PD HUNTING CALIBERS: Rimfire or Centerfire?

[lefty red]

What's the the best caliber for one of these hunts?

I reload and I cast.

How far is the average shot?

Will the shooting be done on the ground or on benches, and do you bring your own bench?

Lefty

[lefty red]

I can get a REALLY good deal on a 22/250 Handi.  Is this caliber a good flat shooter?

Lefty

[Graybeard]

Yes the .22-250 is a VERY flat shooter but in honesty the .223 or the newer .204 Ruger is a better choice. Why? Recoil. Yeah that .22-250 does have some and if you're on a shoot where several hundred rounds are fired in a day it does mount up in time. Also it's just enough to not let you see where your bullet lands where as the smaller rounds do generally allow this.

On the first shoot which I went to we had shots from a few yards in front of us where rimfires were fine to further than we were able to hit them even with the super flat long range guns and everything in between. I'd recommend having both rimfire and centerfire along.

[lefty red]

This give me a good "excuse" to get a 204!

Thank
Lefty

[lefty red]

I saw a good .204 ULTRA with the CHOATE stock and forearm and very nice TASCO scope.  It is blued and has the fluted barrel.  $430 OTD.

Heavy Barrel .223, standard stock.  $175 OTD.

Heavy Barrel .243, standard stock.  $175 OTD.


Ok, I would just just on the .204, except I hate the stock!  Its coked to the left for a right handed shooter.  I don't know if this is the case for all CHOATE stocks or not.  That and I don't have local brass adn bullets like the .223.

I'm really thinking of the .243.  I know its kindof big for pd's and the recoil will add up, but its also a pretty good deer caliber for my uncle's ranch in MO.  And its great for local coyotes and coydogs.

Then there's the .223.  I can get all the once fired R-P brass I want, and its OK for the wild dogs and MO's deer.  And I've also go the S&W 500 for the deer!  And I don't have to add another caliber to load and get dies for.

Lefty

[hellacatcher]

I realy like the 22-250 for dogs. If you dile the scope back you can still get the pitcure when you get the hit and if it is a miss you know how to correct. Now some like the 243. Now I do have a 223, 243 and a 204 but the 22-250 is my favorite for dogs. When it comes to close in I like the 22hornet more splater than a rim fire.

[Ditchdigger]

Lefty,Handi's are not the only guns at the P.D. shoot,There's some very serious bolt guns there also.There's probably more bolt guns than Handi's.
The rimfires are good for about a hour,(unless someone is shooting a centerfire) then the 223's out to 300 yds. then the 22 250,and 204's get used up to 450 yds,and then thats when my group drags out the 220 Swifts and shoots somemore. Hope this help's.   Digger

[lefty red]

Digger

After looking at past shoots, I could tell this wasn't only for Handis.  But I was raised poor, adn couldn't afford anything besides a singleshot most of the time.  And I can't really run out a buy a high dollar rifel just to travel accross country to shoot rodents.  And, I'm a lefty!  So Handi Rifles are my choice.  Thanks for giving me a good over on the calibers and ranges.  I'm pretty much lost on anything but 30/30s and 22lrs!

Lefty

[lik2hunt]

I shoot Handis and bolt guns at the PD shoots. I also am part of the "Digger" group. My 220 Swift was blastin 'em at 400-500 yards last June. The Handi 223 was good out to about 250, but was a lot of fun to shoot and listen to the hit with....BAP!
Savage Arms makes a lot of lefty bolt guns and the 220 Swifts are available now in SS as add-on barrels. Yea they're a little more expensive, but not that much. Give the whole line a look-see including the Stevens guns.

[cheatermk3]

I'm not knocking the handis but for a dedicated varmint gun that's gonna be shot off of a bench, a lefty shooter and a RH bolt is a great combination.

In my opinion the 204 handi has a ferocious muzzle blast that is magnified greatly for the shooter if the muzzle does not clear the end of the bench by at least several inches.  I stopped shooting the one I bought last year after a few boxes of ammo and sold it as soon as I got back from this year's hunt in Montana.  My partner Craig's Ruger (MKII Target) with it's longer overall length was MUCH easier on the ears(Yes I do wear hearing protection).  I'm saving up for one hopefully I'll be able to buy it in January.

For a guy on a budget starting out I'd stick with the 223 in a bolt and a sportster in 17HMR.  Load any of the plastic-tipped bullets like vmax or ballistic tips in a load that can produce 1" groups at 100 yds and you're good to go.

As far as benches go, you'll need your own--there are plans on the web--I made 2 from a sheet of 3/4" plywood and some galvanized pipe and floor flanges--plans for an improved version can be found on the web--I see If I can find a link, or maybe Quick will see this and do it for me--he built one similar to mine last year i think.

[stimpylu32]

I have one made from these plans , works great .

http://www.aeroaces.com/bench1.htm

Here is what it looks like done .





stimpy

[cheatermk3]

Right on, Stimpy--that's basicly it.  For ours I cut a full sheet of plywood into 2 tops.  I used 1 inch floor flanges for the leg mounts, and angled them by shimming underneath with stacks of flat washers.  I like the 4 x 4 foot size but it is a bit heavy--also had to stiffen it using 1 x 4 pine boards laminated to the bottom across the leg end and down the middle where the third leg goes.  All three of the legs on ours are angled outwards.  All in all a very stable platform.