Prairie dog rifle

[TheOtherZilla]

Savage fv12 from cabelas on sale again with a rebate. They will do the job your require out of the box and I'd bet you'd be pretty happy with it.

And if you are a vet, even cheaper. I bought one in Cabelas last year and it was under $300.

 

[Tommie]

OK here’s the deal...

See all the differing opinions? That’s because there is no magic combination. Some people prefer long distance shots, some like the closer targets. Some people don’t mind recoil, some do. Barrel life? Take your pick. Oh, and scope preferences are completely subjective. I know what works for me but what will YOU like? The only way to answer these questions (and so many more) is to just get out there and do it. Every gun and scope used on my first PD outing turned out to be wrong for me but the sandbox time was a priceless learning experience. Matter of fact, I continue fine tuning my equipment list after each poodle shoot.

If you want to bring a .22LR, go ahead. Get a cheap centerfire rifle and run with it. Roast the barrel. Have fun. I guaranty when your shooting trip is done, you will have a much better concept of what you’ll need on your next trip. By far the most valuable research is hands-on experience.

Rant over.

 

[urbanrifleman]

Prairie dog shooting is fun...

You absolutely do not need a fancy rifle to laugh your butt off

 

[Peebles24]

Uh, we have not even started on benches,chairs and stands yet.......

https://www.midsouthshooterssupply.com/item/00008hlst/high-low-shooting-table-dark-earth
Should be on sale some time I would think.
Between five of us we all really liked this. Points on the legs that will go into the ground about 3”. Can be used sitting or standing.
We got into some terrain where the brush was to high when sitting and this worked great for standing. Set it up and shoot over the top of fences, rather than hauling everything to the other side.

Damn hadnt thought of that. I was thinking my fopen gear aka prone shooting matt, bald eagle rest with shadetree topper, and seg bigfoot rear bag. Guess there wont be mowed down shooting lanes huh...

 

[Peebles24]

I recommend :
1) leave your 22 rifle at home. If they are within 100 yards you can hit them with a 22 pistol or the 223.
2) Take your 6.5 for the distance shots.
3) buy a Rem 700 223 Varmint for the rest of them. Use whatever highest power scope that you have. No matter what you do in the future, having an accurate 223 bolt gun is fun.
4) buy a cheap wind meter and ballistics app for your smartphone

DO NOT make a huge investment, because after you have tried to shoot prairie dogs in the North Dakota winds, you will probably decide on something else for next year.

I have been shooting p dogs for over 50 years, starting when we antelope hunted in Wyoming, and shot pdogs while we waited for our antelope to be butchered and frozen. We found out pdogs were more fun than antelope.
I used my Sako 243 in those days, but switched to a Rem 700 Varmint in 223 when I just hunted dogs (now working on my third barrel). Tried a heavy barrel AR in 223 (magazine projection out the bottom is inconvenient on rotary table), then I went to a 22-250 (because of the wind) and am working on it's third barrel and it is my back-up gun, then I went to a 6BR single shot custom gun (because of the wind). I now shoot the 6BR with an 88 gr Berger Varmint (high ballistic coefficient), which is like a Berger 105 hybrid without the boat tail, and I am working on my third barrel.

P dogs will not let you shoot the area very long before they duck back into their holes, out to about 400 yards or so, so you either have to move, or wait them out, or just shoot the long shots. Since we shoot off rotary tables, we don't move very often, so I have chosen to invest in stuff that will help me in the long shots in the wind. A good rotary table, rangefinding binoculars, a good front and rear rest, wind and atmospheric measuring equipment and a good ballistics program. Also a supply of cold beverages while I am waiting for them to show their faces. For reference, our regular group of 4 shooters use a 6BR, a 22-250, and two 204 Rugers.

I also recommend you consider the binoculars, rangefinder, table & rests (or bipod and rear bag to shoot off the hood of the truck, we used a tarp on the hood, and 4 bungee cords to fasten it down), a wind meter, and a ballistics app for your smartphone. You do not need all of this, the binoculars are probably the most important item, rangefinder the second. Again, do not spend big the first trip, you will probably change your mind about what you want next year.

I already have and use applied ballistics on my phone it has never failed to put me in the 9 ring firat shot at 1k.
Damn binoculars. I dont know if i still have a set of 40x or not.
Same for the range finder, i think they both were taken when someone stole all my 3d bow comp stuff, still miss my parker phoenix 34.
I have a brand new 10-40×52 konuspro m30 scope still sitting in the box, but thinking swapping barrels will save 400 plus, cause I am kinda a trigger snob

If i just throw a douglas barrel in 6br on my panda it appears the cheap part is done, ugh... so much other stuff i hadnt even began to think about.

Chad

 

[Peebles24]

Equipment i have that i could take.
284 win fopen panda rifle with nightforce 12-42×56 br
6.5 cm savage 12 in boyds atone stock with bag riders for fopen rest athlon argos 8-34×56
Ruger american sporter 243 win with 90 dollar walmart scope 6-18 power maybe(not shot this in several years its a brush gun)
Savage 22lr setup for ARA with mueller 40x56 will shoot .6 MOA
Hall custom 22lr ARA rifle with weaver t36 will hold .25 MOA

Shooting matt
Bald eagle rest with shadetree topper
Seb bigfoot rear bag

Do have Applied Ballistics app
Might have a cheap (100 dollarish) rangefinder, will take some searching
Might have som 32 or 40x binos take some looking too.
Both those last 2 if i cant find the ones i had i need new ones regardless of this trip.

Honstly think the 6br barrel is going to be my cheapest route even having to buy dies, and brass plus i could use it for midrange fopen matches.

Thank you all for all the help and keep the ideas coming getting so many things i didnt think of. Think of the cheap solutions just to get me out there cause my step daughter is getting married in january, I just bought a new jeep renegade, and im still working on my home remodel so funds are tighter than i enjoy.

Chad P.

 

[farmerjohn]

This is how we travel around the different towns

 

[Peebles24]

View attachment 1140677 This is how we travel around the different towns

I like the dewalt tool stands fabbed as shooting bench. I have one of those. Although mine looks longer. I could do that. Wish i had a small trailer, maybe my buddy will be able to borrow one otherwise we will be in my tiny jeep, or his pickup.

 

[JSH]

If you can find take off BR barrels for cheap, chop off existing chamber and set it up for your rig, may as well do two.

Folks here tend to help spend others money, lol.
Most advice given is really intended to save you some though.

Terrain we hunt is way off the grid. So much so the dogs are not spooky. Shines up my front skid plate and belly pan. Usually cost me at least one mudflap.

 

[Peebles24]

I have a contact for new barrels chambered and threaded for 325 to 350.

 

[snert]

Lots of ideas here. But for a guy wanting under $600 to try PD shooting for the first time, without investing a huge amount, I suggest a Savage or Rem 700 in 223, a bunch of Fiocchi 40 grain ammo or similar, and put your scope on it. Get a bipod and something to lay on (thorns suck) in case you have to move, use your binos to spot, take a table, rest and chair. A cooler for drinks and a hat with straps to keep it on your head. Sunscreen. Take cleaning tools.

Go shoot. Learn how fun it can be. Learn how you would do it different if you could, considering YOUR circumstances.

When you have a successful hunt and have whipped the barrel, and you are sure you are going to go back and do it "better" then consider all the other advice.

Sometimes it is hard to remember where we started out.

 

[powderbrake]

Equipment i have that i could take.
284 win fopen panda rifle with nightforce 12-42×56 br
6.5 cm savage 12 in boyds atone stock with bag riders for fopen rest athlon argos 8-34×56
Ruger american sporter 243 win with 90 dollar walmart scope 6-18 power maybe(not shot this in several years its a brush gun)
Savage 22lr setup for ARA with mueller 40x56 will shoot .6 MOA
Hall custom 22lr ARA rifle with weaver t36 will hold .25 MOA

Shooting matt
Bald eagle rest with shadetree topper
Seb bigfoot rear bag

Do have Applied Ballistics app
Might have a cheap (100 dollarish) rangefinder, will take some searching
Might have som 32 or 40x binos take some looking too.
Both those last 2 if i cant find the ones i had i need new ones regardless of this trip.

Honstly think the 6br barrel is going to be my cheapest route even having to buy dies, and brass plus i could use it for midrange fopen matches.

Thank you all for all the help and keep the ideas coming getting so many things i didnt think of. Think of the cheap solutions just to get me out there cause my step daughter is getting married in january, I just bought a new jeep renegade, and im still working on my home remodel so funds are tighter than i enjoy.

Chad P.

Sounds like you have almost everything you will need. As to binoculars.... you said 32 or 40X..... Did you mean some 8 power X 32 mm objectives, or 10pX40mm? If so, those are the ones needed. 32 or 40 power binocs would be useless, you need the lower power to search out the p dogs. Leave the higher power to the scope when you are shooting.

If you are going to be on the ground to shoot, then park down below the ridgeline, and set up without disturbing the p dogs, and you will hammer a lot of them. The cars and the tables and the set-up does spook them, but that comes with using the tables.

You have lots of gun options, but I think a lower recoil caliber barrel on your Panda would be perfect, as you probably have a bipod on it, suitable for your planned prone shooting. The 12 -42 scope is perfect ( except the parallax is probably on the objective, and a little hard to reach, but we are looking for a lower cost for the first year). Actually there is nothing wrong with the 284, except you will be using up your barrel life for your F class competition.

A comment on prone. Sometimes the dogs are hard to see when prone, due to the height of the grass, that is why we shoot from tables.

I also use Applied Ballistics, it is a great program. Wind meters are available on Amazon for $15 to $40, and you can get the rest of the environmental data from a smartphone weather report at the closest town.

 

[Peebles24]

Sounds like you have almost everything you will need. As to binoculars.... you said 32 or 40X..... Did you mean some 8 power X 32 mm objectives, or 10pX40mm? If so, those are the ones needed. 32 or 40 power binocs would be useless, you need the lower power to search out the p dogs. Leave the higher power to the scope when you are shooting.

If you are going to be on the ground to shoot, then park down below the ridgeline, and set up without disturbing the p dogs, and you will hammer a lot of them. The cars and the tables and the set-up does spook them, but that comes with using the tables.

You have lots of gun options, but I think a lower recoil caliber barrel on your Panda would be perfect, as you probably have a bipod on it, suitable for your planned prone shooting. The 12 -42 scope is perfect ( except the parallax is probably on the objective, and a little hard to reach, but we are looking for a lower cost for the first year). Actually there is nothing wrong with the 284, except you will be using up your barrel life for your F class competition.

A comment on prone. Sometimes the dogs are hard to see when prone, due to the height of the grass, that is why we shoot from tables.

I also use Applied Ballistics, it is a great program. Wind meters are available on Amazon for $15 to $40, and you can get the rest of the environmental data from a smartphone weather report at the closest town.

Yes 8x32, couldnt remember but that was legal limit for ibo competition, that i enjoyed before my retinal tear. Now the floaters make a peep site difficult.

 

[Alguapo]

I have one of the FV12's in 204/223 & 22-250. They will be on sale for around $300 or so plus tax at BPS/Cabelas. Can't go wrong for the $$.

Yup. Cabelas has them on sale for $299.00 after rebate , 12 FV .223 with 9 twist. Reloads will be excellent and cheap factory loads will get the job done.

 

[JFrank]

With a 223 I think a 1-8 twist is preferred for an all purpose type.
I might even look at a Ruger American for a good Varmint rifle.

 

[lb-ft]

1) Rem 783 in 223. Crazy nuts accurate. Shoots up to 68 BTHP very well @ sea level
2) Rem SPS 223. 53 Vmax over CFE223

22-250 awesome but barrel heat and not seeing every hit through scope were both drawbacks for me.

 

[Sieg]

Altitude is your friend, can't hit what you can't see.

.223 Ruger or Savage are good options with 55g Vmax's.

It's great fun and addicting..... I've been doing it annually with the same basic group for 27 years now.

 

[Peebles24]

So after much thought and your valued opinions i went with a 17hmr ruger American, the action and magazine are much better than the savage 93r 17, but it cost about 100 more. I threw on the konuspro m30 10-40×52 scope i had laying around. I may bolt on a boyd at-one stock cause im not avfan of the rubbermaid factory crap.

I plan to also take my 243 and maybe the 6.5 or 284.

Thank you all for your help and ideas and will post up when i build my shooting table too.

 

[Dusty Stevens]

So after much thought and your valued opinions i went with a 17hmr ruger American, the action and magazine are much better than the savage 93r 17, but it cost about 100 more. I threw on the konuspro m30 10-40×52 scope i had laying around. I may bolt on a boyd at-one stock cause im not avfan of the rubbermaid factory crap.

I plan to also take my 243 and maybe the 6.5 or 284.

Thank you all for your help and ideas and will post up when i build my shooting table too.

After owning my new legacy shooting bench it would be hard to build a shooting table

 

[xring]

If you have time , go to a big Gunshow and pick up a nice , clean , low round count OLD Rem 700 in 223 . Otherwise like a lot have said : go Savage . Adjust ( or have someone who knows how to ) adjust the Trigger . Load 40 Gr Polytips ( Vmax or whatever Brand you like ) or buy loaded Ammo as suggested above or Blackhills ( if it is still available ) . This will take you out to 400 Yards or maybe a tad more . Use whatever Scope you have as long as it is at least 16X ( unless you have eyes like an Eagle ) . Take a comfortable Shooting Chair and whatever Sun cover you can come up with . Take plenty of water , sun-block , insect repellent , and a windbreaker Jacket . Take a good Rest if possible ..... I have used sand-bags on the hood of a Camaro when I started out . I use Surveyors Tape but a Wind Meter is handy too . It will be plenty windy about 3/4 of the time so become used to Windage leads . I used to quit when the lead became more than three Pdog body widths . Also quit when it was difficult to stand up straight using a stand-up Tripod . If it starts to rain , leave the Fields fast and get to at least a dirt road . Follow the previous listed suggestions for a heavy bullet big case 224 or 6 mm long range Rifle . Make sure you have a good spare Tire . Have fun !