custom varmint rifle, what caliber?

Thank for the help Mark. your right about the coyotes comin to the call these past few days, just the other day I got my first triple by myself. 1st one at 106yrds and the next 324yrds.
 
I don't know if a .243 will do much that a .22-250 won't, I've always considered them almost interchangeable with respect to performance in the field. When shooting at live targets, the question is not only about the probability of hitting, but the bullet having enough retained velocity and mass to do something when it gets there. The next real step-up in down range performance is the .25/06 and the .270. This leaves a question about pelt damage, but there few long range loads that won't blow stuff up, even with a small bore, particularly if a close shot is taken. Still, thats the direction I'd take, a .25/06 Sendero seems to be a good LR rig, and if you could get some of the pointy Barnes solids to shoot, pelt damage might not be catastrophic.
 
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I've always felt the coyote was created in anticipation of the developement of the 6mm Remington. I've no reason to think otherwise now.
The only big difference now is that I would be inclined to build my 6mm with an eight in twist barrel to make possible the use of the longer 105+ grain bullets.
From a 26 inch barrel, velocities can be kept in the 3200fps range without excessive pressures. In addition, the 6mm Remington feeds well for those "Hail Mary" follow up shots.
The 6mm AI appears to gain essentially nothing and is not worth the effort. Regards, Bill.
 
Where in sask are you getting wind conditions to even think about shooting past 500yards on a regular bassis lol? I would stick to something in .30cal plus(since you already have a small bore), and either use fmj/match bullet, or a controlled expantion round. There is just something about smoking a coyote with a 180grain balistic tip at distance thats just so... colorful!

The a 5 is an ok stock... nothing realy spectacular about it though
 
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granted the conditions must be right, thats a givin, but when they are I'm out there dust'in them off. Preseason I did take my .300UM shoot'in 180g core-lokt ultra bonded psp, you are right, very colourful and explosive, but not what I'm lookin for in a fur friendly rifle that has some reach.
 
my choise is 243, but I've seem 22-250 swifts and 6mm kill coyotes at 400-500yds. Practice is the key.I've had to do lots of sewing in the past but I got the critter. The 2506 will reach out there well, but hides are often NFG. I no longer skin them so the holes don't matter.
 
.243

I plan on building a .243. you have the option of going to a heavier higher b.c bullet to reach out there, and the velocity to go along with it. or down load if your finding the shots are to close. the other great thing is the you can foreform .308 brass, not to mention the availibilty of .308 actions (you dont have to change the bolt face).
 
I am in love with the 243, and have been for years. I have used 55gr vmax on Red foxes(they"re bigger in the UK where I was shooting them) with rarely getting an exit hole if you can shoot them facing towards you.
I don"t think there's any bullet or calibre that has the energy to reliably kill a big dog at 500+ yds, but not tear a new a##hole at 100yds
(I"m going to invent one with a dial on the side that goes from "stun" to "pulverise"!)
 
Here is another option, the 22x64, it is a 270 necked to 22 cal.
The picture is 223, 22-250, 220 swift, and 22x64. Thats all I know about it.

22322250220swift22x64.jpg
 
Leeper said:
The 6mm AI appears to gain essentially nothing and is not worth the effort. Regards, Bill.
Click to expand...

I shoot 87 grain Vmax's out of my 6mmAI. At 3580fps I would say that it is a bit of a step from the parent case, 11% gain in case capacity. On my 5th firing with this lot of brass. The 6mmAI is a solid 150 fps gain from the 6mm's that I have owned with this bullet.

I agree a bit of a pain to form brass, but I always wanted an ackley and I love the .243 bore!

This bullet at this velocity is a coyotes worst nightmare!
 
One of the reasons I recommended the 6BR over the improved versions was the fact that the 6BR is very accurate, will go to 1000 yards (accurately) and does so without a lot of powder. It's an efficient design. So longer barrel life, not much recoil and accuracy. Rather than just adding more powder you get good performance from the design of the short/fat case.

The 7mm wildcat rifle I have is basically a 6mm BR upscaled to 7mm for the above reasons. More isn't always better. I'd prefer accuracy and barrel life over extreme velocity. There's trade offs with everything.

I have a 243WSSM in a model 70 Winchester Coyote. Factory ammo for this round sucks. I'm hoping I can get it to shoot with reloads. While a novel idea (Sort of a factory 6mmBR) I can't really recommend it over a 6BR. You'll need to reload for both anyways. I'd actually recommend a regular 243 over the 243WSSM. That may change though once I start reloading for it.
 
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