400 to 600 PD options?

[urbanrifleman]

6xc or 6x47, with the 6xc being the most likely option. Long term goal would be to have a 6xc and a 22xc. Need to chat with urbanrifleman more to understand whether or not a Remage barrel system would allow me to do a barrel swap in the field as that would give me some flexibility down the road.

Loctite the nut in place. No problem.

 

[dusterdave173]

This last trip I loaded a very accurate 85.5 Berger load for my 7 twist 223--just for a few long shots vs my regular 53 Vmax load The 3 PD's shot at 661 yards off one mound were DRT--Hole poke or whatever you want to call it they were toast--no wiggle--just dropped and plopped I have read a lot about hole poking but that is not what I saw--no they did not explode like a Vmax inside 250--Nope they did not but they did not dance or wiggle they just flopped over --Done

 

[Lefty2506]

We are talking 400 to 600, for longer range their are better choices! That 95 grain Bibs has the same coefficient as the 108's, will hold its accuracy in a 10 twist barrel, and easily do it at 3500 fps. A 8 twist will not allow both accuracy and speed, if it could, they'd be using cases big enough to do that in 600 and 1000 yard competition. 17 to 25 caliber cartridges used for varmint just can't do that,,,, again Physics.

So I'll have my cake and eat it to! Wind bucking coefficient, at speeds well above 2300 fps in a bullet that will still open up.

if i wanted pelts, id use that 105 or 108 bullet, decades doing this has proven, the bigger bullets in any caliber will do less damage in any given caliber.

Like I said, it only works without terminal performance on pin point shots, brain or heart. And no one is going to make them perfectly at those ranges, not even benchrest shooters of benches and bags in hunting conditions without flags.

At 2000 fps, a heavy bullet pokes a hole in and out, but if a vital organ is not hit, it crawls off. That is just a fact of physics. Again, if I can't kick em, I can't count them, for me hits are no better than misses if I can't kick it and see what damage I did, on any animal.

I'll try being a little more direct. If I cared about the terminal wound ballistics on a prairie dog for any reason what so ever, your opinion on this would matter.

 

[wildcatter]

I agree, why I stated the size I consider "ground hogs to Coyote" being intend use when I refer to a Varmint Rifle. But to many disadvantages, thinking a bullet designed for target, or even the 108 Elite Hunters made for big game, are a good substitute for varmint bullets is something I've found first hand a huge disadvantage for a multitude of reasons.

But a prairie dog I would not even consider a 108 grain bullet for, 20 grain 17 Mach IV out 300, then I'll still take the 3500fps with my 62 grain burgers out to 600, a lot less powder burnt, so i can shoot without blowing my throat out or take as few shots. But like you said, you don't need to see the red mist, but I like it,,,,,,

This is why we live and learn,,,,

 

[urbanrifleman]

I agree, why I stated the size I consider "ground hogs to Coyote" being intend use when I refer to a Varmint Rifle. But to many disadvantages, thinking a bullet designed for target, or even the 108 Elite Hunters made for big game, are a good substitute for varmint bullets is something I've found first hand a huge disadvantage for a multitude of reasons.

But a prairie dog I would not even consider a 108 grain bullet for, 20 grain 17 Mach IV out 300, then I'll still take the 3500fps with my 62 grain burgers out to 600, a lot less powder burnt, so i can shoot without blowing my throat out or take as few shots. But like you said, you don't need to see the red mist, but I like it,,,,,,

This is why we live and learn,,,,

Personally I'll take 2 full days of hard pdog shooting under 300 yards over shooting at them over 500. I'd certainly shoot at them long range, and I have, but 300 and in is WAY more fun. And you are right, a standard varmint bullet works great at those ranges. Doubles and triples are really fun.

 

[Lefty2506]

It's not that I don't get a kick out of the red mist. My 223 with an accurate varmint bullet does that just fine regardless of whether I'm running an AR or my Savage. After a few hundred of them in a day, when I'd like to stretch things out farther than my 223 is really good for, at that point the red mist is no longer a concern. Even if I were getting the red mist, they are far enough away I wouldn't be able to enjoy it. At those distances, I'm truly target shooting and I'm perfectly content with the terminal performance that a "target" bullet gives me.

 

[Lefty2506]

Personally I'll take 2 full days of hard pdog shooting under 300 yards over shooting at them over 500. I'd certainly shoot at them long range, and I have, but 300 and in is WAY more fun. And you are right, a standard varmint bullet works great at those ranges. Doubles and triples are really fun.

Agreed, but it depends on the time of year. Early in the year, there's plenty of shooting to be done under 200 yds. I prefer to do that work with an accurate AR and a good brass catcher. By the 3rd day, we start wanting to see how far we can reach out. At that point, I'm ready to lay the AR down and bring out a bolt gun or two. Later in the season , there's a lot less shooting to do under 300. We can keep our ARs running for the first day. After that, there are a lot more opportunities to be had at 300 and beyond.