preferred caliber for coyotes

[schmism]

.22-250?
7.62x39 (ak47)
7.62x51 (.308)
7.62x63 (30-06)


Have had a coyote hanging around my place. with my chickens its bad news.

If i see him on my property my .22 is fine as the shots are usually around 40 yards. but often i "track" him to neighboring feild (this usually means watching him trot from my property into the feild beyond) before stopping.

This morning (9.00am) he came trotting up my driveway and (by the time i could grab the .22 and some boots he was off) into the neighbor cow pasture, stopped on the other side of the valley not quite at the crest of the dam for the pond, light snow falling, range, 100-125 yards. Outside the effective range of my .22 (with iron sites) but i shot at him anyway to scare him off.

With a proper rifle with scope he'd be coyote bate for the next one.

so what caliber do you recommend i pickup for xmass? (FYI i dont dear hunt)

oh and the shooting onto neighbors farm ground/pasture isnt a problem so lets just keep this to which caliber and why.

 

[Western]

If it's just for coyotes I would go the 22-250 or 222 swift. A little cheaper and easier to find ammo (usually) great trajectory when scoped. (may not apply to the 222, cost wise )

I have a 22-250 and a 25-06 bull barrel and they have both taken allot of coyotes. I also have a 300WSM , 7mm Mag and would hate to waste a round out of them on a coyote, I would ,given it was the only firearm I had at the time though.

The 22-250 and 222 Swift are a pleasure to shoot, very accurate with little "kick".

Of coarse if you have unlimited funds and a high desire to go to an extreme, you could buy all the way to a Barret light 50. Kidding of course, but most any good small to medium caliber will take a coyote..just a 22 up is a little more stable.

I use a .22 only when I have trapped a live coyote to quietly dispatch him.

 

[Unclebuck257]

You've got a pretty wide choice in calibers for that yote, in my opinion, but since you don't deer hunt and will probably be using the rifle just for varmits like this guy, why not go with a 223 or a 22-250. Economical to buy, economical for ammunition (if there is such a thing anymore!!)The range will be fine for either one and the bullet weights available will work well on yotes too. The difference mainly is that the 22-250 will have a bullet range greater than the 223, if you miss, and if neighbors are close by, that could be a problem.

Beyond those, you could go to a 243 caliber that would do the job just fine too. I use either my 223, 22-250, or my favorite caliber, my 257 Roberts, to shoot yotes around here. I bought the 223 and 22-250 in Savage rifles, specifically for busting yotes around here since they were less expensive rifles and I wouldn't have to be worried about leaving them and carrying them in my P/U truck.

Good luck and go bust a yote!!

 

[Baranx4]

Personally I use a .243 since it's a gun I have, but I would have no problem using my 30-06 if needed. Those 22-250 can shoot far. My friend uses a .25-06 and I've heard of individuals using 30-06 with a lighter bullet. It comes down to what your comfortable using, it's not like your going hunting for a week and need a few boxes of bullets.

Instead of buying a gun for it, you might consider borrowing a gun since most rifle seasons are over, or using the .22 they can shoot much further than most people think. If you have a scope you might consider sighting it in at a farter distance. I have mine sighted in at 50 yards and know the drop at 100, it's less than most people think. It surprised me the first time I shot at a target at 100.

 

[two_bit_score]

I personally like a .243 85 gr. BTHP for just about anything. It's a really flat shooting bullet. I've killed ferel hogs and coyotes with it and you can get a Remington 700 with a composit stock with a scope for pretty cheap.

 

[SARG]

The 22-250 at almost 4000 ft. per second does an incredible job on impact. You wouldn't need anything more and all manufacturers chamber the round so you have a very broad choice of makers.

 

[gerard]

I use a .17 rifle with 10 power scope zeroed at 100 yds. Cheap round but was told it was a good varmint rifle. May be a tad small for a coyote but the hollow point would probably do enough damage given a well placed round. (Course I haven't even gotten a chance for a shot yet, they ARE pretty cagey and stay well away from the house)

 

[two_bit_score]

I use a .17 rifle with 10 power scope zeroed at 100 yds. Cheap round but was told it was a good varmint rifle. May be a tad small for a coyote but the hollow point would probably do enough damage given a well placed round. (Course I haven't even gotten a chance for a shot yet, they ARE pretty cagey and stay well away from the house)

I've thought about a .17 for coyotes but thought it may be too small. Seems it would be good because of the speed and distance. You can really reach out with a .17.

Now a .17 fireball would tear 'em up.

 

[schmism]

I have mine sighted in at 50 yards and know the drop at 100, it's less than most people think. It surprised me the first time I shot at a target at 100.

ya mine is only a LR sighted at 50 also, and drop out to 100 is about 3". Between bullet drop and distance (speed drop) you really need to be spot on with a .22LR at 100yds to have a kill shot. I just dont make it to the range enough to be efficient at those ranges with my 22. Now ill run my plinking target all day long at 40 yards

Instead of buying a gun for it, you might consider borrowing a gun since most rifle seasons are over

if i dont like borrowing tools i absolutely HATE borrowing guns! at this point Its something i NEED therefore its not an issue of weather or not i should buy one myself. The only question is which one (i want them all! )

 

[Egon]

Just go or a Winchester .338 and be ready for most anything.