Caliber choice for prairie dogs

[gslindy]

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!

.25/06 AI

 

[slickyboyboo]

17 HMR Close Range
224 Grendel Medium/Long Range
22-250/22-250 AI Long Range

 

[Dollar55]

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!

A lot of times you will have some wind to contend with so a little heavier bullet will help. 22 cal with 65-85 gr or 6mm with 75-100 gr.
Have fun.

 

[mikea5232]

I'm in it for the splat factor. So 223 with light 40g bullets, 204 with 32-34s, 22-250 and 22-250 ai with 55s, 243 with 75s - 90s. Oh and a 17hmr for the truck. I like options while the barrels are cooling down

 

[Murph1951]

#1---223 WSSM
#2---22-250
#3---.222 Remington (out to 200yds)
#4---.220 Swift
With the hot rounds it is usually 4 shots and done, Barrel gets hot. The .222 shoot all day ( Remington 788)

 

[westexhunt]

We took a pile of rifles to South Dakota last year. Ended up shooting all 223 after the first hour. Need to see your hits/misses.

 

[WanderingGoatie]

I've used 243, 22-250, 223, and 204. I think the best options are 223 and 204. I used to prefer 243 for longer shots and bucking wind but cost of ammo and barrel replacement gets spendy. It also seems like shots within 350 are more the norm and the wind becomes less of an issue at that distance even with the sub 55gr pills.

 

[Budman58]

204, 223

 

[Mike Matteson]

17 WSM, 220 Swift/55gr, 6mm IA of some type.

 

[kuduman]

204 Ruger,,,, have shot them with .223,,,,, 22-250 ,,,, 6br,,,,The 204 ruger was by far my favorite

 

[shiples0861]

.22LR, .17HMR, .223,

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've never done prairie dogs but know people who several times and they say even guides in SD and such recommended 223 just for the shear volume of shooting you could be doing and the 223 doesn't heat up the barrel nearly as much as something like a 22-250. I shoot a lot of groundhogs here in the midwest and kill a lot with a 223 at longer distances. You can set up a 223 with a 1:8 or 1:7 twist to shoot 75's-90grn bullets and with the right optics kill stuff at 1,000 yards.

 

[emp1953]

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!

22-250 provides the ooomph and the range, I found that with the correct bullet shrapnel from a near miss will take out the prairie dog just as well.

 

[Varmintnv]

Only 2 rifles, take a heavy barreled .223 and a heavy barreled .22-250 and call it done. .223 with 50gr bullets can reach out to 500yd no problem on p.d.'s. 3 of us back in the day qualified for V.H.A. 500yd club with 14-15 twist .223's shooting 50gr vmax or NBT bullets. No fancy dials or reticles either. Took a few shots to figure out our holdover but we made it work.

 

[GrayCreed]

22-250, 17hmr