favorite p dog caliber?

09 August 2002, 09:31

R Flowers

Matt, if I had to take one gun and or caliber prairie dog shooting (God forbid)I would surely take a 22-250 Remington.

I have shot prairie dogs with lots of different stuff including a 22LR, a 22 Win Mag, a 17 Rem, a .223 Rem, a 22-250, a 22-250 AI, a 6mm Rem, a 25-06, a 7mm-08, etc. but the best all around cartridge seems to be the 22-250.

Sure, the .223 will shoot lots of rounds before it gets too hot and is fun to shoot. BUT, it gives up the ghost on really long shots.

The 6mm's and 25's are great on really long shots, but beat you up and burn lots of components on good days of shooting.

I guess I am lucky in that I can take one of each and play around shooting praire dogs, but give the option of one gun it would be a 22-250 with no doubts whatsoever!!!

Having said that, a good .223 Rem and a good 22-250 together in a prairie dog town is just plain fun.

R F

09 August 2002, 09:32

Taos

1. 22-250
2. 6mm B.R.

They seem to take care of all the varmint chores anymore.

09 August 2002, 09:39

Holmes

22LR for rats out to 250, 25/06 for the "smarter" rodents!

The quarter bore helps buck the prevailing wind at longer distances here in Wyoming.

Regards,

~Holmes

09 August 2002, 10:43

tom holland

quote:
Originally posted by metalic matt:
I have both 22-250 and 223 and would like to know what other people shoot for p dogs and why?

Matt

Last year I shot more PD with a 222 year before that used a 223AI. With the drought not much shooting out east of here but am using a 222AI this year. For long range use a 6mm Rem or a 6/284. I like the smaller calibers for say up to 400 yds alot less recoil but alot depends on the wind also. If the wind comes up I may use a 6br or a 6ppc and they work pretty well out to 300 yds in the wind and if it's calm I may start out with a 17 rem or 17mach1V then got to a 222AI. Next year I'll start to use my 221 fireball, 22br and 220 also my try the 243. I try and rotate my rifles each year and pick one as my main one that way I don't wear one out with over 30 varmit rifles it's easy to do. If I was to limit myself to two rifles for varmit hunting it would be a 222 and 6mm Rem. Well good hunting! Tom

09 August 2002, 16:47

tsiero

When we go out we bring our whole varmint arsenal: 17 Rem, 2ea .222 rem, AR type in .223, 3 each 22-250 (one is a 1/7 twist for 75 gr A-Max bullets), 220 swift and a 7mm-300 Weatherby.
If I had to take only one out it would be the fast twist 22-250. I have made 650 yards shots with it and 100 yards shots. THe 7mm-300 Weatherby was too much of everything: powder weight (25 lbs), noise etc. The 17 is good up to 300 yards but real wind sensitive. The 222 and 223 can be classed together for up to 300 yards. The Swift is with the other 22-250 with a 1/14 barrels ie good up to 450 or so yards with 350 being more realistic. I am going to try a 24" Ar bull barrel upper and shoot the 75 gr Amax bulets and I should get 2900 to 3000 FPS from that combo. Life is full of coices.....make some.

Ted Sierocinski

10 August 2002, 02:14

<DuaneinND>

#1- 223
#2- 22ppc
#3-250 sav, 250AI, and the 257DGR
The 223 and 22ppc work fine for everything from 0-600 unless there is too much wind, and then I use the 25 cals.

10 August 2002, 15:27

<MachV>

22-250 8Twist & 75Amaxes(best alround)
223 40vmax(most rounds fired & cheaper to reload)
243 (I miss this round,gota get another)
7mag 160spbt (practice for deer & bear)
50BMG 750Amax(just for kicks)
375-50BMG 250g Barns(@4400fps this things gona be fun when dialed in)=CJ

10 August 2002, 15:56

DMCI*

Where we shoot the ranges are generally 200 yards to 700 yards. I like the .260 with the 100gr 6.5 Sierra HP Varmint bullet. Has enough wack to reach the longer ranges, light recoil and just plain fun to shoot. Has enough goods that you are not that sensitive to wind either.

Fairly accurate with H4895, F210M primers. Load suggested by Saeed's forum on reloading. [Smile]

I have a M700BDL Varmint in .223 as well. It has yet to come out of the case

D.

[ 08-10-2002, 06:58: Message edited by: DMCI* ]

12 August 2002, 10:07

barny

I shoot prarie dogs mainly with a 22lr and 22mag. My pasture is full of them and a long shot is around 200 yds. When they get real thick or after the young are born we resort to shotguns for the short shots and it's possibly to get 2 or 3 at once.

If it's close to hunting season out come the big rifles. It's also a lot of fun to walk and gun with my 1911.

Barny

12 August 2002, 12:16

<.>

.223 Ackley Improved.

Easy on the bore, not a huge consumer of powder. Brass lasts forever.

Accurate, flat shooting, hard hitting. For long shots 69 gr. Sierra match HP in a 1:9 rifled bbl. Shorter stuff and a 40 gr. Hornady at about 4000 fps. It's more about the gun and the ammo than about the target.

Rem. 700 PSS, 4-14x 40mm Springfield Govt. Tact. scope, Jewell trigger @ 4 oz.

12 August 2002, 12:21

Vman

Lots of dogs on my sisters ranch in NW New Mexico, her son and I use the following;

22LR 100yds and under, always have one in the pickup. Winchester Power Points way more effective than any other ammo we have used to date, you can hear the difference.

223 Remington easy to get factory reloads from Black Hills and others, easy to relaod accutrate ammo, bullet performance is fantastic with correct velosity/bullet match...even the cheap stuff works like Speer TNT in bulk packs.

223AI Remington adds 200FPS to an already effective round, we really like this caliber a lot. Bullets like 50 grain V-max and Sierra BlitzKing really shine w/VV-N133 and H-BenchMark powders, we always use Federal Match primers.

22-250 Remington, what can I say...bad to the bone! I have a couple including a custom job from Arnold Arms. Smallest groups from a bench I have ever seen fired. Likes 55gr Sierra HPBT best but sure is fun to watch a hit on a Pdog w/50gr BlitzKing at max velosity. Adds 10 grains of powder over 223, still end up with one (sometime two) fewer Pdogs per trigger pull.

220 Swift, I like the swift having made a few really long shots with my M700 VSSF and 55 gr Sierra HPBT bullets.

6MM Remington, acually it is a M722 in 244 Remington w/55gr Ballistic Tip @ 3900 FPS. Mason's top long range/coyote gun...very impressive on both big and little dogs.

25-06, I tried this once but found the recoil and muzzle blast less than plesant.

17 August 2002, 11:49

<carbonman>

I can't give just one favorite. For really long shots prairie dogging I have to have a 30" long barreled 6.5-284.
The high bc bullets make the wind a lot less of a factor.
Longest shot was on 7-22-02 at 1091 yards on a small p-dog using this rifle.
(Hit it twice to insure a body count for the witnesses.) Only the scope has changed to a 30mm tube version.

Mid-range shots from 400 out to 850 or so are managed with a long barreled (29") fast twist 243.
Carbon243

The utility rifle for out to 400 is a 223 with light bullets. Accurate, lots of rounds per pound and plenty of red mist with the right bullet.
Carbon223

06 September 2002, 04:44

<kidcoltoutlaw>

will the 50bmg bust up a p dog.i ask because i shot a rooster at 1000 yards hit it in the neck very little damage.not enough meat to open up the bullet,thanks,keith

06 September 2002, 05:20

GeorgeS

quote:
Originally posted by Ben H:
For 200 yds and under and if the wind isn't too bad I really like the 22 K-Hornet w/35 gr Hornady V-maxes. I also use 223's, 22-250 AI and on occassion, my 25-06 and assorted handguns.

Good Shooting,
Ben H

Hey, Ben!

When isn't the wind too bad? [Eek!]

I shoot p-dogs near Cheyenne every year (I'm headed out there tomorrow), and wind always seems too much for a K-Hornet.

The main reason I ask is that my Bullberry .22 K-Hornet barrel should be here in the next couple of days, and I'd arrange next year's trip to coincide with the 'calm season' [Big Grin]

George

07 September 2002, 05:44

Stonecreek

I would agree that the .22-250 is a great compromise, all-around PD gun -- but it's neither fish nor fowl. It has a bit more recoil and muzzle blast than you want to put up with for the "easy" shots (up to 250 yards), and doesn't have the velocity retention and wind-bucking ability of the 6mm's for the really long shots.

My personal favorite is a .222 until the yardage gets too long, but with the availability of cheap and plentiful brass and ammunition, its decendant, the .223, has to be the gold standard of varminters. For the long stuff, I like any of the 6mm's with 70 grain poly-tipped bullets.

10 September 2002, 14:30

Deaddog1440

GeorgeS,

I think BenH was impling shooting PD's somewhere other than Cheyenne mostly. He is originally from Nebraska and shoots prairie dogs out there when he gets the chance. I have know him for years and he has always been a big K-hornet fan. The K-hornet is a good cartridge and shoots very well but just like all small calibers they don't handle high wind very well. I personally shoot PD's with other 22-250 and my personal favorite, the 6-284. The 22-250 is great for those longer shots but still has a problem with high wind unless using heavy bullets. I think you will enjoy the K-hornet. It is a cute little cartridge and is cheap to shoot. Enjoy your new toy and good hunting.

22 September 2002, 07:05

Clark

I shot hundreds of dogs in Miles City / Bradus area 20 years ago at a relative's ranch.

The rancher supplied three rifles and handloaded ammo [he even got me handloading]
Rem 700 17Rem with scope
Win 70 220 Swift with scope
Win 243 with scope and bi pod

I watched through the scopes as the 220 and the 17 allowed the dogs to slide down the holes, while the 243 flipped them out of the holes.

I missed as many as I hit, but each time I lay down I would get about 10 of them.
When I went to look at the 243 hit carcasses they were very torn up with half the body mass gone.

The next day, all carcasses were always gone.

Now I am preparring to go back, and I will take a .17HMR, .223, and 257 Roberts Ackley.

22 September 2002, 14:40

<MachV>

kidcoltoutlaw
Have shot a few with the 50BMG with disapointing results.The 750Amax just takes a 1/2" out of them.I originaly baught the 50 for a mile prairie dog but it has yet to get one past 400yards.
12" groups at 600yards is the best the Amaxes have done at the range,DM45 APIs print 6-7"=CJ

22 September 2002, 15:12

CaptJack

.223- 55grn to 300yds
.243- 70grn for everything else
30.06- 150grn for anything over 30#

yeah- I know I'm boring- just call me dependable
[Big Grin]

24 September 2002, 15:11

yotecaller

I like the 222 Remington for most all my Varmints.If the barrel gets too hot I grab the 223.
I just might bring my 17 HMR next time I go out.

25 September 2002, 07:12

VarmintGuy

Metallic Matt: I have a bunch of Varmint Rifles (35 at last count with 2 more on the way - I know, I am especially sick!) and if I could take only one caliber and Varminter into the field for Prairie Dogs it would be a 22 Remington Bench Rest and the model Rifle would be the Remington 40XB-KS (single shot model with Kevlar black stock with the standard externally adjustable 40X trigger [not the two ounce no safety version] and the 27 1/4" factory barrel) topped wth a Leupold 8.5X25X40mm variable scope (yes I know Leupold quit making these last year - I still think it is the best Colony Varmint scope ever made). I have 2 Remington 22 BR's in 40X models and can vouch for their accuracy, efficiency, flat trajectory and ability to keep a "cool" barrel. Not much powder in this cartridge but it sure makes a lot of speed, flat trajectory and small groups!
Taking into consideration all conditions one may encounter including wind, heat, distances (sometimes not so far) and wariness of the Prairie Dogs I always seem to do well when using one of my 22 BR's! Indeed I just relish picking off a smart old Prairie Dog that is chirping at me from inside the mouth of his burrow 300 yards away with only the top of his head showing above the rim of the mound! I have done this many many times with my super accurate little 22 BR's. And with a heavy Varminter and a good solid hold I usually see my hits. With my 22-250's, Swifts and on up the scale you loose sight picture at the shot more and more often.
I have killed Prairie Dogs with my 22 BR's to well past 500 yards (575 yards is the furthest I recall off hand) so you have plenty of range.
I think the Remington 40XB-KS stocks are just perfect for my style of Prairie Doggin. I shoot prone from a Keb-Lab matt over a tripod and rear sand bag a lot of the time and this stock performs flawlessly here.
Back to the cartridge. I think only Remingtons 40X line and some of Coopers Varminters are factory made in this caliber. Lots of folks like the larger Varminters like the 25/06, 6mm Improved, 6mm/284's, 300 Magnums and the like but I have been there and done that and would much rather have a long, fruitful and entertaining day (remember the sight picture) shooting the smaller calibers with less recoil and noise and barrel heat! Imagine shooting a bunch of PD's a rancher wants exterminated at 100 to 200 yards distance with a Magnum! Its not fun for very long at all. Believe me I have been there.
And not just for Prairie Dogs the 22 BR excels at all kinds of Varminting from Ground Squirrels to Turtles to Ravens to Coyotes - it works well on all of them!
Try one if you haven't already and I am sure you will be favorably impressed.
Hold into the wind
VarmintGuy

25 September 2002, 15:44

DannoBoone

quote:
Originally posted by MachV:
22-250 8Twist & 75Amaxes(best alround)
223 40vmax(most rounds fired & cheaper to reload)
243 (I miss this round,gota get another)
7mag 160spbt (practice for deer & bear)
50BMG 750Amax(just for kicks)
375-50BMG 250g Barns(@4400fps this things gona be fun when dialed in)=CJ

Why not round it off REEEEEAL well with a 155mm How with a few
"Beehive" rounds?? [Big Grin]

The K-Hornet can have it's problems in Nebraska, too, DeadDog. I was
raised there and calm days were few -- the wind doesn't stop at the
Wyoming border. My brother had a Hornet, but took his 22-250 more
than the Hornet because of the wind factor. On those FEW times he
could take out the Hornet, it was good out to 200 yards.

My rifle of choice was a light-loaded 25-06 Rem 700BDL. It was easy
on the shoulder loaded with Hornady 75gr HP's travelling 3300fps, and
could reach out & touch 'em with ease to 400 yards. IMR4895 was
used, but don't recall the grain weight. She was dead accurate with
that load.

27 September 2002, 14:38

<tgwh>

(empty)

27 September 2002, 14:40

<tgwh>

17 Rem is my all time favourite varminter - Sako HB with 20x Redfield scope. 25gr HP's will match anything thrown from a 22-250 out to 350 yards +, and the 20gr V Max at 4400 fps makes 220 Swift look sedatory. V Max projectiles will group in the high 3's without too much trouble. Beauty of the .17 is very low recoil - you can easily maintain sight picture throughout the shot. You don't get beaten about like larger calibres, shooting is cheap, and for flat out speed to 400 yards has no equal.
Wind drift is very comparable to 22.250 & Swift out to 400 yrds, so all the hype about the .17 being too wind sensitive is a bit misleading.
.17/223 may be an even better bet. [Wink]

29 September 2002, 16:40

<metalic matt>

I agree with the 17 and am going to look into a tc version!

Quicker kills pdogs dead,Up to about 400 yards it's all about time in air.

matt

shoot them dogs and wait for their friends.

05 October 2002, 04:07

<Cobalt>

Anybody use 6mmPPC on P-dogs? Results? Thanks, Cobalt

05 October 2002, 09:30

BER007

metalic matt,

1) 22-250
2) 243
3)257 Roberts

10 October 2002, 00:36

<MachV>

DannoBoone

quote:
Why not round it off REEEEEAL well with a 155mm How with a few
"Beehive" rounds??

Ya know where a guy could get one reasonable?
I realize the BMG is a little big but was my shortcut to long range,a blast to shoot but not as effective as I was hopeing for.The 223 on the other hand never seises to amaze me,Great round & cheap to shoot.The 75 Amax out of the 22-250 heats up fast & cost a little more to shoot but if the wind is blowing(& it usualy is)it is very effective=CJ

12 October 2002, 17:34

<fishnfst>

17AH Haven't shot it past about 150 yet
.222 soon to be rebarelled to fast twist .223
.223AI used to be my all around favorite until---
22br just bought and think its my new favorite..
.220 swift my others don't come close 55gr@4150 but the barrels don't last past 1500-2000 rnds.
6mm rem to shoot the 55 v-max and 75 blitzkings orginally built to replace my swift. Looks like it is going to be rebarelled to either a 6br or 6dasher......
.308 with 110grn v-max for the looooooong shots

WOW never realized I had such a problem glad they all look the same. Just keep on throwing them in the safe. My wife fortunately can't tell the difference yet. Last time she suspected I distracted her and told her they were multiplying like rabbits and slammed the safe shut and walked away, hoping to avoid further inspection

15 October 2002, 03:56

Dr. Lou

Shooting ground squirrels, most of my shots are between 30 and 250 yds, thus most of my shooting is done using my .22 LR and .223. However, I usually bring the following battery:

.22 LR - Sako Finnfire
.223, 50 gr. NBT - Sako AI Hunter
.22-250, 55 gr. NBT - Sako AII Hunter
.25-06, 85, 100 and 115 gr. NBT, Sako AV Hunter (for windy conditions and large preditors). [Cool]

30 October 2002, 15:45

Deaddog1440

Most of the time I shoot

6mm-284 (107 Sierra) Great load and favorite round and how I got the name
22-250 (50 gr Sierra)
223
6.5-284 (Looking forward to using next year, not built yet)
6.5-06 Ackley (Just to fire form brass)
357 Mag 125gr Wyoming white tailed dogs love this
308 Just for fun
50 BMG 750 A-max Next years trip.

31 October 2002, 02:11

janehal

Have been using a 17 CCM and 22 K Hornet in S.D. Like the lack of recoil and noise. Have to work with the wind...if it gets really bad will use a 223 but still like the small stuff

07 November 2002, 05:58

<Hoodo>

Man, I thought I would be in a pretty bloodthirsty bunch here but it doesn't seem like too many of you are, not that bad anyway. When I shoot prairiedogs, my favorite is to scatter and chunk them, big red mist in the scope. My very favorite is a .257 Weatherby Magnum with an 85gr. varmint ballistic tip. 100yds is preferred! I've NEVER seen anything come completely apart like this combo will do. That's enough lead in a fragmenting jacket pushed fast enough that's AWESOME. 3700fps. Pieces thrown at least 10 yards in most directions. I have a .17 but what fun is that.
My small gun is a 22-250 shooting 40gr ballistic tips at 4080. This makes a very good red mist also, it just doesn't scatter and chunk as well. The .50 is a big boom but just doesn't compare. We have flipped a whole one 20ft in the air covering about 10yds. He was shot low while standing. That 750 just doesn't do anything but put a hole in 'em, except for the above one mentioned, he was fun.
I wished Nosler would put a VARMINT ballistic tip on the market for a .30 cal in about 110-120grains. That would be a good candidate for the .300 Weatherby. I would say it would be close to equal to the .257. Probably need just a little more meat than a prairie dog to be really spectacular, maybe a FAT one! Possum size would be GREAT! I only get to shoot prairie dogs once a year usually so I get a lot of time to prepare and a lot of time to remember before the next trip. Ya'll have fun, Hoodo

07 November 2002, 18:51

carverelli

I built an AR-15 this last spring and it will take pdogs cleanly out to 300-350 easily. 1-13 twist Kreiger 24" stainless barrel will send 50 grain moly V-maxes out at 3400+. On the way to the dog town I fill 30 round mags so I don't need to stop when the shootins good. This winter I'm taking the Swift and rebarrel it to a 6-284 w/ 1-8 twist Lilja 30 " barrel and a muzzle brake. After leading the stock it should come in at 18-20 lbs. This combo w/ a 36x scope should handle everything from the 350 yrds on out to 600 or so. My rangefinder LRF 800 won't repeatedly range further although the rifle should shoot further.