Prairie Dog Hunting Scope

[Pringleseater]

Hi, I recently bought a Remington 700 SPS tactical .308.  I am looking for a good scope to use for Prairie dog hunting in Kansas.
Do you have any recommendations.  I am looking for something that is suitable for this purpose as well as Deer Hunting. 
The barrel is only 20" so distance might be an issue.  Looking to hit targets 4-500 yards out.  Thanks

[KySongDog]

I think I'd go with a good Nightforce 1x3 variable scope and 220 grain Hornady InterLock bullets.  You shouldn't have too many runners.   

[riverboss]

Vortex viper would be my choice great scope great warrenty super glass checkout optic planet the run deals in demos.

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[Pringleseater]

Thanks for the info everyone.  I am currently using 168grn  Hornady goldmatch.
I will give those 220 interlocks a try. 
I have heard about the vortex viper.  I am currently watching some youtube videos on both the nightforce and the vortex.

[Hawks Feather]

I will pass on the scope info, but do you think the .308 is going to get the job done on a prairie dog?  The last thing you want to have happen is to only wound one and have it charge. 

Jerry


P.S.  Yes, I know this will be great practice for when you go after deer.  And welcome to FnF.

[riverboss]

I think the 168gr will do to much damage the coyotes got to eat to. The 220s should leave a small exit hole.

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[nastygunz]

The closest thing I have to prairie dogs is when the beagles run across a big hayfield

[Carolina Coyote]

These guys are playing with you Pringle, you need to Google Guns for Prairie Dogs you can kill a Elephant with a 200 grain bullet. 

[bigben]

I have a Nikon buckmasters 6-18x42 mildot ret.  midway sells em cheap at times just watch for sales.  I use it on ground hogs out to 500 on my 6.5x284

[Hawks Feather]

O.K. for an ‘real’ answer to your question.

I personally love variable scopes and have a few.  I also enjoy being able to actually see what I am shooting at, which means that my groundhog scopes (that I hope to one day use for Prairie dogs) have higher power on the top end.  I have Burris 6x24, Burris 8x32, Bushnell 6-18, Leupold 4x12, and Leupold 6x20 that I have and use.  While I have heard varied reviews of the current made models of all three of these brands, the ones I have are ‘vintage’ and I have never had a problem with any of them.  They don’t start to wander after repeated shots and again, I haven’t had a problem.  I have used some less expensive brands for .22s and even used one or two on .223s, but sold them as soon as I could save enough money to get better quality.  With many brands it seemed to be you get what you pay for.  I have had people tell me that they have really liked some of the less expensive brands that they got from me when I upgraded, but I don’t think they were looking for the reliability and repeatability that I could get with what I think of as ‘higher end’ scopes.  I am not knocking the $75 scopes, but they would not deliver what I expected.

The thing to remember is that you are looking to pair the scope with your rifle.  You can have the most accurate rifle in the world, put a scope that has ‘issues’, and you will not have the accuracy that you want.  Likewise you can take the most accurate scope in the world, put it on a firearm that has ‘issues’, and you will not have the accuracy that you want.  The .308 is an inherently accurate round and one that will work for your long range shooting.  That being said, many of the long range .308s have had some work done to improve their accuracy â€" replacement barrels, replaced triggers, worked triggers, and bedding to name just a few.

Jerry

[nailbender]

 Quality glass with a high magnification (20 or better on the top) really makes a difference on a prairie dog town.   Looking through a scope all day at small distant varmints can put a lot of strain on your  eyes.

[riverboss]

I thought this was a joke! My bad check out the vortex line they are great scopes.

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