[Hawkeye]

OK, I tried to narrow the choices as best I could. I chose PDs because they are easier to call up than Coyotes and I believe of all the varmints these are the most popular. For those members yet to experience PD shooting, you can insert "Ditch Tiger" in place of the afforementioned prarie dog.
My favorite is the 204 Ruger with 32 gr. V-max, followed by the 223 with 50 gr. ballistic tips or Speer TNTs.

 

[MtBill]

22-250

 

[Bill in IL]

.223

 

[samspade]

None there that I can vote for, you missed a whole bunch!

 

[jnyork]

.22 Hornet.

 

[jim b]

20-222

 

[EricT]

This one isn't in there

If I could only have one rilfe it would be my HB Sako L461 221 FireBall With 40 gr bullets and AA1680.
If I get two the Anschutz 17HMR HB goes too.
EricT

 

[Silverfox_in_ND]

I can't vote because I like the .17 Remington and .204 Ruger equally well!

 

[Eric A]

.223

thats only because...223 is cheap to reload for..lots of brass...lots of cheap loaded factory ammo...more guts and shreading effects than the 17s...barrels do not heat up like the 220 swift and 22 250...204 would be my favorite
but cheap factory ammo is not available yet...as compared to the 223

I take 204s,22 250s and a swift but I still find my self shooting my 223s
the most.........mvh..Eric

 

[gonedawgn]

Use all except the 17 CF. Most times I have 3 or 4 cooling and shoot what's available. It does seem that on certain days one caliber will shoot better than the others, the 204 got my vote because it is more often the one that shoots best. But that's not necessarily true on paper.

Probably a shooter problem

Rick

 

[Bruce Eakins]

I had to vote 223

because....because....I guess it's because I have so durn many of them. That's the round I load the most for. BUT.....now that I have 2 of the 20 Tacticals, that one will probably be #2....BUT, maybe the 17 MK 4's on still days. BUT, probably whichever one the grandsons will let me shoot....LOL, HOWEVER, that 22 BR that Mike Bryant built me with the 14 twist that shoots those 40 grain VMaxes in little bitty groups, sure does give them little PD's LOTS of airtime. HOWEVER, I never "called up" a PD in my life. I have blowed up a few tho....

 

[NYCSTRIPES]

Harder choice for me

I usually take a custom Rem700 Varmint rifle that is set up as a switch barrel rifle. I had Mike Bryant build the rifle with a trued 700 action, pinned Holland recoil lug, HS PSS Stock, Jewel trigger and quite a few stainless Shilen barrels.
So far the rifle is set up with:
20 Tactical
223 Ackley Improved
220 Russo Varminter 12 twist
220 Russo Varminter 8 twist
222 Remington
6TCU
I also have plans for other barrels in the future. Greatest thing I did for my annual prairie dog shoots. I send the bulk of the barrels and my ammo by ground shipper (FedEx) and I travel with the rifles I will shoot.
Given that one of the rifles is the switch barrel 700, I then have a long range rifle, usually a Rem700 6mm-284Win and the last is a toss up.
Last two years I brought a Wichita pistol in 17Mach4, this year I'll bring the new Cooper in 17Mach4 since I like the caliber so much now.

223 at least to me means every wildcat that can be made from 223 brass.
Ken

 

[CJ in Wy]

22lr-50BMG

I've used a lot of different rounds between the 22lr and the 50BMG.While the 50BMG can be a great time especialy if you aim low and bark them with the mound,its recoil and noise make it only good for a couple of rounds.The old stand by 223 is used a great deal but for shear fun its hard to beat the rimfires!! Cheap,quiet and low reciol means a guy can get in a lot of shooting fun!!
Besides if I'm useing the rimfires the dogs are close,plentifull and dumb=life dont get no bettern that

 

[Paul Workman]

If I could only have one - and not yet owning a 204 or the like - I would pick the .223. I've always had super performance from 26.x gn of N133 under a 50 V-Max moly/205m in an RP case. At 3550 it is rubbing shoulders with a 22-250 and is reliable to 450 yards and on calmer days, I've made a few 500 yard shots. With a 9 twist, 500 to 600 should be quite "doable".

Barrel life is looooong on a .223, it doesn't heat nearly as bad as some faster - more powder rounds, cheap to reload, etc, etc. But, having said that, it becomes limited in the wind, and for long shots beyond 450 yards the 220 Swift steps up to fill the "favorite" role. And, according to my balistics calculator, the 204 Ruger or 20 TAC will pace the 220 Swift (trajectory speaking), with less powder, heat, wear, etc.

On a PD safari I take the 17 Mach IV, a .223, 6BR, and 220 Swift. Each has it's place as PD shooting offers several different styles of shooting and each style tends to favor certain calibers, I find.

I think the .223 has been the PD caliber to which all others are compared for a long time. Now with the 20s coming of age, it remains to be seen whether the .223 will share the top row with the 20s, or have to step down a level.

No doubt about it, it appears the 20s are here to stay!

P.

 

[joeniv]

My favorite not listed

The .220 Swift won me over last summer. if power is good, more power is more gooder... 55gr Vmax out of a Swift is a perfect combo!

-niv

 

[vmthtr in green bay]

Toss up between the 17 Mach IV and the 223 AI. Voted 223.

Mike

 

[DAA]

My favorite for p-dogs is the .22BR!

Second favorite is my other .22BR .

And would you guys believe... I don't even own a .223 anymore?

- DAA

 

[WDSWIFT]

Depends on the conditions

223 when they're within a couple hundred yards and the wind is down.

220 Swift when they're within 350-400yds and the wind is down

243 when the wind is coming up.

But I bet that 204 is a good one too. WD

 

[Bill in Ky]

223 Rem
I started shooting prairie dogs 20 years ago and went with the 223 because of the cheap military brass. I have shot out alot of barrels over the years.
I have been pleased with the 223.

 

[Lucky Shooter]

The one-----

that's in my chamber.

A. Weldy