Favorite prairie dog caliber?

What's your favorite critter gun?

Mine is my Savage 93 in .17 HMR. I just put a Weaver 3-9x40 mil-dot on it for this summer.

I'm also looking at eventually looking for another gun, for longer range and possibly coyotes (though I prefer my 6mm for that). I was thinking a .204, but are they really that much better than a .223?
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TheGreatwhitehunter
The 22-250 is my favorite but it was not on the list.

My Remington 700 sendaro Fluted SS is topped with a Zeiss 6.5-20x44mm scope is a deadly accurate combo.
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sneekeepete
My favorite is also the 22-250. Mine is currently a work in progress. It is a Winchester 70 with the Boyd Stock I just put on it that I got from Chet and a Rifle Basix trigger. Next on the list is the barrel but that I have to save up for. It is shooting pretty good at this point anyways just not quite as good as I'd like.
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killerbee
love my 220 swift, but i really like my 17 HMr also, and it's cheaper to shoot. for that matter - i wont hesitate to shoot the ruger 10-22. REALLY cheap to shoot, and still kills alot of rats!
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NotEnufTags
I like the .204 for coyotes followed by the .223. I don't have a .17HMR but have shot one a bit. It would be a great small critter gun. Just need to add one to the collection.
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MTWillie
I've noticed that the Mach 2's are really cheap to shoot too...just don't know if I want to sacrifice power. Because correct me if I'm wrong, but they're a necked down .22 instead of the .22 Mag that the .17 case is based off of.

So if I were to go out today and buy a new rifle, would you recommend the .204 or .223?
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"MTWillie" wrote:I've noticed that the Mach 2's are really cheap to shoot too...just don't know if I want to sacrifice power. Because correct me if I'm wrong, but they're a necked down .22 instead of the .22 Mag that the .17 case is based off of.
 You are correct. The Mach 2 is the HMRs baby brother. They are fast but you lose a lot of energy really fast with this caliber and I've notice a ton of wind drift with mine past 40yd. But they are cheaper than .17HMRs to shoot and they will make a squirel at close range turn inside out just the same.
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chet
Whatever makes them explode at the given range!!

out to 100 yards I like my 17hm2
100 to 300 i like a 22-250/220swift
300 + I like my 25-06AI
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a_bow_nut
Yeah I like using my 25-06 at long range also. Don't really shoot at them in they are under a couple of hundred yards any more.
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Springville Shooter
I always find myself packing my Cooper model 22 in 243 Win. when I head into prarie dog country. A well stoked load behind 70 grn blitzkings does a great job.-------SS
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My Marlin 795 semi auto .22 does a great job on those critters. I can't reach out too far with the .22 , but it will sure clean things up within 100 yards or so. I have a 25-06 I'd like to try out on the longer ones someday soon :))
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sawsman
I voted .17 HMR... fun on smaller sized critters.

I've have a .223 WSSM which is a blast. Gotta let'er cool down between shots though. It's not the ideal prairie dog gun where lot's of shooting may be required, its loud and a hot burner for sure. Pretty cool to see impacts through the scope though..
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My favorite is my savage mark II .22, i works great out to a hundred yards and is cheap to shoot. i wouldnt mind getting a .223 though.
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Hi to all. New to this forum. My favorite gun is a CZ 527 Varmint in .204 with 39 grain Sierra BK's. Have shot lots of ground squirrels past 400 yards. I've shot consistant 5" groups at 600 yards with this load at informal 600 yard matches we have at a nearby range. Other than bedding the action this is a stock rifle. I also have the CZ 527 American in .204 that's my goto coyote gun with 35 grain Bergers. My next favorite has been my Remmy 700 SPS in .17 FireBall. My longest shot on a ground squirrel was lazered at just over 360 yards. Had to do a lot of work to this gun to get it to shoot but it was worth the effort now.
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Muleys 24/7
Squrrels .17 ......coyotes 22-250 . I droped my last yote at300 yards with 22-250 :thumb
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Coyote LJ
None of the above :)) .

For p-dogs, my hands down favorite chambering is the .22BR.

But I take the golf bag approach to shooting them. A .22LR, .17HMR or .22WMR for the close in ones and doing a walk-n-pop. A .221 Fireball or .17 Ackley Hornet or .17 Mach IV for the little bit longer ones. Then the .22BR's for anything from 200 to 500 if the wind isn't too bad. Then break out one of the 6's, usually a .243AI anymore for bad wind or longer range.

- Dave
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ridgetop
I had to vote "none of the above" too. It's the 7mm mag. for me. :thumb Well, it's the 7mm for rabbits, coyotes, deer, elk and anything else. :))
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"ridgetop" wrote:I had to vote "none of the above" too. It's the 7mm mag. for me. :thumb Well, it's the 7mm for rabbits, coyotes, deer, elk and anything else. :))
 Thats a ton of powder and a sore shoulder if you get into a mess of prairie dogs. Whatever floats your boat I guess.
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Wymana
mine is 22 critter caliber is better for me.its good to use
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ABert
I read "favorite prairie dog caliber" and mine would be just the plain ol' .22lr. Nothing like teaching a youngun' marksmanship better than shooting a .22. Honed my skills shooting with an old Remingtington bolt action with a 5 round magazine clipping those little buggers out to 200 yards in my early teens. Open sights, no bench rest, no shooting from the prone position.

Teach a kid to shoot with the basics and he/she will thank you in later years.
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.22lr all the way- I've burned thousands of rounds of 22 and it's still one of my favorites to shoot. My 22-250 had been pretty fun to use on them, but I still reach for the .22lr more often.
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I think the 22-250 with a 50 gr BT is the best combo
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