Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Predators and Varmints Prairie Dog Rig

I'm going on a 3 day PD shoot with my father this summer. What would be a good rig that won't break the bank?. I'm open as far as cartridges and rifle brand goes.

RAP 204........

What ever rifle and scope combo you like, 223 for the cartridge, lots of components available if you reload and lots of factory ammo choices if you don't.

I load my 223's with 40 gr Nosler BT's or Hornady V-Max's so I can watch the hits. As you go up in bullet weight or to larger cartridges it becomes more difficult to see your hits, or misses.

drover

I like a .22-250, but Drover has given you excellent advice on rifle, caliber, and bullet wt.. It has become my main p.dog and gopher caliber with some others for special shots.. You need look no farther than a good .223..

Yep, a decent .223 is the basic prairie dog rig to start with.

After you shoot a .223 for a while, you may want to branch out to some others--and you may not!

Just looking at ammo prices I can see that .223 is probaly going to be the best choice based on ammo cost alone.
Anyone have expiereance with the CZ 527 varmint?

Yes....the double set trigger and accuracy can't be beat in that price range....period..

I don't own one but for a "cheap" alternative my buddy's Ruger American is amazingly accurate.

A 223 should be a first and a staple for PDs IMHO.

I'd look at Howa/Vanguard and Tikka myself. Many others.

Enjoy your shoot, and time with your Father. Well spent.

CZ trigger is great , dont like the detachable magazine quite as well as well as a top loader for pdogs

my favorite rig is a Ruger 77 heavyweight in 204...it is a killing machine

Then get a follower for the CZ from James Calhoon.

Imma 700 fan, so I'd do this....223 for sure:

http://www.budsgunshop.com/catalog/...43/Remington+700+SP+Synthetic+VAR+223+26

223 sumthing......Savage or Tikka.....

here's a very budget minded 223.....add glass & kill schidt...

then if you did it more often...you could replace the barrel with a

better SS aftermarket one...223...204R...or 20-222..20 Vartarg...etc

https://www.budsgunshop.com/catalog.../78092/Savage+19661+11+HOG+HUNTER+223+TB

I'd get a HB howa in .223.

A 3-9X40 Nikon Prostaff with BDC.

Bunches of Fiocchi loaded with the 50gr. V-Max.

Hot damn did I find a good P-dog spot yesterday... Can't wait.


Travis

Just bought on friday. Howa 223 with nikon and bdc. And a bunch of fiocchi 50 vmax ammo.

I must be a genius too

Third vote for Fiocchi ammo. Can't be beat for the price I don't think.

I like CZ and Howa. I really like the two stage Howa trigger.

14 power scope for me though.

If you have a Walmart nearby check them for Winchester USA (White box) 40 per box if I remember correctly, it is loaded with a 45 gr hollow point. The last time I bought some it was reasonably priced and shot very well, plus it is devastating on impact. Another plus for it is that you have once fired Winchester brass to sell to recoup some of your cost, or to save for the day you start reloading.

drover

Great minds......


Some Alabama boys might concur.....

Awwwww, schit!




Dave

Big fan of the Tikka T3. Any caliber from 204 through 22-250 but I lean toward the 204. Spend equal amount of money on optics and you'll have a rig that will shoot with anyone, regardless of the price.

factory ammo for p/dog shootin'

you must be a bunch of rich fuggers......

Rem 700 heavy barrel, chambered in .223.
Scope it with a 6-18X leupold and you will be good to go.

I'm using a Ruger American Predator 223, with a Bushnell 10X scope.

Rifle was $360, scope $199.

That is a good shooting, inexpensive way to get into the game.
The best part is that you can shoot out the barrel, sell the rifle as a parts gun to someone who wants an action and stock, then go buy anther new one cheaper than a rebarrel.

Have you tried 40 gr Nosler BT or V-Max in it yet, if not give them a try - there is a noticeable difference in recoil and the splat factor is just as good as with the heavier bullets. Also the 40's actually have a little flatter trajectory all the way out to 500 - further than I shoot most of time.

drover

I've only used the 40 VMax at a lower velocity, using 9.0 gr Unique for about 2700 fps.

Very accurate.

That would be a great gopher load. Impressive accuracy.

I have gone exclusively to the 40 gr Nosler ballistic tip in my 223's,I use them for gophers, rockchucks, coyotes, and PD's. I am driving them at a little over 3700 fps but after seeing your target I may have to load up a few with Unique for gophers, that must be like shooting a 22 rimfire.

drover

The 40 VMax/Unique load is very mild shooting, not too loud. I suppose it is fairly close to 22 Hornet ballistics.

It works well on PDs out to about 200 yards or so. You could probably go further, but wind is generally a factor.

The first time I put that light load on paper I could see the first hole, but not the following holes, and I thought it must have been a bust. When I got up close to the target and saw what was going on, I was really impressed.

What Shane failed to explain, is that he never fired the rifle.

He simply stared at the p-dog.




Travis

I ran those mini vmax in my 221 and 222 w Lil Gun. 3600-3700+

Believe Howa is mfg a deuce in the Micro.

Anyone try Universal Clays in lieu of Unique? I changed over in handguns using 1.5 gr less for a cleaner burn and same performance. A thought.

Agree Travis - OEM offer cheap barrel wear and a great value.

naw, just braggards....trying to impress the masses...and peasants...

Lol nah not me. Just found affordable factory stuff with good brass I could reload.

Yeah, I've bought a box or two of factory loads, for the first time in years.... just for the brass....

before folks think I am nuts....

it was Federal 243 on sale for $12.99...

brought it home and disassembled it...

Then reloaded it with what I wanted it for...

That batch of 20 is on its 30th reload at the moment..

30 grains of 4198... with 75 to 85 grain bullets...

been a 'go to the range' or 'out in the woods' plinking loads..or feeding a truck gun when I got out driving in our zillion miles of Forest Service roads..

Depending on how you want to roll...

A heavy-barrelled AR is a whole lot of fun in densely populated dog towns, but you'll be taking frequent breaks to keep the barrel from overheating. It wouldn't be my choice for a one-rifle PD battery for that reason.

I've heard a lot of very positive feedback CZ and Ruger varmint rifle owners. Some people have good luck with Savage, but I've seen some terrible quality come out of the factory in friends' rifles.

I really like having a combo of bolt action rifles and AR's in a good dog town. A rotating shooting bench is also a game-changer, in my opinion.

Regardless of rifle choice, I'm a big fan of the .204 in a PD rifle. It shoots flatter than the .223 and the difference in cost is pretty minimal with comparable ammo. If you're going for a dedicated PD rig, the .204 is my hands-down favorite. The .223 offers more versatility if you want to use the rifle for other endeavors.

Nice undercover .22 Hornet, with better accuracy and no brass issues.....

17 rim fire magnum

Have to agree with all the advice on the .223. I use a Rem 700 sendero in .223 as my main rifle, but if you want to see the red mist try the 25-06 with the 87gr Speer TNT. Do not use this load for any fur bearer if you plan on selling the hide, there aint enough sewing thread in the world. I always take the 25-06 along for when the wind comes up or I start taking the long shots so I loaded up the 87gr TNT but wind drift was still bad and I went back to the 100gr ballistic tip.
Mike

An RAR-P in either 204 or 223 would never be a bad choice.

I don't love the stocks, but every RAR-P that I've shot would either shoot MOA out of the box or, in the case of the 22-250, gave the strong impression that with the right load it would shoot MOA.

For a little more $$, a V2 might be worth a look too.

I couldn't see myself taking just ONE rifle. Iv'e never gone p-dog hunting and only taken ONE rifle. Six or seven is more like it. 17HMR thru 6.5-284. Whether you kill a p-dog with one or not, it's and awesome opportunity to 'stretch' a rifle out if you're hamstrung with only 100-200yd ranges in your home area.

No longer going on the trip, because I am moving to Montana instead! I will be buying a varmint rifle at some point once I get settled.

I am interested to hear your thoughts on that 10X Bushnell if you see this please

Castle Rock,

I've had this scope for 10 years or so. It's the mil/mil version. I've rotated it through a few rifles from 10/22, 308 bolt gun, AR15, and lately this 223. It has been serviceable so far.

When it was new, the erector spring was hanging up when dialing up. I discovered it early on. I also had a tube-mounted bubble level immediately aft of the turret, that may have been part of the issue too.

Anyway, I removed the bubble, and ran the turret up and down from stop to stop, probably 50 times or so. After that it hasn't bobbled.

There is no parallax adjustment, and this scope becomes slightly out of focus inside about 40 yards or so. It works fine for long range shooting, but you have to understand it is a $199 scope. Glass quality isn't really bad, I've used it to shoot clay birds on the 1000 yard berm.

I think it has a permanent home on this 223, pulling prairie dog duty at distances 100-300 yards or so, it does all I could want it to do.



Shane

Thanks very much, I appreciate the feedback

You bet.

I have a couple of Bushnell 3200 10x40s and think that they are a pretty good scope for the $$.

Thanks, I want to play with a scope that will dial and don't want to spend too much on it, or it to be too bulky on a Tikka Lite

Here's the same Bushnell 10X on other rigs,

Thanks, looks like it won't unbalance the Tikka

It should be fine on the Tikka, it's tube is less bulky than most variable 3-9x40's, but with turrets added.

I ended up with the same rig in 22-250. My only bitch with it is that it will not feed from the magazine on a regular basis amd the tiger is a bit gritty, even after adjustment. Ruger is sending me a new mag as we speak.

Tigers can be a bit gritty, at times.

check out a savage model 11 with heavy barrel, cal.223 there often on sale and come with a nikon scope, can usually find them for less than $500.00,know two guys that have them and both shoot half inch groups.sweet thing about the savage you can swap barrels, you might want to try a 204 no problem, several after market barrel venders out there.

Walker,

I missed that you moved here. Hope everything is going well. If you head this way shoot me a PM.




Clark

Don't want to steal the ops post but my wife and I are looking for a PD hunt in 2018. We are senior citizens and are looking for something in Montana or Wyoming but will not rule out any area. PM me with any information you have. thanks Daniel

Man!!! I thought deer hunters and bass fishermen were tight lipped. Still needing information for next summer. Thanks Daniel

I would check out one of the Indian reservation hunts in the Dakotas.
And your right, no one is going to give up a good spot.

BWalker, thanks. I didn't realize just how much danger a 72 yo would be to a prairie dog town. Will look at the Dakota's but was hoping to find something in Wyoming. We are planning to hit Yellowstone on the same trip. Daniel

Finding a good place to shoot prairie dogs is much more difficult than you realise.

So I am finding out. Maybe our elk outfitter will know of something, will be at his place in about 2 weeks. Even if he does, not sure I want to make the drive back to Plains again, long 2000 miles.

I know of several around here.

Hunters may be tight lipped, but local farmers generally are not.

You might want to look at New Mexico.




Clark

Clean out your PM box, Clark..

Jim, are you a hunter or a farmer???

Uhh...,both I guess.

I guess that means I will talk your ear off, but it will be BS...

LMAO.





Dave

I scrubbed it. Ready for insertion.




Dave

BWalker: I started Hunting Prairie Dogs back in the 1960's and have been a avid advocate of that endeavor ever since.
For the next 40+ years I suggested and helped set-up MANY neophyte Prairie Dog Hunters with their first "Prairie Dog rigs".
For that 40+ years I always suggested the new Hunter consider/buy a heavy barreled Rifle in 223 Remington - these guns are normally very accurate, somewhat mild of recoil, have long barrel life and have adequate ballistic performance to keep a new Prairie Dogger content.
Then in early 2,004 I bought my first Varmint Rifle in caliber 204 Ruger - I was amazed at this cartridges performance and its attributes!
Then in 2,005 I enthusiastically began advocating/suggesting that new Prairie Doggers use this cartridge (204 Ruger) - ALL I have suggested this to have been pleased with my recommendations to date.
I currently own and use 8 (eight) heavy barrel Varmint Rifles in caliber 204 Ruger, and the accuracy provided by each of them simply amazes me!
Indeed I proclaim the 204 Ruger to be more reliably accurate in factory Varmint Rifles than the 223 Remington!
I base this contention on the first hand experiences of not just myself but the observed results of MANY of my Varminting/shooting friends.
Couple this splendid accuracy with the flatter trajectory of the 204 Ruger (at distances which 99%+ of Prairie Dogs are shot - 500 yards and under!) the lessened recoil and the amazing lethality of those speeding 204 bullets and I have a new most favored, most recommended "Prairie Dog rig" - the 204 Ruger! (reference page 186 of the Remington 2,017 product catalog if you have ANY questions comparing the 204/223!).
Like sdgunslinger above I have a pair of exceptionally accurate Ruger Model 77 V/T's in caliber 204 Ruger - they are among my most accurate and favored of my many factory Colony Varmint Rifles.
Yep that would be my recommendation - look for a Ruger 77 V/T in caliber 204 Ruger strap on plenty of scope power and "go to town"!
Best of luck to you with whichever you choose.
Hold into the wind
VarmintGuy

I'm looking at the 204 Ruger for next year. I expect the barrel on my current 22-250 will be toast by then as it already has close to a thousand rounds on it.

.17 Rem, Walker.

.17 Rem...




Travis

Both good.
.204 in the wind.

I suspect it would have worse barrel life than the 22-250.

Not sure. Mine just keeps going.




Travis