The Accurate Reloading Forums THE ACCURATE RELOADING.COM FORUMS Hunting Varmint Hunting Best Bullet for 204 Ruger on Prairie Dogs?Go | New | Find | Notify | Tools | Reply | |
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| One of Us |
I am presently using Federal Premium 39gr Blitz Kings but since I am going to start reloading my own I am wondering what you recommend for the best splat effect. I have been to Kansas twice now and my average shot has been 200-300 yards and there has ALWAYS been wind everyday I shot! I have had many dogs splatter but most seemed to kick-up in the air and not disintegrate like so many of the shooting videos show....maybe this is usual?? So anyway....whatdaya think?? | ||
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| One of Us |
Hi Leopardtrack I would stay with the 39 gr. Blitz King, of all the bullets I've loaded in the 204 it is my favourite.It bucks the wind better than the lighter ones too. Bill DRSS | |||
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| one of us |
I don't think a .20 cal bullet is made which won't have adequate terminal performance on a prairie dog. Shoot whatever is most accurate in your rifle. | |||
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| One of Us |
I am wondering if the 32gr will splatter them better but worried about the wind. | |||
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Moderator |
Only way to find out is to load up a box and see. I have a 20 tactical with a shilen barrel which does not like to shoot anything larger than the Berger 35 grainers, so I just use the 32 grain Hornadys. However, I believe your barrel has a faster twist so your experience will probably be different than mine. for every hour in front of the computer you should have 3 hours outside | |||
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One of Us |
IME the 204 doesn't get quite the "red mist" factor that larger cals do on prairie dogs. A 22-250 with 50gr blitzkings does wonders. I have seen some impressive implosions on the smaller 13 striped gophers we have around here with the 204 though!! They're much smaller than prairie dogs... | |||
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| One of Us |
i prefer the sierra 32 grainer. | |||
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| One of Us |
I use the Sierra 32 also and see very good red results. Will be testing it next weekend om PDs. NRA Patron member | |||
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| One of Us |
hi i have being using the 39 grain bliztkings in my .204 the are far better than the 32 vmax the have a .bc of 0.289 were the 32 vmax 0.210 out to 300 yards for the splatter effect the vmax will work great but for longer ranges 39 bliztkings | |||
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one of us |
In the last few years, I've used either the 39 gr Blitzkings or the 34 gr Dogtown or Varmint Nightmare bullets. However, I bought a pile of 40 gr blemished bullets from Midway a few weeks ago, which I believe are Hornady V-Max. I've got about 6K of these three bullets on hand at the moment. Graybird "Make no mistake, it's not revenge he's after ... it's the reckoning." | |||
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| One of Us |
I am leaning towards the V-Max. The 40's will be better in the wind but the 32's are much faster so maybe more of a mist effect? | |||
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| one of us |
If you want acrobatics, aim for their hips when they are sitting upright. I've found that gives them the proper launch. If I want more mist, I move up to my 22-250 or 243. Graybird "Make no mistake, it's not revenge he's after ... it's the reckoning." | |||
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One of Us |
Lighter bullet = higher velocity = >splat & <wind bucking. Member: Orange Gunsite Family, NRA--Life, Varmint Hunters' Assn., ARTCA, and American Legion. "An armed society is a polite society" --Robert Heinlein via Col. Jeff Cooper, USMC Caveat Emptor: Don't trust *Cavery Grips* from Clayton, NC. He is a ripoff. | |||
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One of Us |
A .204Ruger doesn't have the energy to red mist them at distance. With a 70g Sierra, my 6mmRem has over 750 ft/lbs at 400 yards... At 400, a .204Ruger has about 300. POOF! Gone! There is no replacement for displacement. JUST A TYPICAL WHITE GUY BITTERLY CLINGING TO GUNS AND RELIGION Definition of HOPLOPHOBIA "I'm the guy that originally wrote the 'assault weapons' ban." --- Former Vice President Joe Biden | |||
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One of Us |
I agree with Bill, best bullet in my experience. | |||
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| One of Us |
Sierra 39 gr. is my favorite. I think it is better in the wind and the wind always blows where I hunt. The 32 gr. bullets are more explosive though, especially under 200 yards or so. velocity is like a new car, always losing value. BC is like diamonds, holding value forever. | |||
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One of Us |
I'm still working through my initial purchase of Hornady 40 grain VMAX ammo. It has proven extremely accurate and has been inexpensive enough and available enough that Ive not worried about reloading, yet. I suppose this year I'll load some 39 grain Sierra's and 40 grain VMAX rounds in order to compare to factory ammo. | |||
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| one of us |
Now that the subject has been reopened, I'll add my experience which has come in the intervening months: I hunted PD's late in August with a .20 Vartarg I recently acquired. It was the first time for me to use this caliber in the field and my ammunition was 32 grain Nosler Ballistic Tips loaded to around 3,650 fps. They were as deadly as anything that anyone else was shooting and my longest hit was in excess of 400 yards. No bullet with the little .20's will throw various parts of PD anatomy as high in the air as will a 6mm bullet weighing between double and triple the .20's weight, but there was no problem with lethality. As I said earlier, shoot the bullet your .204 likes the best as any of them will be quickly fatal to the largest prairie dog. | |||
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One of Us |
what he said “All that was great in the past was ridiculed, condemned, combated, suppressed — only to emerge all the more powerfully, all the more triumphantly from the struggle.” ― Nikola Tesla | |||
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| one of us |
I was in Montana the last week of October and it was warm enough we managed to get in a day of shooting dogs. I had taken my swift and my buddy from Montana was shooting his 204. No the 204 does not vapourize dogs like bigger calibres but it does a pretty good job of making them fall over right there. He made a couple kills in excess of 300 yds using the 32 gr bullets. | |||
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| One of Us |
I use 32gr Hornady V-Max and Benchrest powder. I plan to try CFE-223 and IMR 8208XBR powders. | |||
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One of Us |
I have tried the Mid South Varmint Nightmare which is a 34 grain HP... it is made by Nosler for the Australian market.. they are about $45 for 500 and they are also the most accurate bullet bar none out of the 204 Sporter in a Ruger 77 Mark 2 I have...... cheapest and the most accurate... what's not to like? | |||
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