SmallCaliberCentral

After several years of not shooting PD's, I finally went back and my Son met me here and we had a blast. It was hot, the black flies were biting and the dogs were 300 yds or more out there. We used 3 .204's and here is a picture or 2.

Jimmy

Prairie dogs are so fun to shoot. We found that shooting them between 300 and 400 yards was best. They stay up much longer. Where did you go? How do you like the D Tech 204?

Yep, that 300 yard stuff is what makes riflemen. I'll pass on the black flies though.....ugh!

Glad to see you and your son got back out for the dogs....looks like a good time (for you, NOT the dogs!) Next time out though, you may want to consider a sun shade....we never leave home without 'em, as the sun out there can really fry you in short order.

We use the four leg Quik-Shades to stay cool. By moving it about during the day while the sun transits its arc, you can stay in the cool shade all day long:



Thanks for sharing the trip. It's so hot here now (97*) that all the chucks and squirrels are down, at least during the daytime hours, so it's A/C time now till it cools off.

Glad to see you got back out again Jimmy!! Thanks for sharing!!

Sidewinderwa wrote:Prairie dogs are so fun to shoot. We found that shooting them between 300 and 400 yards was best. They stay up much longer. Where did you go? How do you like the D Tech 204?

I used 2 Dtech's, one a 9 twist and a 12 twist and they both do great. I also used my Ruger Target Grey and it is also is very accurate. We found a few new spots in E. Co. and one in Kansas that I shot before.

I let my son do most of the shooting because this was his 1st. time. He is heading home with his daughter as I type this and my wife and I are in Mesa Co. and will head to Sedona next week.

Next time out I will have a 20BR to try out. I am waiting on Shilen to send me the barrel. It takes 4 to 6 months for a Select Match .204 barrel.

Jimmy

Glen wrote:Glad to see you got back out again Jimmy!! Thanks for sharing!!

Glad to be back shooting, thanks.

Jimmy

Rick in Oregon wrote:Yep, that 300 yard stuff is what makes riflemen. I'll pass on the black flies though.....ugh!

Glad to see you and your son got back out for the dogs....looks like a good time (for you, NOT the dogs!) Next time out though, you may want to consider a sun shade....we never leave home without 'em, as the sun out there can really fry you in short order.

We use the four leg Quik-Shades to stay cool. By moving it about during the day while the sun transits its arc, you can stay in the cool shade all day long:



Thanks for sharing the trip. It's so hot here now (97*) that all the chucks and squirrels are down, at least during the daytime hours, so it's A/C time now till it cools off.

Hi Rick,

I finally got to try a bench similar to the one you designed and It was sweet. I always liked the look of them, but did not have room to carry one. But may try to figure out a way to do it. My new SUV has a trailer hitch, so I could carry one, on one of those extensions that attach to the hitch. We will see!

Jimmy

joghotrod wrote: But may try to figure out a way to do it. My new SUV has a trailer hitch, so I could carry one, on one of those extensions that attach to the hitch. We will see!

I love my Hitch-Haul. I got the "magnum" version, it's nice and big, and a 500-pound weight limit (provided your vehicle is rated for that much tongue weight!). Quite easy to throw on the EZ-up, a 5-gallon jug of water, a cooler, and lots of other stuff. Nice and quick to get it on the vehicle and off again.

I am waiting on Shilen to send me the barrel. It takes 4 to 6 months for a Select Match .204 barrel.

Have you looked at Benchmark Barrels? They tell me 4 to 6 weeks and have had both mine in 4 weeks. I have been very happy with them and they have several world records made with their barrels. They have full gunsmith services and can put your rifle together if you want. Ask for Chris, he is a long range shooter as well, phone 360-770-8655. http://benchmark-barrels.com/Benchmark_ ... _Home.html

What size groups are you getting out of your 1/9 twist D Tech 204?

Sidewinderwa wrote:

I am waiting on Shilen to send me the barrel. It takes 4 to 6 months for a Select Match .204 barrel.

Have you looked at Benchmark Barrels? They tell me 4 to 6 weeks and have had both mine in 4 weeks. I have been very happy with them and they have several world records made with their barrels. They have full gunsmith services and can put your rifle together if you want. Ask for Chris, he is a long range shooter as well, phone 360-770-8655. http://benchmark-barrels.com/Benchmark_ ... _Home.html

What size groups are you getting out of your 1/9 twist D Tech 204?

I haven't heard of Benchmark before, but will check them out next time. My barrel should be ready any day now. I am putting it on a Savage Target action and will install it myself. That is what I like about the Savage system, you can do it yourself if you have a barrel vice and a barrel nut wrench. Also a go, no go gage. I can use the same gages that I used on my 6BR F class.

I haven't checked group size lately on my Dtech, but If I remember right, it was somewhere close to .5 inch.

Jimmy

I put my new .204 Shilen select match barrel on my Savage target action yesterday and loaded up 20 cases with 29,29.5 and30 grains of Varget. I went to the range today and once I got it on paper I shot 3 into clover leaf and then had one go a little high and then #5 went into the clover leaf. Considering that this is the first time I have changed a barrel and necked down 6BR cases to 20BR I am very happy with the results. I can't wait until next year to try it on some PD's.