17 HMR for Prarie Dogs?

x2 on the .22

Blurr[SOAR] said:
Why think about it so much?

I used to shoot prairie dogs a lot when I was younger out in Manitoba. All we used was a .22 and got great results. And you can shoot all day for practically nothing...

~$20 for a box of 500 .22's? Doesn't get much better than that.

Get some 36g hollow points, those dogs will be exploding left, right and centre.
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I go to alberta a couple of times a year for a good steak and to blast some dogs. There's nothing like the sound a cci stinger makes as it roasts a mini dog at 50 yards. Absolute carnage!
 
stovepiper said:
I go to alberta a couple of times a year for a good steak and to blast some dogs. There's nothing like the sound a cci stinger makes as it roasts a mini dog at 50 yards. Absolute carnage!
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The tread is about shooting PRAIRIE DOGS not GOPHERS. A dog is much larger than a gopher... aka, Richardsons ground squirrel. An adult dog weighs in at likely a pound and a half and are about the size as a muskrat. Gophers seldom weigh more than 8-10 ounces.

An HMR is bare minnimum for dog shooting IMO and the lowly 22lr is so useless on dogs that it's not even worth mentioning! If I was going to hunt prairie dogs on a regular basis...and I do... then I would lean toward a 222 or 223. Better yet the new generation of 20 cals. would be an even better choice IMHO.
 
I just got back from my local g-store......
an enty level .204 is $800.....
The REALLY nice Sako I just held..... $2049

Good scope start around $900 (bushnell) and $1300 (Zeiss)

So if I want a heavey barrelled .204, I need to drop $1300 minimum & I need to drop $900 minimum on a scope...... This takes my Budget up to just shy of $3K.....

I don't think I have enough stuff to sell! I had better put down the pipe before I loose my mind....:onCrack:

I don't think this is going to happen this year..... :(
 
"My personal opinion is that 22-250's, 243's and the like are a bit too much gun. Way too much muzzel jump, recoil and expensive as these burn a lot of powder."


you must be kidding a 22 250 with a heavy barrel lets me watch my bullets hit though that meant there want much recoil
 
lakedweller1 said:
"My personal opinion is that 22-250's, 243's and the like are a bit too much gun. Way too much muzzel jump, recoil and expensive as these burn a lot of powder."


you must be kidding a 22 250 with a heavy barrel lets me watch my bullets hit though that meant there want much recoil
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Yes as long as you shoot from a bench all day. Have to be quite the bull barrel IMO for a 22-250 under high magnification to allow one to see impact results on a regular basis. I like the 22-250 and shoot mine on a regular basis but find my small 8.5 pound 222 Sako varmint much more user friendly on dog towns. Gets very tiring firing upwards of 300 rounds per day as well.
 
notsorichguy said:
I figgure I need $800 for the rifle, $800 for the scope, $100 for primers (i know its a bit much but better safe than sorry), $55 for dies, $500 for bullets and $120 for powder..... $2475+!!!
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You're looking to high end.

Think about a Stevens or Savage in the EE... When are you going? Next spring? Stalk the EE like a wolf and you could probably find a .223 with glass and a bipod for under grand. In fact I think there's a couple tac drivers in the precision section right now that have been listed for a while so if you made the right offer you might be able to do it right now.

Powder is 35 a pound for Varget out here. Primers are going for 45 bucks for a thousand out here right now. Brass is cheap like a back alley hooker for the .223. I think a couple of sponsors at the top sell it by the thousand it's so cheap. and bullets are about 24 dollars for a hundred if a remember correctly. Dies can be found for 35 bucks if you do some searching on the web.

I bet for $1500 you can be set for your trip and the rest of your life if you get the right rifle. Man, I should be a salesperson....:D
 
lakedweller1 said:
"My personal opinion is that 22-250's, 243's and the like are a bit too much gun. Way too much muzzel jump, recoil and expensive as these burn a lot of powder."
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I use a .243 all the time and have no issues. I can also use it for the occasional coyote that we spot when out looking for the little dirt pigs.
 
notsorichguy said:
Just to clarify....

I shoot ALOT of Gophers! I personally am responsible for 450+ gopher casualties this year alone, and I haven't been out for Gophers since July......

I am not talking about hunting gophers, I am talking about hunting Prarie Dogs.....

Thanks for the good advice M12shooter. What you said echo's what I have been told to expect in the spring. From what I understand the area we will be hunting will be in Western North Dakota and Eastern Montana. One of my friends goes down every year (he has family out that way) and has extended the invite. I am really looking forward to it!
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I thought a gopher was a prairie dog?
 
TrevorW said:
can you see a gopher with irons at 800m??
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If you eat a lot of carrots....;)

Not impossible, but pretty darn close.

As I understand it, what we call a gopher on the prairies in Canada is the Richardson Ground squirrel and it looks like this.

gopher.jpg


A prairie dog is about twice as big and looks like a mini groundhog. It's about twice as big as a "gopher".

prairie-dog-picture.jpg


I'm sure others will chime in about the difference.
 
I'm trying not to look!! :eek:.... None of my stuff has sold yet! lol!!

I have been looking in the EE, not real hard mind you, but enough to get a price point in mind. I've noticed that a lot of guys don't bother with pics. :( and the ones that do (like the link you posted cummins) they have a $148 scope on the rifle.

It makes me wonder just how many people on this site know what accuracy is, after all I am as cheap as any Scottsman..... But I know quality when I see it, and for accuracy out past 100y you NEED good optics!

Please keep an eye out for me, I can't be on this computer all of the time!

Cheers!
 
notsorichguy said:
I just got back from my local g-store......
an enty level .204 is $800.....
The REALLY nice Sako I just held..... $2049

Good scope start around $900 (bushnell) and $1300 (Zeiss)

So if I want a heavey barrelled .204, I need to drop $1300 minimum & I need to drop $900 minimum on a scope...... This takes my Budget up to just shy of $3K.....

I don't think I have enough stuff to sell! I had better put down the pipe before I loose my mind....:onCrack:

I don't think this is going to happen this year..... :(
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Why not get a savage 12 series = ~ $1200
Scope Bushnell 3200 5X15 = $400

Sure you could do better, but do you wanna go doggin' or what?
 
notsorichguy said:
I'm trying not to look!! :eek:.... None of my stuff has sold yet! lol!!

I have been looking in the EE, not real hard mind you, but enough to get a price point in mind. I've noticed that a lot of guys don't bother with pics. :( and the ones that do (like the link you posted cummins) they have a $148 scope on the rifle.

It makes me wonder just how many people on this site know what accuracy is, after all I am as cheap as any Scottsman..... But I know quality when I see it, and for accuracy out past 100y you NEED good optics!

Please keep an eye out for me, I can't be on this computer all of the time!

Cheers!
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I know what it's like to be on a budget but you want to take part in what can be an expensive past time.

Here's what I did in 2007 when I couldn't find what I wanted in the EE.

A Savage 12fv in .243---- searching online resulted in a $625 deal
(because I wanted to hunt deer with it as well, again budget issues)

A Bushnell 3200 Elite 10x--- Just over $300

A bipod at a gun show for $100

Base and rings for $115 ( can't remember the make )

So for under 1200 you have a brand new set up. A bit more than what's available in the EE, but it's brand new and you know it hasn't been abused.

And I mentioned reloading earlier.

Best of luck. Us budget guys gotta look out for each other. Keep checkin' the EE. Guys are looking for new toys right now and will be looking to get rid of some other stuff to pay for it.
 
As someone who shoots a LOT of gophers, my humble suggestion.

I started (and used for YEARS and many thousands of gophers) user a Ruger 10/22 with decent glass. I regularly killed gophers at 150 - 200, and even nailed quite a few over 250-275. Don't expect them to come apart, but they all die if hit with a .22.

However, if you really want to get serious, buy a .223 and don't look back!

I bought a Tikka T3 Varmint (LH) in .223 and put a Falcon 4.5-18x56 on top for about $1500. This was all brand new stuff, so I'm sure you could get used for even less now.

IMG_8903.jpg


I load 55gr V-MAX on the warm side, and get DEVESTATING effects on ground squirrels to 350-400 yards.

.204 is okay if you reload (obviously), but I'd be worried about barrel life if you're a high volume shooter.

I'd buy a nice .223 and decent optics, and you're set for a long time. :)
 
I was looking at a Remmy 700 VTR in .223 or .204, they ring in at $750(ish). But I was told buy a couple of people, dealers, shooters and one or two nobodys, that the remmy QC has gone to heck lately. I was also told they have been seeing about 1 in 5 barrels that were absolutly terrible. In the words of one Benchrest shooter at my club (and this guy is good) "the rifleing is cut with a chainsaw!"

I have a Meuller APV 4.5-15x45 that is just sitting on the bench waiting for a rifle, I was going to try that first (if it works good great, if not I will have to sell more stuff)

I have all the "major" eqipment to load all I would need are some dies.

I am still leaning hard in the direction of a .204 but I am coming to see how a .223 would be a little easier to find brass & components for.

I will probably just go and buy the VTR anyway (its all I can afford) and hope it shoots!

I will hold off buying anything till this weekend as there is a g-show close by and apparently it's supposed to be a good one. I am going to take all of my "toys" I am thinking of selling and see if I can't make some trades..... If not it's off to the EE I go to sell/trade my stuff.

If anyone knows anybody selling a good heavey barrelled .223 or .204 that may be interested in a 6 month old Colt Gold Cup Let me know! :D
 
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223 is a great choice for dogs. All my American buddies shoot them. Easy on barrels, the pocket book and easy on the shooter during high volume hunts. Thompson Center makes the Encore which is a single shot and available in 204 and 223. They are deadly accurate. Be prepaired to spend as much on a scope as you will on the rifle though!
 
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