Help me pick my new small predator gun

what is a suitable round for hunting small predators if pelt preservation is a concern?
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I posed the same question at a predator hunting site where one of the more experienced coyote gunners uses a .22-250. He recommended 45gr Wildcat bullets so I ordered some Wildcat 40gr & 45gr for loading in my .223 with Benchmark powder so we'll see how it goes this season. One trapper I know uses a .22Mag and has no complaints and another uses a .22 Hornet. I've shot a few coyotes with big game rifles and had small entry/exit wounds. I watched a lynx literally explode when hit at close range with a .223 and another with a .30-06. A friend used his new .22-250 on a coyote at 150 yards last winter w/ 55gr loads and nearly blew it in half. I picked up a .17 Rem last winter but didn't get a chance to use it. Do a search for the Coyote Gods. Those boys highly recommend the .17's. When I was a teen, I used my .22RF and killed a couple coyotes with no pelt damage too. Lot's of choices out there :D
 
jed said:
Winchester 1885 low wall. It is a singleshot, originaly designed by J Browning. In my case I am looking at a reproduction. I am looking for a 100 yard gopher, coyote, bobcat gun in an appropriate round and am considering the 22 hornet, 22k hornet and the 218 bee. This will be a walking around gun and I like the lines of these old guns. They balance well and are easy to load and unload. I will be using iron sights as I am looking at distances to fill the gap between the 22 lr and the 223. Like you I prefer wood over synthetic and am not really impressed with the choices available for left handers so I am considering going outside the box as it were.
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Sounds very cool! Be sure to post some pics when you get it. Who sells these reproductions?
 
BC Bigbore said:
I posed the same question at a predator hunting site where one of the more experienced coyote gunners uses a .22-250. He recommended 45gr Wildcat bullets so I ordered some Wildcat 40gr & 45gr for loading in my .223 with Benchmark powder so we'll see how it goes this season. One trapper I know uses a .22Mag and has no complaints and another uses a .22 Hornet. I've shot a few coyotes with big game rifles and had small entry/exit wounds. I watched a lynx literally explode when hit at close range with a .223 and another with a .30-06. A friend used his new .22-250 on a coyote at 150 yards last winter w/ 55gr loads and nearly blew it in half. I picked up a .17 Rem last winter but didn't get a chance to use it. Do a search for the Coyote Gods. Those boys highly recommend the .17's. When I was a teen, I used my .22RF and killed a couple coyotes with no pelt damage too. Lot's of choices out there :D
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Thanks...I'll check out Coyote Gods. What about a 223 or 22-250 in FMJ? Does that not provide the long range shot without too much pelt damage? Might be legal issues........
 
if you want a small game gun with the option of preserving the pelt/meat, again i recommend the .223 based on a widely available variety of ammo designed for different purposes.

shoot them with dirt cheap FMJ rounds if you want to keep the pelt. shoot them with varmint rounds if you want them to blow up.
you can even use soft-points for small-mid sized deer (folks plz dont start another 'is .223 suitable for deer' discussion).
if you cant kill small game up to coyotes effectively with a .223 you are doing something seriously wrong.

AFAIK there are no legal issues with hunting small game with FMJ, i do it all the time.
 
AFAIK not all provinces allow deer or other big game to be shot with a .223 so check your regs where you live.
 
manbearpig said:
shoot them with dirt cheap FMJ rounds if you want to keep the pelt. shoot them with varmint rounds if you want them to blow up.

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AFAIK there are no legal issues with hunting small game with FMJ, i do it all the time.
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The original poster - Bronco Boy - is from BC. He would get a large fine and perhaps loose his rifle and hunting licence based on your advice. Using FMJ for any hunting in BC is illegal.
 
'Boo said:
The original poster - Bronco Boy - is from BC. He would get a large fine and perhaps loose his rifle and hunting licence based on your advice. Using FMJ for any hunting in BC is illegal.
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hence the 'AFAIK' that preceeds it - as far as i know. which means 'go research your local laws'.

its even illegal for varmints?
and before it gets twisted around i said using FMJ on varmints like groundhogs, and perhaps predators like coyotes - NOT DEER.
 
Bronco
I have a T/C Encore in .223 that I use as a varmint/preditor gun and my buddy is a lefty and loves it . It has the bull bbl yet weights in at about 8.25lbs scoped and is available in 22-250. If you are worried about pelt damage with either round just load some 36 grn barnes varmint grenades up and your worries are gone tiny hole in with no exit and no risk of riccocet. The only down side is you have to pick your shots and hit em in the ribs or the head as the bullet is designed to fragment on inpact not penetrait. Do not use fmj's they do not kill yote's very well and you will spend alot of time looking for them (been there-done that!). We used to hunt them for pelts with dogs and shot about 70/year and the boys didn't like sewing up the holes left by my 22-250 so I bought a 223 which was a little better but not much. If I am calling I use a hornet which works well too. Just my 2 cents worth.
 
If you want to spend some loot Bronco Boy, go out and get yourself a Remington LVSF in .17 Remington Fireball. Top it with a Leupold VariX III 4.5-14x40 in Talley base/rings. After you find that it sits in the safe too much, sell it to me for 1/2 what you paid :) It's a win-win situation. You get to brag about the new rifle & cartridge here on CGN for a while, then I end up with a great deal :D
 
BC Bigbore said:
If you want to spend some loot Bronco Boy, go out and get yourself a Remington LVSF in .17 Remington Fireball. Top it with a Leupold VariX III 4.5-14x40 in Talley base/rings. After you find that it sits in the safe too much, sell it to me for 1/2 what you paid :) It's a win-win situation. You get to brag about the new rifle & cartridge here on CGN for a while, then I end up with a great deal :D
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If that puppy came left handed I would be real interested. In fact I can't find any .17 cal center fire left handed firearms. Kind of a pee off.
 
A lefty? Buy Westicle's .223 then :) It's a lefty beater .223 with a cheap bargain basement scope 'n everything :evil: He don't need it anyway as he's too busy working to enjoy his guns ;) (he's gonna kill me :runaway: )
 
Thought I would throw in my 2 cents, my walking rifle is Ruger 77/22Hornet topped with vxIII 2.5x8x36BC, next is the CZ 527 223 Varmint Kevlar with VXL 6.5x20x56Varmint Ret, for really reaching out there just aquired a Cooper Extreme Varmint Mod 22 in 25-06AI, still trying to decide on a scope, maybe the VX7 4.5x18x56. The choices you put up, go with the CZ and varmint grenades
 
cc878@hotmail.com said:
Thought I would throw in my 2 cents, my walking rifle is Ruger 77/22Hornet topped with vxIII 2.5x8x36BC, next is the CZ 527 223 Varmint Kevlar with VXL 6.5x20x56Varmint Ret, for really reaching out there just aquired a Cooper Extreme Varmint Mod 22 in 25-06AI, still trying to decide on a scope, maybe the VX7 4.5x18x56. The choices you put up, go with the CZ and varmint grenades
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I'm leaning towards the CZ for sure. Such a nice looking well made gun........I'm a sucker for nice looking well made guns.
 
wade said:
remington bdl .243 or cdl .223 if you want the wood stock ,,as a lefty thats the only choice personally i would get the .223 , wade
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Wade, I am down to the Remington CDL or the CZ; why are you suggesting the CDL over the CZ? I'm just curious. I have given myself till Friday to make up my mind.

BTW, the BDL .243 was never a consideration for me as I think it's a might heavy for small predators and I like the CDL better.
 
Savage 16FLHSS - SHORT ACTION LEFT HAND • Caliber: 22-250 Rem

Pros:

• Again, the .22-250 is my preferred caliber
• I like the Accu-trigger
• Love the stainless
• Over $200 cheaper than the others
• In stock now at Wholesale Sports


Cons:

• A "cheaper" gun; in my opinion a Savage is a lower quality firearm than the others I have short listed
• The stock; I just plain like walnut stocks more than synthetic cheap looking black ones – I’m a bit of a traditionalist I guess

Okay! Take the $200 you saved and put into a Boyds or who ever's stock and have something that will shoot as well as or better than all the others with the wood of your choice. I think Boyd's will make you a nice fancy walnut one for a bit more than the $200 you saved. Paint the factory stock winter camo colours and keep it around as an extra. Bet you'll find the "Extra" stock finds it's way onto that rifle more often than the walnut one;)
 
grnhawg said:
Savage 16FLHSS - SHORT ACTION LEFT HAND • Caliber: 22-250 Rem

Pros:

• Again, the .22-250 is my preferred caliber
• I like the Accu-trigger
• Love the stainless
• Over $200 cheaper than the others
• In stock now at Wholesale Sports


Cons:

• A "cheaper" gun; in my opinion a Savage is a lower quality firearm than the others I have short listed
• The stock; I just plain like walnut stocks more than synthetic cheap looking black ones – I’m a bit of a traditionalist I guess

Okay! Take the $200 you saved and put into a Boyds or who ever's stock and have something that will shoot as well as or better than all the others with the wood of your choice. I think Boyd's will make you a nice fancy walnut one for a bit more than the $200 you saved. Paint the factory stock winter camo colours and keep it around as an extra. Bet you'll find the "Extra" stock finds it's way onto that rifle more often than the walnut one;)
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Interesting thought......thanks. Do you happen to have the contact for "Boyds"; I am not familiar with them.
 
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