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What caliber for varmints 400y-600y prairie dogs to coyotes?
#5500376
12/26/14 04:05 PM
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Joined: Jan 2011
Posts: 46,950
Gravytrain
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I'm thinking .260 or 6.5 CM, maybe .243 is about right.
What's your opinion or favorite round for this duty?
Upon us all, upon us all, a little rain must fall
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Re: What caliber for varmints 400y-600y prairie dogs to coyotes?
[Re: Gravytrain]
#5500387
12/26/14 04:11 PM
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Joined: Dec 2008
Posts: 41,228
J.G.
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6.5 Creedmoor
You've got the BC edge over the 243, makes the same velocity as the 260, but with a lower ES.
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Re: What caliber for varmints 400y-600y prairie dogs to coyotes?
[Re: Gravytrain]
#5500388
12/26/14 04:11 PM
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Joined: Oct 2014
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505ed
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243 win 6 mm rem, 240 WBY mag, 25-06, 257 WBY mag,
Any of these will do great.. I have done pretty well with my little 6mm BR too
Ed
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Re: What caliber for varmints 400y-600y prairie dogs to coyotes?
[Re: Gravytrain]
#5500395
12/26/14 04:21 PM
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Joined: Jun 2013
Posts: 6,578
Wburke2010
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If it is just for varmints I would go with a 22-250. My buddy has a savage that is pretty bad medicine to 800, that is the farthest we had room to shoot it.
Walter
MW Ranch Services 903-303-4523 Metal buildings, welding, equipment repair, dirt work
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Re: What caliber for varmints 400y-600y prairie dogs to coyotes?
[Re: Gravytrain]
#5500398
12/26/14 04:23 PM
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Joined: Jul 2011
Posts: 713
headhunter54
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Kinda like asking what color of truck to buy.
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Re: What caliber for varmints 400y-600y prairie dogs to coyotes?
[Re: headhunter54]
#5500427
12/26/14 04:43 PM
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Joined: Feb 2010
Posts: 6,062
Rockinmyshoe
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Re: What caliber for varmints 400y-600y prairie dogs to coyotes?
[Re: Gravytrain]
#5500443
12/26/14 04:54 PM
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Joined: Sep 2009
Posts: 18,973
ChadTRG42
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When you get out beyond 400 yards, the wind has a big effect, so I would have to lean to something with good BC. That takes away the 22 and 25 calibers (unless you went 90 grain in 22). If you look at the wind drift of the 22's and compare it to a 6mm at 400 and out, it's a no brainer. 6.5mm is always good, but a fast 6mm with a 105 grain Berger would be ideal. It will be flatter shooting than the 6.5mm, and has less drop and less wind drift. I'm a huge fan of the 6.5mm, but the ONLY time I would recommend a 6mm over a 6.5mm is for varminting. The close second would be a good 6.5mm.
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Re: What caliber for varmints 400y-600y prairie dogs to coyotes?
[Re: Gravytrain]
#5500505
12/26/14 05:28 PM
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Joined: Nov 2012
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10ring
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6mm Creedmore... just one more to muddy the waters. Many good choices.
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Re: What caliber for varmints 400y-600y prairie dogs to coyotes?
[Re: Gravytrain]
#5500519
12/26/14 05:37 PM
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Joined: Nov 2011
Posts: 3,641
DStroud
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A fast twist 22 caliber would work but the barrel life might be a tad short for PD's. If you want to have any chance of seeing impacts it might be the best option say something running 80gr Amax at 3300-3400fps(22Creed/22-243/22-250AI) As mentioned a 1/8 twist 6mm is probably all around best option as it will handle wind a little better but will need a muzzle break to have any chance of seeing impacts.
I have the 6mm Creedmoor and it will handle 600 yards with the 105gr Berger with ease.
Last edited by DStroud; 12/26/14 05:43 PM.
"Anyone taking up handloading necessarily plays with unknown factors and takes chances. But so does anyone who drives a car,goes to a cocktail party,eats in a restaurant,or gets married."
Jack O'Connor 1963
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Re: What caliber for varmints 400y-600y prairie dogs to coyotes?
[Re: Gravytrain]
#5500528
12/26/14 05:41 PM
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Joined: Apr 2010
Posts: 4,991
Varget 7-08
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Re: What caliber for varmints 400y-600y prairie dogs to coyotes?
[Re: Gravytrain]
#5500629
12/26/14 06:51 PM
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Joined: Mar 2011
Posts: 2,101
Colt W. Knight
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When I lived in South Dakota, most folks shot 22-250 for prairie dogs.
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Re: What caliber for varmints 400y-600y prairie dogs to coyotes?
[Re: Gravytrain]
#5500669
12/26/14 07:10 PM
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Joined: Feb 2012
Posts: 1,182
Dave3575
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I'd go with a .50 BMG, or maybe a 20MM Vulcan.
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Re: What caliber for varmints 400y-600y prairie dogs to coyotes?
[Re: Gravytrain]
#5500679
12/26/14 07:15 PM
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Joined: May 2010
Posts: 1,732
HorizonFirearms
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22 creedmoor shooting 75 amax at 3350-3420 out of 22 inch barrel
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Re: What caliber for varmints 400y-600y prairie dogs to coyotes?
[Re: HorizonFirearms]
#5500708
12/26/14 07:42 PM
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Joined: Dec 2008
Posts: 41,228
J.G.
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I have shot prairie dogs with a 1:14" twist and 55 gr SGKs leaving at 3780 fps. Outside 500 yards it was tough to get the windage dialed in due to lack of BC. I now run a 1:8" twist and 75 gr A-maxes 3200 fps MV, mucho better-o. But that's about all that rifle is used for.
Even when I go coyote hunting I tend to take my 6.5 Creedmoor. I like having the extra bullet weight and higher BC to reach beyond 500 yards. Yes the 22-250 will do it, but the Creedmoor does it better. But! I don't take the 6.5 Creedmoor prairie doggin due to the volume of shooting, I want to preserve barrel life. Because ofbthis reason I run a less expensive button rifled Shilen on the 22-250 and Savage action. When the barrel gets cooked, I make a call and order a new prechambered barrel. Swap em out myself and no wait on the gunsmith. Saved time and money on a rifle that is going to cook barrels about every three years.
Just the way I address the various tools for the various jobs.
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Re: What caliber for varmints 400y-600y prairie dogs to coyotes?
[Re: Gravytrain]
#5500778
12/26/14 08:36 PM
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Joined: Jan 2012
Posts: 9,273
blackcoal
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.338 Lapua Mag. hate to wound those fuzzy critters, makes them dangerous. Also good for Van Horn jackrabbits.
The Greatest Enemy of knowledge is not ignorance, it is the illusion of knowledge.--Stephen Hawking
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