Sod Poodle caliber and cartridge

[Rhino55]

Cool story , I was at Fort Sill gun school in 1967 , was a lanyard puller , #1 gunner . I loved the cannons . Spent many days at lake Elmer Thomas and got into plenty of trouble in Lawton. The bad old days for sure . Where we hunt in Ok. is almost due north of Sill . A lot of memories with some good guys that didn't come back from Nam .

Thank You for your service! My FIL's brother served two tours in Nam. I'm the only one he opens up to because no one else understands. I'm taking him and his wife to the "Wall" this summer. He needs some closer. He was a Combat Engineer. He was there for the Tet Offensive.

 

[JMW67]

204 has been my primary PD gun for awhile but I also take a 5.56x47 lapua 7 twist for the long shootin if I were to start today I might change to 223 over 204 I just have to many components to change now I just keep rebarreling

 

[Rhino55]

204 has been my primary PD gun for awhile but I also take a 5.56x47 lapua 7 twist for the long shootin if I were to start today I might change to 223 over 204 I just have to many components to change now I just keep rebarreling

I have two safes full of components! This is an addictive hobby

 

[Hugnot]

I like my .20 Practical for volume rodent shooting. Cheap abundant .223 brass, bullets (40 VMax) & small powder charges (about 25 gr. 8208 or benchmark) barrel life is extra-ordinary, been going on to 3,000 rounds & it still kills them up to 400 yards.

I also have a .204R and there appears to be no noticeable difference except brass costs more.

My other rodent rifle(s) is a 7.7 twist .22-.250 loaded with 75 ELDM's & H4350 or RL16 for shots way out there but at a slow measured pace.

Volume means hundreds of rodents, heat & hot barrels. I have shot rodents with .243 (87 VMax) but at a snails pace as the barrel life is not so good.

 

[Stockbroker]

I like my .20 Practical for volume rodent shooting. Cheap abundant .223 brass, bullets (40 VMax) & small powder charges (about 25 gr. 8208 or benchmark) barrel life is extra-ordinary, been going on to 3,000 rounds & it still kills them up to 400 yards.

I also have a .204R and there appears to be no noticeable difference except brass costs more.

This more or less; I thought my 22-250 was lightning on them pasture grizzlies till I built my first 204 Ruger.

Like it so much I immediately built a second just like it.

Next I'm putting together a pair of 20 practical, but I think I could throw them all in a sack, shake it up, pull one out and shootem.

 

[floyd kittrell]

200 rounds per day I think gets rid of all the hot shots, like .220 swift, 22-250, 22 br and 22 creed. 222 rem is a tack driver, but doesn't have the steam for 700 yards, and I think any of the .204 and .17 variants will be the same.

.223 ai with a fast twist and 70-90g bullets would foot the bill, and there are plenty of .223 actions available, as would the 6 ARC or a 6 fat rat. I don't know a lot of bolt guns that have a grendel bolt face, but it's easily done in an ar. 700 yards in Montana plains may be interesting, but they will do it. There are guys that will bush a bolt face, but I only know of people who have had it done.

Then is the 6br (br, brx, bra) based cases, those will play 700+ all day. 200 rounds is a lot to ask from any rifle, but with a good barrel I don't think there is an issue if you take breaks. Components are hard for anything, but lots of guys shooting them and plenty of data available. Low recoil, lots of bullet choices and good brass. 2850-2900 FPS on 108-110 g bullets I believe is the top end on these. I think this is the sweet spot for what you have listed.

You can use bigger cases to go faster, but 200 rounds on a .243 or 6 creed is a tall order. A 6.5 bullet wants more powder and I can't poo poo a .260 or a 6.5 creed, but for vermin I don't see any reason to try and hot rod them. If you don't hot rod them, the 6br cases win inside 700 yards.

I like my .20 Practical for volume rodent shooting. Cheap abundant .223 brass, bullets (40 VMax) & small powder charges (about 25 gr. 8208 or benchmark) barrel life is extra-ordinary, been going on to 3,000 rounds & it still kills them up to 400 yards.

I also have a .204R and there appears to be no noticeable difference except brass costs more.

My other rodent rifle(s) is a 7.7 twist .22-.250 loaded with 75 ELDM's & H4350 or RL16 for shots way out there but at a slow measured pace.

Volume means hundreds of rodents, heat & hot barrels. I have shot rodents with .243 (87 VMax) but at a snails pace as the barrel life is not so good.

Thank you Sir , it is starting to sound more and more of a build off of the 223 parent case . I did not know 243's were hard on barrels , very little experience with it except for first grand children rifles . Most of them have moved to 7-08 and larger cases. I have benchmark and would love a couple pounds of 8208 xbr if anyone has extra to sell please let me know . F.K.

 

[floyd kittrell]

This more or less; I thought my 22-250 was lightning on them pasture grizzlies till I built my first 204 Ruger.

Like it so much I immediately built a second just like it.

Next I'm putting together a pair of 20 practical, but I think I could throw them all in a sack, shake it up, pull one out and shootem.

 

[Hugnot]

Years ago I got a big bag of new LC .223 brass, still using it for my tiny .20 P. LC brass is really good stuff, well annealed with real hard bases, ideal for the .20 P. My .20 P & .204 have 11 twist barrels.

 

[COBrad]

I'll second the 22-250 and 75 grain eld-m's. Mine has a26" 8 twist barrel. I've taken pd's as far as 1132 yards with that rifle. If you're not shooting past 600 or so a standard twist barrel and 52 grain bullets was always very effective for me.

 

[Darktimber]

Ill be heading out for my first prairie dog hunt next year and I'm already getting excited lol. After a lot of research, I'll be taking a 5 gun battery. A 17hmr for short range, a 204 ruger and 223 rem for for medium range, a 22-250 for med/long range, and a 6br for longe range shots.

 

[L.Sherm]

Another vote for 20 Practical, if you want really long range something off the 6BR case shooting 55 gr bergers in 20 cals is pretty sweet especially at 3750-3800 fps

 

[codyadams]

For high volume and better barrel life, I personally would do either .223 ai or 20-.223 ai, because on high volume guns that do a lot of shooting, I don't like trimming brass every other time or so I load up a lot of ammo. However if you don't mind trimming 500 pieces of brass, a standard .223 or 20 practical would do the job very well too!

 

[Bryant Buttars]

My favorite is a 223AI. Lots and lots of dogs have died thanks to that one. I also have 2, 22-250 AIs that are a lot of fun, but they heat up a lot quicker. I will for sure build another 223AI when the barrel goes on this one.
And for us they are Biodegradable Pop Up Targets.

 

[Scott Wagner]

I wouldn't go any smaller than a 6m Creedmoor. I want to see some dirt fly when I miss.