308 For P Dogs?
- Thread starter Totosdad
- Start date
jepp2
Gold $$ Contributor
In conjunction with another rifle of smaller caliber, I hope? The 308 is going to lose on barrel heat, muzzle blast, and bullet runout. Can't help you on bullet selection, but I'd be interested to hear how it turns out.
Not a good choice, too much drop, too much bullet, too much recoil. Not enough ballistic efficiency.
Cemetery21
NRA Life since 1975
We took a 25-06 one year. Shot less than 10 rounds and put that blasted thing away. The other 2,000+ rounds were thru 222 and 223.
Bigger bores may have their place for the really long range dogs.
Bigger bores may have their place for the really long range dogs.
While the other posts have brought good reasons not to use the 308 on P-Dogs, the main reason I would leave it at home is: What is behind the P-Dog u just shot or missed? A ranchers cow would be a bad thing to stop that big of a slug.
Just a thought.
shoot4fun
Gold $$ Contributor
I took a 25-06 one year. Shot it quite a bit but only trying for a 1,000 yard dog. It was a terrible choice.
Couple years later, with the 1,000 yard shot made, I went back for a 1,500 yard shot. This was years ago and I really had no idea what it took to do the task. I carried a heavy barreled 7STW with 140 Noslers moving very fast. Even though I did get the shot I was looking for it too was a terrible idea.
If you're taking the 308 because it's what you have then okay. Otherwise, well, leave it home.
Couple years later, with the 1,000 yard shot made, I went back for a 1,500 yard shot. This was years ago and I really had no idea what it took to do the task. I carried a heavy barreled 7STW with 140 Noslers moving very fast. Even though I did get the shot I was looking for it too was a terrible idea.
If you're taking the 308 because it's what you have then okay. Otherwise, well, leave it home.
TheOtherZilla
Pull my finger
What ever you like. If that's all you have yeah. But there are better choices. FWIW I have killed more dawgs with rimfires that anything else. Mostly 22LR when I was a kid. but also 17hummer and 22 maggie
To answer your question, yes the 110 V-Max is a good choice, I have shot many boxes of them. Also the 125 gr. Nosler BT works.
As others have said, not the best choice, but my first prairie dog hunt was with a Winchester model 94.
Have a good time!
Jim
110gr Vmax can be pushed easily to over 3100 FPS in a 22 inch barrel and is plenty flat enough out to 200 yards and with a couple clicks of elevation it will do the job out to as far as your scope will allow. Vmax is a thin jacketed varmint bullet and will come apart pretty easily on just about anything, including a pdog. The only problem I've had with them in my .308s is that at about 400 yards they start to drop quickly.
Send it, use that .308!!! Nothing wrong with using what you want. Part of the enjoyment for me is using different calibers. For a dedicated PD gun build, I'd chose a different caliber (.204 is my preference) but I've used everything from .358 STA and .45-70 to .218 Bee and .22 K-Hornet. All fun.
P-dogs are a great way to learn to gauge wind and hold for it. So if a guy wants to shoot his big-game rifle with his big-game loads on p-dogs to do that (with someone spotting, of course), then great, I'm all for it. Aside from that I would not ever take a big, or even medium, caliber rifle to shoot p-dogs. The investment in time, hotels, etc., is too much not to do it with a highly suited setup, for me anyway. I also doubt such short bullets (110-gr in .308) are going to be accurate enough to suit me, in addition to the other shortcomings mentioned.
Just buy a heavy-barreled .204, scope it with anything, shoot factory ammo and enjoy.
Just buy a heavy-barreled .204, scope it with anything, shoot factory ammo and enjoy.
bringing a 223, 243, 22-250, 17HMR and an AR
How do you feel about 22 caliber wildcats? 22's based on the 243 case something like that.
In my opinion my 6MM Remington is too much for long strings in dog towns. Works out for a few reaching shots.
Cemetery21
NRA Life since 1975
After going thru 223, 223AI, 22-250 and 22BR, I finally found PD love in 20 Practical. Wish I had pulled that trigger 20 years ago.
You will have to throw the barrel in the trash can when you get home.
Schandler
Silver $$ Contributor
Just got back from pd trip few weeks ago and i took a 17hmr and a 17wsm - no center fire. Next trip i will take the bmag but will take 204 and 223 bolt guns. Main reason I’m taking center fire is the wind. I did make 250 yard shots with the bmag but it took me 10 tries on one pd !! I will offer one more piece of advice just from what i learned. Take a shooting mat and bipod. Wind is so bad you can’t hold crosshairs still enough without using a mat - i tried everything. Eventually just got a couple rocks to lay rifle on and laid on the ground. Watch for those little cactus looking plants though
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