varmint preditor rifle/caliber help.
 

ok guys here is my problem i am strictly a bowhunter/bird hunter i know nothing about rifles really. i am wanting to do some preditor hunting mostly for coyotes and bobcats and i am wondering what caliber/gun combination would be a good choice. so if any of you could help me out that would be awesome. also if you have any links or anything like that to sites that might help me out that would be greatly appritiated

RE: varmint preditor rifle/caliber help.
 

My favorite is the 22-250, but I don' t hunt for pelts so I don' t worry about damage to the hides. The .223 is also an excellent round that would be a little easier on hides. Of course a lot depends upon bullet selection.

There are a number of rounds that will work, 222, 223, 22-250, 220 swift, .243, .308, etc., and of course many of the new short rounds. You sure don' t need a magnum of any kind. In a varmint gun I look for an accurate rifle that won' t beat me to death recoil wise. Some folks are big on the AR-15 type rifles, but I prefer a nice bolt action. I normally select heavy barrels for accuracy and steady hold, but an accurate sporter weight rifle will be easier to carry and manuver.

RE: varmint preditor rifle/caliber help.
 

Check out www.predatormasters.com for predator hunting info.
Go with the .223 ammo is cheap and easy to get. Plenty of power for coyotes and usually does not leave an exit hole if you use an explosive bullet.

Don' t buy the heavy barrel version for coyote hunting. It nas no benefit for coyote hunting and only adds weight.

RE: varmint preditor rifle/caliber help.
 

if the gun wants to be strictly a varmint rifle, a .223 is a very fine cartridge. A .22-250 will fill the bill as well. If it wants to occasionally take a deer, the .243 is ideal for both tasks.

Any of today' s bolt action rifles will do.

RE: varmint preditor rifle/caliber help.
 

For a good all around coyote killer it is hard to beat the .223.
But their are so many other choices,218 bee,223 Wsm,22-250,.222,220 swift,243 win,.243 WSM,6mm,25-06 rem on and on.
What you need to decide is this going to be a cross-over gun,ie deer and antelope.
If this is the case I would go 25-06,good in the wind and deadly on coy-cogs and deer size game.

If not I would go with the .223,ammos cheap,acurate and deadly out to 350-400 yds.

And if you can' t decide you can be like me and own a .223,22-250,.243,6mm and 25-06,why?I geuss more the merry.
Any rifle in these calibers with a good 4-16 scope and a good rabbit call and you are in luck.BBJ

RE: varmint preditor rifle/caliber help.
 

As far as gun selection check out the varmint guns on www.savagearms.com they make some accurate rifles. If you want to shoot alot and not spend alot on ammo the .223 is the round for you. There are tons of loadings for it and it kills varmints and yotes dead. If you want to deer hunt with the same rifle id look into the 243 winchester (not the wssm, sense its not even released yet).

RE: varmint preditor rifle/caliber help.
 

ok thanks guys i have had 243s before and i have never been so impressed with them. im not worried about hunting deer with this gun. i am going to want a long range gun because there are lots of farm lands and such out here were i could have some long shots.

RE: varmint preditor rifle/caliber help.
 

Sounds like you need a savage varmint rifle in 22-250, good luck.

RE: varmint preditor rifle/caliber help.
 

For long range gunning, find something in the 22-250 or 200 Swift variety. I have a 22-250 Ruger M77 with a Nikon Buckmasters 4-14 on it, and its hard to beat for a varmint rig. Of course, I like the 12 gauge or the 45/70 for varmints too. [>:]

RE: varmint preditor rifle/caliber help.
 

shoot a 22 cheetah nothing in this world can touch it, but you have to know a gun smith to get one, fastest bullet in the world

RE: varmint preditor rifle/caliber help.
 

wow you guys are quick to respond. thanks.[8D] i was just looking at the savage guns online. they look really nice. really liked the varminterr or something like that. the one with the cool stock. here is another question for you. do you guys have thumb hole stocks? i shot a guys rifle the other day that had one and man wa it steady. what do you guys think?

RE: varmint preditor rifle/caliber help.
 

I love thumb hole stocks,if I had the money everyone of my rifles would carry one.
The only gun that I have with one is a 300 RUM,I had it fitted with one to help tame the recoil.I think they make a better shooter out of your gun,but it could all be a mind thing,but sure dose feel right.

RE: varmint preditor rifle/caliber help.
 

i was just looking at ammo prices in a mag i have and its looks like 223 is going for 50 rounds for $8 in there and 22-250 is more like $12 for 20 does that sound right? how come the 223 is so much cheaper?

RE: varmint preditor rifle/caliber help.
 

Its cheaper because of all the surplus military brass. It also uses less powder and is loaded in bulk by many outfits like Black Hills ammo. There are a lot of reloaded Military brass which also forces down the price of the regular factory loads. It is however not the long range performer that the 22-250 is. I have both and the 22-250 beats the 223 for long range HANDS DOWN. I also have a couple 25 calibers that are great varmit rounds. 250 Savage from which the 22-250 was made and a 257 Roberts shooting 75 grain bullets at 3500 fps.

RE: varmint preditor rifle/caliber help.
 

I own a Savage Model 12fv chambered in 223 that shoots awesome groups. I handload for it but any factory ammo shoots great also.

I also own a Remington Model 700-VLS that is chambered in 22-250. This gun also shoots awesome, I handload for this rifle also. If you handload or if your shots are long range the 22-250 is the way to go.


I should also add that I owned the 22-250 for two years before I got the 223. The 223 was a gift that I thought I did not need??? Boy was I wrong after shooting it for a couple of months I wondered how I ever lived without it. Don' t get me wrong I love both rifles but the 223 uses about half as much powder per shell. The barrel stays cool longer & any coyote out to 300-yards don' t know what hit him.

RE: varmint preditor rifle/caliber help.
 

so what is the speed of both rounds? and how much drop are we talking with both of them from 100yds say out to 300 or 400 yds?

RE: varmint preditor rifle/caliber help.
 

Go here and select 223 and 22-250. You can compare the same bullet in the 2 difrent chamberings and you will see the 22-250 spank the 223. http://www.remington.com/ammo/ballistics/ballistics.htm

RE: varmint preditor rifle/caliber help.
 

yes it does spank it. 15in diffrence in drop at 500. well i would way rather have the 22-250 but the price of ammo is a big factor too because i would like to do lots of shooting with it. but we will see.

RE: varmint preditor rifle/caliber help.
 

Pup,
I bought my .223 for a knock around gun,I dearly love my 22-250 and it shoots flat and fast.I don' t reload and it was killing me to pay 15.00 dollars a box to shoot with.So I found an inexspensive .223 (Rossi single shot,24 in.bull barreled) that came with a scope for 180 bucks.I put a bi-pod on it and it will shoot 1/2 groups @ 100yds and I can buy re-man ammo for $8.00 for 50 and shoot coyotes and gophers and not break my wallet.
If calling coy-dogs you can usaly get them with in 200 yds or closer.But it is up to you it' s your money and your fun,so have a blast and pick the one you wan' t.BBJ

RE: varmint preditor rifle/caliber help.
 

I got my hands on a 22-250 this year when i returned from the middle east. Its a Rem 700 VLS with a stainless barrel and a grey laminated stock. This thing has potential but I ran outta monies for decent optics and a trigger job (%^&$ factory trigger is at 6 lbs) and I feel that it will be a one hole rifle out to 200 yards. I can not complane. I have shot lots of 223 (5.56nato) and both are good rounds but i would defanatly go with a heavy 22-250 Its worth the extra money you spend on ammo. I use the 22-250 and the 308win (Rem 700 VLS with trigger down to 2 lbs, pilar bedded, and Lupold MK-4 scope I also use this rig for deer hunting alittle cumbersome but I enjoy it) for varments and when i do my part the rifles do theirs. But in the end its up to you . Just my 2 cents good luck




Silent souls leave 308 holes

RE: varmint preditor rifle/caliber help.
 

I have a .223, .243, and 25-06. If I could only keep one, I' d take the .243 in a heart beat! But.....you said that you don' t plan on hunting anything else like deer, so......I would have to recommend the .223. I have a New England Varminter break action with bull barrel. With Winchester factory 45 grain hollow points, it shoots .75 inch at hundred yards. (I know what you' re thinking, cheap gun, bad trigger, but the darn thing hits what you aim it at)