How much ammo for PDogs?

[sdailey5]

I'm going to W. Kansas in June to shoot some prairie dogs. I was wondering how much .223 I should take. I'll be shooting 2 full days with 3 other guys in my group. I'd rather bring ammo home than run out, but I don't want to lug around a bunch of extra weight either. Any suggestions would be great.

[stimpylu32]

Depending on the size of the town and how active the dogs are i would guess about 200 rounds a day would be about ave. , is the 223 the only cal you are taking ? and are you taking more than 1 rifle ?

They tend to heat up fast shooting at a bunch of dogs , last year i took 4 rifles and 2 TC Contenders , had 2 cooling while i was shooting the 3rd. Between all the guns i went through over 800 rounds in 4 days

You will diffently want to take a rimfire to shoot the close ones first or the CFs will scare them down in a hurry .

stimpy

[KN]

It will all depend on how good the towns are. I have been on towns that I shot 1500 rounds in two days. Other times a couple hundred a day was enough. You just never know. Personally I plan on 1500 for a weekend just in case. I can always use it later.   KN

[tuck2]

There is a good chance that the prairie dog pups will be out so there be a lot of shots under 150 Yds. I used a 17 HM2 round for shots out to about 80 Yds and the 17 HMR round for shots out to about 150 Yds. Beyond 150 Yds I switch to a 221 Fireball  and 204 Ruger rifles.  If you dont have a 17 rim fire rifle  take along a scope sited  22 LR. During a spring shoot I have fire up to 4 boxes ,200 rounds of rim fire ammo in a day. It is handy to have more than one centerfire rifle along so one barrel can cool as you shoot the other. Before I got the 204 Ruger I used the 223 Rem . Take along 200 rounds per day for the center fire rifles but you may run short if you dont take along a rim fire rifle.

[Glanceblamm]

What Stimpylu32 said!

Try to take two to four firearms if possible...even if you have to borrow.
Many a fine rifle is ruined every year at the PD wars due to overheating the barrel.

[BenP]

Too much is never enough.

I just got back from doggin in Montana.

In 2.5 days of shooting between 2 of us. 600 rounds 17HMR, 200 rounds 22-250, 200 rounds 223, and 300 rounds of 243. We ran out. We resorted to the 44's. We ran out. I kicked myself for not bringing my 22.

I wanted to kick him for not telling me how good the shooting was. I would of brought everything I had. 270 sure. Not my pet loads, still goes bang. Slingshot, you bet.

Granted, it's a private town on my friend's family's ranch and gets worked over good once a year. By him.

Next year I suggested to my buddy, jokingly, we get a uhaul trailer for the ammo.

Like previously stated, multiple rifles help immensely for the hot --> cool rotation.

[longwinters]

I have a friend at work who goes out Memorial weekend to S. Dakota.  He goes with 4 other guys.  They went last year and came back much wiser . . . this year they all bought new 223's and 204's and took 500 rds each for a 2 day shoot.  None came back with any un-shot cartridges.  

Long