Best rifle for shooting Wolves

Gibb's, I enjoyed a cup of tea with a Family friend yesterday. I got to asking him about wolves on his ranch. Turns out he has shot them all (5) over the years with his 96 Swede in 6,5 , using the peep sight and all! Sadly both his rifle and his wolf rug went up in flames with the rest of his house on July 1st in a lightening storm.

If you want to try your 7mag, I used a 154gr Interbond in my 7x57 to take a wolf last fall and the bullet hole on exit was the same as entry. The bullet I am sure expanded inside but the hide was not tattered at all on exit. Get them going about 2800 and you will be in buisness.

Tex only ever got 1 of his wolves made into a rug. The others he always skinned and gave them to someone who could afford to do it. Are you sure none of your friends wouldn't want one?
 
Shot one with a .22 LR once and wouldn't recommend it. was what i had in my hand at the time. shot it between the eyes and it dropped like a ton of bricks. got within about 2-3 ft of it and it lifted its head and howled full out, probably for its buddies to back him up. the hair still stands up on my arms thinking about it. finished it off with a few more rounds after that. Therefore, I would suggest something bigger then a 22LR. If you aren't keeping the hide then use your big game gun. good practice.
 
And give the hide to the local taxidermist. they will usually pay you for it too if its in good shape. cover your gas, etc. then no waste and you'll keep everyone happy, maybe even some of the people here, maybe ;)
 
I think it's unrealistic to believe that hunters alone can eliminate or even put a big dent in the provincial wolf population. State-sponsored poisoning and trapping is another matter.

They're certainly handsome creatures, but I can't say I'd like to run into a pack if I'm only armed with a hiking stick.

And a .223 will work if you hit them right. :)
Good Hunting with whatever you choose!

Feb2005-Wolf-002.jpg


Azone, that's one huge wolf!!!!
Is that you in the picture? What' the story on that one....
 
I would go with a minimum of 22-250...

I remember reading years ago about a couple of brothers that hunted coyotes with their 300 Win mags. The bullets never had time to expand in these small animals so the results were always small entrance and exit holes.

To check this out I tested my 308 Norma Mag with 180gr Norma yellow plastic tipped bullets @ 3060fps and a 300 Win Mag with 180gr Partitions at about the same velocity. In the 8 coyotes I shot with these rifles the results were one small hole in and the same out but if I hit a leg bone the off side was completely destroyed.

I also tried 30 cal 110gr hp's in a 30-06 and the 308/300 Mag's shrapnel out the off side completely destroying the pelts every time.

Wolves are not a thick skinned animal thus almost any round that you can shoot accurately will give you the desired performance.

If you are looking for a new rifle for predator hunting then as I have recommended before I would go with a lighter s/s synthetic/laminate stocked one in 22-250 or 243.

My personal 22-250 is an older 26" barreled blued Ruger M77 with the tang safety that gives me 3660fps with 36grs IMR 4064 any 55gr bullet and consistantly gives me 2" - 3" 300 yard groups.

One last thought Gibbs asked what we recommended for a rifle not what our thoughts on hunting or shooting a specific animal are, nobody cares what those thoughts are so stick to the subject instead of whining that some of us don't agree with hunting wolves or anything else...
 
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