Best target medium to simulate effect on prairie dogs (video update)

[Mike402]

Cats work.

Kittens even better. I'm certainly not taping that.

BTW in all seriousness if you haven't seen 'Don't Fu@K with cats' on Netflix, I highly recommend it. Its a 2019 documentary where some sadistic bastard tortures and kills kittens, and people make it their life mission to catch the guy via the Internet. Fascinating show!

 

[rebel]

Kittens even better. I'm certainly not taping that.

BTW in all seriousness if you haven't seen 'Don't Fu@K with cats' on Netflix, I highly recommend it. Its a 2019 documentary where some sadistic bastard tortures and kills kittens, and people make it their life mission to catch the guy via the Internet. Fascinating show!

Why would I watch that? I have a blue F*^k ton of feral cats from my Laotian neighbors. They breed , I kill. Don't torture.

 

[Mike402]

I doubt that you are going to find anything that will truly replicate the effect of a bullet on a PD, there are just too many variables involved - distance of shot, bullet construction, rate of twist, velocity, etc.

I am going to throw another variable into the mix. I too have shot PD's for decades and one thing I noticed years ago is that when you have PD's that are feeding on green plants (grasses, etc) seem to retain more water within their body give the solid PLOP when hit and more of a disruptive explosion. Whereas the ones are feeding more on dryer forage do not usually give the PLOP sound when hit and do not give as much of a disruptive explosion.

drover

Compelling observation, never considered what impact their diet had on that.

 

[Mike402]

Why would I watch that? I have a blue F*^k ton of feral cats from my Laotian neighbors. They breed , I kill. Don't torture.

It was just interesting to watch. Became a true cat and mouse game, as the guy caught wind that they were after him, and started taunting them online and posting even more videos.

 

[rebel]

I just shoot shit that needs shooting. Hope they caught the sick bast%rd. I don't torture animals. Would consider politicians.

 

[Mike402]

I just shoot shit that needs shooting. Hope they caught the sick bast%rd. I don't torture animals. Would consider politicians.

 

[sw282]

Best medium for bullet testing on prairie dogs is PRAIRIE DOGS! Next question. 40s vs 55s. l've been shooting PDS close 30yrs. Shooting with one guy close 25yrs. 55s @3300fps from his 223 tears them up pretty bad. My 40s@3700fps cuts them in HALF!

 

[Mike402]

Best medium for bullet testing on prairie dogs is PRAIRIE DOGS!

No shit sherlock

For me its a once a year deal that entails taking a couple of weeks off of work and 40 hours of driving round trip. I'm adding in some new calibers, and I'd like to get it all worked out before taking the trip.

 

[sw282]

No shit sherlock

For me its a once a year deal that entails taking a couple of weeks off of work and 40 hours of driving round trip. I'm adding in some new calibers, and I'd like to get it all worked out before taking the trip.

''Elementery My Dear Watson''.
What we are shooting is like a half gallon jug of butter milk. lts the SPEED that kills.

 

[JSH]

After cruising through this whole thread, the last comment was my exact thought, speed kills. Especially on thin skinned colony varmints. My .223 sees way less use since I tried a 204 a number of years back. I also run 17 Fireball for 20 grain and 17 Remington for 25+ grain bullets.

My long time shooting buddy finally showed up this past year. He had arrived with what I considered cannons, 25-06,243, 22-250…. Before the first day was up he was attached to my 204. When he got home he studied up a bunch and had a 20 Practical built in short order.

 

[TheOtherZilla]

I have shot a metric butt-ton of pdogs. Most explosive bullets are Vmax. 50 grain is my flavor of choice, 22 cal. Second is 40 grain Nosler ballistic tips. For acrobatics hit em low and hydraulics will do the rest.

 

[284winner]

Greetings,

Hope everyone had a blessed Christmas!

Planning up another prairie dog trip in June and currently working up loads. Last year when I went I was surprised by how different bullet/barrel combinations performed on the dogs. I may be a sadist, but if I'm to be honest, I do enjoy the acrobats/extreme carnage. I was shocked to see the 53gr vmax perform significantly better than the 40gr vmax out of the same 24" .223 barrel. I would have thought the opposite given the higher velocity of the 40s. The most destructive combo I had last year was a 6BR with 58gr vmax's.

Getting to my question, I have 5 different rifles I'm bringing and want to test out various permutations between the different vmax weights, and was wondering what the best target would be to demonstrate the effects. Water bottles, fruit? Kinda leaning towards larger grapefruits as they will be liquefied and mimic the weight of a PD. My plan is to film say like 5 or so different shots on the same type of target for each bullet, and analyze the results back at home so I can determine the most destructive option.

Any thoughts?

Nothing beats the real thing. Video tape that.

 

[urbanrifleman]

Probably just a bottle of drinking water.

This. I have been using 20 oz soda pop bottles for 30 years.

 

[MTlager]

I just use live fat alfalfa feed goghers . If results aren't good enough, switch to different bullet. ! WOULD HATE TO WASTE GOOD WATER BOTTLE .

 

[okie]

Common tree squirrels are the best simulation.

yep like he said....crows good too

 

[Mike402]

Nothing beats the real thing. Video tape that.

That's the plan, I just ordered a 1200mm zoom lens for my full frame nikon, plan on doing an HD video to keep as a memento of my next trip. Hence the interest in wanting the best performing loads. What I'm really interested in seeing is how the 58gr 6mm vmax does against the 53gr 22 vmax at roughly the same speeds.

 

[Mike402]

I just use live fat alfalfa feed goghers . If results aren't good enough, switch to different bullet. ! WOULD HATE TO WASTE GOOD WATER BOTTLE .View attachment 1302903View attachment 1302904View attachment 1302905View attachment 1302922

Good stuff! Did you make a video of your escapades?

 

[284winner]

That's the plan, I just ordered a 1200mm zoom lens for my full frame nikon, plan on doing an HD video to keep as a memento of my next trip. Hence the interest in wanting the best performing loads. What I'm really interested in seeing is how the 58gr 6mm vmax does against the 53gr 22 vmax at roughly the same speeds.

The 53Vmax will be the best. I've used some varmint grenades but they don't like fast twist barrels. They are very explosive

 

[MTlager]

Good stuff! Did you make a video of your escapades?

Snapped pics off some slow mo videos i had taken thru spotting scope. I think those with Dasher 65 or 75 grain V-Max. They work very well.

 

[5spd]

Store bought full chicken, stick on a rod, breast facing you.
You can cook what's when your done