Opinions on caliber for coyote?

misterplinker1 said:
For further than 200m I use a .243 with 58gr Hornady V-Max projectiles
Inside 200m I use a .223 with 53gr V-Max
Usually I am carrying the 243 in the Winter and 223 any other time
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This exactly, I have had the 58gr v-max out of a .243 splash on entry a couple of times within 150yrds and have since swapped to the 55gr v-max out of a .223 for closer range coyote hunting. Still loving the 243 58gr v-max for the longer range shots though!
 
nomad 68 said:
if you want to watch the bullet hit it's target, i suggest the .204 ruger. Little to no recoil and a lot of coyotes fall to it yearly.
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The 204 has a few advantages that are hard to ignore. Unfortunately it is not a deer gun. But for predator (coyote) control in an urban setting, IMHO. very suitable. As a bonus, factory ammo is accurate.

The 243 is not kind to coyote hides, if you are into selling the pelts. And according to about half the hunters out there, it's not a good deer cartridge either, better than a 204, but not much better.

Before choosing a caliber, you should consider the max distance you'll expect to encounter, the average range, and then choose the bullet weight and velocity you need to get it done. For Coyotes, a 22-250 with a 55 gr bullet at anything over 3500 fps will do very well up to 250 yards, and depending on wind and your ability, likely a lot further.

Also, a good varmint scope doesn't usually make a good deer hunting scope. A heavy bullet may not have the same zero, and tragetory is not the same as for a light bullet. For a varmint rifle, you'd like a bit heavier barrel, deer hunting, light is better for carrying. Lots of factors.

If you like the 243 and want it, then buy it.
 
I’ve been swapping back and forth the last couple of winters. Either a 6mm Rem Ackley Improved pushing 75gr Vmax or a .223 Rem and either 40gr Berger or Blitzking. I’m always calling and quite often, a frontal shot is offered if I’m patient enough. There’s been a few very violent and damaging kill shots with the 75s on closer critters. If they’re out there a bit though, it’s not brutal. My 223 combo has been very fur friendly. Those little pills run out of steam pretty quick at distance but in all reality, I’d be surprised if my average shot distance was much over 100 yards. Half of the coyotes I take annually are killed with a shotgun.

That being said, my new 204 is almost complete and I’m quite excited to be rocking a 20 cal again. I was scaring the 1000 mark with my last one and not sure why I didn’t have a replacement sooner. 35gr Berger, 39gr Blitzking and 40gr Vmax were all excellent and fur friendly performers. The Berger’s ran out of steam pretty quickly too but were very easy on fur.

If I was solely looking to just whack and stack, I’d pick my 6mm hands down.
 
25-06 is best for frozen lakes and fields or any long range shots, but I've seen dead dogs killed by everything from 22mag to 30-06.
 
I spent years shooting coyotes and saving the fur; it was fun experimenting with loads and bullets and cartridges trying to essentially kill an animal without leaving a mark on it. I eventually gravitated to the .223 and my particular favourite, the .222.

I haven't saved a pelt in at least 10 years now. Still shoot a bunch of them, they're way more common on my home turf in Manitoba now than they were in Ontario where I grew up. Trust me, if you can give up the notion of saving the fur, coyotes become way, way more fun. My favourite coyote rifle now? I'm torn between a .375H&H, a number of .45-70's, a .44mag single shot and a stupidly lightweight carbon-fibre-barreled .223.

I'll probably change my mind next week...again...:)
 
nitro-express said:
The 204 has a few advantages that are hard to ignore. Unfortunately it is not a deer gun. But for predator (coyote) control in an urban setting, IMHO. very suitable. As a bonus, factory ammo is accurate.

The 243 is not kind to coyote hides, if you are into selling the pelts. And according to about half the hunters out there, it's not a good deer cartridge either, better than a 204, but not much better.

Before choosing a caliber, you should consider the max distance you'll expect to encounter, the average range, and then choose the bullet weight and velocity you need to get it done. For Coyotes, a 22-250 with a 55 gr bullet at anything over 3500 fps will do very well up to 250 yards, and depending on wind and your ability, likely a lot further.

Also, a good varmint scope doesn't usually make a good deer hunting scope. A heavy bullet may not have the same zero, and tragetory is not the same as for a light bullet. For a varmint rifle, you'd like a bit heavier barrel, deer hunting, light is better for carrying. Lots of factors.

If you like the 243 and want it, then buy it.
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I know a guy who uses a 204 Ruger every year since it has been legal in Saskatchewan to take deer with.

Not something I would ever recommend. As I think it's a perfect varmint cartridge. But it has never let him down, and he isn't doing neck shots. He shoots for heart and lungs, and uses 40 grain v-max....

So they do work on deer I guess... I would only ever shoot one in the neck, at close range, if that was the only gun I had, and I needed the meat. But this is what he prefers, and has many other larger calibers... And for some insane reason, it is legal for big game hunting in Saskatchewan now. Even though every available factory round is for varmints, and very explosive rounds.
 
hunter-4-life said:
Anyone who says 243 is marginal for deer needs take their white oakleys off and put their 300 win mag away and learn to shoot. Ive seen more deer in my life fold up faster than a cheap lawn chair with a 243 then any other caliber. My brothers first whitetail was cranked with a 95gr Hornady Interlock and that buck was 275 yards away. He dropped so fast my brother thought he missed him but the rest of knew exactly what happened.

The 243 is probably the best coyote/deer rifle you can buy. Don't let anyone tell you otherwise. You learn how to place your bullets where they need to be. Bigger calibers do not make up for poor shot placement. I'd take a 90gr Accubond from a 243 in the lungs of an elk over a 300gr Berger from 338 lapua in the guts.
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i have put a 90 gr accunond into 2 elk 125 yds and 205 yds dropped where they stood stood up dropped again and that was it one shot kills i have shot one moose with same load
actually it dose not matter what cal i use accubonds for hunting
 
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