots lengthen. Nor do I dial in any windage. To me the sport is in becoming good with my rifle.

Thanks to all for your input.I didn't mention that the trip to Colorado is an outfitted hunt.So much of the stuff everyone told me to bring is being supplied by the outfitter.I alredy shipped all the ammo to the outfitter so I wouldn't run into any problems with the airline.As far as the sunscreen,lipbalm,and all the other suggestions pertaining to the hot weather THANKS.I don't think I would of thought of them.I do wish I would of picked up a 22mag.or something in a small caliber to plink around with while the high power stuff cools down.There's always next time.

As far as the Savage goes.I had her out Wednesday afternoon on a dairy farm that I have permission to hunt.She is as accurate as any rifle I own.Now I am not a fanatic about bullet groups and such.As long as my varmint rifles are minute of woodchuck I am very happy.The accu-trigger is very acceptable to me.It breaks at 1.8 pounds measured by my gunsmith.As far as the cheap plastic stock goes, I really didn't like the look of it.....so I replaced it!!!The Sharp Shooter stock is fit really well(I had the people at Sharp Shooter do it)and is very comfortable.

I did manage to blast three chucks on Wednesday.The first one was a head shot during a midday downpour.I was under a huge oak tree and the little booger kept popping his head up and down during the thunderstorm.I ranged him with my rangefinder(145 yds.) and the last time he poked his head up.. well that was his last time.The second one came out when it stopped raining.I let him get fully exposed and did away with him(137 yds).On my way out of the meadow I spotted #3 feeding by a large boulder.I put all my gear down,set up my Varmint AL's bi-fur pod,swivel seat bucket,and put a round in the Savage and took #3(94 yds).

Again thanks to all for the advice and I will post some pictures when I get back from Colorado.

Sal

145yds???????????????? I don't think its legal to shoot PD's that close.