Predator/Deer Gun

[Whitetail3006]

I am looking to get a new gun that will take game ranging from coyote to deer, maybe some fox. I dont want to blow the coyotes or foxes up because I will keep the furs and the exit wound hole shouldn't be too bad but it won't matter that much. Any caliber suggestions would help. Thanks.

[longrifle1000]

I would suggest a .243. You can use light grain slugs for varmint, and heavier on deer. JMHO

[buttonbuckmaster]

25-06, 270, 243. Any will work.

[PaJack]

25-06, 120gr. for deer and 87gr. for fox...

[8mm/06]

You have so many appropriate cardtridges for that purpose that your choices are confusing.....
Anything from .223 (or thereabouts) up to 30/06 could serve your 2 purposes.....Your bullet choice and power load for each job is far more important that the cartridge or caliber selection...
That said, I'd tell you to pick from one of the following .243 Win or .244 Remington (6mm Remington), 257 Roberts, 25/06, .260 or 6.5 X 55 Swede with the nod to the 6.5 X 55 if you handload, .270, 7mm/08, 7 X 57, .284 Winchester, .....the choices do seem endless...Chances are you have a gun in your cabinet that will do just fine.
Even a cartridge with a large diameter doesn't have to be a "pelt ruiner" if you drive a hard pointed bullet THROUGH the animal. My 8mm/06 round would be great with a hard-cast 125 gr bullet out of it's muzzle.
I think you will have a bit of a challenge to find a single load out of a single gun that will serve BOTH purposes real well...you'd have to err on the side of one or the other....I'd err on the side of having enough for the occaisional BIG deer rather than err on the side of not ruining the prettiest small yote pelt.... There are some hand-rolls I can imagine would split the difference ok...but not do either job great....

[Prarie_Boy1]

I know people who have had sucess with a .308 shooting fmj bullets, very little damage to the fur ensure you hit it in the right place though!

[James B]

The 25-06 is hard to beat for what you are seeking. I have had great success with it for Varmits and deer. The best part it that the 25-06 will perform both tasks very well with just one bullet weight. The 100 grain will do it all. I loaded the 120 grains one season then went back to the 100 grain. I think all 25 caliber rifles do best with a good 100 grain bullet. The one exception is the 257 Weatherby. For that one I would use the 115-120 grain bullets. The Barnes X bullet in 100 grain should work in the Weatherby but standard bullets good be a little fragil for deer size game.

[Wolf killer]

25-06, 120gr. for deer and 87gr. for fox...

Ditto.