Help Me Choose a Coyote Caliber

bobbyd11

bobbyd11

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I am looking to purchase a new gun for coyotes. I am trying to pick a caliber. The .204 Ruger and .223 Remington appeal to me because I don't want to go too big and wreck every pelt, yet something tells me a .243 or .25-06 may be better for taking longer more accurate shots. Looking for some knowledge on the subject as I'm fairly new and inexperienced hunting coyotes. Any opinions or insight on this would be much appreciated, thanks.
 
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I have used 22-250 and 6.5x55 swede on coyotes. Both kill them dead. To minimize pelt damage I have used hornady 52gr HPBT match bullets. Les Johnson of predator quest reccomended this bullet to me specifically to minimize pelt damage. Buy a tall bipod that you can shoot from a sitting position. Coyotes are ninjas at spotting movement. I like to use a motion decoy with an electronic caller set about 60 yards away from me. Cat in distress has worked well for me as well as rabbit screams.
I bought an AXIS in 22-250 and mounted a 4-12 scope on a one piece base. Its an honest 1.5 minute gun.
 
I have the savage axis 22-250 but the ammo is rare had expensive in my area. A 223 is great because everybody stocks the ammo But a 243 would be nice because it can be used for deer too.
 
I use 7.62x39 hollowpoints, in a bolt gun it's plenty accurate out to 150-200 yards and drops them like a stone - far more humanely than .223

The main problem is that they will pass through, and leave a fairly substantial mess on the way out. I only shoot "problem" coyotes so I'm not worried about the pelt.
 
I've shot quite a few coyotes, and found most calibers would cause quite a bit of damage to the pelts at least some of the time. For awhile used 223, and never found a load/bullet that wouldn't cause damage. 22-250, same but worse. Then tried 17 Fireball, and was really happy with it. Kills em dead, but it is hard to find the bullet hole. Only time you get pass through is at long range. Farthest I ever killed one with it was 427 yards, lazered, and the bullet didn't expand, just cooky cut straight through. Was the only one that ever stepped out of its tracks, ran 23 paces. The Fireball is best within 300 yds, then its incredible. I know semi-professional coyote hunters who sware by 17 Remington, which is an honest 400 yd version. Certainly the bigger calibers can give you more range, but when you shoot a yote at 70yds with it, get ready to do some stitching, which you just don't get with a fast 17. I haven't used a 204, so don't know much about it, but might be a happy medium.
 
bobbyd11 said:
I am looking to purchase a new gun for coyotes. I am trying to pick a caliber. The .204 Ruger and .223 Remington appeal to me because I don't want to go too big and wreck every pelt, yet something tells me a .243 or .25-06 may be better for taking longer more accurate shots. Looking for some knowledge on the subject as I'm fairly new and inexperienced hunting coyotes. Any opinions or insight on this would be much appreciated, thanks.
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I use both of those you mention, as well as 22-250, but will almost always steer new coyote hunters to the 223. It has all of the qualities that make it almost ideally suited to the role.
 
22-250 is the best , strictly for coyote or smaller though, its pretty explosive, 223 is ok but not the same degree of destruction. If you want something multi use go with 243, 6mm, 257, 260rem 6.5x55 or even 270, i have a friend that uses 270weatherby for every single animal he hunts right from groundhog to moose. Its under the.275 rule as well so he can use in areas that only allow the smaller diameter calibers
 
dante_mags said:
Go with the .243 win with 58 grain hornadys. It doesn't ruin the pelt and it is great for long range (just under 4000fps).
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That's what I was going to say. (Mostly because I just bought one myself! ;)

I studied the ballistics, and there may be some other calibers comparable (.223, 22-250 etc) but it's splitting hairs.

The things I liked about the .243 was it's speed, trajectory, and it's versatility in the sense you can go from a 55grain bullet up to a 100grain. So it can be used for a variety of applications.

Barnes says it can throw a 55grain out the muzzle at over 4000fps. A friend who rolls his own says he can top that speed as well.

SO, all that mumbop jumbo said, my vote goes to the .243Win. Dynamite!! (Ammo is reasonably priced as well)
 
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