Say you used the majority of your small rifles for prairie dog shooting, what caliber would you add to this battery?

Rifles include 17 HMR, 204 Ruger, 223 Rem., 22-250, and 243 Win.

So what is next to the collection? Reloading is not a problem.

Thanks,

Might be a bit of overkill but how about 6mm/284 ?


.

quote:

Originally posted by 500N:
... how about 6mm/284 ?

For P-Dogs??!!?!?!?

I can't think of anything to add except more of the mentioned calibers.

It appears to me you have covered most all bases. The only possible exception would be to change your .243 to a 6MM Remington. More horsepower and easier to load for.

17 ackley bee, 17 fireball, 17 rem, 20 vartang, 222,221,220 swift, 22/250AI, 6mm rem, 6mm/250AI,10 calhoon, 17 mach2, 222 mag, 6 more 223's, lesee, did i miss anything??

ya i did, i forgot about 22 hornets, k hornets, 218 mashburn bee, must be getting forgetful in my old age

I‘m not much of a varmint shooter myself but I’d love to have a nice 22 hornet or k-hornet in my battery and I think it will fit well in yours !

The caliber may not be as important as the configuration of the rifle.

If your .243 is a heavy-barreled model equipped with a high magnification scope, then that is about as good as you can get for a long-range PD gun. On the other hand, if it is a sporter model "deer rifle" which is doubling as a varminter, then I would suggest you add a good HB with a long barrel in the same or similar caliber (6mm Rem, 6mm/284, etc.)

On the other end, I really like the .22 Hornet or .221 Fireball sporter as a short-to-medium range PD sniper. Either of those would fill the gap between your .17 and your .204.

A shooter can have oodles of fun on prairie dogs with nearly any scoped rifle, but I enjoy having a number of them to choose from for varioius conditions -- windy day ... long range ... skittish dogs in hard hunted towns, versus calm day ... lots of young-dumb pups ... virgin shooting. I've found all sorts of situations from towns where you could drive within .22 Rimfire range to those where you only see an occassional eye peeping out of a hole at 400 yards. I like having a gun (and a spare) for every circumstance. But that is mainly an excuse to own more guns.

try a 6.5x55/260 Rem...

Stonecreek,

I think you've hit on the way I was leaning as well. I've been looking at adding something on the smaller end like a 17-222 or 17 fireball, etc. This would fill the gap between the HMR and 204. Just not sure which direction I might want to head.

Thanks,

quote:

Originally posted by graybird:
Say you used the majority of your small rifles for prairie dog shooting, what caliber would you add to this battery?

Rifles include 17 HMR, 204 Ruger, 223 Rem., 22-250, and 243 Win.

So what is next to the collection? Reloading is not a problem.

Thanks,

I think the guys above have provided every centerfire chambering known to man, so, I'll just add that you do need a BUNCH of good 22 Rimfire rifles to fill out your battery. Also, you'll need at least one 22 Mag.


Don

quote:

Originally posted by Hot Core:

quote:

Originally posted by 500N:
... how about 6mm/284 ?

For P-Dogs??!!?!?!?

Hell, they use it for long range rabbit shooting here and makes great Paddock Pizza.

Spreads the guts far and wide.

quote:

Originally posted by Stonecreek:
The caliber may not be as important as the configuration of the rifle.

If your .243 is a heavy-barreled model equipped with a high magnification scope, then that is about as good as you can get for a long-range PD gun. On the other hand, if it is a sporter model "deer rifle" which is doubling as a varminter, then I would suggest you add a good HB with a long barrel in the same or similar caliber (6mm Rem, 6mm/284, etc.)

Seems like sound advice to me. It's nice to have two or even three shooters with you if the action heats up and the shooting is non stop. Save those barrels. It sounds like you have an excellent battery there for the varmint world.

6mm Remington, 25 Souper, or 257 Roberts?

224 clark or 220 swift? how long are your shots?

Maybe a Ruger 10/22 LR. Might not be serious for long range but I doubt if you burn out the barrel on your walk arounds. roger

Hey GrayBird, Since you have a 223Rem, that can do anything the 22Hornet or 221FireBall can do if you want to down-load.

So, it looks like Mr. Bartsche is headed in the right direction with a nice 22LR. I'd suggest a Savage BTVS, but the Ruger can be modified to meet a persons likes, desires, or billfold depth.

And I'd also suggest a 17cal Benjamin XL 1500 that comes with the new "Nitro Piston". Apparently the only thing really needed to be changed on them is to get a "GRT" trigger from Charlie, maybe a higher end scope and it is ready to go. You get to "Reload" it - one Pellet at a time.

Good Hunting and clean 1-shot Kills.

Well folks, having shot more prairie dogs than all the rest of you put together.(well almost )I can tell you that the .22 LR is practically worthless as a PD cartridge. Only a long time p'dogger will understand this so I'll say that it simply lacks power! If you like to see a lot of sick p'dogs run down holes with 40 grains of lead in them then so be it.....red mist is what it's all about..... It's not about killing them!

In the original list the only cartridge missing is a truly long range bench gun.....and I mean over 600 yards.

I've used a .257 Weatherby and a .25-06 for this task but still wasn't satisfied....so I used a .300 Win Mag.....but the recoil took all the fun out of it.....I built a .243 superrockchucker and considered it a 600 yard gun.....(It's really not a lot more than a 6mm Remington)

While I've never built one.....I'm now thinking the "long poke" p'dogger might be a 6.5-.284 shooting 120-130 grain bullets. You must buck the wind on those long shots to have even a .25% hit ratio.

99% of the p'dogging task can be accomplished with a .223 and a .243 but one has to have two of each to allow one to cool while shooting the other. The .223 shooting the 50 grain bullets and the .243 shooting 55-65 grain bullets. I've shoot a lot of 70 gr BTs and they work quite well but a bit spendy compared to the Speer TNTs.

I can see using the .17 centerfires, the .204s of various flavor and the even the .22 Hornet or .218 Bee....but if one likes the rim fires then go to the HMR or the .22 Magnum as the .22 LR just isn't a good round for this task!

22 hornet and 17 Fireball

The 6.5x284.

It gives you the trajectory and wind bucking ability of a 300 Mag, with the recoil of a 308.

That is why the 1000 yard competors use them.

quote:

Originally posted by vapodog:
In the original list the only cartridge missing is a truly long range bench gun.....and I mean over 600 yards.

While I've never built one.....I'm now thinking the "long poke" p'dogger might be a 6.5-.284 shooting 120-130 grain bullets.

Hey vapo!

If you're thinking 6.5mm then the only choice would be the Creedmoor!

The 6.5-284 uses too much powder and the 120 and 130's don't have the BC. Your barrel will last about 1500 rounds.

The Creedmoor only uses about 43 gr of powder to get around 2800 with a 139 gr Lapua with a BC of .615...

By the way, do you really have 22,346 posts?!?!?!

quote:

Originally posted by vapodog:
Well folks, having shot more prairie dogs than all the rest of you put together.(well almost )I can tell you that the .22 LR is practically worthless as a PD cartridge. Only a long time p'dogger will understand this so I'll say that it simply lacks power! If you like to see a lot of sick p'dogs run down holes with 40 grains of lead in them then so be it.....red mist is what it's all about..... It's not about killing them!

My My, I guess I'll stick to yellow perch. roger

quote:

Originally posted by rcamuglia:
[QUOTE]Originally posted by vapodog:
Hey vapo!
If you're thinking 6.5mm then the only choice would be the Creedmoor!

Where does this Creedmoor come from ? Is it really any better than a modern day reloaded 6.5 Arasaka , Manlicher or Carcano? Not by much if any.

Probably no better; just the latest, newfangled wheeliecam caliber....

quote:

By the way, do you really have 22,346 posts?!?!?!


R

When one assumes the task of giving the liberals hell on the political forum, the posts pile up in a hurry.....there's so much BS to post about there...

add nostalgia.... .220 swift and a .22 hornet

quote:

Originally posted by vapodog:
... the .22 LR is practically worthless as a PD cartridge. Only a long time p'dogger will understand this so I'll say that it simply lacks power! ...

So, that lets out the 270Win as well.

Gotta go with the ultra accurate .22 PPC.

quote:

Originally posted by Bernie P.:
Gotta go with the ultra accurate .22 PPC.

I did!
As to what VD is saying he's right ; no red mist.
He is more the serious PD hunter. I just shot them from my veranda as they popped up.Serious, was a walk done the dirt road adjacent to my property. Kinda targets of opertunity ; cotton tails, Jacks, quail,PDs, whistle pigs, Magpies,snakes and cats.
On ocassion I shot as many as 40 rounds through my Varminter or 6 mm x.270 IMP at PDs.I would guess I never shot a PD beyond 200 yds. May have but at the time distance was all a guess.
No the LR is not a red mister but as a walk-around off hander it helps you learn to shoot and enjoy. roger

quote:

Originally posted by Hot Core:

quote:

Originally posted by vapodog:
... the .22 LR is practically worthless as a PD cartridge. Only a long time p'dogger will understand this so I'll say that it simply lacks power! ...

So, that lets out the 270Win as well.

Actually....I've used a .270 once for P'dogs.....and ONLY once.....it's just too much recoil to enjoy at a dog town.

quote:

Originally posted by Hot Core:

quote:

Originally posted by 500N:
... how about 6mm/284 ?

For P-Dogs??!!?!?!?

I use my 6.5x284 with 142 grain SMK's for prairie dogs at long range. My personal best so far is 798 yards.

17 Ackley Hornet..

Im amazed nobody has mentioned it yet.. its THE pd round in the small caliber forums.

20grain V-max at 3800fps.. its like a 17 HMR on steroids.. with roid rage.

Try saubier.com for information..

And the 25 grain VMAX at 3900 from a 17 FIREBALL is the 17HMR on SERIOUS STEROIDS!! Even on ol' big tough eastern groundhogs!! 350-400 yards, sitting on their den, looking at their big ol' world...........and then the lights go out and they just bow thir heads!! No flying critters but the light switch works!! GHD

Now back to the original question....adding rifles to the battery.........covered the little end of it with the 17Fireball.......now to the upper end. 260 Remington shooting 140 grain Amaxs. Better barrel life than the 6.5-284 only giving up 100-150 FPS with inherrent accuracy at extended range. Personally I'd replace the 243 with a quality 6mm Remington but that will only open a can of worms in the discussion. And slipping in their would be GOD'S chosen chambering, the 25-06 Remington. For just plain S&G and watching acrobatics, the 25-06 with 87 grain VMaxs, 85 grain Noslers or even 100 grain Speer HP is fun to see but the lack of QUALITY long range bullets(600-1000 yards) relegates it to the ranks of the 6mmRem or the 260 Rem for the extended ranges. Charlie (GHD)

6mm rem with a 1 in 8 twist, and or a 6.5/284 for the really long shots.

Go retro with a 5mm Rem Rim Mag.

Awesome little vermin hammer.

quote:

Originally posted by Hot Core:

quote:

Originally posted by 500N:
... how about 6mm/284 ?

For P-Dogs??!!?!?!?

coming from you Hot core, that's a joke.

Do you know what it is ?????? !!!!!!!


Considering quite a few others have mentioned it as an option (either the 6mm/284 or the 6.5/284), then I couldn't have been too far of centre.

Groundhog: I to can one up you

6,5x47 Lapua with Quality Lapua brass. This way you dont need to mess with forming 260 brass.

Or 6mmBR with 105 A-max. Superior round out to 1000 yards. Though larger rounds have better BC, few beat the 6BR constantly. Or 58grain at 3800fps, or 75grain at 3300..

I guess I'm with Vapo, Stonecreek and Fjold,

I have a 6.5x284 with a fast twist 30" bbl for my long range heavy gun. Weighs around 16 pounds give or take with scope. I also have a fast twist 243 and a fast twist 22-250 for my mid range guns, out to 500 yds or so. I don't really have much in the way of a short range gun, maybe my sporter weight 223 bolt gun. I do have a 17 HMR and a 17 Rem bbl for my Contender carbine, but it's more of a pain to use a break action off of a rest and bag.

Graybird,

If your 243 is set up as a long range heavy gun with high BC bullets, then I really think you're set. I assume the 223 and 204 will be your mid range guns, and depending on how you've set up the 22-250, it's either mid range or long range? 3 mid range guns should keep you shooting fine. Maybe another long range gun, 6.5x47 Lapua, or 6.5x284, set up with heavy barrel, and fast twist should take care of it.

Thanks for all of the suggestions thus far! I'm still weighing the options and might just go the complete opposite direction with a 404 Jeffery or something BIG.