What armament for prairie dogs?

[KY_Windage]

.204 at 100 yds, 32-gr V-Max, today, all 5-shot groups. The P-dogs need to be worried.

 

[David Eberts]

I like simplicity in the field. All rifles are .223 with a load that works for all of them. In my case, that's 25.0 gr of Benchmark in an LC case with a 55 gr VMAX. This works in a 26" Rem 700 and an AR varminter. I figure my dope prior to the trip and use a BDC reticle with the scope set on a particular magnification. That way, all I do is range, holdover and shoot. I've found it much much faster and more effective than dialing elevation. Shots are made out to 550 with most of them being in the 200-300 range after the dogs wise up and move out.

Most think you need 50x magnification to see a 'dog. 12x is what I use even though the scope goes up to 20x. 12x is effective.

Finally someone I see eye to eye with. I shoot a Savage model 12 FV in .223 with a 26" bull barrel. I also load 25 gr's of benchmark powder but use the 50 gr, vmax bullet. Kicks ass.

 

[Dgd6mm]

How does a 17HMR fair in a dog town? What is a reasonable distance for maximum shots?

 

[lightman]

I shoot a 223 more than anything. Any of the plastic tip varmint bullets weighing 50 to 55 grains from Hornady, Nosler or Sierra work well. I've made hits out to 615 yards but try to stay under 300. Faster flatter shooting cartridges are fun but the barrels get hot quicker. Bigger cartridges in 6 and 6.5mm are also fun but the increased noise will scare the dogs more than the smaller cartridges. I've made a few 1000 yard shots with a 6.5-284 but then you wait an hour for the closer dogs to come back out!

Shooting supressed works well if you have the ability.

Accurate rifles with good triggers and heavy barrels are nice to shoot with. Factory rifles will work too!

Quality glassware is nice. I use variable powered scopes in the 3.5-10 up to 6.5-20 range. Sometimes the heat mirage gets really bad with the higher powers.

A few buddies bring 17 Rimfire and even 22 rimfire rifles but the wind gets to them if its bad.

 

[xring]

How does a 17HMR fair in a dog town? What is a reasonable distance for maximum shots?

My experience with the Vmax Hummer was about 200 Yards for the little ones and about 150 Yards for the really big ones . I don't want crawl-offs and extending Ranges beyond 200 Yards often required more than one shot ...... YMMV .

 

[5spd]

I shoot the snot out of pdogs out here and my only go to caliber is .223 . I do take a 17hmr for dinking real close ones. I shoot and move when I need to and never sit in 1 spot all day long, so no need for extra guns.

 

[Yamess191]

17hmr And 22 magnum for walking around with shooting stix out to about 150 yards, you don’t have to worry about barrel heat with these so if it is thick with target close up, these are great.
17 fireball and 221 fireball are good on the bench out to maybe 250 yards max with 25 grain v max in my 17 fireball and the 40 grain v max in the 221 fireball. Can’t shoot much more than 15 rounds out of each of these then the barrel heats up and gotta let it cool.
20 practical and 223 both in AR’s for 300+, great toward the end of each day when I am done walking the fields and ready to relax and shoot long range off the bench, though both of these also tend to heat up pretty good after 15 shot strings also. My 20 practical likes 32 grain v Max’s and the 223 like 50 grain v Max’s.
i bring 1000 rounds of 17 hmr and 1000 rounds of 22 magnum. There has been years when I burn through that and have to buy more, but most years that seems to be enough. I bring 3-500 17 fireball and 221 fireball and almost never shoot all of it, the barrels heat up too quick to really blow though those. Same with the 20 practical and 223, don’t ever go through more than 1-200 of them.
I don’t see how people use those big calibers soo much unless they burn there barrels up, don’t mind not seeing there hits and only take 20-50 shots a day. I leave the big game rifles at home. Where I shoot ground squirrels there so thick that you usually blast through 2-300 17hmr/22 magnum just around your truck as soon as you step out!

 

[Coyotefurharvester]

Next run after the 4th, 4 rifles 20p AR(extra upper in 17 rem), TC Dimension(3 barrels) 204r,223,22-250, Savage 112-223,Rem 700 22-250. Most of the shooting will be .20 cal and .223. Would like to add an accurate 17 wsm.

 

[Tommie]

How does a 17HMR fair in a dog town? What is a reasonable distance for maximum shots?

When the wind isn’t blowing (yeah, like hardly ever) an HMR is good for 250 yards, but hits past 200 aren’t anything resembling explosive. My longest kill with an HMR was 283 yards. Once the wind picks back up it’s time to put away the rimfires.

 

[drover]

150 yards is my self imposed limit for shooting PD's with the 17HMR, there are just too many crawl offs even with good solid body hits. Even a PD should not have to suffer and the 17HMR just does not have enough energy to make quick kills past 150.

drover

 

[Dgd6mm]

I live in North Florida, but have spent months in Sweetwater County , Wyoming on my property. I'm on the North side of 80 exit Riner road. I've killed many a prairie dog with my .22. I've used centerfire also. I don't own a 17HMR but have considered getting one for the next time out there take it, my .223, and 6br.

 

[DogBuster]

Today...20-222 again....so sweet !

Kilt about 75-80

40 V max

 

[halfmile]

223 of course. 40 Vmax at 3800. I used to take a 243, but my 22-250 turned out to be just as effective at the longer ranges. 55's With a good stuffing of Benchmark. I have a 260 VLS that will come along as soon as I get it worked out. Next fun toy will be a 20 Practical.

HM

 

[Rich Lee]

What armament for prairie dogs?
50 BMG! Close is close enough at ANY distance.

Use to pop ground squirrels with a Savage 110 V in .223. Out to say 300 + yards? A REAL FUN shooter. No more places to shoot now.

dont know where your but in northeast colo there are p d everywhere.