.17 HMR and .204 Ruger for prairie dogs?

[Guy Miner]

What do you think? Mostly the past few years I've taken a few rock chucks with great success using my .204 Ruger. That CZ is a good walking varmint rifle. If you're not familiar with it, think a 35 gr Berger hollow point at 3900 fps. The .204:

A couple of years ago I bought my son a .17 HMR, mostly for sage rats. Dang that little thing is accurate and fun to shoot. But it doesn't have much punch, a mere 17 gr bullet at 2600 fps. I'm pretty sure he'd loan it to me...

50 yard group, .17 HMR, off the picnic table:

Worthwhile to bring the little rifle too? I bought my son a case of 1,000 rounds and there must be 700 of them still remaining... Was thinking the .17 might be useful out to 100 - 150 yards.

What do you experienced prairie dog snipers think? Is it worthwhile to bring the .17 along too, or just the .204 ?

 

[257 Ackley]

Guy -
I really like your CZ! I have looked at that as a walking rifle instead of carrying my heavy Cooper in .204 for winter yote hunts.

I had a .17HMR that was traded a few years back, but did use it on a couple p-dog shoots in South Dakota. If shots are kept under 150 yards it will do a fine job of killing, you just won't get the "splash" that makes Belding squirrel and p-dog shooting so much fun! :shock:

Start out with the HMR for the close ones and move to the .204 once all the close ones have decided to duck and cover.

 

[ScreaminEagle]

Man that CZ is one fine looking rifle for sure! I too have a 17 HMR. Killed tons of groundhogs with it. Keep them under a hundred yards and they explode!

 

[DrMike]

The 17 HMR is accurate in almost every rifle that I've shot with this chambering. I'd bring it, just because. For unaware PDs, I've even used a 22 LR to good effect. Of course, it meant taking extra pains to ensure concealment because those little critters get wise to you in a hurry.

 

[Hegland]

I've even used a 22 LR to good effect.

+1. We always take at least one .22 LR along with the mess of high powers. Especially if the dog town is near a feedlot, oil rig or other facility such that they're somewhat used to human traffic, a dialed-in rimfire is a load of fun.

Take it and enjoy!

 

[JD338]

Guy,

That is a fine pair of varmint rifles you have thre.
The 17 HMR is a real tack driver.

JD338

 

[CatskillCrawler]

I like that CZ alot Guy. I wish there was some sort of varmint that was readily available here in the east. Woodchucks just don't offer that many shooting opportunities.

 

[muleman]

Guy,
That combo is what I use for personal rat rifles except my 17HMR is a Ruger 77/17 and my 204 is a Rem 700 SPS varmint stocked in alum. blocked laminate. They are the perfect combo for the little varmints. I'm able to maintain sight picture with both during the shot thus making me my own spotter. This year I'm adding an AR in .223, 257 bob AI loaded with 85gr CT-BT's and my 6mm-284 loaded with 95gr Bergers for the really distant rock chucks. I have two trips already planned this spring :twisted: .
Hope you have a great time on yours!
Scott

 

[Polaris]

Never shot prairie dogs but I have shot a lot of pigeons with the 17 HMR. A local turkey farm used to buy me free ammo to shoot as many as I could. They got a bit gunshy of the shotguns after awhile and there were too many buildings around to use a centerfire so I got to experiment with the 17. Would tear them up nicely from up close to 300 yards (I had all the landing zones precisely ranged and dialed in). Took a few even farther away but it took a lot of luck to hit them farther out and I usually had to finish them off. Shooting them at the far grain dumps was a real challenge on a windy day, but quite doable once you got the dope down. I used the Hornady Vmax ammo. It shot the flattest, was most accurate in my rifle and had the best terminal effects.

 

[BK]

Guy,
That combo is what I use for personal rat rifles except my 17HMR is a Ruger 77/17 and my 204 is a Rem 700 SPS varmint stocked in alum. blocked laminate. They are the perfect combo for the little varmints. I'm able to maintain sight picture with both during the shot thus making me my own spotter. This year I'm adding an AR in .223, 257 bob AI loaded with 85gr CT-BT's and my 6mm-284 loaded with 95gr Bergers for the really distant rock chucks. I have two trips already planned this spring :twisted: .
Hope you have a great time on yours!
Scott

Dude, we gotta hook up one of these days!

 

[FOTIS]

Guy I had 2 of the czs in 204 ruger. They were the medium heavy barrel in 26 inches.

Both were tack drivers but with the same load one would shoot 200 fps less than the other. Go figure.

Now I have a marlin 17v in HMR and a Ruger #1V in 204.

Both tack drivers.

 

[sask boy]

I have a 527 as well they are a great rifle. I use the 39 gr. BK in mine and it makes 1 small hole with 2 others following it :lol:

Blessings,
Dan