Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Predators and Varmints Looking for Recs for my new Prairie Dog gun

Thank you kingston! Sweet setup.

I just finished building a dedicated Prairie dog splatter and went with a 26" varmint profile, Remy 700, 1/12 for this very purpose. Loaded up a 40-grainers with 748 and Varget but haven't made it to the range yet. my Ruger with 22" was going around 3200 and made good aerials and splatt, so hoping to get a bit more of a good thing.

What chambering?

.223, cheap and I already have a bunch of components.

or.........20-222.......or 20 Practical....or 20 Vartarg

Agreeee....

XR100 rem chose Your cartridge but both of mine are in 204R
DISCONTINUED but available

I'd get a heavy barreled Howa in .223.




Dave

MTsmith: Out TO 400 yards (and a bit further!) for Prairie Doggin then its rather cut and dried - go with a heavy barreled Varminter in 204 Ruger caliber!
I have been Hunting Prairie Dogs since the 1960's and over that time I have used about every center fire caliber (and most Varmint type factory Rifles!) to shoot them with.
When all things are considered (like accuracy, recoil, barrel heat, barrel wear, reloading costs, flat trajectory, wind resistance etc etc etc!) I would go with the 204 Ruger cartridge - hands down.
In fact I am in the process of purchasing my seventh heavy barrel Varminter in caliber 204 Ruger right now.
That is my recommendation for cartridge - now for a Rifle recommendation.
I am simply enthralled with the fit, performance (accuracy!), barrel length, trigger, thumbhole stock and the solid single shot action of the sadly, now discontinued, Remington XR-100!
I highly recommend this Rifle to you for all manner of Colony Varmint Hunting.
I currently own two of these Remington XR-100's in 204 Ruger caliber (as well as one each in 223 Remington and 22-250 Remington) and that seventh Varminter in 204 Ruger I have on hold right now is also in 204 Ruger caliber.
I have a Ruger #1-V-SS in 204 Ruger with 26" stainless steel barrel, and it is quite accurate and handsome to boot - it does have the laminated gray/black stock. The trigger on this particular Rifle is pretty darn good - not up to the excellence of the XR-100's but pretty darn good none the less.
I have killed many a Prairie Dog and Rock Chuck with this Rifle.
I also have a pair of Ruger 77- V/T's in 204 Ruger caliber and I like the stocks and accuracy of these - triggers are again pretty good.
I also have a Remington 700 VLS in 204 Ruger and it was one of my first 204's and one that shoots VERY well indeed - right from the get go that - and it continues to do so to this day.
I don't think you could go wrong with any of the above listed Rifles for Prairie Doggin.
All you will need to gear up for the 204 cartridge/Rifle is a new cleaning rod, a set of dies and some Berger 35 grain bullets or some Sierra 32 grain BlitzKings - then go "to town"!
Best of luck to you with whichever cartridge/Rifle you choose.
Hold into the wind
VarmintGuy

VG,

While I concur with your thoughts that the 204 is a good squirrel, PD caliber one thing that you did not factor in is the cost of brass. From my searches for 204 brass, if you can find it, the cost will be near $1.00 per case by the time tax, and/or shipping is included, That and the general lack of availability, which is one of the reasons I gave up on the 204.

For squirrel or PD hunting in my experience one should have at least 500 - 700 rounds of loaded brass on-hand which translates into an additional cost of somewhere between $450 to $700 just in brass alone.
Whereas 223 brass can often be found for as little as $50 per thousand for once fired LC military brass.

Also the OP mentioned that he was already set up for 222, 223, and 22-250. While I may be reading too much into his post it would appear that one of the 22 calibers is where he is leaning.

As Shrapnel posted in the first reply to the op -
"40 grain V-Max bullets made a 22-250 out of a 223 and it should to fine to 400 with those bullets at almost 4000 fps and a heavy barrel", this has certainly been my experience also.

drover

I'm gonna go with 26 grains of TAC, a 50 grain VMax or NBT, and a plain vanilla .223 for this year's trip to WY.

20 Vartarg..........

20-222....20's are where its at for p/dogs...........

this barrel was once a 20BR (9 twist) still 25.5" long

Actually, there hasn't been a 20 that has out shot a whole truckload of 22 calibers yet...

guess I'll have to go shootin' dogs with ya........

Why so little mention of Kimber's varmint models?

So little to mention...

Shrapster is right on I think. For versatility, go with a .223. I use my .22-250 about all the time, but a .223 is cheaper to feed, brass is abundant and cheap, and there's less recoil(a little less)..



You do get some good flips with .22-250 though....

ever hear of the 223 AI......most folks have.....

here's a fresh barrel change on my ole Salvage M series s/shot

back in July '13.....28" full cylinder 9 twist/3 groove.....

original barrel went 9K rds...both Pac Nor......

I woould definitely get a 204R.
If you are looking at long range or even medium range accuracy, I would not get a Ruger #1.
I speak from too much experience on the #1s.