My Favorite Prairie dog rifle

[budlight]

My 20 & 24 inch SS match barreled 223 AR's. 55 gr HPBT @ 3200 from 20 inch. Shot about 300 rounds each the other day just doing the drive and shoot out of an open jeep with thick shooting pillows out the front and sides.

When we drove back out it was a bird buffet of every kind! You wonder where they all come from down to hawks and eagles.

 

[woodnut]

Just got around to cleaning and counting my fired brass from my June shoot in S.D. Seems I shot the 6 Creedmoor a lot this year! No real long shots though; but last year a 700 yd. was my longest. I love my 20 PPC. The 17 WSM is really my fav out to 350 yds. Also a 19 Calhoon is a lot of fun!

 

[JSHKS]

That's a tough one.
I will say I grab my 17 Remington every chance I get. I usually run it first thing in the AM. A lot of folks holler about the wind, I have no complaints. Try to set up so not shooting in a cross wind no matter what.
By 11-12 it is usually fouled or hot if not both.
Then about anything else will come out, depending on conditions and range and what I have with me.
223,22BR,204,20VT, 17FB, 220 Swift, 6CM.

 

[Hugnot]

For slow paced, sort of out there, it's a 7.7 twist .22-.250 with 75 ELD bullets at 3300 fps.
For volume, fast pace shooting it's a .20P with 40 Vmax bullets at 3600 fps - like buckets of cheap .223 brass.
The .204 R is nicer than the .20P but .204 R brass is pricy.

 

[VarmintBob]

I have a CZ 17 hornet that is my primary p-dog rifle now. The last load on the right below is 17 hornet. It maintains 2500 fps to about 260 yds. Built a 17 fireball that needs to be headspaced. First 5 loads for that have not been fired yet. My gunsmith is off elk guiding or some such. I expect the fireball to be good to 350 yds.

 

[sw282]

A Cooper Varmint in 222Rem is my LADY. Shooting 50gr VMAX with a 200yd ZERO. Pretty much point and SHOOT out to 300yds. Past 300 l'm really not interested. l recently upgraded to a 8.5-25X50 Leupold. My Old eyes needed a bit more help

 

[ridgewalker]

If winds aren't bad I'll start with a CZ 455 in 17 HMR. Then work up to CZ Varmint in 223 loaded with 55 V-Maxes ahead of either H335 or CFE223.
Granddaughter starts with CZ 452 in 22 WRM then moves to her ancient Rem 700 in 222 (over 3x her age which she loves!) loaded with 50 V-Maxes ahead of CFE223.
We always have a fun time together hunting PDogs.

 

[Justice1327]

In 2011, I had a 20 Practical rifle built by MCR in PA. Was hoping to go with our rifle team captain, but he passed away before we could go. Still haven't even shot it. Would love to try my hand at PD's.

 

[del2les]

For the last several decades, I loved using M700 actions in 222Rem wearing a 6-24x primarily for shots under 400yds or so, a 223 in 1/9tw then 1/8tw with 55 to 75gr bullets wearing a 6-24x for longer shots, a Savage stainless M 12 with a custom 26" 1/8tw wearing a 6-24x with 75-80gr, A older Ruger VBZ 77 in 223, my old BR 22 action with a Hart match barrel and Hart 2 oz BR trigger in 222Rem wearing a 8-32x, a 22-250 in 1/9tw with a 6-24x, a 22-250 AI with a 26" 1/8tw using 80gr bullets wearing a 10-40x for LR/ELR, and to finish the 22 cals, an AR build with a custom 24" match barrel in 1/8tw in 223 wearing a 6-24x and 1.5# trigger.

In the 6mm calibers, a M700 BDL varmint in 6mm, a custom 6mmRemAI built on an older Weatherby action, an older Ruger VBZ in 243 with either a 6-24x or 4-16x, and a couple of others in 243.

But my longest P-dog kill beyond 1,000yds is with my old stainless Ruger VBZ in 25-06 using 85grNBT's wearing an 8-32x.

When shots are short, I use a couple of old Remington target 22's, a custom Ruger 10/22 heavy match, a custom Ruger 77/22 or maybe a couple of others.

When on a long P-dog shoot, its not uncommon to take at least 4 or more of these along with a possible Contender or two. If just for the day, at least two or more will go with me.

 

[RMorris]

Anschutz .17 HMR
AR 55 gr vmax benchmark loads.
700 .22-250 50 gr vmax
Custom 6mm REM AI with HV barrel or Impact/Bartlein/Manners 6mm creed PRS chassis rifle for long shots.

 

[mmgravy]

When we go antelope hunting and shooting prairie dogs in October, My primary p-dog rifle is a trued 700 with an 8 twist Brux barrel chambered in 223 housed in a McMillian Edge stock. The outfit is topped with a 4-14 Leupold that has been on it for many years. I shoot 53 grain Vmax bullets out of it. Backups are a 700 with an 8 twist Brux barrel chambered in 22-250 housed in another McMillian Edge stock topped with a Swaro scope. It shoots either 75 VLD's or Amaxes to the same POI, M70 with an 8 twist Rock barrel in 220 Swift or a 6 Creedmoor shooting 105's.

 

[shortshot1]

I generally always grab a .17. Love my CZ .17 hornet, and my Cooper .17 AH, and my Rem. 700 limited .17 Fireball, and if I really need to reach out I grab the heavy barreled Savage .204. Run a suppressor on all of them. Killed about 1000 this summer.

You have a very impressive and sensible selection of rifles. I used to carry 8 rifles , have cut back to 5 or 6. .22 LR, 22 kH, .17 HH, .222, .223. , .17 Rem,6 mmx 47, .22H. Now carry 2x 17 HH, 22KH, 20 vartarg & 22LR. Next trip will add another .17HH. The 20 Vartarg will take care of long distance. The others take care of noise level. 22 LR only gets used when I can't get the barrels cooled down.
As far as scopes go, I keep them turned to 6x for 95% of my shooting. 222 use 40 gr. balistic tips and .223 use v-max so the ammo never gets mixed up.

 

[shortshot1]

You have a very impressive and sensible selection of rifles. I used to carry 8 rifles , have cut back to 5 or 6. .22 LR, 22 kH, .17 HH, .222, .223. , .17 Rem,6 mmx 47, .22H. Now carry 2x 17 HH, 22KH, 20 vartarg & 22LR. Next trip will add another .17HH. The 20 Vartarg will take care of long distance. The others take care of noise level. 22 LR only gets used when I can't get the barrels cooled down.
As far as scopes go, I keep them turned to 6x for 95% of my shooting. 222 use 40 gr. balistic tips and .223 use v-max so the ammo never gets mixed up.

 

[BAM]

Cooper 17 and 22 hornets.
Cooper 17 fireball 20 gr Vmax, Dakota predator 20 vartarg 32 gr Vmax, Cooper 221 fireball 40gr Vmax
Nesika 20 PPC 32,40 gr Vmax, Savage 20 pratical 40gr Vmax, Ruger #1 218bee 40gr Nosler BT..