Prairie Dog Hunters

[IMMORTAL]

I go to Wyoming every year for a annual prairie dog hunt and take a 204 with me. I also have a 20 TAC and I think for all around rifle,I would pic the TAC.

 

[Stormbringer]

I would say it is a two horse race. 204 or 223. I am surprised nobody else mentioned the good old 223. 223 has cheap factory ammo, lots of it, is easier on the barrel and is almost as good as the 204 (rivals it out to 250 or 300 yards).

Mike.

 

[Cakes]

I'm right there with ackleyman II. While I've shot the 20's, given the usual stiff wind and 200-400 yards.. I gotta go to my 6's. It's just no fun if they aren't flyin 10-15'. IMO it's all about the "flippers". MY two 6AR T-40's and 6 Hagar take a beating but they don't disappoint me with the 75 V-max or 55 blitz. Heck I'll even go for a walk with my 7SAUM and 120 V-maxes....everybody has their own weird version of FUN!! Eric in DL

 

[russ2far]

I have a Cooper model 21 204 with 3500 to 4000 rounds shot at P-dogs, it shoots as good today as it did the day I got it, maybe better since after 10 years of trying different powders, bullets, and primers I have found its pet load. 27gn Ramshot Tac, 34gn Dogtown bullet, and CCI450, speed is right at 3900fps. It is a single shot, I shoot 100-150 round every day on a P-dog town with it. It gets warm but it hasn't ever gotten hot on me. I figure in a 9 hour day, and 150 round a day, you should have a shot every 3.6 minutes, no reason it should ever get hot, even at 200 rounds a day that would figure to a shot every 2.5 to 2.75 minutes and I wouldn't think that would over heat a barrel. I love my 204, and any other 204 I have shot I wouldn't mind having if I couldn't have the Cooper anymore. Reload for them and cost per round is cheaper then 223. Light recoil, I have seen every P-dog flip through the scope I have hit. I have seen quit a few P-dogs shot at 50-100yrds with a 17hmr and can't recall one flip from them. After learning how to judge wind speed, it is not hard to learn where to hold, and the 204 will produce a consistent and predictable flight path shot after shot in wind. I ranged a shot 8 years ago 478yrds to the base of the mound little P-dog was on boom, my buddy said I can't believe he did a flip he is a mile away, every trip since I make a shot that I know is going to be the best it has made, but the closet one to date was 472yrds. All the P-Dog towns I shoot are rolling hills so a shot longer the 500yrds I unlike. I have a 17hmr, 22mag, .222, .223, .220 Wilson-Arrow, .22-250 that all get at least one P-dog a trip but I guess yea its the 204 for me, no way around it.

 

[DogBuster]

For the target and range mentioned....sure the 204R will work

I have three p/dog 20's set up...serious 18# table guns..

20VT..20PT...20-222....my fav ?

luv 'em all but the 20-222 is just hard to beat...40 gr V's in all three

yes I've had two 204R's also......had.......

 

[areaone]

223AI.

 

[people]

223AI.

While a great option it is very hard to find factory ammunition.

I have not looked at factory ammunition prices. Is 223 cheaper than 204?

 

[unclefudd]

Ah Yes, ARIEL BURIELS, nuthin like it and it never gets old. Grew up in Wyo and been shooting them since the early 50s. My son and bro still live there so I go back 3 to 5 times a yr to shoot with them. I usually take a friend from Phx with me but always with a solemn warning. "If you have a choice, taking drugs or shooting prairie dogs for the first time, take drugs cuz you can quit. If you start shooting Pdogs you are hooked for life'.
My Son uses Rem 700 .223 and I use R93 22-250 and brother began using the 204 bout 4 yrs ago. The 204 will shoot or outshoot with or either out to 400 yds even in the Wyo wind. I'm just to cheap to buy another gun and my son says he sees no reason as his 223 does just fine. We try not to shoot inside 200 just for the sport. All of us load our own and have really good results with our chosen bullets and powder charges.
Actually I really like the way his 204 shoots but will not admit it to him. If I buy nuthr gun it will be 204 for sure.

UF

 

[A_Gamehog]

In the wind you have two prefered choices:
A .223 Rem. 1-9 twist shooting the 53 V-Max
A .204 Ruger 1-11 twist shooting the 39 Sierra

Both are 200-400 yard options in the right hands with windy conditions. I use X-Terminator in both with a Dillon 650 press, 1,000 rds reloaded in a few hours is easy.

 

[GrocMax]

20 Practical. Mine chronos 3800 with 40 NBT's. Needs trimmed every 2-3 firings.. L.C. brass works well for high volume dog shooting. Redding 223 type s bushing dies with the 204 inerds will due the job. 204 Ruger dies might do the job.

How long doesthe brass last with this load?

I like all the 20's. Any word on the 17 Fireball/Mach 4?

For me at least 6-8 reloads, but that is a moot point as brass is very cheap and easy to turn into a finished case.

 

[stosh]

Your question is a good one, I hunt a lot of Prairie dogs and I do not own a 204 ruger. However I hunt with a lot of guys that do and sinse you asked if there is a better caliber for prairie dogs I don't know of any! I shoot an ar 223 and I don't have the effective range of my friends 204. I can out shoot it at long rage with a couple calibers 22-250 or 6x47 L but they get hot pretty quick so I think the 204 is about the best gun for dogs. Now if your talking dogs and groundhogs or coyote then it's too light. Have seen both run off after being hit with 204 more than once.

Stosh

 

[6xcshooter]

seems to me any caliber is a great caliber to shoot prairie dogs with. After all your shooting prairie dogs it's all fun.

 

[Jtate]

I only go twice a year. The 204R is outstanding and I would own one if I already did not have a great shooting .223. I use the 223 for the under 250 yard shots, when all those dogs are cleaned out, and the range gets alot longer I switch over to my 6mm Br shooting 75 grain Vmax's, my longest kills last summer were at +or- 650 yards these type of shots are a lot of fun for me, but it is not high volume. A 75 grain Vmax even at those ranges turns them into red mist. So my advice is if you do not have a .22 cal dog gun, get a 204R, but when you want to reach out and touch them, or buck the wind you need a 6mm.