Heavy bullets for Prairie dogs

[Bottom Fodder]

I may get a chance to go on a PD hunt, but the gun I would us is a 6br. With a 1-8 twist that I shoot SMK 107 in. I hate to have to redo my load to go one time. I figure these heavy target bullets are not to do much damage for a fast kill. How bad of an ideal would it be to use them. I’m totally clueless when it comes to PD hunting
thanks

 

[lawman29]

Where are you going, how many days and what do you know about the pd population ie lots of shooting (high volume)...
If I could only take one rifle it would not be my 6br.
If the population is pretty good you'll either say what the hell and probably burn up the barrel or sit and watch your buddies waiting for it to cool off...

 

[Tommie]

Most of your hits will be inside 400 yards. I really really recommend you go with a lighter bullet - and make it a dedicated varmint bullet. For a BR I’ll stick with 65 grain or lighter. You’ll thank me later.

 

[Bill Norris]

It probably would not be a bad chore to work up a decent load with a lighter bullet that the 1 - 8 twist would shoot decent.

 

[Mulligan]

I tried some target bullets on rock chucks, pencil hole in and out.
The same rifle, 8 twist dasher shot 87 VMax just fine. A buddy shoots 58 gr vmax out of an 8 twist 6br ……. Pretty darn explosive spinning that fast!
CW

 

[scattergun6]

Another vote for the 58gr V-Max...I used it on prairie dogs out of a 10 twist .243. The dogs come apart like they've been unzipped...

 

[itchyTF]

80gr Berger?

 

[Breakshunter]

Remember there will probably be cattle somewhere around and those long bullets tend to blow right thru pdogs and keep going and or ricochet. Just my .02$ worth. Its more fun when you see chunks.

 

[muleystalker]

87gr VMAX work great.

 

[ChrisNZ]

The 87s weren't giving me the red mist I wanted out of my 6BR but the 75s didn't disappoint..

 

[markT]

87 Vmax.

 

[JSH]

I never got the speed from the 87’s out of the 6BR to give me the effect I was after. I used the 75’s and lighter to get lift and devistation.

 

[markT]

You could try 70 gr BlitzKings if you can find them.

 

[saunaking]

Most of your hits will be inside 400 yards. I really really recommend you go with a lighter bullet - and make it a dedicated varmint bullet. For a BR I’ll stick with 65 grain or lighter. You’ll thank me later.

The twist rate the OP will be using is the only thing to worry about with the 65-75 grain bullets. I have had bullets come apart on me using my 6br with the 65 grain bullets I tested. The 80 grain plus bullets would be a better option IMO if you are going to use the 6br.

 

[chuckshooter]

For most of us, there was a learning curve from the 1st trips to nowadays. I remember my 1st squirrel shooting adventure, we stumbled upon them. I had a 22lr and a 30-30. You shoot what you have, right. Now i only take .20 caliber rifles, maybe a 22br, or 223 or maybe a 22-250. But nothing bigger, the bigger guns produce more heat. I use the wet towel method to keep from over heating myself and my barrels. If you are lucky enough to get into a lot of them, you can plan on between 200 to 500 rounds a day , I've had days over 600. But, I've also had 25 shots in a day. I just finished, 2 days ago, reloading what i shot earlier this year , that's the drawback , plus of course, rifles needing new barrels. I hope you find many to shoot.

 

[Bottom Fodder]

Thanks guys A lot of great information I really don’t think this trip will happen anytime soon and I really feel like some good points made and if I ever do I’m ahead of the game on starting to prepare. The Br barrel is getting close to the end of its cycle that way I was thinking of using it
thanks again for sharing your thoughts

 

[JSH]

I have spun the Vmax pretty hard and not had them come apart in 6BR and 6CM. The old SPSX will come apart as will some of the Speer. I have had Sierra’s come apart after a lot of shooting and a fairly warm barrel.
The stick on thermometer strips give a person a pretty fair idea of how hot they are getting. I have had issues with them not wanting to stay stuck to my barrel. Tried some super glue with so so results.
There was a thread floating around some where that had a max RPM for a number of Varmint

This may have been for .224, don’t recall where I got it

 

[DHuffman]

Thanks guys A lot of great information I really don’t think this trip will happen anytime soon and I really feel like some good points made and if I ever do I’m ahead of the game on starting to prepare. The Br barrel is getting close to the end of its cycle that way I was thinking of using it
thanks again for sharing your thoughts

The 107s and other heavy target bullets kill them well enough, there will be a few crawl to the hole but almost all of them will be dead right there.
I would go as is instead of using up barrel life on a barrel near the end of its life working up a new load with a faster bullet that will definitely accelerate barrel life.
I've always shot the heavies on PDs.

 

[Hotshot]

I have a 9 twist Lilja 6cm barrel varmint contour. It shoots 75 vmax into bench rest quality groups. You can't believe what it does to a prairie dog. I don't shoot it much. I save it for showing off.

 

[lawman29]

A lot of great information I really don’t think this trip will happen anytime soon

In that case you should be asking what caliber, make, etc should I get... you'll have more opinions than you could imagine