[Tim Williams]

For those of you that groundhog or praire dog hunt, what are using?

My gears is the following and pardon any spelling errors:

1.)6mm Improved on a Remington action, pillar bedded, Canjar set trigger, #5 Douglas Premium Air Gauged barrel, Fajen stock, 6.5x20 Leupold with 3/16" dot.

2.)6-06 on a a Remington action, H & S Precision stock, Jewell trigger, #7 Douglas Premium Air gauged barrel witha break (trying to keep the muzzle flat, 8.5x25 Leupold with a total of (6) 3/16" dots.

3.)Stock 17 Remington that has been bedded and the trigger worked.

4.)Recently purchased a 7mm STW that is shooting less that 1/2" at 100 yards. Hope to press it into service on those few fields where I have shots in excess of 600 yards.

Tim

 

[Ned Christiansen]

For either or--

1. AR15 rebarrelled to .17/223, Douglas 1 in 10. Bad for PD's out as far as 350 if it's not too windy. Totally consistant sub-MOA to 200+ is never, ever a problem. Tasco 6-16.

2. AR15, .223, Hart barrel. This is also my NRA HP match gun, swapping the Redfield 6-18 for Anschutz sights. An older 1/14 barrel, so the light and fast loads for PD's work best... no 70 grain VLD's here.

3. Pre-war Winchester model 70 in .220 Swift. Dad bought this way back and then got short of money in '52, sold it. He talked about all the time as I was growing up. I tracked it down 8 years ago and bought it for him for Father's Day. Glad I'm so selfless, heh-heh. You want action on PD's, get a .220 swift! Still ahs the Weaver K10 that Dad put on it, although I had it rebuilt 5 years ago.

4. Rem VSSF .308, for when the 'dogs inside 500 yards start getting too smart for the .22's! Leupold 3.5-10 mit mil-dots.

<font size=-1>[ This Message was edited by: Ned Christiansen on 2001-09-10 18:09 ]</font>

 

[Bruce]

AR15 in .223 with 28" Krieger, K-M trigger, gnat accurate in still conditions.

Rem actioned 6.5x284, Krieger HB, and I mean HEAVY barrel :smile: Trigger set slightly above "breeze". McMillian stock. Glass on both Leupold, although US Optics can be taken from the .308 if needed. Both guns built by Bill Wylde, who I am honored to call a friend. Btw, this rifle is the most accurate thing I have ever shot, and it remains that way waaaaaay beyond where I can read the wind.

Barrett 82a1 when it is the town, not the dog, I want :lol:

 

[EuroMan]

I build my rifles for prairie dog shooting but haven't made it out for several years. I keep in condition shooting 200yd vfs matches.
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Rem. 788, Shilen 1-1/4" bull in .222Rem., Tasco T/S6-24X44, factory stock.
http://albums.photopoint.com/j/View?u=1 ... 0&res=high
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Mossberg 800A, Montana Rifleman barrel in .250AI, Tasco T/S36X, Richards Microfit stock.
http://albums.photopoint.com/j/View?u=1 ... 2&res=high
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Rem. 788, fitted with 700VLS barrel in .260Rem., Weaver T-36X, Richards Microfit stock.
http://albums.photopoint.com/j/View?u=1 ... 0&res=high
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I am not a gunsmith but I did all the work on these three rifles. All shoot 1/2MOA or better. I have the opportunity to shoot at 1000yds in Oct. Will be using the .260Rem with 140A-Max or 142MK Sierra. These loads shoot .8" @ 200yds. I'm sure it will be a fun and humbling shoot.

 

[Peter Zahn]

Well, mine goes like this.

Remingtom 700 short action converted to single shot. .243 winchester

Mcmillian Fiberglass stock. action glass bedded, barrel freefloated

Shilen 27" heavy tapered barrel,bright stainless steel, damascus finish. Chambered with 1.375 diameters freebore. Gives best accuracy with 75 gr bullet at 3700 fs. Shoots 5 under a dime with monotonous regularity @ 100yds.

Worked over trigger group, original rem 700.

Leupold rings, base and scope. 20X gold ring bench rest scope with parallax adjustment, and target turrets. Before you ask, all my shooting is done early in the morning, so minimal mirage.

Longest confirmed kill was 420 yards according to a laser range finder. Not an overly long distance, and no, not on the first shot. drop was spot on , but wind correction was 2 feet. Dog dead in two.

It's really a pretty tame setup, but gets the job done.

 

[Tom Freeman]

For the close in guys I use my XP-100 in 17 Mach IV or my AR. Leupold 2.5-8 and 1.5-5.

Moving out past 200 I use a Stolle Panda in 22 BR. 5-22 Nightforce NXS.

Past 500 I use a Remington 6x284. 12-42 Nightforce.

I will try to remember to post some pics.

Past 1000 I will be using a 50 if McMillian ever ships me an action...

Tom
AF Shooting Team

 

[Rich in VA]

These days I am shooting a Cooper 21 Varminter in 17 Mach IV with a Weaver KT-15 on top. Also shoot a tuned 700 VLS in 222 with an old Tasco 6-18, and an older Ruger 77V in 220 Swift. Since I got the 17 Mach IV, the others have been gathering dust........

Rich

 

[Guest]

Kimglock

I would call Tom up next time you go out.
STW is marginal at best on chipmunks and moving up to dangerous game like Ground hogs you will want a .50 for sure.

I lost a couple good frineds one time on a chuck safari. Guy wonded one with a 300 win mag and came back that night an got him and his friends in there tent :wink:

geo ><>

 

[Tom Freeman]

I even feel undergunned with a 50. If it can trade places on the food chain with you, take a bigger gun.

Tales such as the one above from George, only add fuel to my intense fear of the elusive prairie dog.

And to think I used to carry a J-Frame for snakes... Time to rethink that one too. Maybe my Casull would be way more better?

Tom
AF Shooting Team

 

[buzz_knox]

For ground hogs, the .50 should only be used to back up the 75mm recoilless. You really need to nail those critters, or they will eat you alive. Remember the movie Starship Troopers? Well, it's actually based on a real account in the mid-West. The Army was on manuevers and ran into a swarm of angry ground hogs. Casualties were horrible until some braved soul charged down into the hive with canisters of foo-gas strapped to his body. When he was killed, the deadman switch he was holding set of the C4 and ignited the napalm. Killed enough of them to turn the tide of battle.

I swear, it's true. A friend of a friend told me all about it. He'd heard it from a trusted source.

 

[Roger D]

I don't know about hot 6's .50's, 175mm's or thermonukes, but ... for woodchucks, I use an 1898 manufactured 38/96 6.5mm C.G. Swedish Mauser w/ open sights and surplus 140 gr. "spitzers" - they work fine out to the limits of my "open sight shooting ability" +/- 300 yrds (a long shot in the Norheast and a longer shot on a small target for aging eyes).

Not exactly a varmint rig, the inexpensive bone stock (restored) rifle using mild velocity ammo (approx 2,550 fps), with low report and virtually no recoil, provides excellent and economical practice. The high b.c. of the 140 gr bullet also seems to be somewhat less effected by cross winds than the lighter 55 - 69 gr. .223's many use.

With proper bullets, it works equally well on eastern whitetails.

I'm told B-Square makes a scope mount for a Long Eye Relief Scope to fit into the rear sight mount of the Mauser. I may just try one of those new super high powered 2.5x Leupolds - but then again, that just doesn't seem sporting.

 

[Tim Williams]

As someone who has stayed away from any magnum rifles I have been very surprised at the accuracy and lack of recoil of my 7mm STW Remington Sendero. Stayed away from these guns because I was afraid they would start me flinching. Did not happen! Took only my 2nd deer with the rifle and I'm really looking forward to seeing the results on the hogs come spring.

I have shot my cousins 8mm-30. Shot a goundhog at a measured 92 yards with a 180 gr Nozler Ballistic tip and the damage was amazing. Never have I seen that much stuff all over the place!

Tim

 

[K.C.S.]

Well...I'm kinda outta my league here, but a Win mod.88 in .243..3x9 Bushnell ain't a real "bean rifle", but makes for a great day shooting.

 

[Topstrap]

This isn't exactly a "rifle" but it was an XP 100 6/284 I had built by SSK Industries. It had a 15' Hart 1 1/2" bbl. I modified an old factory XP stock because I couldn't find anything else to put it in. It nearly always would stay under a 1/4" at 100 yds. I had a Simmons 10 power pistol scope on it. This shot was the best I ever made, it was just a tad under 500 yds (witnessed) but I'd hardly ever miss out to 400 with it. It weighed 9 1/2 lbs and was pretty pleasant to shoot. I sold this off years ago to a fella that turned the barrel down, have no idea if it's still being used now or not. This was one of the ones I wish I'd have kept. Kinda wish I still had hair now also... it seems like only yesterday but it was about 15 years ago when this pic was taken. I now have a Remington 700 in 22/250 and a Weatherby 300 mag for the occasional times that I can't reach them with my 7/08 XP or my Freedom 44. Can you tell I kinda prefer handguns to long guns?

_________________
Bigger is always better.... further is always funner, faster is always frustrating but hitting what you aim at is so satisfying.

Topstrap

<font size=-1>[ This Message was edited by: Topstrap on 2001-12-22 23:00 ]</font>

 

[bradford]

Shoot-um with a 50BMG [I have some film footage of this very thing]

 

[Buck Savage]

Stock Remington 700P with Leupold 3.5x10x scope. Ammo is handloaded 168 gr BTHP.

Nothing fancy, I train with what I carry.

 

[grassy knoll]

a gun and cartridge i really like

Husquavarna in 220 Swift, not too many people have one of these and most don't even know about them

at 3800 fps you actually get to see the red mist

<font size=-1>[ This Message was edited by: grassy knoll on 2002-02-06 14:22 ]</font>

 

[kindlyoldcoach]

Two-inch mortar. (The marmots grow rather FAT around here.) If they get past the claymores and inside my perimeter, though, up go the parachute flares and out comes the Carl Gustav 84mm anti-tank weapon.

But seriously...

A friend of mine used to hunt marmots with a Browning 1885 in .45-70. I've given some thought to trying a Winchester model 1897 trench gun with slugs, but for now, I stick with an old, box-stock Kimber model 82 Cascade in .22 Hornet, wearing a Leupold 4X rimfire scope in Warne rings. Nice light rig, easy to carry all day. Just hope I never have to repel a charge.....damn pushfeed action...

'coach

 

[TUMBLEWEED]

Lots of nice rigs, As for most rodents, anything handy will be put into play. I have two favorites that accompany me to the fields and
prairies. For the most part, my factory Remington XP in 223 is by far the most fun. 3/4" [email protected] 100M in my sleep are the norm. If
more range is needed, I rely on my fairly stock Ruger 77V in 22-250. With my best "hand-rolled", honest 4-5 hundred yarders are handled easily enough. Optics used on the two are: a Burris
2-7x on the XP, and an older 6-20X Banner Compensator on the Ruger.

 

[Tim Williams]

I do like them XP's. Don't have one yet myself but would like to get one down the road in .223 or .221 Fireball.

Tim