223 and/or 204 ?

[Hammer]

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... getting the Union Pacific to run a rail line to his prime prairie dog town...




Under perfect atmospheric conditions, how far away can you hear a train whistle blow ?

Do train whistles bother prairie dogs ?

Do prairie dogs envision whatever makes that loud of a whistle to be a really big prairie dog -- a super hero prairie dog -- that will protect them from all evil in the world ?

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[TOO Builder]

Would building a personal airplane get me in? I would have to work on some of the other qualifications as this takes up allot of my time but I would be willing to sacrifice! At this point I'm thinking you will get that rail line established before I get this thing done :'(

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v318/Toobuilder/IMG_5495640x480.jpg

[Hammer]

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Airplane counts for something, for sure.

Used to fly around in a Bellanca 1413. Wood wing, cloth covering, manual retractable, taildragger, interesting prop.

Have done some Cessna 210 and 310 time.


But Mooney 252s are really my thing. Got to get to those prairie dog towns fast.

My brother used to start ahead of me driving the 3/4 ton loaded to the top of the camper shell with ammo and guns. I took a few in the Mooney. I would fly in the morning of the shoot landing about sunsrise at the closest strip to the PD town. We would get in a few days of shooting. Then I would fly on to business meetings and he would drive the worn out guns and empty brass back to the ranch. Would put new barrels on when I got home.

In the prairie dog towns, we experimented with tuning the rifle ejectors to pop the fired brass straight into the Dillon hopper with the hydraulic drive. But we never could get the part about feeding the loaded rounds straight back into the rifle without human intervention. Thought for a while we could have a continuous shooting-loading machine. Sometimes the girls got behind on loading the powder and primer hoppers.



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[JReed]

My 2 Cents go with .223. Reasons being ammo is every where, components are every where, and every body and their brother makes a gun in it in about every configuration you can imagine from budget minded to the unlimited funds guns.

The Stevens 200 in .223 is about perfect for a walking varminter.

[Three44s]

I thought there was a future Hammer/Three44s something ............ but when he failed to mention 182 Skylane ..........

........... that BUSTED any possiblities!

(His grub pile does sound good ........... )

But I don't think a Bellanca or Mooney low wing can pack the likes of it ........... there's where a Cessna 182 SHINES!!!

You might be zooming around something fierce ........... but I am impressed with PAYLOAD!!

............ one trip ......... gitt'er DONE!


Three 44s

[TOO Builder]

This airplane thing is kind of like different calibers, how do you get both speed and payload. I enjoy the Skylane also and have fond memories of time spent in the Ackley Improved version, 182RG ;)

[pdawg.shooter]

Me and my buddies get to shoot prairie dogs about 4 times a year. Hands down the 204 with 39 gr BlitzKings over H4895. The 204 extends the range of the 223 by 150 yards.


IF the wind isnt blowing. Here in western Kansas that is a rare day indeed.

[kkeene]

Me and my buddies get to shoot prairie dogs about 4 times a year. Hands down the 204 with 39 gr BlitzKings over H4895. The 204 extends the range of the 223 by 150 yards.


IF the wind isnt blowing. Here in western Kansas that is a rare day indeed.


The 204 shoots flatter and has less wind drift than the 223.
PS - I shoot around Holly, CO and Syracuse, KS every year, and yes the wind is usually blowing.

[sr5]

I've used a 204 with 39gr sierra's at 3900 and a 223ai with 50gr vmax's at 3600. The 223ai launches the dogs way better and stays much cooler while doing it. The 204 seems to be much more sensitive to barrel fouling.

[Tracer]

Hello Gents! Now being the new kid on the block, I'll cast my vote for the .204-Ruger cal. ok. It is very fast and flat shooting something the .222 or 223 is not.
The .204 cal is one you can look through the scope and see the hit and follow the critter while it disenegrates into little pieces.

[quickkillaught6]

I think we may have strayed from the origin of the topic a bit, but.. Does the 204 ruger have its place yes. if you are buying a Prairie dog gun get one, but if you want a gun to actually use.. and humanly kill something bigger than a rat NOT a good gun imo a 223 may not be the flatest shooting cartridge available (i know its not) but cost efficient YES! im sure a pd aint gonna care how fast a bullets going when it hits him. IMO a 223 is A MUCH MORE VERSITALE WEAPON. heres why: military brass, cheaper to shoot, barrel life is greater, less fouling, and the gun just dont heat up as quick. I hunt and watched a guy drill a coyote with a 204 at 200 yards in the boiler room never found it now take that same dog at 200 with a 68hpbt i bet he dont run...... So yes a 204 has its place in the prairie dog town, it was supposidly this great thing gonna beat out the 220 and 22-250 nota chance those cals. will never die. they shoot like lightnin and flat asa pancake. If there was no limit on funds yea load up a couple 204s and head to town. but im a lil more conservative. if i buy a gun its not gonna be a single use gun all my weapons are multi-use because it just makes sense. Bottom of the line yea a 204 is haulin ass and shoots flat but what good is it when you cant load a pill big enough to do nothing more than piss something off? Just my .02

[BoilerUP]

...and your friend's experience with the coyote is why there's now a 45gr soft point for the .204.

For p-dogs and rock chucks (the OP's quarry of choice for a new rifle), you're exactly right - they'll never know the difference and the 204's superior ballistics could mean more kills at longer ranges on THOSE varmints.

FWIW, I'm a BIG fan of the 204 but I've taken my 204 barrel off and replaced it with a 223 for all the intangibles you mentioned - availability of brass, versatility of bullets, and most importantly, cost-effectiveness for high-volume practice with the components & equipment I currently own. But if I head to a dog town, the 204 tube is going back on.

[quickkillaught6]

I agree. I would love to have the money to shoot wild carts. all day, i believe everything has its place and a purpose taboot. and never thought about THE OL' gime a min. an i gota brand new gun with the barrel nut trick. Its just like Horsepower vs. Torque. its a trade it will either got fast or pull lika dozer its very seldom if ever you get the best of both worlds with anything. I will agree though if thats all hes gonna do with the guns he's on the right trac. with the 204 cuz im not gonna lie. they flip them lil baggers like a hog rootin s*$%.

[verminator]

204 ruger period. Have 223's Five to be exact, I'll take one of my 204's over the 223's hands down. My 2 cents

[Hammer]

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You might be zooming around something fierce ........... but I am impressed with PAYLOAD!!




Have done a fair amount of time in Cessna 182, 206, and 210 and in Cherokee Six for weight hauling.

But weight hauling is best done with a 3/4 or 1-ton pickup and trailer.

Always send my brother ahead of me hauling the guns and ammo.

Then I fly-in on the morning we're going to shoot or late the evening before.

And I can fly out as soon as we're done -- maybe three or so days later.

That way I minimize the amount of time in travel for myself and get to use all the guns and ammo I want.


When in Africa, we send a Mercedes Unimog ahead of us with the supplies.

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