Coyote rifle.. Please help!

Squadron303

Squadron303

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Ontario
Hi,
I'm not new to hunting, but a virgin with coyote hunting.
Please school me on a cayote rifle/caliber. I don't want a Savage or Remington.
Is a 308 too much? Is .223 too little (100-350 yrd shots). I'm in southern Ontario with an open season and no caliber restrictions.
Pics of your setup?
Thank you
 
Do you want to keep the pelts? Or are you just doing it for varmint control?

If you don't give a crap about the pelts than no cartridge is too much, although a flatter cartridge may be easier to hit with over 300 yards.

If you want to keep pelts a .223 or less with light frangible bullets usually don't exit. A heavily constructed bullet will pass through without doing too much damage in theory.
 
cam1936 said:
Do you want to keep the pelts? Or are you just doing it for varmint control?

If you don't give a crap about the pelts than no cartridge is too much, although a flatter cartridge may be easier to hit with over 300 yards.

If you want to keep pelts a .223 or less with light frangible bullets usually don't exit. A heavily constructed bullet will pass through without doing too much damage in theory.
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Correct me if I'm wrong but are FMJ 5.56 rounds not legal in Ontario for varminting? Ive read in other threads that its the preferred bullet when fur hunting. Hollow point .223/5.56 causes as "splash" wound that blows a 3" hole in the fur, or so Ive read. Ive never never set out into the woods or the field with FMJ's as I usually grab my shotty when small game hunting, so Ive never looked into it too deeply.
 
The folks who use fmj correctly do well. It's the jerks that fire them across frozen fields with no regard to which direction they're bouncing them to in an effort to hit a running coyote crossing a field

I hunt south west Ontario and fall into the caliber restriction area
I use a 25/06. With 75 gr Vmax it is not fur friendly but it takes the fight out of them quick. I use a savage. It shoots better than I can. Fast flat and has the reach to knock them down way out there if need be
204 ruger or any fast 22 will work just fine as will the 6 mms. Use a varmint bullet if shooting across fields
 
Here's my coyote/target gun. Light enough to carry and heavy enough to provide a stable shooting platform. Tikka T3 Varmint SS in 223 with a Leupold MK4 6.5-20x50. No issues with shots out to 350 yards and beyond with this set up. If you're looking for a lighter platform the T3 Lite is also available.

 
1ShotKing said:
Here's my coyote/target gun. Light enough to carry and heavy enough to provide a stable shooting platform. Tikka T3 Varmint SS in 223 with a Leupold MK4 6.5-20x50. No issues with shots out to 350 yards and beyond with this set up. If you're looking for a lighter platform the T3 Lite is also available.
Click to expand...

Wow. Very nice.

Thanks for all the replies.
 
I like the idea of .223, and that's sort of where I'm leaning to. I'm not really into the hides, more so into controlling the population. Although I'd rather not blow them up with my 30/06.
I think the 22/250 & 25/06 are flatter shooting, no? Any other advantages?
Any ideas or experiences appreciated, as always.
 
Squadron303 said:
I like the idea of .223, and that's sort of where I'm leaning to. I'm not really into the hides, more so into controlling the population. Although I'd rather not blow them up with my 30/06.
I think the 22/250 & 25/06 are flatter shooting, no? Any other advantages?
Any ideas or experiences appreciated, as always.
Click to expand...
I have a 22-250 as well, but I prefer the 223. A big part of that is the wide range of ammo that is available for it. Everything from the ultralight 35 grain up to 77 grain can be had. The 22-250 does not have the same variety. The heavier bullets with better ballistic coefficients perform so much better in the wind, helping make those longer shots possible. Flat shooting is great but the easiest thing to adjust a rifle for is elevation, windage is trickier. This of course isn't a factor at closer ranges, but the further out you go the more it matters. Honestly, if you're just looking to shoot coyotes from 350 yards and in, the 22-250 is pretty much point and shoot, hard to beat. I chose the 223 for the extended ranges and since I do a lot of target shooting as well, the added barrel life is an added bonus.
 
Browning A-Bolt 22/250

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If your gonna be doing lots of walking in the bush and then setting up and calling I'd go with a lighter gun. I used to use a heavy barrel and after going to a lighter gun I'll never go back. In a New rifle (other than Remington or Savage) I'd be looking for a tikka in 223 or 22-250 or if you want something nicer looking a Model 70 featherweight. Find a nice 4-12 or 4.5-14 scope and your all set.
 
If you are on a budget look at howa, they make weatherby vangaurd rifles. They are suprisngly good rifles for the money. Vortex makes very good scopes for the money. If I were on a hard budget that is what I would look at. Many other better options out there.

I also put in a vote for 22-250.

Good hunting
 
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