Prairie dogs. What are you using?

Handloader

strieg: and I thought I was overbore using a 416 Rigby on prairie dogs! But, did actuallly shoot one with the 50 BMG? If so, how do know? (he asks while chuckling to himself)

OTOH, I am always impressed by the accuracy of high quality AR15s, sometimes to the 400yard range.

My biggest disappointment for this season has been inadequate time to get to the prairie dog fields, most of which are remote from Phoenix. But, the four trips we made were fun filled and productive. Its all a learning experience for me. Refining the ability to read mirage has been among my biggest challenges when distances get to the 400 to 600yd range. We managed to increase our percentage of kills at those ranges, so, maybe some lessons are being learned.

This year I used an Anschutz 1416 on any prairie dog under 125yds. I found some good ammo that produced more consistent results and, on one hunt, we limited ourselves to 22lr only. Of course, another hunt was dedicated to large calibers only, but, no one brought a 50BMG.

There is still time for one or two more trips before the cold weather settles in. Ammo ready, guns cleaned. Hmmm, maybe next week?

strieg · Rookie Member Joined: May 02, 2007 Posts: 19

Well to be honest most kills with the 50 BMG the mound was hit and the flying rocks killed the pdog, as for using the AR-15 my longest kill was at 835 yards and no that was not a one shot kill the wind was blowing so bad it was hard to get a one shot kill over 250 yards

Crackshot

We dont have prarie dogs in Michigan, But we do have the large Woodchucks. I have shot 1 with my Serbu 50BMG and there was nothing but a few pieces of him and red mist all over the ground were he had been. The range was 425 yds, checked with Bushnell laser range finder. Very Happy

sst_us · Rookie Member Joined: Dec 13, 2007 Posts: 6 Location: KC

I built a 20BR for that purpose, but haven't had a chance to try it out on the prairie rats yet. I still have a few boxes of the 33gr Hornady. They chrono over 4400fps, and print bughole groups at the range.

Handloader

Sam: congrats on the website! I immediately bookmarked it for the reference material. Now, an inquiry regarding the 20BR. . . .

At your convenience, please describe the rifle regarding barrel, action, stock and optics. I've played with the 204 Ruger and while it is interesting in many regards, velocity has been short of expectations. What powder have you been using in the 20BR?

Welcome to this forum. I hope to hear more from you.

gube204

Ruger 10/22
The odd shot with the 270 win
But my favorites are my Savage 12 VLP and BTVSS in 204 ruger with 39 gr blitz kings and 40 gr noslers.

sst_us · Rookie Member Joined: Dec 13, 2007 Posts: 6 Location: KC

The 20 BR is based on a trued stainless Rem700 short action with a 24" #7 Shilen Select Match stainless barrel. The stock is HS Precision, and the scope is a Leupold Vari-X III 6.5-20 x40 with AO and target knobs.

codybrown

A17Shooter wrote:

and for the long renge stuff a 6 X 284 with a 30" tube and a leupold 32X target scope.

That is one of the caliber that I have been drooling over for awhile now. I have only been out pd hunting once, and I used a Ruger KM77VT .223 for the majority of the shooting. Brass was a 55gr ballistic tip, and glass was a Simmons 44mag 6.5-20x44. I gotta move out of Michigan. With our great economy, I could find a easy reason to move out west for my dream of long range shooting.

Crackshot

Wait up codybrown! This Michigander will come with you out west. alittle more south and west for me though, I hate winter. Mad

codybrown

Anywhere warmer that I can shoot longer ranges will work for me. What part of the state are you from Crackshot? Maybe we can go out shooting prairie dogs sometime out west.

roysclockgun · Rookie Member Joined: Apr 24, 2006 Posts: 6

See here: s101.photobucket.com/a...ipers2.jpg

codybrown

What's the unertl scope mounted on?

moose2

For prairie dogs, I still use a Savage FVSS in .223 with a Mueller 4-16 Mildot which seems to be a good match for dogs out to 500 yards. Do most of my shooting from October thru May. These times of year one avoids the hot temps. bugs, people, and most of all snakes.-tr

Doublejs

In PA we don't have p-dogs, but what we have that's similar is the groundhog.
If I know the shots will be under 200 yds, I use a Rem 700 (Leupold VXII 4-12) in 17 Rem. with 25gr Berger MEF.
Any other time, I use a Rem 700VS (Leupold VXIII 8.5-25) in 243 Win. with either 65gr Berger MEF or if the distance is greater a Berger 95gr VLD. Sniper