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Posted: 6/26/2005 1:05:51 PM EDT
[#1]
RRA 20 inch Varmint rifle all the way with Leupould VX-III Vari Power
Works for me though we don't have prarie dog in my country, we do however have rabbits by the thousand and no bag limits. Mike |
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Posted: 6/26/2005 1:31:26 PM EDT
[#2]
At what distances will you be shooting these critters FB? That's key info that needs to be known in order to give you the best possible answer. I recently configured a 16" carbine specifically for dispatching skunks for example, but the maximum range that I'll shoot a skunk is generally <100 meters-so the shorter barrel was more than adequate. |
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Posted: 6/26/2005 1:58:06 PM EDT
[#3]
I have a Bushmaster varminter upper with a Burris 4.5-14 on it. I put it on a lower with a JP trigger in it and it shots great. I took it out earlier this year and had a blast with it. It shot as good as the bolt guns.
Paul |
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Posted: 6/26/2005 5:43:11 PM EDT
[#4]
Don't know what distances I'll be shooting but I'm guessing as far as I can hit . I think over 400 yards.
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Posted: 6/26/2005 5:45:42 PM EDT
[#5]
Les Bauer in .204?????
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Posted: 6/26/2005 6:09:12 PM EDT
[#6]
.308
 .50 beowulf for closer ranges  
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Posted: 6/26/2005 6:14:51 PM EDT
[#7]
That's a long shot on a prairie dog. |
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Posted: 6/26/2005 6:20:26 PM EDT
[#8]
I use a 24" Colt HBAR Elite, and I dont think I have ever taken a shot over 300 yards with it for shooting prairie dogs. Most of my shots range from 50 to 100 yards, and a lot of it depends on how "shot up" the prairie dog town is. |
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Posted: 6/26/2005 6:25:12 PM EDT
[#9]
Actually Im highly confident that right now with no practice I could hit them at 200 yards real easy. If I practice I can hit at 300. Just got a new gun and need to learn to dope thw wind with this new gun.
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Posted: 6/26/2005 6:42:26 PM EDT
[#10]
Not trying to hijack the thread, but this brings up a good point as I've been considering a varmint upper myself...
After reading for several weeks about the accuracy of the varmint specific uppers, and considering purchase of one, I'm now curious about their accuracy compared to a stock HBAR. Today I took out my bone-stock Colt HBAR 1:9 rifle with a cheap-o scope and some hand loads and shot at 100 yards outdoors in a slight crosswind off a sandbag and rabbit-ear bag. Group edge to edge was .665" or ctc .441" using a 50gr V-Max and 25.5gr IMR4064. Do 'yall see any benefit to purchasing a varmint upper if I can get a stock gun to shoot like this? Do the varmint uppers provide considerably more accuracy? (we're talking a 1/4" better for the money here) Thx-   |
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Posted: 6/26/2005 7:32:29 PM EDT
[#11]
a varmint rifle is a rifle you take varminting 
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Posted: 6/26/2005 8:06:29 PM EDT
[#12]
I plan to take my 243 WSSM with the 24" SUM barrel on a prarie dog expedition soon. It is a tack driver, and I can't wait to see what the 55 grn bullets at 4000fps do to one of the rodents. On a side note I let my brother shoot a gopher with my 50 Beowulf today. He looked a lot like this
. He also shot several with his 338 Winchester Magnum. Too much is just enough. 
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Posted: 6/26/2005 8:41:58 PM EDT
[#13]
If your already getting a group like that, your on the right track. Just keep experimenting with loads. You shoould be able to get them all touching @ 100yds with the right formula! Try my pet load..., I've never seen anything that can comes close to this load for accuracy in my 1-9 twist!! Sierra 63 gr. Semi-Point #1370 Seated 2.275" OAL (max..., & still fit in a mag.) 24.5 Grs. AA2230 CCI BR Primer Remington Brass Sounds like you are a experienced reloader, so you probably know that a great deal of the accuracy lies in the relationship between rifling lands and the seating depth of the bullet. You will be suprised how close the ogive of this "Semi-Point " bullet will be to the lands when chambered. This is the only bullet I have found, of proper weight, that will do both, seat close to the lands, & still fit & function properly in the mag of a AR!! 
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Posted: 6/26/2005 9:01:06 PM EDT
[#14]
Shoulda taken pics of the dogs. |
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Posted: 6/26/2005 9:22:46 PM EDT
[#15]
An AR with a heavy, accurate barrel.
A flattop upper, with a variable power scope up to at least 10X (but you will mostly be at 4-6x while scanning the little bastards). A bi-pod and a portable shooting bench will make the trip much more enjoyable. Lots of loaded 20 round mags (30s work too but a longer). At least 500 rounds of ammo, more like 1500. After 2 days of shooting at the little shits, you won't believe you could ever miss anything you shootin at again. Hits on them at 600 are doable, just make corrections and have a quick follow up. I like using the .308 on them past about 300 yards. It's cool to survey the damage on the town at the end of the day and see all of the headshots you made (without really trying) 
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Posted: 6/26/2005 9:31:40 PM EDT
[#16]
I use a bone stock AR 16" HBAR w/irons magnum_99...I shoot in SE Boise |
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Posted: 6/27/2005 7:56:58 AM EDT
[#17]
If you reload, I would go with a 20 Tactical. 4300fps and you can use cheap Lake City .223 cases. One pass through the sizing die and you're set.
If you don't reload, I would go with a .204 Ruger. Last year in South Dakota, I hit several prairie dogs over 600 yards with the Tact 20. Not on the first shot, but I was able to walk them in without much trouble. As far as optics, I prefer the Burris Black Diamond's, 8x-32x. Trigger - two stage Jewell. |
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Posted: 6/27/2005 10:29:00 AM EDT
[#18]
I think the bull barrel varminters are more consistant, but you have to shoot them supported. I like to be able shoot off hand or leaning at times, as well benched or on a bipod, not to mention carrying a 13lb rifle.
I have a A2 Hbar I use on dogs and can get out to 300 pretty consistently and 400 by ranging with Blackhills 50 ballistic tip. I am planning on building a freefloated fluted Hbar flattop and see is that improves the ranged shots enough to be worthwhile. |
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Posted: 6/27/2005 11:13:40 AM EDT
[#19]
There are certain situations which require the use of a .308 on dangerous game as such. Sometimes, even a .300 Winchester Magnum. It works wonders on em when they line up... |
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Posted: 6/28/2005 7:38:58 AM EDT
[#20]
   Buy a quality Chrome lined barrel, whatever length suits you fancy, free float it with whichever forearm you like, and put a nice variable optic on it. I've made hits out just past 300yards. When you shoot 400 rounds a day the chrome lined barrel comes in handy. |
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Posted: 6/28/2005 8:52:19 AM EDT
[#21]
I got a new RRA 24" Varminter 1-12 twist this season for doggin. The gun flat out shoots. Sub 1/2" with my loads. The only draw back was I got the thing smokin too many times. It's too easy to just keep shooting with loaded 20rnd mags laying next to you. If you get the RRA send the trigger to WOA and have them do the tuning on it. It really comes out like glass and very nice for $35.
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Posted: 6/28/2005 8:55:05 AM EDT
[#22]
Best AR for Prairie Dogs?
I'd say a really, really small one. But, without thumbs, they're gonna have trouble handling any kind of firearm. |
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Posted: 6/28/2005 9:08:45 AM EDT
[#23]
here's my $.02 after years of pd shooting near the badlands:
+1 for a varmint rifle being the rifle you take varminting!!! If you are getting groups under an inch with a set-up you feel confident will handle heating up well (like an HBAR) you are there. Under an inch at 100 translates to under 1MOA which means you could/should be still shooting 4inch groups at 400 yards---still 1 MOA. More importantly (and ASSUMING good wind doping )you are still within about "minute of priarie dog" out to 400 yards. For me, and where we shoot, anything much beyond 350 yards are tough shots. We are just outside the badlands and there is almost always high and changing winds. My personal best is 465 yards--took 3 rounds to hit. I am as much a slave to the "latest and coolest" as the next guy. My main pd rifle is a DPMS varmint rig with 20 inch stainless heavy barrel, WOA tuned match trigger, a Zeis Conquest 4-14 scope in tps rings ect ect. My partner shoots a bone stock DPMS HBAR with a weaver scope in weaver rings. His rig cost about half of what mine did. Now, my rifle does perform better then his--but not twice as good!!!! |
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Posted: 6/28/2005 9:48:49 AM EDT
[#24]
This one.
 Its a bushmaster V.S.
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Posted: 6/28/2005 12:45:57 PM EDT
[#25]
I'm going back in about a month. Can't wait! DOH, bolt gun. 700 in 223. |
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Posted: 6/28/2005 1:52:36 PM EDT
[#26]
Man I need to get out west for some BANG SPLAT action!!!!
BTW, Black Hills Blue Box 60 gr VMAX does a number on marsh rabbits and the armadillos here in FL. -sc |
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