New coyote calling rifle suggestions

B

buckbrushoutdoors

Regular
Rating - 100%
8   0   0
Location
fort saskatchewan AB/Edson AB
For a bit of background info I've been calling coyotes for about 15 years now. When I was high-school and all I could afford was a 17hmr, it worked but after school and getting a job I upgraded to heavy barrel .223
I've never found myself under gunned with the 223 in calling situations as most shots are close. I sold that rifle last year and have been thinking of a new replacement for this season and can't decide if I should just stay with the good old 223 or maybe try the 204 or 2250. The one area I call has a good.number of wolves so maybe a bit more hitting power might be good.
Has anyone had any negative experiences with the 204 with coyotes?
 
As much as I like my Tikkas in 223 and 22-250 I would opt for a 22-250 with a faster twist than Tikka offers so that you could shoot a heavier bullet at those wolves.
 
I grabbed a Savage LWH 243 from the EE to take out for yotes in wolf / cougar country.
Threw a Leupold 4-12 on it and loaded up some 75g VMAX to take out my next week days off...
 
Are you doing it for fur or for fun or what? If you do it for fur then I'd stick with light bullets in 223. Even for wolves. ...if you are doing it for other reasons, then...whatever goes bang I suppose.
 
I have always had a bit of a .22 centerfire fettish... I have owned, loaded for and shot at range and on fur, the following; .22 Hornet, .22 K-Hornet, .218 Bee, .221 Fireball, .222 Rem, .222 Rem Mag, .223 Rem, .22 PPC, .22 BR, .225 Win, .220 Swift and 22-250... however, if I was only going to shoot one, it would be the .22-250. The .22-250 can handle wolves easily and ads 100 yards of reach to the .223 (for when you wish you had it). If I think wolves are a possibility I generally tote a .243 or .257 Roberts...
 
hoytcanon said:
I have always had a bit of a .22 centerfire fettish... I have owned, loaded for and shot at range and on fur, the following; .22 Hornet, .22 K-Hornet, .218 Bee, .221 Fireball, .222 Rem, .222 Rem Mag, .223 Rem, .22 PPC, .22 BR, .225 Win, .220 Swift and 22-250... however, if I was only going to shoot one, it would be the .22-250. The .22-250 can handle wolves easily and ads 100 yards of reach to the .223 (for when you wish you had it). If I think wolves are a possibility I generally tote a .243 or .257 Roberts...
Click to expand...

This. ^^^
 
Nice thing about a .243 is its legal for deer, in case your out during deer season and happen to see a real nice buck, you don't need a second rifle
 
Yea your probably correct. 22 250 would fit the bill perfectly. Now to figure out what rifle I should buy haha. I need a semi to heavy barrel. I like that extra weight forward for weight for shooting off sticks. Also need a floor plate or removable magazine because I do so many stands in a day and need to get in and out of the truck alot.
 
I use a 25/06 for both coyotes and wolf. It's awesome. Not always fur friendly on coyotes as I use 75 gr Vmax bullets. I'm planning on building a 250 savage for calling coyotes. The 250 savage is still a great varmint round and is right at home taking wolf and deer
 
I second the t3. For a calling rifle where you are walking quite a distance from one stand to the next weight is everything. I don't think you need a heavy barrel either. Coyote calling is usually one or two shots and that's it do don't worry about barrel heat. If its going to be a gopher gun too then yes a heavy barrel is the way to go.
 
I also have a wide choice of rifles in the safe for coyote calling needs and I will pick one of my 204s 90% of the time I go out. I have found nothing better than shooting a 35gr Berger with a Max load of either 8208XBR or H4895 for saving fur and DRT results. Not to say that a 22-250 or 223 will not work but in my real life experience the 204 works way better. I find my Sako 85 Varmint laminate with it's 4.5X14 Ziess Conquest works almost perfect for all my calling needs. I do have a nice little Browning stainless stalker that I use for carrying on my stands where I'm using my snowmobile.
Now on stands where I think I might have a chance to call in a wolf I step up to a rifle in the 6mm class. In 35+ yrs of calling I have never to my knowledge called in a wolf. I have gone to stands where a farmer will tell me he has wolves feeding on a dead animal but I never have had one come in yet. When the coyotes do come in on these stands I always sit there and wonder why I have a 6mm and not my 204.
 
brybenn said:
I use a 25/06 for both coyotes and wolf. It's awesome. Not always fur friendly on coyotes as I use 75 gr Vmax bullets. I'm planning on building a 250 savage for calling coyotes. The 250 savage is still a great varmint round and is right at home taking wolf and deer
Click to expand...

I like your thoughts on the 250. I have a nice light custom lh 250 and plan to smack down a few coyotes with it this winter. I still have to develop a varmint load for it, I only have an 80 gr TTSX deer load to date. I'm thinking a 75 gr Vmax might be just the ticket.
 
I'm a big fan of the 22-250 as well. Had a vanguard s2 that was easily the most accurate rifle I've owned to date, but regretfully sold it to a friend. Needless to say my next rifle purchase will be another 22-250. I tried some factory loaded ammo of 60gr partitions and had excellent results on paper, wasn't able to try them on any game unfortunately, but I wouldn't have felt under gunned shooting wolves out to a good couple hundred yards.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top Bottom