Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Predators and Varmints "Best Prairie Dog Cartridge" - Article & Opinion

My January - March issue of The Varmint Hunter Magazine (Issue #69) arrived at my home yesterday and last night in my California King sized bed I perused the photos (and the ads!) of the entire issue as I normally do, completely - before I read any of the articles.
One article had a title and some pictures that so interested me that I quit my normal routine and read the article right then.
In fact I read it twice as I awaited my winter's slumber.
I won't spoil the articles surprise conclusion nor comment much on the article or the authors depth of experience and experiences.
Nor will I comment on HIS parameters of qualifying (and disqualifying!) attributes for "The Best Prairie Dog Hunting Cartridge"!
But I will say I agree 100% with his final conclusion as to which cartridge is "the best" Prairie Dog Hunting cartridge.
And that leads me to ask this question and solicit other folks answers and opinions on which cartridge you all think is "the best Prairie Dog Hunting cartridge"!
I highly recommend this latest issue of The Varmint Hunters Magazine by the way.
It has some VERY interesting information and lots of pertinent articles for the Varmint Hunter.
Hold into the wind
VarmintGuy
Varmint Hunters Association Life Member #185

I always thought the 223 would've been the best, Never used 1 for PD's but should've. I've used the 223 AI out of an AR, and loved it, but probably would've done just as well with the 223.

Right now i'm using an XP-100 17 Fireball handgun, and have had decent success with it to 500 yds. using the 6-18x Nikon Buckmasters.

Hey VG, is there an article in there entitled, "Long-Range Coyotes with Custom Specialty Pistols"?

No wind it's the .223 if you can only have one gun it would be a .204.

Sscoyote: Negative on that title in this issue.
The only "pistol" type article I can see in the directory is one titled "Field Carry Handguns For Varmint Hunters" by L.P. Brezny.
Congratulations on the "long shot" with the 17 Remington Fireball handgun!
Good for you!
I only have two dedicated Varmint Pistols - both in caliber 223 Remington.
I specifically recall bonking a Prairie Dog at 270 yards once with my T/C 14" heavy barrel pistola.
I am sure that is my longest confirmed kill with a pistol.
Again way to go with the 17 Fireball long shot!
I have probably killed more Prairie Dogs with the 223 Remington cartridge than any other to date - but that may change here in the next 8 or 10 years?
The 223 Remington is a great cartridge but there are better rounds nowadays for "work" in a dogtown!
Cartridges with flatter trajectories, less recoil and better wind "resistance" than the 223!
Hold into the wind
VarmintGuy

There are many PD rounds varying from the small 17s through the 30cals. My personal choice is the 22mag when the little ones are out and wind is not an issue, when they get educated and longer shots are necessary I break out the 243 with the 55gr BTs. As for as the best I would say he said the .204. HAPPY HUNTING

Ruger243223: I am surprised at YOUR favorite cartridge (the 22 Magnum) for when the pups are up and the wind is down!
I have shot Prairie Dogs with a 22 Magnum and it works when the "gettin is good" but not much range on that rimfire once the shooting has started and you are in an "educated town" (most all of them anymore).
Good guess on the authors pick as the number one "best" Prairie Dog cartridge!
Hold into the wind
VarmintGuy

Well VG I have been shooting a 22mag for well over 20yrs and I am still in love with it. I had a 17HMR and it didn't for me do the job the 22mag does. But when shooting we always carry our big guns along with our 22s as it is always nice to see some splatter effect of serious nature when you shoot a pile of dogs with a 55gr BT running at 4200. Anyway I love the 22mag and you love the 17 that is ok and it works for you and the 22 works for me. I am going to post a pic next week after vacation of a target at 100yds with my 22mag and cci +v ammo. It is less than .5. I shoot a cz with the bull barrel. I love this rifle. Anyways good luck this season and keep shooting. MERRY CHRISTMAS and HAPPY HUNTING

My idea of the best PD cartridge is the .22-250 with 55gr BT's in a heavy barreled rifle, 26" with a muzzle break to help spot your own shots, topped off with a 8.5-25x scope. Finish it with a bipod and a rear sand bag.

If the shooting is fast I like the .223 or similar sized case.

If the shooting is slow the 22-250 or Swift is great. Or the 25-06 with 75gr. Hornadys.

Travis

Day in and day out, if you figure in the costs in componants and barrel life, versus performance, the 223 is always in the running.

Al

The best is the 222 Rem or 223 Rem

Ruger243223: That .5" grouping is indeed a dandy!
Good for you and the CZ!
I have been shooting 22 Magnums of various names and configurations for hearly half a century myself and they certainly CAN kill Varmints.
But if "rimfiring" Varmints is the order of the day then the new King of Rimfires" (the 17 HMR) is the way to go.
The 17 HMR has a much flatter trajectory and does better in the wind and the increased velocity and increased R.P.M.'s of the 17 HMR bullet vs. the various 22 Magnum projectiles are very admirable attributes indeed!
And I wish the merriest of Christmas's and the happiest of New Years to you and yours!
And keep that heavy barreled 22 Magnum dialed in!
Hold into the wind
VarmintGuy

Oh yeah, the consensus goes with the .223 and I'll add another vote.Cheap brass, modest powder charges, modest bullet prices. In our PD shooting its quantity over quality every time, and we find the quality to be just about excellent as well. More bullets equals more " death in the short grass".
Caveat: you need two rifles chambered in .223 to shoot the same load. One to shoot while the other is cooling...

Ingwe: "Cheap" is not always better!
And as far as having an extra 223 to shoot while one cools there are other Varmint cartridges that heat barrels slower than a 223!
I learned that lesson long ago.
In fact I currently have 10 Varmint guns in caliber 223 Remington - for "cooling" purposes I guess.
Just a few factors that make other cartridges BETTER suited for "Prairie Doggin" than the 223 Remington are those with faster bullets, those with less recoil, those with flatter trajectories, ones that shoot straighter in the wind, cartridges that shoot further than the 223 and cartrdiges that are more accurate than the 223!
Just to name SOME considerations/attributes for the "best Prairie Dog cartridge!
A Prairie Dogger can attain "quantity" with ANY cartridge if they choose to - the 223 has no sole claims there.
Don't get me wrong I enjoy my 223's and am actively bidding and caniving on another 223 Varmint Rifle right now.
BUT there are a number of better cartridges for thinning out the Prairie Dog numbers!
Just one I would like to mention is the often over-looked (and sometimes hard to find one!) 22 Remington Bench Rest cartridge!
I have two amazingly accurate Rifles in this caliber and the effective range of this caliber significantly exceeds that of the 223. Along with the flatter trajectory of the 22 Remington Bench Rest and the enhanced accuracy of it, the 22 BR is in reality a far better round in a good dog town than is the 223.
But I enjoy and respect your perspective and wish you many happy seasons with the 223 afield - you would just kill more PD's (higher percentage of hits!) and do it at longer ranges with some other calibers!
Long live the 223 Remington!
Hold into the wind
VarmintGuy

Aaf: Al, yes the 223 is a dandy Prairie Dog cartridge and I would NOT be surprised if that caliber has taken more Prairie Dogs than any other!
BUT, the 223 is easily surpassed for "the BEST Prairie Dog cartridge" by several other cartridges that "perform" better in the field!
Yes I agree there are many things to like about the 223 Remington cartridge - there is just more to LIKE with a number of other cartridges, in a dog town.
I have several Rifles in caliber 204 Ruger for instance - I am watching their barrels for signs of wear and deteriorization closely. So far I have been pleased with their longevity.
And by the way the average accuracy of my 5 Varmint Rifles in caliber 204 Ruger is a noticeable "tad" better than my many 223's accuracy average!
And remember the trajectory and wind bucking ability of the 204's projectiles is vastly superior to the 223's at typical Prairie Doggin ranges (out to 500 yards!).
My 204's use from 1.0 to 3.5 grains MORE powder than my 223's use! The premium bullets (Sierra and Berger!) I use in my 204's are priced exactly the same as comparable bullets for the 223 Remington!
I use exactly the same primers in my 204's as I do in my 223's!
Yes, 204 brass is more expensive than 223 brass but again not by much (Winchester brass per 100 - 204 = $21.28 and 223 at $20.71!).
For the miniscule increase in reloading costs you get a quantum leap in performance afield with the 204 Ruger!
I now GLADLY pay that pittance of extra monies for the 204's superior performance.
And don't forget the splendid accuracy attainable with the 204 Ruger!
Long live the 223 Remington!
Hold into the wind
VarmintGuy

O.K. I think you got me there. I'm getting the hang of this...the best prarie dog cartridge/ rifle combo is the cool one in your hands at the moment.... Got a freind that LOVED the .22BR, but he was like you, he had alot of love for alot of PD cartridges.
I have zero experience with the .204 Ruger, but all Ive been hearing is superlative....
Thanks, Ingwe out.

What, no one likes the Triple Deuce here? May not be the best but a great one amongst others.

Ingwe: I am less certain about the "best Prairie Dog Rifle" than I am about the "best Prairie Dog cartridge" - and you make an EXCELLENT point regarding what ever Rifle/cartridge you have in your hands at the moment is the best!
I throughly enjoy Prairie Dog Hunting!
The last Prairie Dogs I shot occurred just two months ago here in Montana right after the previous blizzard we had here.
We are in the midst of a 15 day long cold snap and intermittent blizzarding again - no let up in sight for another week it appears.
I have shot Prairie Dogs in every month of the year except February!
And that is on my "bucket list" of things to get done!
A couple of things keeps the 22 Remington Bench Rest from being the "best Prairie Dog cartridge" - none of them being related to it's ballistic performnace. The 22 BR heats a barrel rather quickly and it has nearly as much recoil as a 22-250 Remington does!
This makes spotting ones bullets points of impact very difficult. Spotting ones bullets point of impact is very important - especially at the longer ranges or when the wind is blowing (and when isn't the wind blowing in Prairie Dog country?).
"Superlative" is very exact when speaking about the 204 Ruger and Varminting of most all types.
Keep after'em!
Hold into the wind
VarmintGuy

My preferred round for PD's is the .700 nitro express. Never know when you are going to run into those 1 ton PD's.
I'll have to check out the article I have my mag with me.

I read Breezy's article on field guns, food for thought. Might have to carry something besides my 1911 but probably not.

Well I don't know about Texas but here Montana I'm not all that sold on super light bullets going at light speed. We have some hefty winds out here. I'm still looking at 6mm as that answer. We'll see.