204 or 223 for Prairie Dogs

[Bret GRAVELINE Graveline]

As several others have mentioned get both, one rifle is just not enough, in fact if you find your self developing a addiction to the pursuit of the Furry little nuggets you may find 2 is not enough or even 3, over the years I have used the 17 rem, 20-223 before there was 204, 204, 223 222 Mag 22 BR, 22-250 220 swift 220 Ackley improved, 6MM 6-284 25-06 and 6.5-284, I never took more than 4 on any given hunt but always shot all 4, at almost any other given time with today's world being what it is and components not always available I'd take the 223, however if I could only have 1 it would be a 204, I found it to perform on par with the 22-250

 

[Dean2]

We shoot a lot of gophers up here. 500 to 800 rounds a day is pretty common. Yes you need more than one gun for that volume. Use 22 to 120, 17 hmr to 225 mixed with 22 hornet and 17 FB. I shot the 22 H and the 17 FB because I could get about 600 rounds out of a pound of powder, I can load them for less than 17 hmr, they don't heat the barrel near as fast as a 204 or 223 and they are easy to bulk load on a Dillon 550. Given the choices you are looking at, a matched pair of 204s or a pair of 223s is also a reasonable choice. There are a lot of advantages to only needing one bullet, one powder and loading for one cartridge.

 

[RB II]

Going on a PD shoot late May this year. Have a Rem 700 .223 varmint rifle that likes the 55 gr SGKs. Will take it.

Also doing a rework of a Savage 243 on a long action. Converting to 22-250 with Proof CF prefit, replacing the wooden stock with a Accu-stock take off. Will also load it with the 55 gr either Hornady varmint or the SGKs for the PDs. Also the 70 HH for deer. Hoping it comes in at about 9 lbs +- total weight.

 

[JEck1]

204 is a sweet load but would also lean toward the 223 based on ammo availability and price

 

[smokey3]

This! If you're gonna get serious about shooting prairie dogs, spare yourself the deliberation and buy one of each because you'll need multiple rifles for a day of shooting. Personally I prefer a combination of a 204 and a 22-250, but we're splitting hairs. The good news about reloading for a 204 and 223 is you could easily use the same powder and primer in each one, and there are many options readily available right now; but as someone already said, 204 brass is tough to find right now.

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I found this 204 Ruger brass for sale. 250 Nosler brass $213. I'm just putting this on here in case someone is looking for some.

 

[Coyote Shadow Tracker]

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I found this 204 Ruger brass for sale. 250 Nosler brass $213. I'm just putting this on here in case someone is looking for some.

Good find. Nosler and Hornady are some of the only brass manufactures for .204

 

[smokey3]

Good find. Nosler and Hornady are some of the only brass manufactures for .204

Well I don't have that particular caliber but I was browsing their website and happened upon it. I would prefer the Nosler though if I did need it.

 

[nemesisdp]

Once I bought my 204 I sold my 22-250's and have owned six more 204 rifles from 16" to 24" and have loved then all even the AR204. 32gr Vmax with varget has had great success for me. But 223 with 40gr is alot easier to find at the moment if you plan on shooting a bunch. 204 anything is hard to find

 

[westexhunt]

20 Practical or 223 multiple rifles for each caliber

 

[MachV]

Westexhunt
Just curios how you keep the brass seperate? Heck i have 223ai, 204r aand 223 that get in the wrong die once in a while, the 20ppc not so much

 

[Dean2]

Westexhunt
Just curios how you keep the brass seperate? Heck i have 223ai, 204r aand 223 that get in the wrong die once in a while, the 20ppc not so much

Two choices. MTM cases or FL size everything. Personally I keep them segregated using marked MTM type cases.

 

[TigerOnThe Hill]

Etson, I've gone through the same exercise multiple times myself. When my son first started pd hunting, I bought him a Stevens Model 200 in 223. I wanted to get him a Savage bolt gun and that was basically the only model I found. It's been a good gun. Some years later one of my son-in-laws started pd hunting w/ me and he had a 204 Ruger. It was really the first time I'd seen a 204 in action and I was impressed. At the same time, my brother-in-law starting pd hunting w/ me. A few years later he bought his first pd gun, a Savage bolt gun in 204 Ruger. I really like the 223 Rem, nevertheless, I think the 204 is a little better. A really good thing about the 204 is it allows the shooter to spot his own shots, something I could never do w/ a 223. The main drawback to the 204 is the availability of quality brass. Winchester and Remington are......well, they're Winchester and Remington, not something to crow about and rarely available. Hornady brass availability is limited and quality is inconsistent, varying from below average to ok. I found this out when I started loading for my SIL's 204. Midway now sells their store brand "Dogtown" brass (I've been told by Nosler that Nosler makes Dogtown branded brass.) I bought #100 for my SIL but haven't yet loaded it. Even if it's good, availability has been limited. It was because of the brass issues that I built a 20 Practical rifle a few years from a Stevens Model 200. I get very near 204 performance (velocity is about 50 fps < 204), but brass is a lot better. I use Lapua 223 Rem Match brass, Redding 223 Rem Micrometer seating die and Redding 223 Rem FL neck bushing die. The brass necks down easily in 2 or 3 steps using different size bushes If you handload, I'd give serious thought to the 20 Practical. There's lots of good info on the net telling you how to do it. If you get a 204, I'd get on Midway's waiting list for Dogtown brass.

 

[TigerOnThe Hill]

Westexhunt
Just curios how you keep the brass seperate? Heck i have 223ai, 204r aand 223 that get in the wrong die once in a while, the 20ppc not so much

I segregate my brass by headstamp. For example, my son's 223 uses only Guatemalan military 223 Rem brass, my 20 Practical uses only Lapua 223 Rem Match brass and my 223 AI XP-100 uses only Starline and Dogtown 223 Rem brass.

 

[WTOBob]

Have you considered a 220 Swift? I'm running 55gr V Max's at 3850 and they will literally suck a PD out of a hole. I shot a 204 for a year and sold it to get another Swift.