.223 Bullet Choices - Prairie Dogs

[jfremder]

I'm spending the colder months stockpiling a bunch of .223, hopefully for a first ever PD hunt this summer.

I'm looking at Midsouth and their varmint nightmare & varmint extreme bullets...

Do I want SP or HP?

My rifles are all bolt 1:9 twist and I have a bunch of WC844 Pulldown Powder (H335 equiv) I'll be working up loads with.

Another bulk choice I saw was Midways Dogtown Bullets?

What say the Megaminds?

 

[ssyoumans]

I think the Midsouth Varmint Nightmare and MidwayUSA Dogtown's are the same bullet. They have the exact same BC. I've loaded about 400 of each (JHP and SP). I'm not a benchrest target shooter so I can't tell ya if one is significantly more accurate than the other. Both met my needs as a cheap plinker.

Either JHP or SP will do they job because they are varmint rounds and designed to fragment quickly upon hitting something. If looking at long range shooting, I would choose the Hornady 53gr VMax that just came out, it has the best BC for those long windy shots, but it does cost about $18/100 vs. $9/100. Guess it depends on how many you plan to load up.
I've loaded mine using TAC, W748, AA2230, BLC-2, and Blue dot (to mimic 22 hornet), usually all at 2.230".
They seem to be quality bullets.

 

[WhiteMikeCN]

I have 1200 80 gr sierra match king hollowpointsnfor sale that would work great. Check the for sale section.

 

[Damon555]

V-Maxes in the various flavors are well worth the extra cost. There is just no comparison as to the terminal effects on prairie dogs.

I tried several different bullets in my early days of dog shooting and was more than impressed by the V-Max. This is only my opinion but I'm trying to help you cut to the chase and just start with the best.

I should also mention that I use WC844. Good stuff.

 

[Blackrock]

We got good results out of my daughters .222 Rem with 19.5 of IMR4198. Good splats and summersaults and she was getting good shots out to 300 yards. I have loaded the Midway and Midsouth 50g SP bullets in my 22-250 as well. But for some reason I can't get a sweet load worked up for her new .223 bolt gun with 1 in 12 twist with these same bullets.

 

[oldfortyfiveauto]

A big plus with the ballistic tips like the v-max is they really reduce the risk of ricochets.

 

[CHALK22]

I haven't shot Prairie Dogs much, but I use the .224 55gr Vmax with 21 grains of H322 for gophers, and it does the job just fine. Turns 'em inside out mostly. I also use the 17gr Vmax in my .17HMR also. I really dig the plastic tipped bullets. I have also loaded up some Barnes Varmint Grenades, but I have yet to shoot anything with them. They are supposed to be a great varmint bullet.

 

[ArchAngelCD]

I'm a big fan of the 55gr bullet in the .223 but it has it's limits. If you're shooting 200 yards and under the 55gr bullet is fine but Prairie Dog hunts are usually at longer distances. You'll want a heavier bullet to prevent too much wind drift and to have enough energy to do the job when out to 300 yards or more. I think I would choose a 60+gr bullet for Dog hunting ammo. With a 1:9 twist you will easily stabilize the heavier bullets.

Hornady makes a good 60gr V-Max bullet or take a look at the Sierra 65gr GameKing SBT #1395.

 

[Tim the student]

I like the V-max myself. I've used the VG's, and they usually didn't impress me more than the V-max. They are not worth the extra cost for me personally.

My brother in law and I loaded up some of the dogtowns the last time we went out. They shoot pretty well, but weren't as, um, "visual" as the V-max. They killed them just fine though.

 

[Glock20]

I've only shot paper with them, but I've been well pleased with the 55gr DogTown SP and HP bullets. They are much more accurate than some of the inexpensive bulk FMJ bullets I've tried.

Blackrock, the sweet spot for my 1-12" bolt has been 55gr Dogtown, V-max or Nosler BT with either of these - Varget, H-335, H-322, Benchmark, RL-10 or BLC-2. I get my best accuracy with loads just a tad over mid range, with the exception of BLC-2, which works great right up there at the top.
YMMV -