Optics for Praire Dog Rifles?

MPFD

MPFD

Well-known member
I ordered a scope from midway that had like 40+ reviews giving it 4.5-5 stars. I gave it a try and I feel like the clarity of the glass is crap. It was a 6-24x40 that I was planning on putting on my new PD rifle, an AR with a Black Hole Weaponry heavy barrel. Well A few months ago I ordered a 4-12 nikon prostaff put it on my 7mm magnum and it is clear as a bell. If I take it off I will go with a Nikon 3-9x40 prostaff that Midway has on sale. I have one of these scopes on another AR and love it, that should be fine for the 7mm. Right now I have a 12fv in .204 that has been my PD rifle of choice. It wears a 6-18x40 Nikon Buckmaster and I love the scope, but it is not really a good calling scope. and limits the use of my 12fv in .204 Ruger. I am considering taking my 6-18 and putting it on my new AR and taking the prostaff and putting it on my .204 Savage. I think that would make the .204 more user friendly for calling also with 4 power giving me a larger FOV. But the Savage will put 5 into a ragged hole now. I guess I'm afraid with only 12 power on the Savage that some of its accuracy and usefulness on PD's will be lost. But the AR would make a better PD rifle with its quick follow up shots. What do you think you would do? Make the .204 a more versital calling/pd rifle or leave it the way it is, wait to buy a better piece of glass for the AR. Do you think that 12 power will do a .204 justice on PD's?
 
I've shot thousands of PDs with my 223, and 17's with a fixed Leupold 12x. Out to to 250 to 300 yards it's all the power you need past that get a bigger scope.
 
I kind of think that the rifle is accurate enough and my eyes are good enough to still use the .204 pretty effectivly. But it has a set paralax and I'm wondering how much that will come into play with down range acuracy on small targets.I don't think seeing them will be a problem but I don't wanna make hitting them a problem either. The Savage has had the barrel cut down to 22" so its more like a Savage Predator now.
 
I like a little more power than 12x (at least for my eyesight). I have a Leupold 6-20 varmint reticle on one .204, and I think it is set at 16x. I have another custom reticle on a 7-21x scope, and have it calibrated to shoot at 18x, it's also on a .204. I like to stretch out some shots, if the wind co-operates, but I like the extra magnification.
 
What scope did you order? Just curious, I've seen a lot of "high ranking" BSA and Barska scopes that were "OK" but only when compared to their other lines of scopes.

We have a 6.5-20x50 Vortex Viper display model for sale, HERE:that'd be a good optic for a prairie dog gun. A fine duplex would be good too if you prefer standard crosshairs.

I myself like more magnification than 12X for smaller targets although you don't necessarily "need" it.
 
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I think I will order another Buckmaster 6-18 its has been plenty on the .204, it should be good for the .223 AR.
Nikon Glass has spoiled me, on anything else...
 
Just a comment from the Cheap Seats

I've only shot P-dogs once Montana but as important as magnification is, I think the reticle is too. My old Leupold 3x9 had no problem "seeing" the distance, but it is not a scope that you can dial up a different zero at different distances. So I had to use a lot of Kentucky Windage, which I enjoy doing.

So it turned out that the major problem became the width Standard Duplex crosshair. By the time I held over, the dog was completely covered up by the crosshair. When I got back home, I sent all my scopes back to Leupold and had them converted to Target Dots with Fine Crosshairs. Yes, Mil-dots and other reticles might work well too, but it was a classic case of "if you can't see it, you can't hit it"
 
Originally Posted By: MPFDI think I will order another Buckmaster 6-18 its has been plenty on the .204, it should be good for the .223 AR.
Nikon Glass has spoiled me, on anything else...

Boy you sure don't want to look through a Vortex Viper then.
wink.gif
 
Yeah, even on sale that scope is outta my price range.

I've had too good of luck with Nikons. I've got 5 now and they are all good. They are simple, rugged, and I'd put their glass ahead of anything else dollar for dollar.

I went calling last weekend and tripped/dropped my rifle twice up at a praire dog town. When it held zero through that beating, it made me a believer...
 
Originally Posted By: MPFDYeah, even on sale that scope is outta my price range.

I've had too good of luck with Nikons. I've got 5 now and they are all good. They are simple, rugged, and I'd put their glass ahead of anything else dollar for dollar.

I went calling last weekend and tripped/dropped my rifle twice up at a praire dog town. When it held zero through that beating, it made me a believer...

You ever looked through Mueller or Vortex's fully multicoated lines? Both offer incredibly competitive pricing and backed by good companies. Vortex's Viper lines are top notch, but their Diamondback/Crossfires are no slouch either. The Mueller Illuminated sport dot (several on here use them) and glass is great. Might check em out in the future! The Nikon's aren't bad scopes, but some of the "new optics kids on the block" are giving all the big names a run for their money at a lower price point.
 
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I bought one of the Vortex Viper 6.5-20x50mm when they were on clearance for $279 and I compared it to my Leupold of the same. 2 of my friends and I Decided that the glass is actually a touch better in the Vortex. Sorry but I couldn't find anymore on sale.
 
I have 11 Nikon Monarchs and have alway liked them, I took a chance on a Vortex Viper and now I have 3 of the 6.5-20x50 on my Varmint guns and that is all I will Buy anymore, I think they are the best Bang for the Buck with the very BEST Warr there is or will ever be. Great Product for sure and you will never be sorry..
 
I like 12x-24x on a pdog rifle with a fine duplex or some type of fine crosshair reticle. 12x for 300-400 yard shots, and 18-24x for anything beyond that.

Previous poster was right about if you cant see it, you cant hit it. If your using a standard 9x or 12x scope with a duplex reticle, chances are at 300 yards the center of the crosshair is gonna make that dog dissappear, not what you want.
 
The scope I was thinking of using is a Mil dot retical with very fine crosshairs. I think I am gonna go that route cause right now the .204 is worthless for calling with the 4-12 I think It will get more use and be more dual purpose. I have good enough eyes to use it, and 400 is as far as I'm gonna shoot with a .204 ruger.
 
I shot p. dogs for many years. As the years wore on, the stronger magnification I liked. I like the 8-32's, it is amazing how much of the time the scope is on 28x and about 16x is as low as I ever go. I never try and get all the mirage out, the mirage is a great wind indicator.

I really like placing my shots on the animals for humane kills and acrobatics are a bonus, shooting center of mass just bores me to death.

Also, for me mil dots are useless, I love my target knobs.
 
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I will likely get flamed for this, just like the last time. But this is the first year that I have hunted exclusively with a T-24 and T-36 Weaver in the P-Dog fields and my percentages went up by a pretty good margin. Yes you will see the mirage and just like ackleman says: it is a wonderful wind indicator. Currently, my favorite rig is a T-36 on a 16 pound 6x45 with a 26" barrel. Light enough to carry and steady enough for the longer shots.
John
 
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