Home Forums Reloading Varmint Rifles ideal prairie dog guns

So if you could build any guns you want for PDs, what would they be, and why? Let me kick this thread off, by espousing my prejudice as of calibers. If the rifle action being used for building a PD rifle has a bolt face in the .222 family, I would build a 223 Ackley Improved 40-degrees. It approaches 22-250 velocities with 3/4 the powder, hence less throat erosion, has far less blast and recoil, and uses .224 bullets, which are the most economical bullets available. If the bolt face is in the 308 family, it would be a 22BR, for all the same reasons as above, plus the extra edge of legendary bench-rest accuracy. Agree? Disagree? Favored trigger, stock, twist rate, powder, etc?????

criter giter; Are you getting tired of the "other " board too? I never had anything to do with a .223 improved, but it sounds pretty good. I do have a .22 Br and I would agree, it is one heck of a dogger. I think I am going to make another one this fall. BP

Hey, welcome! Yep, I like the layout here, and the responce I got when I asked for a varmint catagory in the hunting section. Let's see if we can let some of the guys (and gals) know this board is here. Maybe Shooters is snowed by all the changes, with ads, they are trying....

Well, honestly I would stick with a plain vanilla .223 for general usage. I have a relatively stock 700 VS-SF (blueprinted) that will shoot bugholes with one or two pet loads. Plenty of speed out of the long tube and the barrel doesn't heat up that much.<P>I may put together a .17 Mach IV one of these days for low noise varminting. I was thinkin of the little CZ 527 mini mauser because it takes a clip (more importantly the clips work) for fast load changes. It would be a neat lightweight for 100-200 yards.

I'd start with a Remington short 700 action. Add a top grade stainless match barrel from one of the best makers. Shilen,Lilja,Hart or whatever in a heavy varmint contour. I'd have the action trued 6 ways from sundown, the barrel chambered and installed with the tightest tolerances possible and finished to the longest possible length,usually about 27".It would then be epoxy bedded into something like the HS Precision stock with the aluminium bedding block that Remington uses on its Varmint models. A Shilen trigger would be hung on it. The scope mounts would be Leupold or equivalent lapped in place. I would top it with a Leupold 8-32 x 40 with the side mounted AO and target knobs.Maybe the 30mm tube model. One thing left, chambering.Since this fictional rifle is supposed to be a prairie dog rig, I think I'd go with a 243 bore.Probably a 6mm Ackley. Or maybe a 6-284.Let's see, I have the action, all I need is about $2000 and I'm in business.

For general prarie dog plinking I have had great hunts with a mere 22 magnum. I have noticed when the heavy artillery comes out the dogs go down and stay down.<P>If I am shooting prarie dogs at long distances I have a Remington 700 Bull Barrel chambered in 25-06 with a 6-18 redfield. What that 06 does to a prarie dog is awesome. Predators have them already in bite sized chunks.<P>NM Kid

Remington 700 action, MacMillan stock, Hart barrel, .25-06 Ackley with a short throat, Leupold 6.5x20x40, and a keg of RE15 and Nosler B-Tips!<P>Call me crazy.<P>Rick

Well don't have Pdogs here but we do have groundhogs, action is slower and don't have to worry about barrel heating, for Ghog though, a Rem action, 26'' #7or8 barrel(Hart maybe),McMillian heavy varmint stock(they are big,but sweet), jewel 2stage trigger,maybe a Burris 8x32. Make it a 243 short throated for 55/60gr bullet and a 1in14 twist for same bullets, now that's a Ghog recipe...:>.....

Hey, short243! From your handle, you must be a 243 fan. Can't blame you, I have 5 of them hangin' around here. But I am also a fan of the advantages of Ackley Improvin', so if you are going to have that Ghog gun built, why not chamber it Ackley while you are at it??<BR>-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------<BR><I><B>Critr</B></I><BR> <A HREF="http://www.SaguaroSafaris.com" TARGET=_blank>www.SaguaroSafaris.com</A>

Been trying to reply but it would not post, same name,password but different c omputer.... anyway that was a good question , to ackley there must be a advantage a 55gr will travel 4200 at 1 gr under max (H414) with a min spec chamber and short throat, 1.5" high at 100yrds you can hold deadon to over 300yds, while Ackley Imp. would help for heavier bullets and longer shots the light one would run out of steam I fear. With a 26" barrel when the throat goes south you can get it turned or rechambered to 6/284. I have found if you turn it once, then do the 6/284 thing and go to 70gr(by that time you'll need heavier bullets)you can get a lot out of one barrel.

OK that posted so I need HELP. I tried 3 times on the house computer and nothing, get out the laptop and bingo. I first came to this site while out of town so I had the laptop, same name and password....... oh by the way....how do I get the faces and things down on the post.... thanks

I don't know about the computer log-in problem. If Rick doesn't come to your aid in a day or two, e-mail him on the "contact us" link. As for the smilies, click on "Smilies Legend", located to the left of the message block when you are sending a message. Then you can print the page for reference if you like.<BR>-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------<BR><I><B>Critr</B></I><BR> <A HREF="http://www.SaguaroSafaris.com" TARGET=_blank>www.SaguaroSafaris.com</A>

ok i think I've got this straight,just want to take this time to say hi to all,been to several sites and this is the friendliest, kinda like sitting on the porch talking to your nieghbor.....

Hey, short243, glad you can sit with us a spell. I know what you mean. I like it too. Visit often. <BR>-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------<BR><I><B>Critr</B></I><BR> <A HREF="http://www.SaguaroSafaris.com" TARGET=_blank>www.SaguaroSafaris.com</A>

My wife is sure I have lost it, came home with a 223 striker. Some how she didn't believe that it was calling me and begging me to give it a good home, imagine that. But I think it will be just what I want those days I tend to walk around.Now for a scope, guess I'll have to come up with a better story.......

Goooollly!!! Just goes to show you what wives know......................<BR>-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------<BR><I><B>Critr</B></I><BR> <A HREF="http://www.SaguaroSafaris.com" TARGET=_blank>www.SaguaroSafaris.com</A>

Well Heres my Idea 22-250 with 52 grain hpbt match grade 35 grains varget about 3750 fps <BR>killed pdogs out to 400 yrds but also us 25-06 with 75 grain bullits 243 with 58 grain bullits or just about any other gun I happen to have with me when I am out hunting pdogs <P>Scott S

Hi all, just found this board and thought I would join. Don't have PDs in Oregon but sage rats are just as fun and only 1/4 the size. I like a good old hornet but am now shooting a #1 in 22 BR. Still developing a load but two weeks ago it shot a .192" 5 shot 100 yard group. Think I will keep it.

Hi, Scott! Welcome to the campfire. That 22 BR is a dandy cartridge, isn't it? If inherent accuracy AND cartridge efficiency mean anything to a person, then it is probably at the top of the heap, especially for volume shooting.<BR>------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------<BR><I><B>Critr</B></I><BR> <A HREF="http://www.SaguaroSafaris.com" TARGET=_blank>www.SaguaroSafaris.com</A>

Thank you Critr.<BR>Being Scottish efficiency is vary impotent to me and the BRs are that. Best powder so far is AA 2015 but I am trying to find some N133 to try out.<P>In HIS Service <BR>Scott F