Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Ask The Gunwriters Ask John Barsness Questions About "THE PURSUIT OF PERFECTION"

Great article John,

I remember you mentioning over tightening scopes causing problems, but can’t remember when and where you wrote that, and I’d like to re-read it...

Always a pleasure reading your work.
Spot

Spotshooter,

Thanks very much!

Darned if I can remember where I first mentioned over-tightening scope rings, but it was at least 15 years ago, and in more than one magazine article and book. Which is probably why you can't remember where you first read it!

Do know the chapter on scope-mounting in my 2010 book Obsessions of a Rifle Loony starts with over-tightening.

MD,

Is the 17 Hornet your favorite round for Prairie Dogs... and how do you compare it to using the 204 ruger, or other 20’s like the Vartag

I’m getting ready to make a couple PD rifles.. so I was just looking your learnings - I know I liked my 204, so the hornet & Vartag are new ground for me.

I've found that under "average" conditions the .17 Hornet is a 300-yard prairie dog rifle when using plastic-tipped 20-grain bullets. Have also found, after shooting PDs with a bunch of people, that almost nobody hits more PDs than they miss beyond about 300 yards in average conditions. It's also far easier to spot your own shots (whether hits or misses) with the .17 Hornet than almost any other round. The .17 Fireball comes close, and was my choice for most PD shooting before the .17 Hornet appeared, but used more powder, so heated up the barrel far quicker. It got maybe 250 fps more with 20-grain bullets than the Hornet, but I never could tell any practical difference in the field. (Plus, my first Hornet shot a little better!)

Also found that the .204 works just as well on PDs as the .22-250 or .220 Swift at ranges from about 300-500 yards, the cartridges most PD shooters used for shots beyond 300 back when I started PD shooting--again, with less recoil, so its easier to spot your own shots--and with less powder, so barrels don't heat up as quickly.

So that's my pair of cartridges for PD shooting out to around 500 yards--at least until I find something better....

Beyond 500 I use whatever round uses much higher BC bullets. Have used everything from a fast-twist .223 Remington to rounds like the 6.5-06. My latest is a 6XC. But I don't do as much 500+ shooting as I used to, partly because most landowners want PDs thinned out, not trained to duck into their holes at the first rifle shot.

Thanks that helps, I’m planning a heavy barreled 204. But I’m sure tempted with trying the hornet.

For anything past 400 I’ll probably stick with my 6 Creed PRS rifle, my current barrel is really just starting to run, I’m getting a 2” group at 800 yards right now ...
Gordy apparently taught me how to chamber pretty well :), I’m extremely happy with it.

I have a couple of those walmart ADL’s.. so I”ll be making a couple 204’s..

Thank you sir.