Prairie Dog Rifle Question…

[VarmintBob]

I shot p-dogs last Thurs on public land with a lot of driving and checking old spots that were now bare and I shot 100 rounds. If we had stayed in one place 200 rounds would have been easy. On private land you can shoot 200 rounds and hit 100 p-dogs in a day easily.

 

[Charlie Brown Jr.]

I had a pal shoot 3" of throat out, in about 3 hours with a 225 Winchester, = about the same as a 22-250. The 20 Practical is my favorite for sod poodles and rats. A 223 size case is easier on bbls. But having several guns is the answer, just let them cool between battels. Excessive heat is the kiss of death for your tack driver. It's hard to stop Shooting when you're being over run by the fuzzy little Vietcong. I once was out of back up rifles, and I shot the same 223 all day, It was shooting 3/8 " groups in the morning and by sundown I couldn't keep a group on a pie plate at 50 yards. So, bring lots more ammo than you think you'll need and some spare rifles ready to rock. Good Luck

 

[Mike Matteson]

I have 2 20lbs CO2 bottles. That does the trick. I use a bore guide and a hose attached to the value on the tank and to the bore guide. Remove the bolt and insert the bore guide in. Cools it right down.

 

[Radman]

I recently upgraded my 22-250 to a 22 Creedmoor. I was strongly thinking about getting into prairie dog hunting. My question is, how often do y'all go through barrels? It seems like some guys shoot 800-1000rds in a day hunting PDs and I'm pretty sure at that rate a barrel would be close to toast after a couple days or so… am I wrong? If if I'm right though, this may be a more expensive idea than I originally thought! LoL

Your assumptions sound correct to me. IMO: The ideal calibers for this sport are all of my favorites - the barrel burners. Lots of data on that, here, including many innovative ways to cool barrels. The short answer seems to be: If you want to enjoy dogs & still extend barrel life - take multiple rifles & switch them out.
I ran a poll several years ago on .22-250 barrel life. The answer, of course depends upon the owner. You can burn-out a barrel in less than 30 rounds if you rapidly fire 4000+ ft/sec ammo caught up in the moment. It's also possible to get 4000 - 5000 accurate rounds from a barrel IF cared for, (but in dog hunting where's the fun in that?). The manufacturers I talked with said that with reasonable care you should easily get over 2000 rounds from a .22-250 barrel. (Again, not always possible in the heat of the moment as you are speaking of here)
Personally I use a battery-powered air mattress inflator with a nozzle trimmed to fit into the chamber.
To best answer your question respectfully I would say to just take it on the chin & consider barrels a consumable. Whatever you do; Ain't small calibers a hoot?
Would you please give us a follow-up on the .22 Creedmore?

 

[Shrapnel]

There seems to be a wide variety of methods to shoot prairie dogs. I have shot them with every conceivable cartridge and find I like the 223 sized cartridges the most. That includes but isn't limited to 223, 222, 17 Remington, 222 Remington magnum, 204 Ruger.

Longer range brings out the 243, 6mm, 220 Swift and 22-250.

Having multiple rifles in the same chambering helps keep them from overheating…

 

[Mike Matteson]

Looks like I am going to have to a few more Varmit rifles.i guess I'll have to start looking around at a new caliber to have built. O'darn.

 

[alnpar]

Looks like I am going to have to a few more Varmit rifles.i guess I'll have to start looking around at a new caliber to have built. O'darn.

Must be hard to choose which one to shoot! I'm envious! And I want to go shooting with you!

 

[Mike Matteson]

Must be hard to choose which one to shoot! I'm envious! And I want to go shooting with you!

Been down in you country several times over the years. Hunted Coues Deer behind the Fort or post there. "Bow hunter" I use buy a hunting lic and deer tag for bow hunting for a great many years. They keep changing the law and requirements so I stopped going and haven't been in several years now. I would go down and hunt dove in the late season, then follow up with bow season in Jan. I never got anything, I didn't seen anything that I wanted to take. Had plenty of chases to shoot a smaller Coues deer, but didn't. i would pass them up.
Now most of the time I am MT during that time of the year.
The best places are in Eastern and Northen Montana. In Missoula I don't see any, but I have really looked that hard. As your are comng in on I-15 Northeast off of Monida MT I have seem much there either. Hunted that area a lot over the years too. Got to be to many Grizzly there. The Fish and Game move in some 15+yrs ago. It seem that every year in the pass 10 or so somebody has gotten eaten up out there by the Grizzly.
Been in a lurch for the last few years in changing out completely for Mexico-North (aka Calif). I am presently when up in Mt building a reloading shack keep losing my places to reload. I am in the procress of builting one. If they don't like it I can have it picked up and moved it.
Once I get set up you can come up and we'll hunt Dog there.

 

[Mike Matteson]

There seems to be a wide variety of methods to shoot prairie dogs. I have shot them with every conceivable cartridge and find I like the 223 sized cartridges the most. That includes but isn't limited to 223, 222, 17 Remington, 222 Remington magnum, 204 Ruger.

Longer range brings out the 243, 6mm, 220 Swift and 22-250.

Having multiple rifles in the same chambering helps keep them from overheating…



View attachment 549235View attachment 549236View attachment 549240View attachment 549241

What you thing about your 17 Rem? I have a 220 swift, 17SWM, a 6mm/280AI that I still have to develop a load for. Having a 25/280AI being built

 

[alnpar]

Can't wait... I ride the range with a friend a couple times a week checking Trail cameras out on the ranch just on the other side of the west gate. There is a mix or White tail and Mullie's. We have been looking for bear that has killed a couple of calves awhile back( I broke state record in 1965), Also a Mt. Lion who comes by about every three weeks. A few yotes come and go. But P Dogs are the most fun you can have with your clothes on!

 

[Shrapnel]

What you thing about your 17 Rem? I have a 220 swift, 17SWM, a 6mm/280AI that I still have to develop a load for. Having a 25/280AI being built

I have 2 17 Remingtons and although they are quite nice, the 17 Hornet is a real varmint cartridge too. I have shot the 17 Hornet more, but the 17 Remington is still the best velocity.

I wouldn't tell you not to get a 17 Remington, but to also consider the 17 Hornet…

 

[Flea21]

There has been a ton of input on this thread and I'm very grateful. I have decided to have a custom 223 built on a Mack brothers action. This will be mainly for target shooting and prairie dog hunting whenever I find the time to go.

This coupled with the many other rifle options I have will make for a good time.

 

[alnpar]

I have 2 17 Remingtons and although they are quite nice, the 17 Hornet is a real varmint cartridge too. I have shot the 17 Hornet more, but the 17 Remington is still the best velocity.

I wouldn't tell you not to get a 17 Remington, but to also consider the 17 Hornet…

I've only been on one P Dog shoot. That was over 2 years ago in S.E. Colorado. I used my CZ 457 .17 HMR Varmint exclusive. Out to 200 yards with no problems. My Brother in law kept telling me to shoot his 22/250. "I said why?" At that time, about $1.75 per round VS. my 17 HMR about .30 CPR or less. I also have, but did not use very much the CZ 457 MTR .22 which is still a nail driver. I just did buy a used Savage .223 bull barrel. Still figuring out which load it likes. I've only had one day out in the wind so I never got a good feeling for it; My research says, a 1999 year built with a 1:9 Twist with a 24 or 25 inch barrel. As those were not enough, I also have the Savage Mk II which I have shot around here locally at 100 yard popping off bottle caps at 100 Yards. And, I just won another Savage Mark II on the Gun Broker with a plain stock. I hope it is a nail driver too. Should be here on March 5th or 6th.

 

[Shrapnel]