Yep, I'm in the .223 Rem camp with the 1-8" 1-7" 26" barrels. I shot a custom Rem 700 with a 27.5" 1-8" twist barrel, and have for years at 1k using Sierra 80gr SMK and Berger VLD 80gr match it's a remarkable combo under the right conditions. Wind? yeah, it can be a challenge at times, but... like they say, "Win the wind and win the match." Out to 600 or so yards on small critters is very doable even on a wind-challenging day. Just my .02 Cheers
204 or 223 for Prairie Dogs
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1000% correct.
quigley257
Well-Known Member
I'm a fan of the fast twist 223 Rem. I have a custom R700 in a 1/7 twist that shoots heavies quite well. 88gr ELDMs are my standard load for that rifle. They do better in the wind than most other bullets in 22cal. I also like Hornadys 75gr match BTHP for varmint work in an AR. Very accurate and economical to shoot. My latest gun that will be used on P-dogs is a 6mm ARC that I assembled using a variety of parts. It uses an EABCO 24" 1/7.5 twist accuracy barrel and so far has shot every load under 1 MOA with most grouping better than that. Here's a pic of my 6 ARC. If anyone is looking for 220 Swift or 204 Ruger brass, I have some that I would sell as I most likely will not get around to building a rifle in either caliber. PM if interested.
Doesn't matter if the barrel is so hot you can't shoot it. In alot of the good rat patch that is what will happen with a 204.
R.Thompson
Member
From where I live in western Colorado, a buddy and I have been on 3 and 4 day prairie dog safaris within a few hundred miles, where we would each fire over 500 rounds a day. You have to have 2 or 3 rifles each. Some hotspots you get into, you can easily overheat just one. I have varmint rifles in 22K Hornet, 223, and two 222s. Have had two other 222s which I passed along years ago. Tried a 22-250 a while, but too much recoil, lose the picture in the scope when you shoot, and actually extends practical range from nothing to very little. I'm building myself a 17 Hornet right now to add to the artillery. ----- My suggestion: Start with the 223. If you like to shoot the prairie rats, and are in a place where there are lot of them, you will soon be wanting a second rifle, and that is the time to start branching out into something less common and more expensive to shoot.
I've posted this elsewhere but I think the 204 is superb in a bolt gun. Still good in an AR shooting 40 grain bullets. .223 is great for economy of ammo in a semi auto platform. I have both and preferer the 204. Either way, every varmint shooter should have a couple of guns and barrel coolers on the bench!
I'm out of South Dakota PD hunter. I usually take 3 -4 rifles. You can't beat 223 for cheap shooting. 55 and 62 grain HP varmigeddon bulk bullets. To get into the red mist club it actually takes Horse Power. When I was a kid I used a 26 inch 22-250 later I went to 243 26 inch using 80 and 87 grain varmint frangible type bullets. 25-06 and 270 are really red misters with varmint pills. yes, I have gone through 1500 rounds in 3 days and quit because I was sick of shooting.
So you use your AR 223 to clean out the close ones and work your way out and pull out the 243.
Tiny calibers and heavy slow bullets of any caliber don't pop them DRT. You end up with poor bastards dragging their guts trying to get back to their hole.
So you use your AR 223 to clean out the close ones and work your way out and pull out the 243.
Tiny calibers and heavy slow bullets of any caliber don't pop them DRT. You end up with poor bastards dragging their guts trying to get back to their hole.
VarmintBob
Well-Known Member
I shoot 90% 17 hornet now out to 300 yds. Use .223 out to 400 yds. As soon as one of my 223 barrels gives out I'm making a 223 AI with it. I've never bought a piece of 223 brass. I use range pick up brass. That is within about 15 fps of a 204 Ruger. I have a 22-250 for out to 600 yds and a 6mm creedmoor for anything past that. I shoot small, thin jacketed bullets to keep the velocity up and the ricochets down. Large slow bullets are just asking for ricochets. I've shot thousands of p-dogs.
WanderingGoatie
Well-Known Member
Side note, I like that you call it a prairie dog safari. I've never felt like "prairie dog hunting" is what we should call it, since it's more practice shooting than hunting. Calling it a "prairie dog shoot" feels dirty for some reason. I'm stealing "prairie dog safari" any time I talk about it from here on out. I hope u don't mind.
Agree. We have called them gopher Safaris for years up here, same exact reason. It really isn't hunting.
As a side note; I use to shoot a .222 Rem Mag LR rifle for a lot of LR matches, again with a 1-8 twist using 80gr match bullets. In the end, I really couldn't find any really big difference in the performance of the .223 Rem and the .222 Rem Mag in that type of LR rifle and bullet weight. So, due to the brass cost and brass which was just ok in .222 Rem Mag brass, I went back to the .223 Rem with Lapua brass and called it a day. Now with all that said; I was kind of thinking perhaps I jumped the gun on the .222 Rem Mag, perhaps I should have taken it up to a .222 Rem Mag AI ??? Well, I'll never know... those days have come and gone, and the old custom M-700 .223 Rem is still holding its own on the range. 
Cheers.
Cheers.RegionRat
Well-Known Member
I'm wondering what the OP went with by now?
Folks are right about the pros/cons of all of the above.
I'm a fan of all of them, 17 HMR, to 204, 223, 243, etc. Bolts and ARs.
I regret I waited to adopt 204 R and the 20 cal wildcats. They have been a blast and I should have done it sooner.
All of this leads me to my usual advice... Life is too short to worry about it, get both and get out as often as you can while you still can.
Carpe Diem!
Folks are right about the pros/cons of all of the above.
I'm a fan of all of them, 17 HMR, to 204, 223, 243, etc. Bolts and ARs.
I regret I waited to adopt 204 R and the 20 cal wildcats. They have been a blast and I should have done it sooner.
All of this leads me to my usual advice... Life is too short to worry about it, get both and get out as often as you can while you still can.
Carpe Diem!
I just put another 17 Remington together. Barrel was used low round count, I was warned it fouled pretty quick. That is OK because there are no plans to show it any mercy. I wish it was longer, but it is what it is for my experiment. We are going to see what the 15.5's do at full throttle.
I won't argue with those that are non believers in the sub 22 calibers. I disproved and cleared up a lot of false statements and myths to a half dozen guys I have shot with for over 30 years. We were all under the belief and understanding of what we had been told for years.
We still get into discussions more today than ever the time of flight vs BC and a bigger caliber.
For my heavy 17 Remington I built a few years back, it sees nothing but 25-30 grain bullets. Speeds vary with both I try to stay under 4000, it seems to like 3900-3950.
Folks that worry about getting a rifle hot, simple bring enough to split up the duties. I split mine up by distances and have been pretty happy that way. Still have a couple of "do all's" that work from 0-400.
If you don't clean every evening you can be setting yourself up for grief the next day.
I won't argue with those that are non believers in the sub 22 calibers. I disproved and cleared up a lot of false statements and myths to a half dozen guys I have shot with for over 30 years. We were all under the belief and understanding of what we had been told for years.
We still get into discussions more today than ever the time of flight vs BC and a bigger caliber.
For my heavy 17 Remington I built a few years back, it sees nothing but 25-30 grain bullets. Speeds vary with both I try to stay under 4000, it seems to like 3900-3950.
Folks that worry about getting a rifle hot, simple bring enough to split up the duties. I split mine up by distances and have been pretty happy that way. Still have a couple of "do all's" that work from 0-400.
If you don't clean every evening you can be setting yourself up for grief the next day.
I have two 20 practicals. I also have a 204 ruger but it sits and the 20 practicals get used. Cheap brass is the biggest advantage, it's so simple to neck down 223 that forming is a non issue. The 20P and 204 are pretty much identical in performance but putting together 1000 rounds of 20P is much cheaper.
Forget 32 grainers and shoot the 40 vmax or 39 sierras. An 11 twist barrel with them is the way to go, 3700 fps gives a trajectory that matches a 22-250 with less recoil and both mine are stunningly accurate. I prefer the 39 sierras but they've been unobtainable the last 3 years. I wish Sierra would get their act together.
Mine are built on bighorn origin actions with criterion varmint contour barrels I spin on myself. Incredibly sweet shooting rifles.
Forget 32 grainers and shoot the 40 vmax or 39 sierras. An 11 twist barrel with them is the way to go, 3700 fps gives a trajectory that matches a 22-250 with less recoil and both mine are stunningly accurate. I prefer the 39 sierras but they've been unobtainable the last 3 years. I wish Sierra would get their act together.
Mine are built on bighorn origin actions with criterion varmint contour barrels I spin on myself. Incredibly sweet shooting rifles.
