Coyote rifle
 

I am looking to purchase a rifle for coyote hunting. I will be taking shots from 50-150 yards. Whichcaliber would you recommend? Ido not want to mutilate the pelts though.Thanks

RE: Coyote rifle
 

depends how much $ you are willing to spend, AR-15's are very nice

RE: Coyote rifle
 

take a look at the .204 very fast round very small hole and no exit wound. the round is still new and a little bit more $ than say .223 but it is a good little round, accurate to 400 yards. also 22/250 is good.

those are my opinions.....

RE: Coyote rifle
 

Depends on money, 50-150 I'd get a 223. I have recently become in love with remingtons 700LVSF.

RE: Coyote rifle
 

the .17s are great for shots under 200 yds . but i use a 223 and a shotgun

RE: Coyote rifle
 

Depends on a couple of things. First off, what type of area are you hunting to have a limitation of 50-150 yards? Do you reload? As for money, what are you willing to spend? A .223 is a good starter rifle with cheaper ammo out there that will do the job, provided you produce a good shot. The .204 Ruger is a excellent round, smaller of course than the .223, and a little more expensive if you do not reload. Yet, the .204 is a very quick, accurate, and easy round to work with. Then you can go on, 22-250, .243 all the way up to my favorite rounds, .308 and .338 Lapua. Yes, you can have nice pelts with both of the .30 calibers, but the Lapua does have a knack for a thumper of a recoil.:D. Anyways, if you stick with the .20 calibers, .204 is my vote. .223 would be cheaper in ammo in the long run, but if you are not shooting 100 rounds a weekend, my vote is for the .204. I shoot a .204, the .308 and the .338 Lapua for all my yote hunting, and I pelt out everything I can, unless the dogs are mangy or loaded with parasites. And if I am feeling frisky, I take my bows with me as well....I have had some great mornings with my Hoyts.

p.s. I would do some thinking on the caliber first, then the manufacturer and any add ons. Plenty of great manufacturers out there, but don't go for the sale item that is just ok. A yote gun is just as important as the elk, bear, or even deer rifle. Put some money, without taking a loan, into a scope as well as some good calls, camo, and other necessary gear. It will all add up on a nicely to take that pesky yote.:)

RE: Coyote rifle
 

Depending on how 'new' you are to the sport...my vote is the .223. Cheap, don't need special cleaning rods, plenty of options in both guns and ammo.

RE: Coyote rifle
 

I would say the .223, it is very versatile and the ammo is really cheap. You can get 20 rounds for like $2.50-$3.00. And it isn't all that bad on the pelts either. If you go to alot of message boards the .223 is probably the most used and reccomended.

RE: Coyote rifle
 

The vast majority of coyote hunters use .22 centerfires, like the .222, .223. and .22-250. I use a .223 myself. Out to 300 yards, it is hard to beat. It shoots flat and delivers enough energy and enough lead to get the job done effectively. Most of my shots fall under 100 yds, and I've never hada bullet exit. Nearly any good bolt action rifle topped with a quaility scope will serve you well.

RE: Coyote rifle
 

.243 Win good to about 400 yrds de[ending on the shooter and Savage model 11 not very expensive and accurate out of the box with a nice scope. Can double as a nice deer rifle with the right loads and I have used mine on coyotes for a couple of years and have had no problems with excessive pelt damage.

RE: Coyote rifle
 

With you saying your not going to shot past 150yrds a nice little 223 would be my pick. I have a Savage Tac-10 bull barrel in 223 and have made shots out to 420yrds on dirt dogs. On coyotes I would go with some kind of BT bullets and find someone to load them for you. It's a ton cheaper that factory loaded ammo. The BT bullet expand right away and dont exit most of the time. Good luck and hit me up if you need some loads. Jovan

RE: Coyote rifle
 

all the rounds mentioned are good Ideas, my choice is obvious but with the .204 and some others you can get poly-tipped bullets that fragment right away. this will kill em nice and dead and have a very small enterance and your pretty much gauranteed no exit hole. I am not sure they make those rounds for the .223 or others. but whatever you chose will all be good...

RE: Coyote rifle
 

I'd say a 223 or 22-250. Whatever you choose DO NOT[:'(] use a polymere tipped bullet like a V-Max. They have a nasty tendency to blow up on contact at high speeds(like 204 velocity). I have personally seen 3 coyotes hop up and run off this year shot with V-max bullets out of a 204. Another was shot with a 55 gr V-max out of a 22-250 that the entrance was the size of a baseball. This one was right behind the shoulder at 80 yards. I personally use a 220 Swift with either 52gr BTHP of 55gr SP.

RE: Coyote rifle
 

.204 IS THE ANSWER! it shoots 4225 fps out the muzzle and has outstanding accuracy up to 400 yards! for closer ranges, i would use the .22 mag, .220 swift, .22-250,.222, .223, .243, or .25-06. otherwise you'll put a big fat whole in the animal.

RE: Coyote rifle
 

223 or 204 are both good to great. I use both depending on whether I want to use a bolt or Semi auto.

RE: Coyote rifle
 

???

I use V-Max bullets all the time and have never had a problem getting clean kills or abnormal exit holes. A shot anywhere on the head, chest, and even a couple near the stomach have resulted in clean kills. It's all about using enough bullet to get the job done. I think you are handicapping yourself with a small caliber, such as a .204.

I have had afew bullets expand before hitting the target, but about all they will do then is knock some hair off. This only happens when I hit a broomweed or something else before hitting the coyote. Part of your problem may be your barrel twist with a 220 or 22-250. A high twist barrel and high velocities don't mix well with thin-jacketed varmint bullets. The polymer tip isn't the cause, it's the jacket.

RE: Coyote rifle
 

I have heard of some splashing of poly-tipped bullets when hitting a bone or something but NEVER have heard of a coyote hopping up and running after being hit that hard. If he said he saw it then he saw it but I have to agree that it probably wasn't because of the poly-tips.

RE: Coyote rifle
 

What bothers me about the V-Max is that it is what it is and that
is a prarie dog bullet. It was not designed for penetration at all. It
was designed to make little buck toothed rodents EXPLODE :Dviolently. Them's the facts and that is how they are marketed. Explosive results.
I'd rather use aJHP type bullet in a 204 than a polymere V-Max typein
a 223 or 22-250. That being said I would give any 22 cal. a vote over a 17 or 20 for a coyote gun. Coyotes don't exactly die easy, so like Robert Ruark would say "Use Enough Gun".

RE: Coyote rifle
 

Savage .223 can't be beat for $ & accuracy.