Long range prairie dog gun

[8SNAKE]

I'm new to this forum, but have spent some time browsing through a wealth of information on this site. After sifting through a lot of threads, I'm still torn about what caliber I want to chamber a new rifle in. I've considered 6.5 x 47, 6.5 x 55, 6.5 x 284, 6mmBR, etc.

I've got a Cooper in .204 that works well for prairie dogs inside of 400 yards. I've stretched it out beyond 600, but I'd like something else for that duty. I will likely start with a Remington action and then build from there.

Here's what matters most to me:
1. I want to see my shot impacts
2. Most shots between 400-800 yards, but would like to reach 1,000 every once in a while
3. Relatively simple to reload,don't want to form brass)
4. Decent barrel life,2000+ rounds) is preferred

If I've left anything out that would be helpful in offering advice, please let me know!

Thanks,
Mike

 

[billmo]

Mike, The 6.5 Grendel is a very good candidate for all of your criteria. It is one more accurate mama jama in my rifle. Bill

EDIT: You can read about it all over the place. There is a very good article or two right here on 6BR.com

 

[8SNAKE]

Thanks for the tip, Bill. I will read up on the Grendel and see how it compares with the Creedmoor and and 6.5 x 47 Lapua.

 

[billmo]

Good deal. It has all of what you asked for with less recoil and will shoot as flat as a .308 out to 1000 yds. I think you will find in one of the articles that it is delivering better ballistics and energy than a lot of the other varmint calibers too. Bill

 

[8SNAKE]

That sounds like exactly what I'm looking for!

 

[billmo]

I'm in love with mine. Just need to get some time to spend with it. Bill

 

[Flybuster]

For mid range varmint hunting,300-800 yards) I'd go with a faster 6mm. Shooting frangible bullets like the 75-87 V-max. The 87 v-max has a decent b.c. for a varmint bullet around .400 ...

Your drop chart and rangefinder can only be so accurate to a degree. Your trying to hit a 3"x10" target at varying distaces. A flatter shooting cartridge will help make up for ranging/dope errors.

To see your hits, if your primarily shooting off a bench, build a bench gun with a bench rest type stock, that tracks straight back. This will help you see your shots better at longer ranges. If its a walk around gun, consider a brake. I know I can just barely recover to see hits at 500 yards with my 11lb un-braked 25-06.

I don't personally hunt Prarie dogs, but I shoot a bunch of ground squirrels and some rockchucks. I think that you hunt them similar.

 

[stosh]

I'll recommend 6x47 Lapua. Mine shoots 88gr Bergers at 3400 nad .3" at 300yds. and easily pushes 70 gr bullets to 3700. With a brake you can keep your sight pic.

Requires necking down 6.5 to 6 but that is one pass through a 6x47 Forester die.

 

[8SNAKE]

Thank you for the suggestions thus far. They are greatly appreciated!

Flybuster - I completely agree with your comments about the benefits of a flat-shooting cartridge. That's one of the reasons that I love my .204 so much. It's like a lazer beam inside of 400 yards and takes a lot of the guess work out of ranging prairie dogs. Which 6mm would you recommend?

Stosh - Thanks for the feedback about the 6 x 47. Neck sizing wouldn't be that big of a deal for me, so I'll check out the 6.

 

[6BR]

8SNAKE,

I would go with the 6BR or 6x47 Lapua. I am going with the 6BR for my long range varmint rig. The 6BR will kill PDogs out to 1000 yards with no problem. I will be using the 87grn V-Max for shots from 0 to 500 yards and the 105grn A-Max for shots from 500 to 1000 yards. The 6BR is a very impressive little cartridge.

Once I shot the 6BR, I was hooked. I have also heard the 6x47 Lapua is doing quite well too. The 6x47 Lapua will be my next build. I would seriously pick either the 6BR or the 6x47 Lapua for your long range Pdog rig. Also, buy a fast twist barrel. For the 6BR or 6x47 Lapua, the 1-8 twist will be perfect. The 6BR will shoot bullets from 65 to 105grns out of the 1-8 twist with no problems. The 6BR is very versatile allowing you to shoot the smaller bullets as well as the longer VLD bullets.

I wish I would have built a 6BR along time ago. I was told to build a 6BR by many friends. Even the gunsmith, who was building my rifles, kept telling me to build a 6BR. However, I was too wrapped up in the higher velocity 6mm, so I built the 243AI, 6mmAI, and 6x284. Well, after 6 years later and a ton of money spent, I realized those who told me to build a 6BR were right. Don't get me wrong I love the 243AI, 6mmAI and the 6x284, they are awesome cartridges. However, for small varmints like Pdogs and Squirrels the 6BR will do everything the above mentioned cartridges will do, just a little slower. However I have learned the 6BR is more accurate, has much longer barrel life, easy and cheap to load for and fun as hell to shoot in a Pdog or Squirrel town.

Anyhow, good luck with your choice. Take your time and really look at the 6BR and the 6x47 Lapua before you make your final decision.

 

[Flybuster]

I understand that when you get into a good dog-town its easy to crank off quite a few rounds. Alot of guys carry 3-4 or more rifles, as one barrel heats up they switch rifles. Well the more powder in your case the faster its going to heat up.

I don't have a 6x47L, but its definetly fast for the amount of powder burt. I have also seen what they can do accuracy-wise on 600 yard targets. I would consider it, that or the 6xc or 6-250 for ease of case forming. I shoot a 6 Dasher, but alittle more case forming is involved. 6br would be fun, too. But might probably lack the splat. :lol:

 

[Mech]

Being a fool for the 6MM's I have three. Each is set up a bit different from each other. But all of them shoot the 87gr V-Max with great precision. Two of them like R-19 with a Fed. Mag. Match primer. While the last enjoys H-4831 with the same primer. Standard primers work nearly as well but generally lose a small bit of accuracy and roughly 20-30 fps. The V-Max will chunk a dog to hair teeth and eyeballs at extreme ranges.

Mech

 

[ALO]

BEst 6mm out there is the tried and true 6mm Ackley with a quick twist barrel ,1-8 Inch). This is by far one of the best long range shootin' rifle around,Just my Opinion). But I have had mine since 2001 an dhave shot prairie dogs, and woodchucks, deer, antelope and have even put it into a benchrest stock and have won numerous compeitions with it. It has ove 2000 rounds through it an dis still going stong an dwill still make a 5 shot one ragged hole. The best bullets I have used are JLK 105 grainers, 107 Sierra MK, and 105 grain Hornady A-Max. I have shot woodchuck and prairie dogs to 900 yards using 44.5 grains of RL-19 with any one of these three bullets and it just flat shoots. For competition I us either the 107 Sierra or the JLK. The barrel is a Hart barrel, Remington trued action and with a Jewel trigger. I had this rifle with me out in Montana antelope hunting and once I got my antelope, used a .243 Winchester for the antelope) it was play around time. We were hunting around the the Forsythe - Vananda area. After we found a prairie dog town, I broke out the 6mm Ackley topped with Leupold 40X Benchrest scope, Leica Rangefinder, and those poor little critters didnt stand a chance. No shots were under 300, but were stretched out to over 800 yards. My friend's son was with us also and even though Andrew was 15 years old at the time, he is an excellent shot. Once he tried my 6mm Ackley, we couldn't pry him off the bench. He was so enchanted with the rifle he saved up his money an had one built.
It is a tremendous rifle and exceptionally accurate once you find the sweet spot.

 

[johnmyers]

I have a 700 that I had a pac nor 28inch 1:8 twist chambered in 22-250. I shoot 80gr Sierras at 3275fps grouping 1 inch or less at 300yds. This a fantastic long range prarie dog set up with low recoil, flat shooting and really bites the wind. Compare the ballistics with the 6mms out to 1000 yds and you'll be suprised. If you want something to expand more try Hornaday 75gr AMax at 3300fps and nothing will walk away when hit. Good luck

 

[TOObuilder]

I went with the 6x47L for my long range pd rig. It is a 27" barrel 1-8 twist no turn neck and shoots the 105gr. Berger VLD's very well at 3050+fps. Have also tried the 95VLD's a bit but they didn't shoot quite as well, need to explore some other powders. I thought hard about the 6br also but the 6x47 won the coin toss. I am betting I would have been happy with it also. TB

 

[DogBuster]

6XC w/8 twist

 

[tiny68]

You have so many options. My next build will be a 6BR for a Savage Target action. Barrel on order. However, I own a couple of 6mm Rems and really like them with the 75 and 87 Vmax. Last year I had Dave Tooley put me together a M700 6mm Ackley with a Hart 1:9 twist on a 28" barrel. The 6 Ackley just blows be away. Even shooting the cheap 105 Amaxs, if I don't shoot a sub-1" 5-shot group at 300 yds I am pretty mad at myself. And this is without flags. Brass is my only compliant. I usually cull about 10% of the RP brass before I even start fire-forming. I bought a bunch of close-out RWS 7x57 brass this summer and turned the necks down. Haven't fire formed any yet. Can't wait to see how that stuff shoots.

Luck in your choice. Tons of goods options, tiny

 

[Dgd6mm]

6CM 115 dtac,highly accurate 4000 round barrel life.

 

[kochie]

i was just wondering cooper makes a 6br but just with a 1&14 twist or a 1&10 twist anything else and it will cost and extra $400 what one would you go for. I wanted a 1&12 twist but $ 400 dollors is just too much extra.

 

[bkmilw]

6BRX you can use stock 6br dies so its really really easy fire forming and you still get the improved br bonuses even though its not.with a 9 or 10 twist barrel for the 85 to 95 gr'ers sounds perfect and very accurate, use muzzle break to see hits.