Favorite .223 Rem Prairie dog loads?

[WanderingGoatie]

My personal favorite is CFE223 powder behind any of the .224 Bullets (45 to 62 Grain) CFE 223 also works GREAT in the 243 with 58 grain Bullets. Try it

god dang it cfe dirties my gun up so bad. Not to mention the brass. Suppressor probably doesn't help

 

[david g ranes]

I built a .223 varmint AR, 24" white oak barrel, for prairie dog hunting. I have never been, to be honest. Trying to figure out what components I want to try out that would be great for PDs. What are your preferred loads? What velocity do you see and what is your maximum distance you typically shoot PDs?

The HDY 53gr V-Max looks good with a .290 G1 BC. That would be pretty good around 3300 fps. I have 1000 nosler 77 hpbt bullets on hand. .340 G1 BC. Assuming I could get those up around 2750-2800 that wouldnt be bad but its not a varmint bullet. I think the nosler 40gr ballistic tip would be decent also if I could push it to 3800, provided it doesnt come apart at that speed out of 1-8 twist.
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Never have prairie dog hunted easiest thing I've found bought 1000 rnds of 223 pmc shells pull the bullet out put a vmax in it shoots great killed lot of coyotes with them pmc makes a good she'll cheap enough I Dont save the brass. David

 

[440coronet]

53gr Vmax pushed by Benchmark works great out of my 5R Rem 700 boom splat....

 

[Mustang72]

I shoot a 50 gr ain v-max with benchmark. Used to use imr 4895 til I switched to benchmark. Don't know what my longest hit was-just got a better rangefinger. It's my one load does it all for my bolt gun. The z-max works well for less $--when you can find them. Dogtowns work well for high volume shooting on the cheap.

 

[Kansaswoodguy]

Four of us went for two days really we where tired of pulling the trigger by noon the second day and left, but around 2200 rounds fired I'd say. My brother and I took our oldest boys with us it was a good time.

 

[Kansaswoodguy]

I've gone thru 8lbs of CFE223 I prefer Benchmark for light bullets and IMR 8208 for heavy bullets in 223 for accuracy. CFE223 does meter very well being a ball powder

 

[david g ranes]

I've gone thru 8lbs of CFE223 I prefer Benchmark for light bullets and IMR 8208 for heavy bullets in 223 for accuracy. CFE223 does meter very well being a ball powder

Should of hollered I would of helped you shoot the rest of your shells for you. David

 

[Kansaswoodguy]

If we go again I'll holler at you David be a couple years. I'm sure it's not a trip I'd care to make every year until I retire then I may very well make an annual pilgrimage someplace to shoot them.

 

[Kansaswoodguy]

I've not used the 53gr on PD's but I've shot a 2.5" five shot group at 400yds out of a AR-15 with them they are good stuff. That was a 16" 1-12 twist White Oak Armament barrel it loves those 53's

 

[Tech4]

I use N133 under 55gr V-MAX in my Rem 700 and it is a tack driver with that load.
In my AR I use Norma 200 with the same bullet because it was the powder I could get at the time. Norma works really well and it is a little cheaper.

 

[hunter67wa]

Any of the ballistic tips work well on Sod Poodles.Ive found the Vmax to be more explosive than the nosler ballistic tips if you're going for red mist but they all work well even out past 500 yards. Took 3 dogs off a mound at 650 with a 58vmax running 3700 fps out of my 6mm and they all flipped like furry little cheerleaders

HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA FLCL! Furry Little Cheerleaders! That tickled me!

 

[benchracer]

Ordered some 53s. Hoping AR-comp will push them 3400 out of the 24"AR barrel but 3300 may be more likely

Use LC or Winchester brass to maximize case capacity, 53 VMAX, CCI 450 primers, and enough IMR 8208 XBR to reach 3200 fps mv from a 24" barrel. This will be an accurate, temp stable load.

I have also run AR-Comp to push the 53's to 3200 from a 16" barrel. You should be able to reach north of 3400 from a 24" barrel. You will want to use a drop tube with this powder. You will be at or near compressed loads. AR-Comp is also an accurate, temp stable powder.

 

[Greasegun]

Use LC or Winchester brass to maximize case capacity, 53 VMAX, CCI 450 primers, and enough IMR 8208 XBR to reach 3200 fps mv from a 24" barrel. This will be an accurate, temp stable load.

I have also run AR-Comp to push the 53's to 3200 from a 16" barrel. You should be able to reach north of 3400 from a 24" barrel. You will want to use a drop tube with this powder. You will be at or near compressed loads. AR-Comp is also an accurate, temp stable powder.

Nice, thanks. I have some AR Comp and some 8208 in the mail headed my way already. Using LC brass so that should help too.

 

[JSHKS]

I see quite a bit of harping on dirty powders all over the net. I have burnt a pile of 2400,unique and other very sooty pistol powders. Never thought twice about cleaning a gun.

I wonder at times if the reference to dirty actually is unburned powder? If it's unburnt powder, there are usually reasons for that.

I shoot a fair bit of CFE. I have not used it in large temperature swings. Accuracy,speed high volume shooting easy cleaning I have a hard time moving away from it. Measures well for me in BR3 measure and a Dillon.
I am using the CFE in 17,20 and 22's.
ARComp, I see good reviews and may have to get a pound to try.