Buying a Prairie Dog rifle, What's Best?

[Oregon Fishing Guide]

Hey Everyone,

Now that we own the hunting outfit in Wyoming we have prairie dog cities all over. I have never bought a varmint rifle but I am going to get one soon. I want one that I can shoot long distant accuratley so what better way to get some good advice then from my friends here on MM to help me pick one out. I am not going to spend more then what a standard hunting rifle would cost therefore I am not looking for a custom rifle just one I can buy off the shelf. What caliber is really what I am wanting to know and why? I was going to post this on General hunting but my computer timed out before the post page would come up. Don't know why but ever other area I can post. Anyway, help me pick out a new rifle.

God Bless and see you in the Outdoors,

Jon and Stacy Ball
1-877-347-4662
www.JonsOutdoors.com
Which consists of
Gimme A Go Fishing Adventures (Columbia River)
JS Outfitters (Hunting Wyoming)
Thorne Bay Lodge (Alaska)

 

[muzz]

Just get a remington SPS in 223. All you need and shoots great. Let me know I will meet you for a dog shoot. Where in wyoming are you? I have two friends that go there hunting dogs every summer and we are looking for a place to go for a couple days. [email protected]

Thanks

 

[Oregon Fishing Guide]

Hey Muzz,

We are in the Buffalo area. I will not be there in the summer because I guide up in Alaska but my customers and I wil be putting a hurt on them in the fall. Thanks for the info.

God Bless and see you in the Outdoors,

Jon and Stacy Ball
1-877-347-4662
www.JonsOutdoors.com
Which consists of
Gimme A Go Fishing Adventures (Columbia River)
JS Outfitters (Hunting Wyoming)
Thorne Bay Lodge (Alaska)

 

[elkslayer54]

LAST EDITED ON Mar-26-07 AT 10:59AM (MST)[p]Let me see, There are many. 204, 22-250, 222, 220 swift, 25-06, 243, bla bla bla, I would go with the 223 you can get military ammo cheap, I have a ruger target (poilce sniper) 223 heavy barrel laminate with the double sling studs in the front one for a bi-pod and one for a sling, Bi-pod is a good thing, this rifle is a one holer, litteraly, bad boy. That is what I have. I grew up in NM and AZ shooting them, man that is a riot, But if I was going to start a new rifle today I would still go with the ruger target. God bless you happy hunting. Bill
http://www.ruger-firearms.com/Firea...iation=Target Grey? Target&bct=Yes&type=Rifle

 

[RACKMASTER]

LAST EDITED ON Mar-26-07 AT 08:17PM (MST)[p]me ?...a .50 BMG!! just got to be close like "horse shoes"..
just kidding..but a heavy barrel 22-250 or same barrel in a.240 weatherby mag(however$$$$$$$$$$$$ the down side, but a smoker!)
rm

 

[rumproast]

Hey, OFG--
I really enjoyed my old .220 Swift, my only real chuckster. It had hot legs for a .22 bullet, but I burned out the barrel in less than a thousand rounds, and never bothered replacing it.
Reason being I finally got my own .243, which doubles as my Lope rifle. Or rather my Lope and Whitetail rifle doubles for prairie rats and yotes.
That was my "cheap bastid that I be" answer to Wyo's 23/100's minimum for big game and my need for a critter-gitter at the same time. Paid $200 for that rifle many years ago, and I get mileage out of it each year. Still plenty accurate.
Almost bought a .22-250 from a buddy that I'd shot quite a bit, but didn't for the lone fact I couldn't use it for much other than varmint-types here. Real nice round, though, but it still doesn't handle the wind as well as a .243, by my read.
These are all Winchesters, no problems with that, even though I'm an old Savage fan (for the big brutes, at least).

Happy Doggin'!
Rump

 

[woodruffhunter]

Get a 223, Cheap Ammo!!

 

[muleyman]

Why the hell would you guys use a center fire rifle for prairie dogs??? I use a .17 and couldn't imagine shooting literally 100's of rounds a day at dogs at the cost of some of the calibers your talking about. Also your shoulder is gonna get real tired, real fast.

I say a 22 mag or .17

Fun and CHEAP to shoot and very accurate out to 150yrd or so

muleyman

 

[rumproast]

The stipulation of OFG that is key is "long distance accurately".
The merits of the rimfires notwithstanding, where and under what conditions he'll be prairie-doggin' probably don't lend themselves well to what amounts to only chip-shot capability.
Be kinda' like takin' a putter out onto the fairway.

 

[TheKnack]

Look at some AR15's .223's with varmint bull barrels.
I used to use one and it worked great especially for thinning the population down quicker than a bolt gun.
I would recommend the Rock River Varmint model having used one and having zero problems with reliability.
Best,
Jerry

 

[muzz]

Ammo is not that expensive for a .223, your 22 mag and .17 is not cheap. I reload and its a hell of alot cheaper to shoot my 223. And who's shoulder would hurt after a day of shooting that cal.?

 

[257Tony]

I would also say .223, shoots plenty good out to 300+, low recoil so you can see your bullet impact, and less expensive ammo.

Somebody didn't like bouncing betty

 

[Roy]

Any rifle will do. We make sure ours are sighted in with Prairie Dogs. If you can hit a prairie dog with your .06 at 250 yards, you are not going to miss a deer or elk!

I also used a golf ball to kill one once, though it wasn't necesarily intentional. Just a bad wedge shot approaching the #8 green at the Cedar City golf course. Yes - it was a white tailed prairie dog, and yes it was a protected species at that time. Stupid thing wouldn't move. Just sat there about 10 yards away and to my right. Shanked the shot right off the heel of the club squarely in his chest. Stupid thing squealed and shook like a dying leaf, then ran off into a den. I never actually saw it die, though I don't know how it would have survived.

Seriously, I have killed more prairie dogs with a .22 than with anything else. For distance, I would go with the .22-250. You can reload them for cheap and get real creative with some hand loads.

UTROY
Proverbs 21:19 (why I hunt!)

 

[rumproast]

Well, Jon & Stacy, there it is!
Looks like you're going to have to buy two rifles now!
I smell a spree comin'!
You need one of each. You really, really do....

 

[Blueoak]

You have to look at the 204, it is a great shooter

 

[sagehnter]

.300 Weatherby, mild recoil and fantasic results! HeHehe!