Caliber choice for prairie dogs

[Panhandle Pete]

Alright guys, I have a trip coming up at the end of June and having some dilemma on which rifles to take with me. Thought it would be fun to start a poll, see what your guys' favorite calibers are for prairie dogs. I've limited the poll to the calibers I have rifles chambered in and have ample ammo for. Let me know your thoughts! I have a feeling I know what the winner will be!

There are no bad choices!! Some combinations are just far better than others, many work well just make sure that you take your most accurate rigs.

 

[evanrogers]

Alright guys, I have a trip coming up at the end of June and having some dilemma on which rifles to take with me. Thought it would be fun to start a poll, see what your guys' favorite calibers are for prairie dogs. I've limited the poll to the calibers I have rifles chambered in and have ample ammo for. Let me know your thoughts! I have a feeling I know what the winner will be!

I had a lot of success with a 243 using 65 grain Nosler HP for longer ranges, but for inside 100-150 yards or so the 17 HRM is perfect IMHO.

 

[Rflshootr]

22-250 / 243 Win

 

[Dr.Tramp]

Alright guys, I have a trip coming up at the end of June and having some dilemma on which rifles to take with me. Thought it would be fun to start a poll, see what your guys' favorite calibers are for prairie dogs. I've limited the poll to the calibers I have rifles chambered in and have ample ammo for. Let me know your thoughts! I have a feeling I know what the winner will be!

I friend of mine uses his classic Kentucky muzzle loader rifles in 45 and 36 calibers.
We paced out a shot he once made with the 45 to 175 yards. Quite the sight when that round ball smacked the little critter.
Me I like to use my 1903A3 Remington with 110 grain bullets. Stock rear sights, Marine front blade, makes it more interesting.
Ride Safe. Dr.Tramp..........

 

[window licker]

Fast twist .223 with a 75gr class bullet. This will be effective from 50 yards, to 700. The 22-250 with a 55 grain bullet is pointless past 450 yards.

 

[arch408]

Only one rifle, .223. A lot of shooting would be hard on a 22-250 barrel. The .223 also easier on shoulder and ears. I've shot many prairie dogs at 400 yards. A .17 HMR is fun and can be used on the shorter shots.

 

[Wallie]

I'm with Panhandle Pete and Browninglover. Your decision should factor in range envelopes, wind, and sound signature.
I go every summer in a group of 4 dudes, me and my dad, my buddie and his dad.
We started off with a fairly wide variety of calibers, from .17's up to our hunting rifle 30/7mm magnums... and after a few years (and as I built more purpose driven/dedicated rifles rifles for us) we all settled on 223AI with 53g vmax for ~150-400 yards (the vast majority of our shooting) and 6XC with 70 or 80g nosler varmint pills. We get about 3-4K rounds out of a 223AI barrel, and about 1500 rounds out of a 6XC barrel... which means I don't have to rebarrel 8 rifles every year (a huge plus for me)
We will also bring a 17 or two, and my AR for shooting while we are moving the trucks around. Sometimes you just can't pass up a 30-60 yard shot right off your truck window (not of course on public/paved roads!)
We decided we won't shoot anything besides frangible/varmint projectiles. We like pushing our max range, but at long ranges the best we could ever get was a little tumble usually followed by dragging them self's down their hole... it just isn't worth it without the acrobatics. We occasionally play with long shots and VLD's, but usually on "that rock over there" or the like.

 

[crashlanding]

22.250 tikka t3 heavy barrel, followed by a 22.250 Remington 700adl circa 1980 something, followed by an ar15 .223 shooting wolf for more fun

 

[ATH]

I take a 20 Practical, .223, and 243AI. That will take me to 600 yards with good hit percentage unless the wind really kicks up. If the town has been shot at any amount they start staying in the ground withing .223 range pretty quick. Best day shooting I ever had I went through ~300 rounds with the .2s and ~300 just with the 243AI. I could have used a second "big" gun as there was down time for cooling. A 6.5 would be a good addition.

 

[ccmain]

22/250

Hard to beat the 22/250

 

[B1s BmagX2]

I don't think anyone has mentioned my favorite, the 17 WSM out to 250 yds. After that of course the good old 22-250!

 

[waspocrew]

Don't forget the ole stick and string! I felt good about this shot at ~ 25 yards. You've got plenty of options to have some fun!

 

[MachV]

All of the above exept the creede!
Most are shot with 55ps out of the 223, the 204 gets a lot of pups with 32 grainers, the 20ppc reaches out a little further with the 39 grainers. For red mist its hard to beat 55s in the 243 or 75 vmaxes out of the 25-06. The 6.5 Grendel hates fur and the 100eld works great on dogs and antelope!
The 8 twist 22-250 reaches out a ways as well as the 6-284. Got a few with the 50bmg when it was around but have yet to get one with the 300otms out of the 338 edge.
The 7mag with 160 Partition does a fine job on prarie dogs but gets kinda spendy

 

[wasskeet]

Secondhand advice here, but everyone I know including one fellow who has went annually for about 20 years states similar "Take your hot center fire .204 or .22/250, but make sure to take your most accurate .22LR and several thousand rounds for it." YMMV